Well here we are back in town. We actually have been back for a few days at this point, because we decided to leave the Southwestern district and come back home.
The length of our trip was a bit absurd. We ran 12 hours over there on Friday, fished Saturday and then ran another 12 hours back to town on Sunday. I suppose it was still worth it because we did make some money, but that's just about the most inefficient fishing you can do.
Man the fish down there were so nasty. They are all very dark now with big humps on their heads, and are basically floppy sacks of eggs at this point. As they get closer to spawning, a salmon's body will consume it's internal organs to sustain itself rather feeding. That's why we try to catch them before they get dark, because as they age their bodies lose a lot of muscle. In fact, we were catching salmon in Southwest for their eggs instead of their meat.
The past few days seen us over on the net mending dock working on restoring our poor seine. We really haven't worked on it very much at all this summer, and you can tell. It is so beat up and pitiful-looking that it makes me sad.
As we are working on our net it seems like everyone else is putting theirs away. Not many boats fish for silvers, because at this point of the season everyone is so tired that they just want to quit. I find it amazing how fast some of these boats got put away for the winter.
Basically that has been it. We're just recuperating, waiting for silvers to start on the 4th. We will head over to Valdez on either Sunday or Monday, and then probably fish for 3-4 days, or until the fish disappear. Since Jonathan is leaving for college on the 2nd, I will be promoted to skiffman for silvers. Having responsibilities is a frightening prospect; I'll actually have to pay attention now instead of mindlessly stacking corks.
-Jack
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Pics
Well here are the pictures that were promised last night.
Jonathan and I up on a mountain in Unakwik.
The view from that same mountain.
Megan and I.
A sunset in Unakwik
So anyways I jumped the gun a bit on the season being over, because tomorrow (Friday) around noon we are headed out for the southwestern district for a few more days. I am actually glad we are going, because I'd rather be out making money than in town being bored. Most of the people I've gotten to know are out there, so it'll be fun.
Jonathan and I up on a mountain in Unakwik.
The view from that same mountain.
Megan and I.
A sunset in Unakwik
So anyways I jumped the gun a bit on the season being over, because tomorrow (Friday) around noon we are headed out for the southwestern district for a few more days. I am actually glad we are going, because I'd rather be out making money than in town being bored. Most of the people I've gotten to know are out there, so it'll be fun.
And then there were none
Well we are back from Unakwik. Man, that place is gorgeous. Jonathan, Megan and I hiked up one of the surrounding mountains during one closure and got some great pictures that I will put on here soon. The sets in Unakwik reminded me of Valdez a bit, because it was so deep even right next to shore. We would be right next to the rocky wall coming out of the water, staying maybe 25 feet from the shore, and it would be 100 feet deep. I still think that is amazing.
It was a really short stay this year, with us in that area for only 10 days before the fish dried up. There were just too many boats fishing up there to keep it going any longer.
We ran back to Gravina on the 20th and have been fishing here for the past few days. This wild fish run should have been done about 3 weeks ago, but it just keeps coming and coming. It is definitely dwindling though, for it is nothing like it was before we left for Unakwik. I think these past few days will end up being our last days of fishing before silvers in Valdez. That gives us about a week and a half to get the boat ready and fix various things before we have to fish again.
Yep, the pink salmon season is now over. It's strange to think that it is really over and that the summer is coming to end. Of course, it comes just as I am really starting to get really good at stacking corks and the rest of the deck work.
Usually the season runs on until around the end of the month, but this year the fish have run dry a bit earlier than usual. This is because there are more boats out on the sound fishing, and that the hatcheries have taken a much larger amount of fish for their cost-recovery. So it's not that there are less fish than projected, it's just that they have all been caught. Even with the year ending a week or so early, we have all made out like bandits this summer. 2005 was a record year, with the Smallwoods grossing around $220000. This year we are at something like $280000 before silvers, so it could get up to $290000 or even $300000 if there is a good silver run. I'm not too concerned about it though, because I have already made way more than I expected too, and I have more than enough to buy a car, computer and phone with plenty left over. Right now I think my crew share stands at a bit over $22000, but that will fluctuate as I add money from silvers and then take some off for taxes. Who knows what it will actually end up as, but whatever the final number is it will be big.
So we are back at the dock in Cordova now. Carmen was feeling ill for the past week or two, so a couple days ago she just hoped on a friends' boat and has been staying at a hotel here in town for a couple nights. So for the past few days it has just been us boys aboard to fend for ourselves. She claims to be feeling better already though, so it won't be too long until she joins us again. The boat certainly feels bigger and quieter in her absence though.
