9. Engine problems persisted into departure (which was optimistically late).
10. Headwind, rough weather, only the senior crew had the sense to don rain gear in time. Many very wet people for three hours of hard "jogging."
11. Very dark by 2 AM but Jake and Rohan navigated us safely - and in the end, Jake could somehow see the dock and guided us in.
12. Abandoned the Ambi at the dock and the trailer in the parking lot. Picked up the four-wheelers at AGS because we knew the tide would be too high for the truck.
13. The tide was too high for the four wheelers. We abandoned the truck on the beach access road, along with the four-wheelers and decided to walk the mile to the cabin despite being cold, wet, and tired. (This was the first introduction to the beach for our guests from New York.) Everyone was strong and brave.
14. The tide was in so far that the creek was too wide to jump across and too deep to wade across in knee boots. David was in his waders and he carried most of us - piggy back or in a fireman's carry (one at a time). Jake walked across in his Xtra Tufs and rain gear... and got wet. Sabita and Alok waded across in their shoes and got really wet.
15. The tide was all the way to the cliff, so we had to run sometimes to avoid getting even wetter from the high waves. The crew was carrying their bedding.
16. Jean, Sabita, Alok and I spent some time yelling at a tundra clump that we thought was a bear.
17. The next day, we fished (we filleted 10 for home and 2 to eat here) and then pulled in the nets and ran the last skiff (the Bathtub) in to be pulled out of the water.
18. Then started cleaning, baking bread (and cinnamon rolls and maple bars), marinading salmon...
Full report, with photos later, followed by an account of these last days (which are going really well). I realize that this crew is so competent that not only do I no longer have to do everything, really, I don't have to do anything except delegate.
Sabita and Alok leave early in the morning and the rest of the crew shortly afterwards (boo!). So it's time for me to get to bed.
Friday, July 26, 2013
July 21: Off to Katmai
David got up early and roused the crew to get the truck loaded. We definitely haven't mastered the concept of traveling light. I'm pretty sure that if we planned to be in Katmai for a month, we'd have taken the same amount of stuff. We had sleeping bags and pads for 11 people, their rain gear and dry clothes (for any weather condition from very hot to very cold), kitchen stuff (pots, pans, mugs, plates, silverware), cameras, radio, toilet paper, bug spray, bug nets, flashlights, a toolbox, 75 gallons of gas, 12 gallons of water, and food all of us for about 3 days.
On the way to the airport with the Ambi in tow, we got a call from Alok telling us that they had missed their flight. Boo. But they were able to get on another flight about 3 hours later. So we waited a bit for Jean, had lunch, and then went to launch the boat. We received another call from Alok telling us that their flight had been delayed another hour. Boo.
... and that will have to be the cliff hanger. We are working so hard to get packed up and then getting up early to dodge the tide in the run for the airport that I just haven't had time to write about our eventful trip. Of the... um, 1000 photos between all of us, we've shortlisted... well, not 100, anyway. I'll add them later. It's gonna take some time. Here are the topics:
1. Late start
2. Engine problems
3. Insanely glorious and beautiful weather
4. Spectacular sunset and simultaneous full moonrise 180 degrees apart. Our biggest problem is that we couldn't decide which one to look at.
5. Very late arrival at Fure's cabin (well after midnight)... to be greeted by two park service employees already in residence! (A case of double booking.)
6. Engine problems persisted the next day. (We had hoped for a spontaneous cure. Nope.)
7. Maybe the filter is clogged - helpful rangers and Bic pens to the rescue
8. Many bears at the Katmai falls and many photos
9. Engine problems persisted into departure (which was optimistically late).
10. Headwind, rough weather, only the senior crew had the sense to don rain gear in time. Many very wet people for three hours of hard "jogging."
11. Very dark by 2 AM but Jake and Rohan navigated us safely - and in the end, Jake could somehow see the dock and guided us in.
12. Abandoned the Ambi at the dock and the trailer in the parking lot. Picked up the four-wheelers at AGS because we knew the tide would be too high for the truck.
13. The tide was too high for the four wheelers. We abandoned the truck on the beach access road, along with the four-wheelers and decided to walk the mile to the cabin despite being cold, wet, and tired. (This was the first introduction to the beach for our guests from New York.) Everyone was strong and brave.
14. The tide was in so far that the creek was too wide to jump across and too deep to wade across in knee boots. David was in his waders and he carried most of us - piggy back or in a fireman's carry (one at a time). Jake walked across in his Xtra Tufs and rain gear... and got wet. Sabita and Alok waded across in their shoes and got really wet.
15. The tide was all the way to the cliff, so we had to run sometimes to avoid getting even wetter from the high waves. The crew was carrying their bedding.
16. Jean, Sabita, Alok and I spent some time yelling at a tundra clump that we thought was a bear.
17. The next day, we fished (we filleted 10 for home and 2 to eat here) and then pulled in the nets and ran the last skiff (the Bathtub) in to be pulled out of the water.
18. Then started cleaning, baking bread (and cinnamon rolls and maple bars), marinading salmon...
Full report, with photos later, followed by an account of these last days (which are going really well). I realize that this crew is so competent that not only do I no longer have to do everything, really, I don't have to do anything except delegate.
Sabita and Alok leave early in the morning and the rest of the crew shortly afterwards (boo!). So it's time for me to get to bed.
9. Engine problems persisted into departure (which was optimistically late).
10. Headwind, rough weather, only the senior crew had the sense to don rain gear in time. Many very wet people for three hours of hard "jogging."
11. Very dark by 2 AM but Jake and Rohan navigated us safely - and in the end, Jake could somehow see the dock and guided us in.
12. Abandoned the Ambi at the dock and the trailer in the parking lot. Picked up the four-wheelers at AGS because we knew the tide would be too high for the truck.
13. The tide was too high for the four wheelers. We abandoned the truck on the beach access road, along with the four-wheelers and decided to walk the mile to the cabin despite being cold, wet, and tired. (This was the first introduction to the beach for our guests from New York.) Everyone was strong and brave.
14. The tide was in so far that the creek was too wide to jump across and too deep to wade across in knee boots. David was in his waders and he carried most of us - piggy back or in a fireman's carry (one at a time). Jake walked across in his Xtra Tufs and rain gear... and got wet. Sabita and Alok waded across in their shoes and got really wet.
15. The tide was all the way to the cliff, so we had to run sometimes to avoid getting even wetter from the high waves. The crew was carrying their bedding.
16. Jean, Sabita, Alok and I spent some time yelling at a tundra clump that we thought was a bear.
17. The next day, we fished (we filleted 10 for home and 2 to eat here) and then pulled in the nets and ran the last skiff (the Bathtub) in to be pulled out of the water.
18. Then started cleaning, baking bread (and cinnamon rolls and maple bars), marinading salmon...
Full report, with photos later, followed by an account of these last days (which are going really well). I realize that this crew is so competent that not only do I no longer have to do everything, really, I don't have to do anything except delegate.
Sabita and Alok leave early in the morning and the rest of the crew shortly afterwards (boo!). So it's time for me to get to bed.
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