06/03/14

A long, fruitless, beautifully scenic coastal sojourn in search of what ultimately became maddeningly elusive green mackerel. "No bait for you!" about sums it up. It was a calm passage though, and an intimate tour of this region's last frontier. If I had a nickel for every little copse, every savory looking fishing hole I longed to cast a line into today I'd have at least enough to fund the vacation and time necessary to make it happen. And I was not alone. What a spectacular coastline still virtually uninhabited. Amazing.

But returning to the fishing side of the equation we logged a complete miss today. Not that we are in need of any big quantity of yellowtail, but it would have been nice to do a little fishing, and catching, along the way. I was remarking to many fellow fishermen however that such bait tours were not uncommon in days of past. Though we really haven't had to work at it too much in recent history times are obviously a changin'.

Reaching our final destination just after dark we were mighty appreciative of the protection this coast line presently offers. Howling wind - howling - challenged our fortitude, but we were game. Camping and waiting, waiting for bait and better things to come; tomorrow.

Photo today features another long time fishing veteran and friend. Mike Morrison, who put his time in on Royal Star working the deck for several years back in the 1990's, returns a couple of times annually to assuage the passion he still posesses for long range fishing. A better man at the rail is difficult to envision as Mike always goes with the flow, is incredibly gracious to one and all on every voyage he joins, and is a fish catching machine.. The legendary Alijos rocks provides the backdrop in today's image as Mike pulls on one of many landed that day.

Tim Ekstrom

Photo Here...