Getting up dated

I came back early from my last contract in order to go to the Brandon Pyle and Jennifer Craine wedding March 7th. Something I would not have missed for anything (for example, a paycheck). I am heading back up to the AK for my third contract soon. I will need to spend on day in Seattle at the NOAA offices for a briefing before flying back to Dutch Harbor and on to a boat. I have no idea what kind of boat I will be put on this time, but it will be different then any other boat I have been on thus far.

I don't know if any of you heard about the Valcano that blew in AK for the past week. Mt. Redoubt erupted on March 23 5 times leaving a lot of ash across the state, and shutting down flights into and out of Anchorage. All is fine now, and there should be no problem with flights from now into Anchorage then to Dutch Harbor during the next couple weeks when I am likely to be flying back.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7959261.stm





I'm excited about getting back to work and getting back out to sea. This time of year has an increased chance of running into marine mammals. I am excited at the chance to see my first whale in the wild. I will share pictures of that happy moment with you when it arises.

I know it's been over a month since I've updated, but this blog is more about the job I'm doing rather than the boring life I tend to lead outside of this job. Trust me when I say that outside of this job, there isn't much that you would feel like reading about.

I still really enjoy this job and the adventure it provides. Every time heading out to sea is different, and every boat I get put onto is different. The people I've met has turned out to be the best part of this job (besides getting paid).

I haven't cut my hair or my beard since January and I plan on allow my face and head to resemble a chia pet for the next three months as well. I will update the blog once I get to AK as much as I can with what is going on, what the job is like, how the seas are, and real accounts of day to day life aboard a fishing boat in the middle of the Bering Sea during the Spring. Thank you for all that have followed this, and I hope that it hasn't been too far in between posts that I have lost some of you. Any questions about the job please ask, and I'll try to answer them the best I can. There are somethings I have to leave out for confidentiality purposes. If I can answer, I will.


- Casey

Out of the AK

There has been some time that has passed since my last entry. I didn't have any time in town in between trips to upload anything. After the offloads, the plant sent us out as soon as we could get out there. A season does bring rougher seas then B season did in the fall. The peaks to the swells were much sharper then I had seen before. The difference of being in a much smaller boat is easily noticeable as well. Only being out at sea for only a couple of days at a time verses a month to a month and a half, sea legs are never really gained. You are also always combating sea sickness. Out at sea for 4-5 days, in port for 1-2 then back out to sea, your equilibrium can never get into the rhythm it needs to. I never felt nauseated really though. The sea sickness just left me with pounding head aches and feeling as if my ears needed to be popped but couldn't.

The Captain and crew of this cruise ended up being perfect for me. They were all had kids in the Jr. high age group and had been fishing with one another for quite a long time. It was great watching them work together never really having to tell each other what they were doing or what they were expecting the others to be doing. Everything on the boat had a routine also beyond the fishing. Once I found my place in that routine, things went very smoothly. It's harder than you might first think to find that routine among these people that have literally made this boat home for the past 10 winters and falls. Its as if you were forced to have some young, just out of college, know it all come live in a guest room on your property. You have to provide for him as if he was your child, yet you can't "demand" that he really do anything. Also, his work, his job, is to report all that you do in the day to your boss. Trying to find a way to make that situation work is the toughest part of my job. The dichotomy of a professional and personal relationship with the captain and crew has to be strongly established within the first few hours when you first meet. If I can't, then the next month is spent trying to. Everything seemed workout great with this crew, and I think all the credit goes to the professional and respectful way in which they work and handle themselves. Of course they expect the same manner of work ethic and respect in return from anyone working and living on the boat. Once that was established, I had a great time working with and living with this crew.

I am now back in Seattle after this short, one month stint into the Bering Sea. I had to come home early for a wedding I could not miss for the world on March 7th. After which I am going to try and head back to AK as soon as I can so that I can start making money again here shortly. An other trip will probably within a new fishery. Which comes with a new boat, captain and crew. Starting all over again learning, working, living out at sea. Trust me, there is nothing like waking up to a breakfast of coffee, eggs, bacon, and the smell of the ocean. I don't know how much longer I will doing this job, but that sensation I just described will always tug at me to keep doing it.

- Casey

Also, Danny Pecka. I don't have a witty blog of completely factual information of his ridiculously awesome life to throw at the world. But he is a damn good friend. I love you buddy. Keep on . . . Keepin' on. . . Keep Truckin' . . .
He has a great blog that he has been doing for about a year now of his job as he travels over the North West in his car. He has some strange takes on what he sees that will have you asking yourself, " . . . What?" as you snort laugh with his humor. Check it out.

http://dannypecka.blogspot.com/

I'm not just putting this on here because he wrote a completely factual blog about me, his stuff is super hilarious, and I know you'll all get a kick out of it.

Rough Weather Days

We've embarked from port. There was word of rough weather north around the fishing grounds, but reports came back that it wasn't too bad. So we headed out. This boat is 125 feet long. The other two boats I was aboard during B Season (September - November) were 160 and 180 feet long. I witnessed 55 knot winds coupled with 40 foot swells, yet last night's weather tossed this little catcher vessel much more violently than anything I felt during B season. Laying in my rack, I could feel the hull of the boat quiver with impact. It would resonate from the hull to the rest of the boat like a tuning fork struck on a counter top. Awoken by violent vibrations and then levitated in my rack after climbing the next swell, which ends with another thundering crash. This isn't continuous and never ending, it's here and there. It comes blind because there is no view of the seas in the galley and in the rack. There is no bracing for it. It's just assumed that its around the corner. One Hand for the Boat. A mantra put to memory and forced into your intuition after only swing that yields to you slipping and hitting something on the boat causing you to look Green.

So for the first time, we're hiding today from the weather that is to hit our area tonight. Once it passes, we'll get back to catching fish. Honestly, I'm just grateful to be out at sea and not sitting on the dock. Whether We're fishing well or not, the disposition of the fishermen noticeably gung-ho. The sooner we start fishing, the sooner we're done. The sooner they go home to see their wives and kids.

2/10

We are done fishing now, and I'm back at port. The longest part of my job is monitoring the offload of the catch at the cannery. This offload should run close to 18 hours. It's not a completely straight 18 hours. I do have some breaks built in, but it is very monotonous and I come close to falling asleep while standing up sometimes. I may have a couple of days after the offload in town to catch up on some emails and news that happened over the past week while I was gone. I have some other work I have to do while I'm in town though that always seems to take up more time than necessary. I'm hoping for a clear morning, and a friend to be in town, and try to concur some of these hills that surround the docks, and bays. This island is so beautiful when the sun is out.

It looks as if I may only head out for one more fishing trip before my cruise has to come to an end. I need to be back in Spokane in time for the glorious celebration that will be the Pyle wedding. Afterward, I will try and head right back up here to Alaska for another, longer contract. I could even be sent into the Pacific off the coast of Oregon and Washington fishing for Hake. We'll see. New water, new fishery, new ports . . .

Thank you for all the comments from those people that have started following the blog who happened upon it randomly. I am humbled that you find anything I have to say interesting or the least bit captivating. I greatly appreciate your emails and comments. It's very surprising every time to me to read a note left from someone I have never met who has become interested with what it is I do. If you have any questions about the blog, my job, or anything else, feel free to send me an email, or comment. I will get back to you when I get to port.

- Casey