SALMON FISHING

 

 

 

PRUDENCE HAS SAID ALL SUMMER THAT HER HUSBAND, VINCENT WANTS TO TAKE DARRELL AND I SALMON FISHING. VINCENT IS CAPTAIN OF THE SHENANDOAH AND TAKES FOLKS OUT CHARTER FISHING. PRUDENCE AND VINCENT LIVE AT AMERICAN SUNSET DURING THE SUMMER,  AND HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR LONGER THAN 17 YEARS. DARRELL RIGHT AWAY SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO. HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF GETTING SEA SICK. PRUDENCE SAID TO TALK TO GEORGE, ONE OF THE OTHER WORKAMPERS THAT ARE FRIENDS WITH PRUDENCE AND VINCENT TO GET THE DETAILS. I HAD TALKED TO GEORGE ABOUT ME GOING BY MYSELF, AND HE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE OK. HE PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF ME IF I GOT SEASICK.  I DIDN'T KNOW VINCENT.....JUST HAVE WAVED AT HIM, BUT I USUALLY SEE PRUDENCE EVERY DAY. SO, ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, SOMEONE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR, IT'S PRUDENCE....VINCENT WANTED TO TAKE GEORGE AND I FISHING THE NEXT MORNING. RIGHT AWAY I PUT ON THE PATCH BEHIND MY EAR FOR SEASICKNESS. WENT DOWN AND CHECKED  IN WITH GEORGE, AND  THEN DROVE DOWN TO THE HUNGRY WHALE TO BUY A ONE DAY FISHING PERMIT. GEORGE  SAID HE WOULD PICK ME UP AT 5:15.

 

IT WAS STILL PRETTY DARK AND THE HARBOR LIGHTS WERE EERIE....

 

 

THERE WERE TWO OTHER GALS ON BOARD, I WAS GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

 

 

WE TOOK OUR SEATS AND I WAITED TO GET SEASICK.

 

 

I HAD RESEARCHED "WHAT TO DO TO KEEP FROM GETTING SEASICK", SO I WAS PREPARED. I HAD RECEIVED ALOT OF ADVICE FROM FOLKS ALSO. RON TOLD ME, "DOROTHY, IT WON'T MATTER WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE A FAMILY, IF YOU GET SEASICK, YOU ARE GOING TO WANT TO DIE". I HAD BROUGH'T CRACKERS, PEPPERMINTS, GINGER CANDY, GUM, ALL THE REMEDIES SUGGESTED. IT TOOK AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET TO THE SALMON. WE STOPPED TO FISH AND I SAID TO GEORGE, "IF I WAS GONNA GET SICK, WOULD I HAVE BY NOW?". HE SAYS, "SOME FOLKS ARE SICK BEFORE WE LEAVE THE DOCK. I THOUGHT, "I'M GOING TO BE OK."

 

 

WITH A LITTLE INSTRUCTION, I  STARTED FISHING.......I CAUGHT THE FIRST FISH......A SILVER SALMON....I WAS EXCITED!!! IT WAS VERY HEAVY REALING IT IN!! VINCE CAME OUT AND SAID, "THAT'S THE BIGGEST SILVER I'VE SEEN ALL YEAR, BUT, IT WASN'T A KEEPER.  SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING A FIN, OR NOT HAVING A FIN... WILD OR NOT WILD..I HAD MY CAMERA ZIPPED INTO A JACKET POCKET, AND COULD NOT GET IT UNZIPPED TO TAKE A PICTURE AND THE GUY KEPT SAYING, I'VE GOT TO GET IT BACK IN THE WATER, OR IT'S GOING TO DIE. SO, I SAID, PUT IT IN!! SO, NO PICTURE. WE WOULD FISH IN A SPOT FOR A WHILE, AND IF NO ONE CAUGHT ANYTHING WE WOULD MOVE. THE ONE YOUNG GAL, IT WAS HER FIRST TIME ON A BOAT ALSO, WE KEPT ASKING EACH OTHER....ARE YOU OK?  WE BOTH WERE.  UP UNTIL SHE ATE SOMETHING AND THEN I SAW HER STANDING BY THE RAILING, I ASKED, "ARE YOU OK? SHE SAID NO, I'M GONNA THROW UP".  ANOTHER MAN FROM ARIZONA WAS VERY SICK ALL DAY. HE DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO FISH. I COULDN'T BELIEVE I WASN'T EVEN A BIT QUEAZY. IT WAS A GREAT DAY, I LOVED BEING ON THE OCEAN. I CAUGHT ONE MORE FISH, THAT ONE WASN'T  A KEEPER EITHER. I HAD A TENDANCY OF PUTTING MY LINE IN TOO FAST, AND POOR GEORGE HAD TO KEEP UNTANGELING  IT. HE WAS VERY PATIENT WITH ME. IT WAS A PRETTY CALM SEA.

