Sitka Interlude Part 1

Spirit is moored at Eliason Harbor in Sitka.  There was quite a bit of maintenance to perform and also sightseeing, shopping and attending the opening night of the Sitka Music Festival on Friday at Harrigan Centennial Hall.  The musicians performed on a stage backlight by glass windows framing a panorama of snow covered mountains, eagles, and fishing boats returning to the harbor.

On June 10 we went fishing on “Serena” and caught two King Salmon, 16 and 22 pounds, which we split with Donna and Colin.  That evening we went to the Channel Club with Donna and Colin McCaffrey and Alex Benson from Wild Blue and celebrated our 40^th wedding anniversary.

Patrick with one of the King Salmon

Colin and Donna left to head south early Monday morning and on Tuesday we met up with Joe and Sarah Druessi who were in town for the day from the Holland America cruise ship “Amsterdam".  They usually spend summers on their Roughwater 42 “Bearoness” but have put it up for sale while they stay on board this summer as they deal with health issues.  We hope to see them in Anacortes when we return from this trip.

On Tuesday evening we went with Jan and Jerry Woodall from “Cosmo Place”, A Nordic Tug 42, to the Larkspur Café and enjoyed delicious Ivory King Salmon and listened to old world live music by The Balkan Conspiracy, a duo with guitar and accordion.

Wednesday we went fishing on Spirit and added another small (14 pound) King Salmon to the total.

Wednesday night went to the Larkspur Café again and listened to the string quartet free concert, meeting the performers and having good food (Cajun Halibut with a Jalapeno, Potato and Corn Hash, and Greek Salad with Ivory Salmon).

Thursday morning we headed north to Kalinin Bay and fished for several hours, catching one Sea Bass and one small salmon.  We had another salmon on the hook and only 50 feet from the boat when a large Stellar Sea Lion appeared from out of nowhere and took the salmon and the tackle.  The line was spooling out quickly as we got a knife and cut the line to keep from losing the entire rod and reel.  We decided to quit for the day and anchored in Kalinin Bay.  There are seven other boats anchored here as we wait for a SE Gale to come through tomorrow.  The wind is calm and the eagles are feeding on the fish jumping on the surface.  There are at least two dozen eagles swooping down with talons extended and grasping the fish just below the surface.

Bald Eagle fishing in Kalinin Bay

Friday morning, June 15, we arose at 0530 due to weather reports of a SE gale due in later in the day.  Heading out the entrance to Kalinin Bay we picked up a 23 pound King Salmon at 0615, followed by another 19 pound King at 0715.  Since we are limited to one per person per day we pulled the lines and headed back to Sitka to have the fish processed by “Big Blue” and held frozen until we return to Bellevue later in the summer.

Miriam with the two King Salmon from June 15

Tonight we attend another one of the Sitka Music Festival Concerts and then go fishing again in the morning close to Sitka.