8/7/11
Do you ever wake up on a lazy morning with the urge to pee but your drowsiness is a serious factor that inhibits you from immediately making the epic journey to the toilet? I had just such a feeling the other day, we had just finished a two-day opener (42 hours of fishing with 3 hours of sleep in between) and I was stuck with the internal struggle. Relieving my bladder ended up winning. As I urinated off the side of the boat I was greeted by some unexpected visitors: a giant pod of whales! That kind of crazy awesome stuff happens quite a bit over here (especially when you're anchored in the wilderness).
As of now we're on the Prince of Wales Island in a small town called Craig. Pretty cool place. We've just recently started fishing off the coast which means huge swells and intense fishing. This also induces an unnecessary swaying when you get back on solid ground as if the earth's soil was at the mercy of wind and tide. When on land you are joined by the rest of the boats that fish around you. 99% dudes, 95% with beards and 100% like to drink, creating a somewhat hilarious ratio at the bars on the nights that warrant drinking. Apparently my nights out have been relatively tame compared to seasons past where the fishermen get in massive brawls with the local loggers (probably over whose is bigger). Coagulated blood is a common backdrop in the bathrooms. I've been lucky enough to avoid confrontation with some of Alaska's burlier citizens. In order to stay in their good graces I've heard myself saying things like "Hell ya red white and blue, fuck everybody else!" and "No man, your captain is a dumb-ass, he never should have fired you." Although these lies keep their fists off my face, they induce a character I like to refer to as Mac Hansen, Drunken Alaskan Psychiatrist, not my favorite persona. Who knew people in Alaska had so many problems and that I needed to hear them in a drunken slur?
Needless to say I'm going through GU bars withdrawal as well as Continental US withdrawal but all that's nothing compared to the wilderness I get to experience. So much so that it's seeping into my dreams. The other night featured a dream sequence in which Moses (my cat) joins us onboard only to get eaten by the squid we had caught. Upon trying to save Moses by cutting the squid open, we were too late. Oh jeez I think my warped description of recent events is giving you guys a skewed version of what's actually happening up here...here's some photos to try and balance what you've just been told:
Cheers Everybody,
Mac
