Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

I went down to my boat on Thanksgiving Day to check on it- make sure that the stove wasn't running out of control or anything. In years past I was a cheapskate and didn't run the stove- tried to save a few bucks on fuel. Not a good idea. The inside would condensate every time the weather warmed up a little bit, and start dripping all over the place. I have more than a few nautical charts that have mold on them. Anyway, I learned my lesson and leave the stove on now, but it can be kind of scary to do. The only thing worse than having the boat rot from the inside out is to have it burn down. It seems like we've had at least two boats burn right in the harbor. It's more common for them to sink while tied up to the dock- especially in the winter if the owners aren't keeping them shoveled. An accumulation of snow and then a heavy rain thereafter can present a real problem. While I was there I wanted to get a few pictures of my friend Barbie's boat, the Talatche. She ...

This has been quite a summer. In the thirty three years I've made Alaska my home, I can't remember ever experiencing such a warm, dry summer. I bitch a lot about the heat and the westerly winds that accompany the dry, sunny days, but I know that when I'm neck deep in snow and hugging the toyostove for a little extra warmth, I'll look back and wish I had a little of this heat that is bringing so much discomfort right now. This top picture is of Spud Creek. It's not uncommon for it to run dry for a bit in the summer, though this year it has been longer than usual. In the winter the water that is usually there freezes and long icesicles form on the rocks and steps. The astilibe grows wild here. I was fortunate enought to snap a shot before the flowers turned. I guess the locals used to bring buckets to the creek years ago to get their water. I don't know why it's called spud creek- maybe someone used to grow potatoes in the area next to it. Now it forms a bar...