Tag: Fishing

Alaska at last!!

Alaska at last!!

bearcruzer

07/12- 07-14 We left White horse and began our final push to reach Alaska. Canada is a big place too! We stopped to look for Dall Sheep but they were not on the ridges close to the viewing station. We were going to spend one more night in the Yukon but did not find any camping along our route so we went ahead and crossed the border (sorry no border pic, it was pretty crowded at the turn off for the signpost). We found a lovely campsite at Deadman Lake. This is a small 15 spot campground funded by the US fish and wildlife service in the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. It had wonderful level graveled spots that were spaced far apart so no one felt crowded. We chose some spots along the edge of the lake and got our rigs settled. The lake was small but very pretty and there was a boardwalk interpretive trail with descriptions of local flora and fauna of the Tundra. There were also canoes and life jackets provided to the campers free of charge. The campground itself was run on a donation basis and so is listed as a free campsite. It was amazing to find such a wonderfully well maintained camp with all these amenities. Jim and Mike were the first to take the canoes out and Mike caught a small Pike. It looked like so much fun the rest of us had to give it a try the next day and so we went for a paddle around the lake. We found a large beaver lodge but did not see it’s occupant. We were also visited by and Cow Moose with her Calf and Sierra was more than happy to find lots of snowshoe hares along with squirrels to keep her occupied. This was a wonderful place to begin our exploration of AK.

Fishing Fiasco

bearcruzer

Nov 4

A Sportfishing tournament hosted by the Rodney Bay Marina that had to be postponed during the hurricane did take place within a couple of days after the storm.   Mike got a few shots of the start of the tournament when the mass of boats took off from the bay in a cloud of diesel smoke and large wakes.  We would dred the mornings and afternoons when the teams of boats would leave or return to the marina as the large wakes would cause DD to rock violently at anchor.   We did enjoy listening to the radio transmissions from the Sports fishermen when they hooked up or landed a big fish.   When we left St. Lucia headed for Martinique we rigged our fishing lines and dropped them into the water.   The weather was a bit unpredictable and just as a big squall hit so did a fish on our line.   I yelled” fish on” and took the helm while Mike began reeling in the fish.       I can’t say we are as accomplished as those sports fisherman.    We proceeded through a comedy of errors to bring in our catch.   As the rain and wind pelted Mike he yelled “It feels big,  better get the gaff.”   I locked the wheel in place and went below to get the Gaff and when I returned to the cockpit DD was heading in a different direction.   I brought her back on course when the fish broke the surface and Mike yelled again “It’s got a Spike!”   Marlin, Swordfish, Sailfish?   In our excitement, we had completely forgotten the other line in the water and the fish proceeded to swim over it.   Now we had two lines to contend with.   Again I locked in the wheel and went to hold the fishing rod while Mike precariously climbed up the Davits and brought the other pole and line to the same side of the boat to untangle it from the first.    Again DD wandered off course in yet another direction.   This was repeated twice more when Michael said,  “I’m going to need my pliers”  and then “get me some gloves”.    I, of course, had to grab the camera to document this auspicious event.     Meanwhile back at the helm, DD continued behaving like a beagle off leash and at one point was even heading back in the opposite direction.  Our friends watching from their boats thought we must really be fighting something big to be making all these obscure maneuvers.    Mike finally brought the little Sailfish to the back of the boat and with gloves on and pliers in hand, released it.   It was tired but swam gratefully away.   This was the perfect example of a learning experience at its best.   Lesson 1) After locking in the wheel in place,  PRESS THE BUTTON to activate the Autohelm,  Duh!…..the boat will remain on course.    Lesson 2)  When one line has a fish on,  reel in the other so it doesn’t interfere with the first thus avoiding the need to perform death defying acrobatics in less than stellar conditions while your partner is frantically praying.      Lesson 3) Have everything needed to bring in a big fish or to release it, in the cockpit and at the ready so as not to have to rummage below, causing sudden bouts of stress induced Turrets’ Syndrome.     Or maybe just Don’t Fish when it is stormy out………Naaaaaaw!  Not an option!

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Friends,Fins,Fish,Fun

bearcruzer

October 21-27, 2010

After hearing the fishing stories from DaniellStorey about his great fishing day and then hearing  from Domino and Dancing Dolphin about our luck.  Ronnie just couldn’t stay tucked into Grenada another day.  Enough was enough.   He and Babbie, under the premise of meeting a friend who was supposed to be coming to Carriacou, showed up in Tyrell Bay.   Their friend never did arrive.  The Crew of Domino had moved north to Bequia and so missed the surprise reunion with Campechano.   We spent much of the weekend enjoying their company and even took their boat out to White Island for a day of fishing, snorkeling, and picnicing.   We only caught a barracuda but it was something.   Ronnie says he is due for a big fish day, just not that day.   We had a good time with them snorkeling around little White Island just south of Carriacou.   We were not too disappointed, not catching fish because we had spent the a couple of days with Ken and Katy of s/v Diana who are also here with us in Tyrell Bay, catching lobster.  We have enough seafood to last a while.  One day a small pirogue came by the boat.  We are traveling north again and so we expect to see an increase of boat vendors, etc.  The young man handed us a handwritten flyer advertising a fish fry on the beach.  It was being hosted by the families of the local ladies who run the vegetable stands on the beach.  The Crews of Diana, Campechano, and DD all got together and enjoyed some great local fair.  After the weekend Campechano returned to Grenada to meet their daughter who is flying in for a visit.   Ken, Katy, Mike and I paid for a couple of nights on the moorings next to Sand Island.  It is a picturesque narrow white sand Island with a few palm trees surrounded by a ring of coral.  We enjoyed a couple of days of great snorkeling.   It has been established as a marine reserve and so the health of the coral is improving and the fish life is becoming more abundant.  We saw larger snapper and Rock Hinds.  I watched a very cool dark brown Octopus swim by and upon seeing me, flattened himself against the rocks and changed his color to perfectly match the specked multicolored surface of his background becoming nearly invisible.  We swam through clouds of thousands of small silver fish we refer to as shiners.  There are pelicans and boobies swooping in and if you are snorkeling in the right place at the right time and find yourself in the middle of one of the large schools you might be privileged to get to see one of the birds diving into the water close by. We even found a large lobster in about 8 feet of water.   He taunted us by walking part way out of his hole to check us out.   We thought about grabbing him but there is a strict no fishing rule within the Marine Park, which must surely explain his bravado.  We had seen live lobster, his size, for sale from the fishermen in town who told us they were catching them with snares, by scuba diving in 70ft of water.   The Crews of Diana and DD, stopped for lunch and picked up some additional fishing lures before checking out of Carriacou/Grenada waters to continue our journey north.   Next stop, Bequia.