 

 

THE SUN CAME OUT FOR AWHILE, BUT THE OCEAN STARTED ROLLING....I THOUGHT IT WAS A TRUE TEST THEN. I WAS FINE!!!  IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE WE HAD TO START THE HOUR AND A HALF RIDE BACK TO WESTPORT. THE YOUNG GAL WHO HAD BEEN SEASICK CAUGHT THE LARGEST SALMON. SHE WAS SO PROUD OF IT!!

 

 

THAT PRETTY MUCH CURED THE SEASICKNESS!!

 

 

VINCE WAS DISAPPOINTED I DIDN'T CATCH A FISH TO KEEP. I TOLD HIM I HAD PLENTY OF FISH IN THE FREEZER, I HAD JUST ENJOYED BEING ON THE OCEAN.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY AND I FELT BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO BE ON THE OCEAN FOR A FEW HOURS. AS WE WERE HEADED BACK, THE FOG STARTED ROLLING IN.......

 

 

AFTER I GOT BACK TO THE RV I STILL FELT LIKE I WAS ON A  ROLLING SEA. I WAS TIRED AND WENT TO BED EARLY....BUT NO SEASICKNESS!!! THE NEXT DAY I WAS SORE IN A FEW PLACES FROM TRYING TO BALANCE MYSELF ON THE BOAT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOUNT ST. HELENS

EVER SINCE ARRIVING IN WASHINGTON STATE, I HAVE WANTED TO SEE MOUNT ST. HELENS. IT WAS A THREE AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE FROM WESTPORT. SO, ON AUGUST 1, WE LOADED MAGGIE AND MARLEE UP AND HEADED TO SEE IT. THE VISITOR CENTER IS FIFTY SOME MILES FROM MOUNT ST. HELENS. AS SOON AS WE ARRIVED AT THE VISITOR CENTER, WE TOOK MAGGIE AND MARLEE FOR A LONG WALK.

 

THE WALKING TRAILS AROUND THE VISITOR CENTER WERE WONDERFUL!! IT WAS A CLOUDY, COOL DAY, SO WE KNEW THE GIRLS WOULD BE FINE IN THE TRUCK FOR AWHILE.

 

 

 

WE WATCHED A FILM ON THE DAY MOUNT ST. HELENS EXPLODED. I REMEMBER THAT DAY, MAY 18, 1980. THE VOLCANO HAD BEEN ACTIVE FOR A FEW WEEKS. WE HAD ASH AS FAR AWAY AS SOUTH DAKOTA. I BOUGHT A FEW POSTCARDS AND A REFRIGERATOR MAGNET FOR SOUVENIRS. THERE WAS A WEBCAM OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND YOU COULD SEE IT WAS FOGGED IN, BUT WE STILL WANTED TO GO. THE SIGN SAID........

 

 

FORTY SIX MILES TO JOHNSON RIDGE OBSERVATORY.  AND THE SIGN SAYS COLDWATER LAKE.....THIS IS A NEW LAKE THAT WAS FORMED WHEN THE VOLCANO ERUPTED.

 

 

THE SCENERY WAS BEAUTIFUL.

 

 

FROM WHAT WE LEARNED AT THE VISITOR CENTER, THE MOUNTAIN HAS RECOVERED, EVEN MORE THAN ANYONE EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE,  OVER THE LAST THIRTY THREE YEARS.  

 

RIGHT BEFORE WE CROSSED THIS LONG BRIDGE...

 

 

WE SAW THIS SIGN.........

 

 

THE HIGHER WE WENT THE FOGGIER IT GOT....

 

 

YOU COULD SEE WHERE  THE LAVA FLOWED  BELOW....

 

 

 

WE FINALLY MADE IT TO JOHNSON OBSERVATORY..

 

 

 

AND THEN NOTICED THIS SIGN.......

 

 

WE REALIZED WE HAD OUR INTERANGENCY  PASS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA!! THIS WAS THE FIRST PLACE WE COULD USE IT SINCE LEAVING SOUTH DAKOTA.

 

 

WE WENT IN AND LISTENED TO THIS RANGER GIVE A TALK ABOUT THE EXPLOSION THAT DAY ON MAY 18, 1980.

