Living in Wild Alaska

Saturday, March 30, 2013

2013 Back on the Water

After visiting family over the winter we are safely back on the float house. Jerry bought a truck and drove back with treasures from America, as he calls the lower 48. He sure had fun shopping the Amish stores in northern Indiana. He got to visit all his grandchildren as well.

Larry and I took a little more time coming back. We visited more friends and family in South Carolina, Illinois, Texas, and California just to mention a few. We soaked up some sunshine, new sights, and love, lots of love.

Sadly, I have to tell you that we lost our Dad over the winter. Lynn Ryggs was a tremendous person, a friend to everybody he met. We were lucky enough to have him spend two summers here in Alaska with us. He was the first person up and in the boat every day. No matter what we were off to do that day, he was up for it and loving it! He will be missed.

We were lucky to have all been there together at his side when he passed. We were able to be there for each other. Loosing a loved one makes the rest of your family seem that much more precious. Go out and let your loved ones know that they are loved. We enjoy being here in wild Alaska but we miss our family.

We are also loosing Zach; but to opportunity. He is visiting in Missouri now and will be returning to Alaska but to a different island. He will be running an oyster nursery there. We will miss him and wish him the best of luck. If anyone knows of a strong young back that is willing to trade a summer of labor for the adventure of a lifetime, have them e-mail us soon!

Alaska had a mild winter season which is a good thing as we had to leave Zach as the sole winter caretaker. Well, Zach and the boy! The boy went on full time otter hunting. He is a barking machine. Unfortunately he is currently choosing to do that barking at night.

Then, as we returned and Zach flew off, winter hit. It snowed every day, all day for the first week we were here. We took turns shoveling it off the decks so that we stayed afloat. Note to self: buy that extra floatation material and install it THIS year!

My blood must of thinned during the sunny drive back north along the west coast. I have been cold since we returned. I am wearing my new Smart wool socks-thanks guys! and my long johns but I don't want to venture too far from the wood stove yet! Larry seems fine. He has a lot of projects in mind for the farm and has jumped right back in to things.

Just now we are having a chain of three sunny days. Jerry got out and caught a halibut. Larry and I started to plant a few things for this year's green house. We are starting to move the baby oysters back out of cold storage on to the lines to work for the season.

Keep in touch and see how this year develops!

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Looking Back ......Alaska

Looking back at Alaska from America (as we call up there) we live and do things a little different. When we listen ..... we hear silence except for the wind blowing through the trees or an eagle screeching time to time.

We hunt, fish and trap for most of our food. When we get company visiting from time to time we hang on every word ......cause we may not see them again for quite a while.

The only way to visit us is by sea plane or boat and we wouldn't have it any other way.

You can't run down to the corner store and be back in 15minutes, we plan our trips to town and it takes all day.

We love to have friends and family come visit us so we can share what it's like living in the wilderness.

We can share where the best fishing holes are and watch whales spouting off (we call it whale smoke) in the distance and sometimes up close too....

The cost of living is higher here than it is in America ....but we don't get anywhere to spend money as often so in the long run it seems to even out I think.

It's a simple life ....living off the grid in a remote area away from the rat race....but who really needs all the stress.....like traffic jams, long lines in the stores, little ticky tacky houses built on top of each other......not to mention the crazy's out there.......enough on that.....we will be outa here soon and back home to the wilderness.....

......hope you enjoy the pictures (there's a lot of them so it may take a while to load if you have a slow connection).

You are always welcome at our fire...

Just have to warn you .....once you visit Alaska it is hard to go back to the way you were before.

Cape Fox....visiting the big city....

Fishing fleet is in Craig for a couple days.

Road to town in the winters....chains are mandatory

Making the run to town on winter day.

Sitka Blacktail buck.

Bear at Settlers Cove creek.....great salmon stream in the fall.

Char and Linn at our cabin.

Bear and Char exploring.

Char arriving.

Char as co-pilot

Corn dogs...a treat for lunch break.

Fog bow

Ben and Dale ....stopped in for some oysters while camping outa their boat for a couple months. Ben packing.....(44 mag) ...they camped in Kahli Cove for a couple days.