July 8 2016: Slow fishing resumes and someone stole the truck!

We have about 30 minutes before heading out for the next pick. When we're fishing two tides a day, our schedule goes something like this:

4:30 AM out for the morning flood pick, watch the glory of the sunrise

7 AM not many fish behind us so we go in for a while. To do this, the New Kid crew piles into the Bathtub and they come to collect us in the Ambi as we usually finish a little later. Here, Matt is surfing in the Bathtub - something new; usually he is dancing.

While we're waiting for our delivery service, we have a little more time to take sunrise photos.

This time Jeff dropped us off at the stairs and he and Inku went out to anchor the Tub and paddle back in.

8:30 AM head back out for the ebb pick and listen for the 9 AM announcement (extended 25.5 hours - two tides); stay out till the end of the tide

11:30 PM Come back in

Sometimes the people who had the previous tide off will have prepared a meal for the people coming in. On this day, I came in early to make a big breakfast of coffee cake (using our last real egg and venturing into our egg substitute - it worked well) and a hash of potatoes, onions, garbanzo beans, and canned ham with some egg substitute (that didn't work as well).

Austin and I had the next tide off, so we went into town to freeze some kings for homepack, check the mail, get some ribs from the freezer, get some drinking water and Austin had a little laundry to do. On the way out of town, I passed the white truck coming in. I was surprised that it took the four-wheeler trail - we drive the truck on the road. I pulled to the side in the Carry so they could stop and tell me what was going on. I did notice that I couldn't figure out who was driving. It was definitely our truck - push bar in the front and distinctive rust design. They didn't pull over to talk to me. Hunh.

I thought for a few seconds and concluded that it was unlikely that it was someone in my crew, so I turned around and tried to follow. I saw the truck poke out below the gas station (between the gas station and the store) and head back up toward the Fisherman's, and turn right. Since I was in the Carry, I couldn't just follow on the road - it isn't license-able in Alaska. So it took a little while to follow.

I saw dust going down past Ace Hardware, but there really isn't anywhere to go that way, so I went toward the air field instead. Didn't see the truck there. I stopped to call back to camp to see if anyone there had taken the truck. David was able to account for everyone (though it took him a while to find Matt since he wasn't sleeping in his assigned spot - and we did entertain thoughts of Matt being unable to resist a joy ride... all totally unjustified). So we called the police and reported it stolen. Then I went back to the service station and told them - eventually they would need to get some gas. At the service station, they told me that there is a road that runs down from Ace to the Red Dog. So I went back that way... and found the truck, pulled into someone's driveway.

It was all a little scary - did someone drive it to their home? Eek! I was afraid to leave it because now that they couldn't keep it, they may just decide to vandalize it. So I called the police again and they couldn't come right then because they had another call that took precedence because it involved an injured person. Bernice, who works at the Red Dog came up from work because she had seen two scrawny looking young fellas coming down the path from her place (where the truck was parked) past the Red Dog and head into town. She looked up and saw the truck... and thought she should come lock her door. Andy, her neighbor, has a video camera and he also came out to help. He looked at the DVD and saw that he couldn't identify the guys. But said that the driver jumped out before the car even stopped rolling. I decided to lock the door and take the key. I had called the service station to see if they could help me get the truck out of there and somewhere safe. Rodney came to drive it back for me. Matt and Oksanna rode into town on the four-wheeler to pick it up. Sheesh.

5:30 PM the crew that's fishing went out for the ebb of the afternoon tide while Austin and I did a pile of dishes that had accumulated for maybe about a week. And we made tacos for dinner.

8:30 PM the crew came in briefly and when they went back out, I went to sleep.