We went to some yard sales yesterday. My Mountain Boy had bought a couple of really good rods and reels from Craiglist a week ago, and one of the yard sales we went to yesterday was out on Engineers Road - a rough and tumble area it turns out - and we stopped at a yard sale out of someone's barn.
The guy sitting in the barn was much more interested in watching the Jim Carrey comedy on TV than he was in selling stuff, so when LC asked him how much the rods and reels were, and the guy told him three dollars each, we got our hands on a few.
My Mountain Boy walked out of the barn with two really great rods and two really great reels, and an old wicker fishing basket that native Alaskans used to use to carry their fish, for all of $10.
Before we left another man walked out of the house, and by the time we pulled out of the driveway we had also bought one more rod and reel for another $10. Good deal.
In addition to more fishing gear, we spent the morning securing a free vacuum (the exact same upright that I gave to my son and his wife before we left Tennessee), a couple of free books, and other assorted small things that we purchased because we either wanted or actually needed them around the house.
And we had an interesting conversation outside one yard sale with the man from Pennsylvania who is currently charged with the killing of Romeo........
Interesting day for a number of reasons......
We went to Echo Cove at the end of the road this morning - LC intending to fish and me intending to kayak around the cove.
We arrived and immediately unloaded the kayak down by the water at the end of the boat ramp, and then LC drove the truck up to the upper parking lot.
While he was getting the truck parked someone else backed a boat and trailer down the ramp, unloaded it, and pretty quickly set out on their fishing expedition.
By the time my Mountain Boy walked back down to the lower parking lot to meet me my kayak was floating about 20 feet out into the cove.
Oh hell!! The wake from the fishing boat had sent my kayak out into the cove.........
LC and I borrowed some random canoe that was sitting minding its own business on the beach (we had no idea who it belonged to), he went out, tied my kayak to the canoe, and hauled my sorry little boat back to shore.
A picture of my Mountain Boy wearing a newly purchased pair of waders and holding one of the new smaller rods he had just bought.
I headed out in my kayak, hugging the right shore for a while, and intending to head out beyond the point at the end of the cove.
As I paddled closer to the point though, I saw someone walking on a very large sandbar in the midde of the cove. I had not realized that there was a sandbar, and decided to pull off there (since I could not see the water beyond it), scope out the water and take some pictures.
Since I had already lost my boat once that day, I pulled my boat up into the middle of the sandbar.
I was warm from paddling, and took off my PFD, gloves and paddling skirt before going for a short walk.
I looked beyond the sandbar to see what the water looked like.
When I had left the boat ramp the water was very calm. But by the time I got closer to the sandbar the water had been getting increasingly choppy in the increasing wind.
I decided after looking at the state of the water beyond the sandbar that I would stay in the cove today. The remainder of the cove was not only choppy, but contained a bunch of eddies swirling in multiple directions immediately to the right.
I've paddled many times in some crazy water, but did not want to fight these eddies in new water close to a new channel. So made the decision to play it safe and spend some time on foot before heading back.
With all the rocky beaches that can be found around Juneau, it felt really really nice to walk in sand that was familiar to me. The same kind of soft packed, white, sink-as-you-walk kind of sand that you find in the Lower 48.
Between the nice warm and dry day, me finding an opportunity to kayak, the soft white sand and the beautiful surrounding mountains, I felt very good and relaxed.
After getting off to a rough start, it was turning into a really nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.....
A view from back where I had come from......
I was on a large sandbar and walked, took pictures, scared the birds into flight, and just enjoyed this new place for a while.
After a few minutes I came to a separation in the sandbar, and was not sure how deep the water was. I walked about 20 feet across the water in shin deep water trying to make it to the rest of the sandbar, which ultimately led to the shore.
Another few steps and I was in water just over my boots, so turned back intending to retrieve my kayak and paddle over to shore, so I could walk around the point and see what was out there.
My $150 kayak on the left shore. Again, I pulled in quite a ways, not certain when the tide was scheduled to come back in and also not certain how long I would be on foot during my explorations..........
It was obvious that dirt bikes and 4-wheelers spend a lot of time out here. There were tire prints all over, but I was surprised just what a lovely and quiet beach I had found today.
When I got to the end I was surprised to learn that I was not at a point at all. The sandy trail I had been following continued until I found much more sandy beach that opened completely to the channel.
Every single time I find a beautiful large sandy beach here in Juneau, that overlooks the channel and provides views of the mountains I am excited and surprised. I wonder if I will be here long enough to see everything there is to see. To find everything there is to find..........
I walked the beach enjoying myself immensely. I had expected to simply find a point, stand, enjoy, take pictures, then head back. Instead, I was walking a beautiful unexpected beach.
After walking for 15 minutes or so, I saw a lot of people standing together on the beach.
I had no idea what beach this was or why a large number of people were standing together, but I suddenly had the idea that maybe I was not supposed to be here.
I soon had my answer, because as I continued to get closer to these people I saw a bunch of racked canoes, a lifeguard stand, and then a small building. I had unexpectedly intruded onto Echo Ranch Bible Camp property.....
Once I realized exactly where I was, I left the beach and picked up the trail so I could head back the way I had come.
Of course, even though I was making my retreat, I also felt compelled (since I was already there) to take some more pictures of this beautiful place........
I turned the bend and was heading back to my kayak when I stopped to take a picture of this very interesting cave.
I heard a noise behind me, and as I turned I saw two men approaching me in a golf cart.
My first thought was "Oh hell......Bible Camp Brownshirts........"
I spoke to them for quite a while, and they were both very nice men who indeed were from the camp. Someone with a radio on a boat had seen me, and they apparently called in saying that there was someone walking their beach, and these gentlemen came to check me out.
Turns out that people are welcome to walk the beach during camp season as long as they check in with the grounds manager. People are also welcome to visit at any time during the off-season.
From what they told me they just wanted to make sure that there were not any kids causing trouble.
I have mixed feelings about the encounter, but regardless, they were friendly and polite with me and I was the same in return.
By the time I arrived back at my kayak I had been gone for over two hours, and knew that my Mountain Boy would be wondering where I was.
He knows me, and is used to me doing my own thing and wandering where I feel like I need to wander whether it is on foot, on bike or on the water.
LC is used to me but he still worries anyway.
I knew that he would be beginning to wonder. As far as he knew I was paddling all the way out to the channel.
I had images of him coordinating the kids at the beach to watch Jamie. To coordinate the women on the beach to pull together all the first aid supplies, warm blankets, warm food and drink they could gather. To contact the Coast Guard, and then coordinate the men on the beach into search parties.
That's his nature, his history, his background.
My nature is to come and go when and where the moment drives me. And my comings and goings usually involved being outdoors.
Sometimes those things that drive both of us are not mutually compatible, but over the years we have learned to respect each other, and to care for the needs and differences that we have.
He gives me the freedom to do what I want and sometimes need to do. And I try very hard to be respectful of his concern and call him, carry a firearm, be back when I say I will be back etc.
A few more pictures taken on the way back to my boat.......
My Mountain Boy cleaning fish. He caught two big salmon today, and also was given a huge halibut steak by a guy who he helped load his boat onto a trailer when the wench would not work.
I had to laugh - all the way home I listened to my smiling, chest thumping, testosterone driven fisherman bragging about providin' for the womenfolk.
He had a great day. And so did I. And so did Jamie, who made friends with everybody she met today.
One final look from Echo Ranch back towards Echo Cove.
No comments:
Post a Comment