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Good Fishing around Carriacou

bearcruzer

10/20/2010

As hurricane season comes to an end, it is the time of year when people who have kept their boats below 12 degrees Lat make ready to continue their travels throughout the Caribbean and points beyond.    In Trinidad, I had met Marie at a women’s group meeting, yes we do have support groups for us crazy female sailors.     She and her husband JP have spent the last 4 years building their dream Motor Catamaran, DOMINO in Paraguay and are now traveling North.     We began referring to ourselves as Big D and Double D on the radio and our friendship blossomed from there.   They traveled from Trini and anchored near us in Hog Island where we got to know them a little better.   We have enjoyed hearing the story of how DOMINO came to be and all the adventures and misadventures of building her.    I have also been privileged to gain some valuable recommendations on getting my shoulder back into shape from Dr. JP,   Thank You.   With a functional Auto Helm and the prospect of good weather for a few days we opted to continue our journey North and head back up to Carriacou for a few days.    Domino also left the same day and we had a bit of a fishing competition going on.    We kept in contact via the Radio and they told us they had spotted some tuna.     As we were leaving Grenada, we caught a 2 ½ ft Barracuda that we through back.    Then nothing.    Domino who was ahead of us announced they had caught a large 52” Wahoo off of Isle Ronde between Grenada and Carriacou.   JP said it took a while to bring it in and he had to walk it around the boat before landing it.   We altered course to take us closer to the Island in hopes of matching their luck.   Still Nothing.    As we were arrived at the mouth of Tyrell Bay,  we began making preparations to anchor.   Just as we were thinking about bringing in the fishing lines we heard a loud zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and Mike yelled, “Fish On!”   I slowed the boat and Mike brought in a nice Blackfin Tuna.   We couldn’t match Domino on the size of the fish but we were happy we did not get skunked!  We got an e-mail from our friends on Campechano back in Grenada, they had no luck that same day and so we felt pretty good about our little Blackfin tuna.    We joined Marie and JP aboard DOMINO that evening for a celebratory dinner.    We have fish in the freezer and all is well!

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Passing Time with good friends!

bearcruzer

Over the course of this last 10 days we have enjoyed reuniting with many of our Grenada and Trinidad friends.   There have been a number of dinners and cocktail hours aboard each of our boats.  I have enjoyed being able to jump off the boat into clean water again.   Mike’s foot is healing well.    I hiked out to the Seven Sisters Falls again with Carl and Carrie of s/v Sanctuary to celebrate Carrie’s Birthday.  I had brought a few bananas with me and we stopped again at Monkey Point where we had a couple of greenback monkey come right up to us for their treats.  One even grabbed at Carries dress looking for more.     We were joined by John and Patty from s/v Anhinga who I had not seen since Boqueron, Puerto Rico.   We had a nice walk but only the girls braved the cool mountain water at the falls.   When we returned  I baked Carrie some of my famous BBQ Brownies for her special day!    Mike, who was still not up to hiking, spent the day with  Dave from s/v DaniellStorey and our newest friends Ronnie and Babbie on s/v Campechano.    Ronnie, an avid fisherman, loves to take people out fishing on their beautiful 47 ft Catana Catamaran.     He has a vast wealth of knowledge and can read the sea and the birds to know where to fish.   They came home with some tuna and rainbow runner.    Ronnie’s love is fishing and Babbie’s is her horses back in Puerto Rico where they live.   We have enjoyed a number of wonderful meals together and look forward to meeting up with them as we travel north.  They have also invited us to visit them in PR where I will have the opportunity to go horseback riding.     We are not the only ones moving north.  Ken and Katy of s/v Diana who we had met briefly in Grenada and got to know better in Trinidad also returned from there and anchored next to us in Hog Island.  We have spent a number of fun evenings with them and they introduced us to some other St. Johnians,  Josh and Lou on s/v Survivan.   Josh and Lou operate a great day charter out of St. John and we were treated to a wonderful evening of laughter, singing and impromptu songwriting.    I’m not sure the songs we came up with will hit the top 40 anytime soon though with titles such as “Falling Off my Nachos” and of course, that all time favorite “Giardia, the Beaver Disease”.   OK, so there was a little rum involved that night!   I know from the highlights I have shared that you might think our lives are just one big party but in reality there is always chores to do, laundry, grocery shopping, repairs, and etc. that make up the bulk of our days.    We took the bus into St. George and finally met with Herve, our RayMarine Representative, to pick up the new motor for our Auto Helm.    Michael has it installed and it appears to working well but on the same note we noticed that our back up compass needs to be repaired……It’s always something!

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