For the past couple weeks I've been starting to put together a movie comprised of videos and pictures I've taken during the summer. Hopefully I'll actually get it done at some point after the summer is over.
Tomorrow or the next day I will upload some pictures because it has been far too long since I have.
Anyways, that is the rundown of what's been going on. I decided to leave out the boring details this time. I'm not sure what we will be doing from now until silvers start on the 4th, but I'm sure we will stay busy. The net has so many holes that it will take us a few days just to get that back the way we want it.
-Jack
It was a really short stay this year, with us in that area for only 10 days before the fish dried up. There were just too many boats fishing up there to keep it going any longer.
We ran back to Gravina on the 20th and have been fishing here for the past few days. This wild fish run should have been done about 3 weeks ago, but it just keeps coming and coming. It is definitely dwindling though, for it is nothing like it was before we left for Unakwik. I think these past few days will end up being our last days of fishing before silvers in Valdez. That gives us about a week and a half to get the boat ready and fix various things before we have to fish again.
Yep, the pink salmon season is now over. It's strange to think that it is really over and that the summer is coming to end. Of course, it comes just as I am really starting to get really good at stacking corks and the rest of the deck work.
Usually the season runs on until around the end of the month, but this year the fish have run dry a bit earlier than usual. This is because there are more boats out on the sound fishing, and that the hatcheries have taken a much larger amount of fish for their cost-recovery. So it's not that there are less fish than projected, it's just that they have all been caught. Even with the year ending a week or so early, we have all made out like bandits this summer. 2005 was a record year, with the Smallwoods grossing around $220000. This year we are at something like $280000 before silvers, so it could get up to $290000 or even $300000 if there is a good silver run. I'm not too concerned about it though, because I have already made way more than I expected too, and I have more than enough to buy a car, computer and phone with plenty left over. Right now I think my crew share stands at a bit over $22000, but that will fluctuate as I add money from silvers and then take some off for taxes. Who knows what it will actually end up as, but whatever the final number is it will be big.
So we are back at the dock in Cordova now. Carmen was feeling ill for the past week or two, so a couple days ago she just hoped on a friends' boat and has been staying at a hotel here in town for a couple nights. So for the past few days it has just been us boys aboard to fend for ourselves. She claims to be feeling better already though, so it won't be too long until she joins us again. The boat certainly feels bigger and quieter in her absence though.
For the past couple weeks I've been starting to put together a movie comprised of videos and pictures I've taken during the summer. Hopefully I'll actually get it done at some point after the summer is over.
Tomorrow or the next day I will upload some pictures because it has been far too long since I have.
Anyways, that is the rundown of what's been going on. I decided to leave out the boring details this time. I'm not sure what we will be doing from now until silvers start on the 4th, but I'm sure we will stay busy. The net has so many holes that it will take us a few days just to get that back the way we want it.
-Jack
Friday, August 10, 2007
We're actually going
...And it's for real this time. We got the order from the boss himself that we are to leave Gravina and head out to Unakwik. We'll be out there for about 3 weeks, and from there we'll head to Valdez and fish for silvers. It's crazy how fast the season is progressing. Andrew and I were talking yesterday and he mentioned that we might only have 10 or so openers left in the pink season.
Well time to go.
-Jack
Well time to go.
-Jack
One last time
Aug 8th:
We ended up staying in town way longer than we expected, but it was for a good cause. Jonathan did some much-needed reconstruction on the boat end of the seine, so now hopefully fish won’t be able to run out of our net so easily.
Not much else went on. I went hiking with my girlfriend Megan and her friend Audrey up to the reservoir just for a quick bit before work began. I think she is planning on dragging me up a nearby mountain before the end of the year, which will be interesting.
-Jack
Aug 9th:
The fish just don’t want to end. I know by saying that, I have jinxed us and now they will run away never to be seen again.
But anyways the fishing is still extraordinary around here. We did 5 sets to get our limit for the day, and then had to run the last of our fish back to the cannery here in town. It kind of sucks to have to run for 3 hours and then deliver, but it means we get to come back to town every day, which is nice.
I did another set in the skiff yesterday, for our last one of the day. It would be nice to stick around Gravina for a little longer just so that I can get some more practice on these really easy sets before thing like snags and currents start becoming an issue. Oh well, I’ll have to deal with them eventually anyways.
Total poundage for the day: 50000
-Jack
We ended up staying in town way longer than we expected, but it was for a good cause. Jonathan did some much-needed reconstruction on the boat end of the seine, so now hopefully fish won’t be able to run out of our net so easily.
