Sitka, how can I miss you if you won't let me go?

Where to start? The big story is the weather, as in not getting suitable weather for travel, especially on the outside coast. Sunday morning it was blowing to 55 knots with seas to 25 feet on the outside and here at the dock we were getting sideways chicken feather snow. This not entirely unexpected state of affairs is bumping headlong into there being no room at the inn. Yeah I’m still here in Sitka…only through the efforts of Kristi in the harbormaster’s office. She originally gave me until the 6th of March, but the slip’s owner was delayed in getting his boat back in the water. Well he’s delaying no more. She called to say he will splash on the 17th, tomorrow.

By the time she called on Friday afternoon I had been keeping a weather eye since the 2nd in preparation for departure on the 6th. By Friday afternoon, Passage Weather was showing a 2-3 day window starting in the late evening of Monday the 8th, but by the time Monday afternoon arrived the expected calm had disappeared and no good window was predicted for the foreseeable future. As things stand, I will call Kristi tomorrow after 8AM to see if she was able to find me another temporary berth. If she can, I will move there until the weather breaks. If not, I will head out, altering course to stay in the sheltered waters of Peril Strait, probably to Tenakee Springs.

Kristi’s kindness is exacerbated by the arrival of the Sitka Sound herring fishermen. Between the seiners and tenders, over 150 are expected. Not even half way there and they are rafted 2 and 3 deep along the transient floats. The quota this year is the biggest ever and with the economy the way it is, most of the permit holders will likely show up. To the aforementioned boats, add several dozen fish cops buzzing around in small fast boats and more than a few spotter planes flying around overhead all confined to the designated areas of the Sound. It is one of the most intense fisheries, often only open for 15 minutes. It is very lucrative, estimated at almost $10 million this year and when you consider there are 49 permit holders the intensity begins to become understandable.

So here I sit. I’ll append a note to this entry tomorrow after I find out if there is a slip for me or not.

ap

ADDENDUM: Kristi came through with another slip so I'm here until Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

Thought I'd add a couple of nighttime shots of the herring fleet.