Sunday, June 21, 2009

back in Kenai to finish up business here

Got back here in Kenai Friday,i droped Mike off in Kasilof at the Watsons beach site camp where he has worked the past few years,he wanted to visit a few days there.Im helping mom get all her stuff done and getting the rest of the stuff out out of the house.There is not much left, just been cleaning up.We are going on the grid to clean the bottom off the boat and put a coat of bottom paint on the 27th of June in Homer so im getting close to getting out of here.So much to do and no time.Ill be glad to be done with all this and get out of here.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Snug Harbor Adventure

Well hello everyone,
Welcome to my life.These days its been pretty crazy around here.Trying to sell my house and get all my affairs in order to leave and travel down the west coast of the US to San Diego or close to it.
On Monday the 15th of June myself and my crew Mike from Washington went across the Cook Inlet to Chisik Island,Snug Harbor to visit Willie and Jenny Porter and family,they are friends of mine.They own and operate an old cannery site built in the early 1900's,not as a cannery but as a retreat for tourists interested in checking out and living old alaska style.
We left Homer in the morning and arrived in snug at 2030.After tying off to a mooring anchor Willie and his crew,Ben and John picked us up in there fishing skiff and brought us to shore.We had a nice evening visit with them and we got to meet Lee,part of the Porter family and Julia,Bens sister.We got a ride back to the boat later that evening and made a little something to eat and called it a night.
On Tuesday the 16th, Mike and I made some breakfast and aired up my Yacht Tender and went to shore.Jenny had made some awesome pancakes so we had breakfast again and after being full to the gills she started to give me a tour of the property,bunk houses,a galley for feeding the cannery crew back in the day,there was a store there for the fisherman to buy stuff,a dock for boats to fuel and take on provisions and  to deliver there catch.Willy and his sons have done a good job on restoring the place,it is mostly still in tact with all the old canning gear.After the tour we just hung out and i was 20 questions about the whole history and jenny showed me some good books on the history.We had dinner with them that night,opilio crab caught from earlyer in the day and a bone in ham jenny cooked was fabulous.
On Wednesday the 17th, Mike and I made a steak and egg breakfast and took the yacht tender to shore to see what the Porters were up too.Lee, a carpender by trade was putting a new door in the main house and Willy was smoking some king salmon,I got a little taste and it was awesome.I got to learn how to play gin rummy,Mike and Willies crew are good at card games,im still learning but had a good time.
On Thursday the 18th, we had a bowl of corn flakes and headed in to see everyone,we were leaving this day to head back to Homer so went in for coffee and got a few good photos and said goodbye.
Thank you Willie and Jenny for haveing us.Ill never forget it.
We got the sails up on the mooring anchor then turned it loose and sailed for about 30 mins till the wind died.We motored for an hour till it picked up then sailed for about 7 hours across the inlet at about 7 knots, I got to use my newly installed wind vane self steer,wich worked awesome,I didnt have to steer the boat for about 7 hours of the 9 hour crossing.I was very happy about the whole trip.I couldnt be better blessed,to know the Porter family and my crew,Mike.Thank you very much

rick