 

 

THE MOST AMAZING FACT FOR ME WAS THAT MORE PEOPLE WEREN'T KILLED. FIFTY SEVEN DIED FROM THE BLAST.  ANOTHER FACT THAT IS HARD TO BELIEVE IS THAT PEOPLE THAT WERE WITHIN SIX MILES OF THE BLAST, AND LIVED, SAID THERE WAS NO SOUND AT ALL WHEN THE MOUNTAIN EXPLODED. IT WAS APPARENT WE WEREN'T GOING TO SEE THE MOUNTAIN THAT DAY. THE FOG HAD GOTTEN WORSE. THIS FAMILY ASKED IF THE MOUNTAIN WAS OUT THIS WINDOW, THE RANGER SAID YES AND HANDED THEM THIS PICTURE.

 

 

WE WALKED OUTSIDE TO THE RAILING ......AND THIS IS WHAT WE SAW......

 

 

 

I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED, BUT I WAS GLAD WE HAD COME.

 

 

 

WASHINGTON TUNA CLASSIC

THE FIRST WEEKEND IN AUGUST THE TUNA SEASON OPENS FOR SPORT FISHERMAN IN WESTPORT.   THE WASHINGTON  TUNA CLASSIC IS HELD EVERY YEAR AND TEAMS SIGN UP TO WIN CASH PRIZES.  ALL THE ALBACORE  TUNA THAT IS CAUGHT THAT WEEKEND IS DONATED  TO FEED  THE HUNGRY.

 

IT IS A VERY BIG DEAL IN WESTPORT. THE BOATS COME IN AND THE TUNA IS WHEELED OFF THE BOAT AND WEIGHED.

 

 

 

THE TEAMS WITH THE HEAVIEST FIVE TUNA WIN, THEY HAVE FIRST, SECOND THIRD PLACES.  THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING A TUNA THAT WASN'T IN A CAN. THEY ARE REALLY UGLY FISH AND THEY BLEED!!

 

 

 

WHILE WE WERE WATCHING  THE TUNA BEING BROUGHT IN,  JIM CAME  CARRYING A LARGE SALMON. JIM WAS CARRYING IT UP TO BE WEIGHED. THEY HAVE CONTESTS FOR THAT TOO. THE MAN RIGHT BEHIND HIM IS THE ONE WHO CAUGHT IT.

 

 

 ALL SUMMER JIM HAS BEEN A DECK HAND FOR STAN, A WORKAMPER/CAPTAIN OF THE SCOOTER.

 

 

I JUST HAD TO HAVE A TUNA CLASSIC SHIRT.

 

 

 

 

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY, WE ADMIRED THE BOATS AS WE WALKED BACK TO THE TRUCK.

 

 

WE STOPPED BY AND FOUND ANOTHER GEOCACHE.....ONE THAT HAS BEEN BUGGING ME......FECKLESS DECK. I AM LOOKING ALL AROUND FOR THIS AND THERE IS DARRELL STANDING WITH IT IN HIS HAND.

 

 

 

WE SIGNED THE SLIP AND REPLACED THE GEOCACHE FOR THE NEXT PERSON.

 

 

 

 

NOT SURE WHAT FECKLESS MEANS......NEED TO LOOK IT UP!!

 

THIS BENCH IS ALONG THE WALKING PATH TO THE BEACH....

...CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THEY FACED THIS BENCH THIS WAY.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

JIM'S 50TH BIRTHDAY, WASHINGTON BERRIES, FOURTH WORKAMPER DINNER

 

 

 

 

JIM'S THE "BABY" OF THE WORKAMPERS.....HE TURNED 50 ON SUNDAY, JULY 21.

 

 

ALL OF US WORKAMPERS WERE INVITED TO HIS PARTY!!

 

 

WE ALL HAD A GOOD TIME MAKING FUN OF JIM TURNING 50!

 

 

JIM'S MOM AND DAD AND THEIR TWO DACHSHUNDS CAME DOWN FROM PORT ANGELES FOR THE CELEBRATION. ANDY SANG HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JIM.

 

 

 

THE NEXT TIME WE WENT TO ABERDEEN WE NOTICED THIS LITTLE STAND.

 

 

WASHINGTON BERRIES......NOTHING LIKE THEM!! THESE ARE RASPBERRIES AND MARIONBERRIES.

 

 

THE FOURTH WORKAMPER DINNER WAS HELD MONDAY, JULY 29, THE THEME WAS BARBECUE.

 

 

WE HAD BARBECUE RIBS, CHICKEN, BEANS.....THIS WAS MY FAVORITE!!

 

 

 

I ATE WAY TOO MUCH!!!