Not much else went on. I went hiking with my girlfriend Megan and her friend Audrey up to the reservoir just for a quick bit before work began. I think she is planning on dragging me up a nearby mountain before the end of the year, which will be interesting.
-Jack
Aug 9th:
The fish just don’t want to end. I know by saying that, I have jinxed us and now they will run away never to be seen again.
But anyways the fishing is still extraordinary around here. We did 5 sets to get our limit for the day, and then had to run the last of our fish back to the cannery here in town. It kind of sucks to have to run for 3 hours and then deliver, but it means we get to come back to town every day, which is nice.
I did another set in the skiff yesterday, for our last one of the day. It would be nice to stick around Gravina for a little longer just so that I can get some more practice on these really easy sets before thing like snags and currents start becoming an issue. Oh well, I’ll have to deal with them eventually anyways.
Total poundage for the day: 50000
-Jack
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
...And we're still around
Aug 2nd:
It was typical town day. Running to an fro getting whatever supplies might be needed and jumping out in the afternoon. We actually got done pretty late and didn’t leave the harbor until about 6, which is much later then we usually leave.
-Jack
Aug 3rd:
Today was interesting, to be sure. We used our entire quota of stupid for the whole day in one set, although we didn’t stop there.
Our first set was incredible. Maybe a 15-18 thousand pound set to start off the day, which is just phenomenal for wild fish. Then came the second set, which was the unfortunate one. The whole time we were holding open, you could tell it was going to be a huge set. Fish were jumping everywhere, with more than one in the air several times. But as we were closing the net and about to pick it up, disaster struck. We got rocked down, which occurs when the net catches on the bottom and snags itself. It can usually be avoided or fixed by the skiff man being careful, but on this set Jonathan had towed too far forward and the snag was particularly bad. I knew what we would have to do at once, and I dreaded it. We had to pick the net up over the stern, serving to just get it back aboard and dump the set. This was probably going to be around a 20000 pound set, too. Needless to say, I was bitter for the rest of the day about it.
It still turned out to be a great day. We fell just short of the limit because at the end of the day we got caught in some long lineups, and didn’t get many sets in. Plus we got to the point where we could not physically fit any more fish into the boat, and our day was finished.
Total poundage for the day: 51000
-Jack
Aug 4th:
Ah, finally a lazy day. Since we delivered late last night, and because we stocked up on everything last time we were in town we decided against going back to town this closure. While we don’t get to see any of our friends when we do this, it is nice to have a day every now and then to just do nothing but sleep and watch movies. Since I only get about 4-5 hours of sleep in town and 5-6 hours the night before we fish, being able to get 9-10 hours is welcome. Hopefully when we are in the middle of nowhere our friends will be around us, and we can have both at once.
-Jack
Aug 5th:
Today was an average Gravina day, which means tons of fish were caught and money was made. I swear, I’m getting so spoiled this season with this huge mass of fish that is coming in. We were again on our limit of 55000 pounds which we got after 10 sets I think. The boat’s total gross rises pretty quickly when you put together these strings of 10000 dollar days. It’s getting to be absurd.
Afterwards we had to run the last of our fish to the cannery in town due to no tender service in the afternoon, which kind of sucked but at least we got to be back in town again.
During our delivery at the cannery dock, Jonathan decided that there was too much water in the fish hold and that we should take the return hose out for a pump or two (the return hose gives us back the water that the pump sucks out, because the fish need water to be pumped quickly). As he unties it from the pump hose, all of a sudden things go to hell and the hose goes crazy. It turns out this things is like a freaking fire hose. Jonathan puts himself between the open door cabin and the hose and wrestles it down to the deck. I told him that he looked like the crocodile hunter taking down a huge croc. Crikey!
Total poundage for the day: 55000
-Jack
Aug 6th:
Yet another town day that I think is our last. We’ve had a lot of ‘last days in town’, but we seem to keep coming back. I thought we would already be in the Northwest district by now, but we may as well stick around here if the fish are here. Plus, since there are only about 6 or 7 boats fishing in our area, you don’t get cut off by people fishing above or below you because everyone is so spread out. It’s great, because there are no lineups and no competition for the fish.
-Jack
Aug 7th:
Wow today was incredible fishing. It’s almost as if the run is still building, not dying off. We had a higher limit at 62000 pounds, which we were able to get after only 6 sets. It’s amazing, the amount of fish around here. I wonder how I will react to having a normal job at some point, with good pay being $9 an hour.
