Best Memories

This picture is one that my dad just posted on Facebook.  His boat, the Millennium, is in the center with the gear hanging from the boom.  This picture brought back so many memories!  I have been mulling over my fishing memories for the last few days and thinking of writing them down so this picture was exactly the encouragement that I needed!

So here follows some of my memories from my five years commercial fishing on this boat with my dad. I can't believe it has been 17+ years since these memories were made yet they are so fresh and fun. Enjoy!

I remember the few times that my sisters and I got out a deeply hidden stash of make-up we had stowed away, sat on top of the top house and did our hair and make-up.  We sure felt like the belle's of the ball out there in that manly world with out hair all pretty (by boat standards) and our faces all dolled up.

I remember crawling into my tight little bunk and resting my head on my pillow to enjoy the scent of home that still lingered there as I fell asleep.  Funny thing is that same pillow smelled rather much like fish grime when I pulled it out of my bag at home a couple months later!

My "Go West Young Man" sister ( L) and me (R)

I remember sitting in the top house with my sister as we ran the boat and listened to "Go West Young Man" by Michael W. Smith.  The sun was bright and the skies were clear as we rocked on the large rolling waves and sang our little hearts out.  I love this one!

I remember running the boat one day when something mysterious happened with auto pilot (funny thing is I am not sure if I did it or not) and the boat went into a turn so tight that it was hard to walk on the deck.  Round and round we went until some kind crewman came and fixed the problem.

I remember laying in bed at night after the engines were off and only the lone generator droned a tune with the gently lapping water just inches away on the other side of the hull.

I remember beach combing and finding many a treasure that I held so dear for a few days until I couldn't find anywhere to store it.

A good day in Bristol Bay

I remember hiking the seemingly vertical hills just off the beach.  I would pump my legs and do my very best to catch up with the rest of the crew only to gain sight of them and get so very close to enjoying their break with them when up they would get and on we would hike.  It always seemed that just as we crested one hill we would realized there was another one that had been hiding just behind it.

I remember walking on the hilltops and either singing or talking to God.  There was no one around save our crew, no villages for miles and miles, no roads, no cars... Bliss!

I remember waiting in line for our turn to set and baking cakes, pies, or any other delicious thing we could concoct from the various canned goods hidden in the seats.

I remember running my dad's power skiff one day when the waves go so high I couldn't see the boat any more and the line I was towing sliced right through the middle of the wave with the boat on the other side.

I remember many hours watching the coastline for deer or bear.

I remember early, early mornings.  I can't say that I remember getting woke up as I was told I didn't wake very well at 3:00 am but I do remember eventually dragging myself out of bed, braiding my hair, putting on a lovely, bright orange mustang suit and and heading out to the skiff which my dad was so nice to warm up for me.  Only thing is there was no cabin.  I guess the engine liked to be warm. :-)  Once I woke up I loved to watch the sun rise.

I remember the delight of going on a tender (crabbing boat) or on shore to take a rare shower.  What bliss even if I did have to put coins in so the water would keep coming.

I don't think I wanted my picture taken!

I remember closing the little window above the oil stove and making the whole cabin smell awful.  I hear that little stove has been replaced by something more modern.

I remember sitting at the table and watching the halibut line we put out many nights to see if we caught anything.

I remember an 8-foot salmon shark that we brought on board hanging by its tail from the rigging and coming mighty close to me with its open mouth as it swung back and forth.

I remember the thrill of rolling hundreds of salmon on deck.

I remember clicking away as I counted the fish being thrown into the tender's basket.

I remember grocery shopping on the tender... Me: "Do you have any lettuce today?"  Them: "No, but we do have a couple of potatoes. Do you want them?"  Me: "Sure. Do you have any tomatoes?"  Them: "Yep, we have one."  Me: "Do you have any fruit?" Them: "Um, (as he rummages through the fridge) nope."

I remember hot tubbing the belly of one of the tenders.  I think it was a salt water hot tub but it was fun!

My view on a beautiful, calm day

I remember my dad teaching me to run the power skiff since I was the smallest one on board and he needed the strongest on deck.  He made me tow full throttle while I was tied to a piling so I could see how close I could come to swamping without going over.  I was quite nervous but enjoyed it after a while.

I remember someone tossing me my sandwich while I drove past in the skiff on a very busy day but I wasn't quite fast enough to catch it so it fell on the floor.

I remember taking a night shift and running the boat across Shelikof Strait.  I was jolted out of my sleepiness by the sight of huge glass-calm circles in the otherwise choppy water.  I watched for some time as they kept cropping up on either side of the boat.  I finally realized it was a whale traveling with me leaving these mysterious circles everywhere he breached.

I remember Jaws, an underwater reef locally known for snagging seines (nets) and swallowing skiffs. They even made a t-shirt in its honor!  I never liked to be too close to it.

There are so many more memories but the last one I will leave you with is day dreaming of taking a shower and wearing a skirt which eventually led to me getting to go home before the end of the season and marked the end of my commercial fishing days. :-)

Oh the memories!  Thanks for taking a walk down memory lane with me!