Halibut fishing and the bounty of Resurrection Bay, Alaska

(Wands at the ready!)

Alaska is truly heaven on earth for me. I'm one of those people who's soul is drawn like a magnet to both the ocean and the mountains. In this magnificent place, the two are wedded.

Even if this trip had yielded no fish, the boating out was totally worth it. I have missed the water and just ache for more. Part of me says screw the expansion on the house, let's get a BOAT!!!! Or at least start making serious financial plans for one down the road. Next summer, there must be trips in the kayaks. It's been 6 years , but Lo is old enough to sit in a double now and Dea can handle her own. I'm so excited to introduce this wonderful activity to Lo. I was fortunate to have been able to spend a lot of time on the ocean when I was a kid. I want to give my kids as much exposure to the water as I can. Dea already has designs on becoming a marine biologist. ...So why not have a boat docked down by the Sealife Center, right?!

The owner and captain of the Ranisong is also a fellow financial planner with Huz. We had been out fishing on this boat 3 years ago, before they were both with New York Life, and had no idea it was Randy's until a couple weeks ago. The crew is top notch and these guys ALWAYS find the fish! Shameless plug: Seward Fishing Club .


We headed down to Seward on Friday night and spent the night on the boat. There's lots of bunks to sleep on- very fun! Huz and I enjoyed a plastic camping glass of wine and a stroll around the marina. The stars were blazing-saw a couple shooting-and the water was like glass. Sorry, Huz, for ruining some of the romance by dinking with my camera.

We were up by 6:30 the next morn, and everyone started showing up. Since it was the last official run of the reason, it was "family and friends" day and the boat was packed! The 3 1/2 trip out to the "sweet spot" was chilly but exciting. We spent a lot of time riding on the front of the boat in the wind, spray and glorious sunshine.

Once we got to our destination we weren't exactly "killin 'em" like we did on the trip 3-ish years ago. That time folks were limited out within an hour! Plus we pulled up all kinds of stuff-rockfish, bass, ling cod, salmon.... But this was the end of the season. Most people on this trip caught something, and my family was fortunate to have caught 7 halibut. I was still working on the 8th when the deck hands started mentioning it was about time to head back. Huz knew I was really hoping for a good challenge and that last fish, so he really dinked around with the pole, manipulating it around the bottom-wait a sec! This sounds NAUGHTY!!! ...Basically he dangled the bait at the bottom around the rocks in an enticing manner and we eventually had a bite. So, I'm hauling up this last fish of the day. I'm thinking, EH...this is gonna be a small one. I wanted to reel in a barn door! Oh, well... Then suddenly I feel this intense yanking...I crank the reel harder-fore arm burning now-after a few minutes color emerges from the deep... Yay! A yellow eyed snapper! Sweet! Quite feisty now for a little sucker-or maybe I've gotten WEAK?!?!? A couple more cranks and I realize a mammoth prehistoric FREAK (ling cod) is latched to the body of my lil snapper! I've got a two-fer!!!
PERFECT way to end that fekkin' awesome day!

(I HATE leaving an endless string of photos...so I'm trying the collage thing. Just click to view them in LARGE.)

(Dig that huge ling cod behind the snapper!)

(This was great wildlife viewing experience as well! Humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises playing with the bow, jellies, and otters. I STILL have not seen a puffin!!!!)