Sailing, Starfish and Sunsets

Sailing . . . .

starfish . . .

and sunsets . . . .. . . yes, we did managed to drive ourselves to Homer for the first boating trip of the season and also managed to forget a lot of items at home as one would expect with the first boating trip of the season. Luckily, there was nothing left behind that we couldn't live without for a couple of days. After organizing ourselves and rigging the boat on Saturday morning and early afternoon, we decided on a day sail in Kachemak Bay. That evening we stayed in the Homer Harbor.

The next day, we beat up wind intending to get to Seldovia, but opted for Jakalof Bay as it was taking forever to move our way upwind in the steady breeze and 3 foot choppy seas. Gus asked why we didn't just turn on the motor and get there already. Instead of a philosophical discussion about the journey being the experience Bryant replied, "It would be cheating." Whenever you're in a sailboat moving upwind in a strong breeze, the boat heels or tilts at varying degrees. At first, I was screeching and feeling uncomfortable about every 10 minutes, but as the day wore on my body and brain adjusted. At one point, Bryant was granted the freedom to go below deck for a few minutes and I was left to handle the boat. Seeing as I coped with the situation, he may earn a little more free time as the summer wears on aboard the Sol Searching.

There is a public dock in Jakalof Bay that we tied up to for the night. The kids enjoy poking around the beach at low tide for various critters. Situated at the entrance to Jakalof Bay is an island at high tide, but accessible by land during low tide. It is one of those picture perfect settings that offers both beautiful sunsets and ample adventure for 11 and 13 year old boys.

On Monday there wasn't a ripple on the ocean so we decided to try our luck at fishing. Unfortunately, the tides were ripping by so fast our 3lb weights wouldn't hold at the bottom, so we thought we'd drift. We pulled anchor, which was a fiasco in itself because we forgot our buoy so it had to be pulled by hand from 150 feet of water. About the same time the anchor made its way back into the boat, the wind kicked in so we sailed into Seldovia. The next day, we motored back to Homer. We are keeping the boat in Homer for a month.

For more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/jillcaho/MemorialDayWeekend

Nature

It is always interesting when I look out one window in the house as see sunshine and then out of the other I see this . . . .
Later on in the evening, I couldn't resist taking a picture of this, which of course means I stayed up too late.

It's Green Again!

Last week we had the luxury of watching the seasons change. For about a week, the high temperatures were in the 60's and low 70's, which is a little unusual for this time of year, anytime of year for that matter. It didn't take long for nature to respond . . . .
or us either for that matter! Along with trying to finish up on house and boat projects, we managed to find time to head down to the river. Before the river rises to its summer level, we have lots of space to cruise around on the 4-wheeler from a trail out our backyard. Wyatt, Gus and I headed down there after school on Friday. Granted I had to use the lure of a soda pop to get them to come with me . . . Later in the evening, Bryant and I went out to enjoy a campfire and sunset.

First Day of Spring

The calendar says that the first day of Spring was March 20th. I don't buy it and I'm sure that anyone else who lives in a northern climate can agree. Up here, climate and calendar are definitely at odds when it comes to the seasons, so I've tuned into a few different signs to determine the first day of spring in our house.

I know it is spring when . . . .

1. I get 8 hours of sleep and it is light both in the evening and in the morning.

2. leaf piles appear.

3. dried grass and mud is all over the front entryway.

4. cracking frozen mud puddles is a form of entertainment.

5. boat work hits Bryant's Top Ten Project List.

But most of all, I know it is spring when I no longer need 4-wheel drive to get up the driveway and I can unlock the hubs for the first time in 7 months!

Just a Trace

After snowmachining on Saturday, we were sitting around the campfire at the property and I noticed grey spots on my black gloves. It didn't take long to put the pieces together. Volcanic ash caught up with us. After simmering and shooting ash for nearly 2 weeks, Mt. Redoubt, located about 100 miles SW of Anchorage, finally showed us its insides. Prior to this, the ash either moved further north, south, or west and the Anchorage/Mat-Su population centers were lucky enough to avoid it, until now. The thin layer of ash was enough to grime cars and gear and it also sent home the realization that larger volumes of volcanic ash don't make life any easier. Apparently, the show isn't over as Redoubt continues to display unrest. I'm hoping that the wind keeps blowing to the south and those of us who live northeast of the volcano can remember this eruption as the year we received "just a trace" of ash.A thin layer of ash with 1" of fresh snow on top.

For more pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/jillcaho/Snowmachining