What was really fun about to was that I got to alf our sets in the skiff while Jonathan stacked corks. It was a win-win, because I got to do the skiff and Jonathan was able to get a workout. We were both happy. So the skiff wasn’t too difficult, although the set we were doing was extremely easy; a gravel beach with no snags on the bottom. It is a perfect set to start on. Towing the boat around while we pick the net up is challenging but fun. That’s definitely where you have to have the finesse.
So hopefully now on long days Jonathan and I could switch off stacking and skiffing as needed to give each other a break. He is most definitely still the skiffman though, at least for the next 3 weeks or so until he leaves for school.
Total poundage for the day: 62000
-Jack
It was typical town day. Running to an fro getting whatever supplies might be needed and jumping out in the afternoon. We actually got done pretty late and didn’t leave the harbor until about 6, which is much later then we usually leave.
-Jack
Aug 3rd:
Today was interesting, to be sure. We used our entire quota of stupid for the whole day in one set, although we didn’t stop there.
Our first set was incredible. Maybe a 15-18 thousand pound set to start off the day, which is just phenomenal for wild fish. Then came the second set, which was the unfortunate one. The whole time we were holding open, you could tell it was going to be a huge set. Fish were jumping everywhere, with more than one in the air several times. But as we were closing the net and about to pick it up, disaster struck. We got rocked down, which occurs when the net catches on the bottom and snags itself. It can usually be avoided or fixed by the skiff man being careful, but on this set Jonathan had towed too far forward and the snag was particularly bad. I knew what we would have to do at once, and I dreaded it. We had to pick the net up over the stern, serving to just get it back aboard and dump the set. This was probably going to be around a 20000 pound set, too. Needless to say, I was bitter for the rest of the day about it.
It still turned out to be a great day. We fell just short of the limit because at the end of the day we got caught in some long lineups, and didn’t get many sets in. Plus we got to the point where we could not physically fit any more fish into the boat, and our day was finished.
Total poundage for the day: 51000
-Jack
Aug 4th:
Ah, finally a lazy day. Since we delivered late last night, and because we stocked up on everything last time we were in town we decided against going back to town this closure. While we don’t get to see any of our friends when we do this, it is nice to have a day every now and then to just do nothing but sleep and watch movies. Since I only get about 4-5 hours of sleep in town and 5-6 hours the night before we fish, being able to get 9-10 hours is welcome. Hopefully when we are in the middle of nowhere our friends will be around us, and we can have both at once.
-Jack
Aug 5th:
Today was an average Gravina day, which means tons of fish were caught and money was made. I swear, I’m getting so spoiled this season with this huge mass of fish that is coming in. We were again on our limit of 55000 pounds which we got after 10 sets I think. The boat’s total gross rises pretty quickly when you put together these strings of 10000 dollar days. It’s getting to be absurd.
Afterwards we had to run the last of our fish to the cannery in town due to no tender service in the afternoon, which kind of sucked but at least we got to be back in town again.
During our delivery at the cannery dock, Jonathan decided that there was too much water in the fish hold and that we should take the return hose out for a pump or two (the return hose gives us back the water that the pump sucks out, because the fish need water to be pumped quickly). As he unties it from the pump hose, all of a sudden things go to hell and the hose goes crazy. It turns out this things is like a freaking fire hose. Jonathan puts himself between the open door cabin and the hose and wrestles it down to the deck. I told him that he looked like the crocodile hunter taking down a huge croc. Crikey!
Total poundage for the day: 55000
-Jack
Aug 6th:
Yet another town day that I think is our last. We’ve had a lot of ‘last days in town’, but we seem to keep coming back. I thought we would already be in the Northwest district by now, but we may as well stick around here if the fish are here. Plus, since there are only about 6 or 7 boats fishing in our area, you don’t get cut off by people fishing above or below you because everyone is so spread out. It’s great, because there are no lineups and no competition for the fish.
-Jack
Aug 7th:
Wow today was incredible fishing. It’s almost as if the run is still building, not dying off. We had a higher limit at 62000 pounds, which we were able to get after only 6 sets. It’s amazing, the amount of fish around here. I wonder how I will react to having a normal job at some point, with good pay being $9 an hour.
What was really fun about to was that I got to alf our sets in the skiff while Jonathan stacked corks. It was a win-win, because I got to do the skiff and Jonathan was able to get a workout. We were both happy. So the skiff wasn’t too difficult, although the set we were doing was extremely easy; a gravel beach with no snags on the bottom. It is a perfect set to start on. Towing the boat around while we pick the net up is challenging but fun. That’s definitely where you have to have the finesse.
So hopefully now on long days Jonathan and I could switch off stacking and skiffing as needed to give each other a break. He is most definitely still the skiffman though, at least for the next 3 weeks or so until he leaves for school.
