The Scheins' Blog: Alaska Trip

Monday, August 17, 2009

Man, so much to talk about for this day. Better get started.

We got up at a decent time, but got out of the house late because we had a good breakfast, plus I went to fill up the car and buy some flies for fishing at the outdoors store downtown.

Once we finally got out of town, w drove down to Pasagshak. There is only 1 road south out of town, and after about 45 minutes it splits - to the left is Chiniak and to the right is Pasagshak. Today was an absolutely gorgeous day with deep blue skies and warm sun with a cool breeze - just like the last time I went to Pasagshak years ago, and since there are real sandy beaches here, it just felt like beach weather.

The drive is always beautiful and interesting. The road was only paved a little ways outside of town last time I was here, but now the entire thing is paved. The road takes you past the coastguard base (the largest in the country) and then around the head of 3 bays. After the 3rd, you are farther inland and come tot he fork in the road, and then not long afterwards you drive past a village beside a stream near a beautiful bay, and then to a couple of beaches. The 1st one is Surfer's Beach, but that one was full of heavy equipment, like they were collecting a lot of the beach sand for something. Weird and disappointing.

So, we kept driving on to Fossil Beach. This is a beautiful beach situated between 2 long ponds and is accessible only on a road that is pretty rough and steep. There's also a great stream emptying one of those ponds that then cris-crosses the beach. The beach is strewn with huge logs that have washed up on shore. There are also beautiful mountains in the distance across the bay.

This beach is only a couple hundred yards long and has dirt cliffs at each end, and in each cliff there are tons of fossils. Nothing spectacular, but cool nonetheless. I was to the more southerly cliff and climbed over the rocks and debris for as far as I could go. I didn't want to keep everyone waiting though, so after a while I went back. Ed had gone exploring and Sarah and Jeanette had apparently been gooffing off because later on I found several pictures like this on Sarah's camera.

Once Ed got back we drove out slowly so we could pick some Salmon berries. We were in Kodiak for the very end of the season. The pickings were slim, but we found plenty to eat throughout the week.

One of the cool things about this end of the island is that there is a NASA launch complex here (http://www.akaerospace.com/klc.html). They launch satellites and sometimes missiles for the Missile Defense Shield. It's pretty weird to see such large and advanced, modern buildings and structures so far out here away from anything. It's also weird to see buffalo (bison) around here too. Many years ago a guy brought bison to this part of the island hoping to make a successful commercial venture out of it. I don't think it was very successful, but they're still here, breeding, and free-range. We drive near some on our way back toward the north.

It didn't take long to get back to a stream near the NASA area. I forgot the name of this stream, but on the way out it was FILLED with fishermen. Fewer fishermen now, but still 5 - 7 the entire time we were out there, which was quite a while because we were catching lots of fish. They were almost all pink salmon, though I heard some guys say they saw a couple of silvers. Someone else saw a a seal swimming in the stream. Anyway, there were lots of salmon, I I got tons of bites, several fish came off the line while fighting, but I landed several others. I think we went home after a couple of hours with 3 females, and 1 male that another fisherman caught and gave to us wen he noticed I was cleaning them to be eaten. He said the male pinks are better to eat anyway. These are really beautiful fish, with their pink strip and dark spots on their top half on a green background. They fight hard, too! My arm was wearing out.

Sarah got in the act too! I was cleaning one of my fish when I looked up and saw her fishing with my rod. She had a little luck - she aught a dolly varden about the size of my hand (I can't believe we didn't take a picture!!!) A guy there said they were good to fry up, but this guy was so little it wouldn't be worth it. Now Sarah wants to get "his and hers" fly rods - her's bright pink of course. I'll quit fishing before I go anywhere and fish with her with a bright pink rod.

I always like cleaning the fish because you learn so much. These females are absolutely FULL of eggs. Literally, 80 - 85% of the body cavity is filled up with bright, perfectly round, orangey eggs. Makes you wonder what their body cavity is filled with when they don't have eggs. I saw on a show somewhere that you can eat the eggs straight out of the body - lots of good energy and protein. So, Ed and I ate some. They were kind of like small, warm, slimy, salty grapes. Not very tasty, but I've had worse.

We didn't really want to leave, but had to get back by 3. Plus, we really needed to get those 3 fish on ice. So, we headed back, and about 1/2 way we stopped at Kalsin Bay Inn for ice. This is a this little dive bar in the middle of nowhere. I was glad to stop too, because I've never been here and it looks cool. It was pretty rough on the inside - looks like a fun place to hang out. Reminded me of an old gaucho bar near our field site in Argentina - in the middle of nowhere.