...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