Total poundage for the day: 62000
-Jack
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Back once more
July 30th:
Man today was incredible fishing. By 11 we had filled the hold for the first time after 5 sets. We delivered and went back to work for another 9 sets and managed to fill the boat up to the brim on our last possible set of the day. It was our best day of the year so far, with me clearing over $800 and the boat getting just over $10000. Sure, it took 14 sets but that is an absurd amount of money for 14 hours of work. That comes out to $59 an hour. Something tells me I wouldn’t be doing that well if I was working at Burger King.
We didn’t get done delivering until 2 in the morning. Geez, the lines at the tenders were hellishly long. At least we didn’t have t get up and fish though.
It was funny, for a few sets Jonathan ran the big boat and Andrew did the skiff. It gave him an immense amount of joy to look out and see his dad in the skiff while Jonathan stayed in the cozy top house. I suppose that soon enough it will be me who is banished to the skiff while the Smallwood clan handles the deck work.
Total poundage for the day: 55000
Total poundage sold: 666000
-Jack
July 31st:
Well today was an actually day off. We spent the night in the little bay where we delivered yesterday’s fish, and at about 10 ran back to our set so that we could be the first boat up the next day. The day mostly consisted of movies and TV shows on the laptop, and was nice for recuperating from the 14 sets we did yesterday.
-Jack
Aug 1st:
Wow today was incredible. Another exceptional day of fishing, and we only did like 11 sets. We actually got done early, because sometime right after noon there was an announcement for our fleet that we all had a limit of 55000 pounds for the day. By 6 pm we had our fish and took off for the tender. By 10 we were back in town to socialize. A very good day.
The money I've been making lately is absurd, but I'm not complaining because it is an absurdly large amount. I definitely picked a year to come up here. This season should end up setting a lot of records in terms of the amount of fish.
So I think that this trip to town may be our last for quite some time. Soon we should be heading out to the middle of nowhere to fish near a salmon hatchery for about a month. After that we will be back in Valdez for a few days to fish silvers, and then I'll be done. I can't believe the season has gotten this far already. I only have like 6 weeks until I am sitting back at home aboard the boat.
But anyways, like last time, no news is probably good news once we make it out there. I'm not sure if we are going to run out there today and fish tomorrow or stick in Gravina tomorrow and then run out afterwards.
Total poundage for the day: 55000
-Jack
Man today was incredible fishing. By 11 we had filled the hold for the first time after 5 sets. We delivered and went back to work for another 9 sets and managed to fill the boat up to the brim on our last possible set of the day. It was our best day of the year so far, with me clearing over $800 and the boat getting just over $10000. Sure, it took 14 sets but that is an absurd amount of money for 14 hours of work. That comes out to $59 an hour. Something tells me I wouldn’t be doing that well if I was working at Burger King.
We didn’t get done delivering until 2 in the morning. Geez, the lines at the tenders were hellishly long. At least we didn’t have t get up and fish though.
It was funny, for a few sets Jonathan ran the big boat and Andrew did the skiff. It gave him an immense amount of joy to look out and see his dad in the skiff while Jonathan stayed in the cozy top house. I suppose that soon enough it will be me who is banished to the skiff while the Smallwood clan handles the deck work.
Total poundage for the day: 55000
Total poundage sold: 666000
-Jack
July 31st:
Well today was an actually day off. We spent the night in the little bay where we delivered yesterday’s fish, and at about 10 ran back to our set so that we could be the first boat up the next day. The day mostly consisted of movies and TV shows on the laptop, and was nice for recuperating from the 14 sets we did yesterday.
-Jack
Aug 1st:
Wow today was incredible. Another exceptional day of fishing, and we only did like 11 sets. We actually got done early, because sometime right after noon there was an announcement for our fleet that we all had a limit of 55000 pounds for the day. By 6 pm we had our fish and took off for the tender. By 10 we were back in town to socialize. A very good day.
The money I've been making lately is absurd, but I'm not complaining because it is an absurdly large amount. I definitely picked a year to come up here. This season should end up setting a lot of records in terms of the amount of fish.
So I think that this trip to town may be our last for quite some time. Soon we should be heading out to the middle of nowhere to fish near a salmon hatchery for about a month. After that we will be back in Valdez for a few days to fish silvers, and then I'll be done. I can't believe the season has gotten this far already. I only have like 6 weeks until I am sitting back at home aboard the boat.
But anyways, like last time, no news is probably good news once we make it out there. I'm not sure if we are going to run out there today and fish tomorrow or stick in Gravina tomorrow and then run out afterwards.
Total poundage for the day: 55000
-Jack
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