It's about 1 PM. This entry will be short - I'll try to add to it later.
Some of the crew were late getting out to their boats for our 5 AM set and again, we found the water surprisingly deep. So while Chris and Bob held the buoys, with five minutes to set, Jake and I hopped in the Ambi, ran to the various walkers and took them to their boats so they would be only a few minutes late and able to do a walking set if they wanted, before we returned to our site for a running set. It un-nerves me to see people standing in water that is inexorably swallowing them (as in when they are holding buoys).
The ebb was fairly slow fish-wise, so we decided to pull the nets in early and get some sleep. That suggestion got vigorous nods from my noble and uncomplaining crew. But I've been getting dotty and we go again tonight. So we pulled the nets shortly after the tide, when the water was still rather high and running strong. This presents the special challenge of disconnecting the carabiners under the great pressure of the running current. We had brute force to get slack: one person pulls from the buoy to the 'biner while another pulls from the nets to the 'biner and a third opens the 'biner (not so successful when the current is really strong, but tiring!); tie a line from the anchor line to the net (taking the 'biner and its line out of the equation) and use leverage to shorten the new line (we tried twisting a fairlead in it) creating slack. Releasing the fairlead becomes the challenge on that method. Several years ago, we finally thought to use the boat. Going against the current, we nose up to the convex lines that are bulging toward us, pick them up and pull them over the bow, resting them on the gunwale, just forward of the fairleads, which are about midship or a little forward of that. The fairleads must be strong and stably in placed because this maneuver generates a lot of force. Then we run the outboard of the boat against the line and against the current to push the bulge out of the line transforming it from a bulging convex line to a convex line with a concave point in it. When we think we've pushed far enough (or when we begin to fear that the anchor line will break or the corkline will snap or some other catastrophe - similar to pushing people), we drop the outboard into neutral so that the boat snaps back against the built-up pressure as the line tries to return to convex position. During this transformation, the line goes slack, and we fumble with the carabiner to try to get it detached. Sometimes it takes more than one run; always it takes more than one person.
After picking up the second net, we rafted the Ambi to the Bathtub to transfer the net to the boat that will set it this evening at 6. Meanwhile, David's crew was gathering fish to be delivered into the Grayling, so he rafted it up with the New Boat (that they have named Pickaswego) to take on those fish for delivery and together, ran them to raft up with us in the Ambi to take on our fish. The whole little flotilla was rafted up in a row.
This photo shows the Grayling transporting the crew from the skiffs we use to go through the nets to shore. Whoever finishes first gathers up the Grayling and clips the working skiff to the outer buoy of the site it will set in a few hours. Then they transfer the fish from the working skiff to the Grayling for a delivery through the mud. You can see David in this photo at the outboard, Josh in his yellow hat and stump sitting on the shoot, Jeff, holding a bag of fish and looking at our skiff, Trina in the maroon cap and Erik, talking to David. The Grayling is 16' long and faithful! When our boat finishes first, Jake usually pilot the Grayling.
This photo is after they've picked up the Ambi crew and fish. Look back at the previous photo to remind yourself how small the Grayling is and pack four more bodies into it. I'm standing at the bow with the camera. I think I have a wonderful and perfect crew. They're eager, strong, brave, willing, really hard working, smart, and funny. And not just photogenic, but downright cute. Here they had a little more warning that I was going to take a photo. That bag of fish weighs nearly 1000 lbs.
Delivering the fish is a challenge. At the height of the tide, the buyer usually sends a tender down on the water and we can deliver without going to shore. But when the tide goes out, it goes fast and the seiners don't want to go dry here, so they head out shortly after the turn of these short tides. But we've had most of our fish on the ebb, so when it's only one boat load, we bring the final load in using the Grayling. We run it as far as we can under power - until the prop kicks up too much mud, and then we all hop out and push it along in the water. When it hits the mud, we just keep going, pushing it across the mud where the truck and giant Gehl fork lift can't drive, to the hard sand where they can. I think it's an awesome site to see these people in orange pushing a skiff loaded with fish across mud. Fishing has been moderate to disappointing for most of the tides this year. This photo shows the neighbors giving their net a chance to fish while they don't hang out in their boat. Those white things floating in the water are decomposing salmon - aka "floaters."
The question in everyone's mind is whether the fish are late or not coming in the numbers predicted. For example, we got about 2500 lbs on today's morning tide. It brought our total to about 75000 lb. That's not so bad at this time in the season, assuming that the run is late as some are saying, and a bit disappointing if we're half way there. July 4 is the traditional peak of the run. We've been scratching hard for just about every pound and a 2500 lb tide is about as tiring as an 8000 lb one because we still need to be out there on the flood and then on the ebb - we just don't spend as much of the time picking the fish out of the net. Not-picking while going through the net isn't the same as resting.
It has been pretty flat calm most of the season. The two tides that we've done well have been windy and rainy. And then it calmed down. Now we finally have some weather again (the wind is blowing - from the southwest! - and it's raining), so if there are fish out there, this should bring them to our nets this evening. Even though we tried to pull early, we ended up delivering about the same time in the tide as usual. How did that happen?
Bob stayed in to figure out what's wrong with my battery system (we had two bad inverters), the generator (it worked fine for him. Sigh), and my heating system which had been activated by putting together the two metal ends, and holding them there with a clothespin. Despite that charm, Bob installed a thermostat. It seems a little conventional and tame for the setting, but I am not complaining - it's great to be able to set a temperature and leave it.
More later, after sleeping for a few hours.
In the evening tide, Jake celebrated the full use of his thumb. Not sure what has been delivered on this tide - maybe about 2500 on the flood. The ebb didn't look very busy so I came in to put chicken, potatoes, and brownies in the oven and work on a report that is needed very soon. Couldn't resist this sunset though - I always feel cheered by a sunset (no matter what), but more so when it is so bright and beautiful, peeking out from under a thick cover of clouds that has been with us all day long. Happy fourth of July!
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Hi Liz, I typed a nice comment but then needed to do something with signing into google and the comments gone, but I think I'm signed it. If this works, I'll type more another time. Be well.
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