Category Archives: Commercial Fishing Boat
May the Dungeness Crab and Baby Party Begin Already!
The boat left with a load of Dungeness crab pots last weekend. Although it is always sad to hug G goodbye and wave the crew off, it’s also kind of a relief. Especially this year. There has been so much waiting, wondering, and anticipation as to when the gear work will end, when the boat will leave for Westport, when the season will start, and if the weather will cooperate.
And of course, this year we have the added anticipation of a baby due on the exact day George and the fellas will dump five-hundred crab pots to the bottom of the ocean, hoping the season will be profitable and safe for the five families—including at least a dozen children combined—who are relying on it.
No pressure!
Ah, what can you do? That’s life, moving forward the way life tends to do.
Here are a few pictures of this year’s Dungeness Crab Season 2012 Departure Day:
What an awesome, sweet, and tough crew we have in Bryan, Johnny, Brett, Oscar, and George.
Precious and resilient commercial fishing kids watching Dad pull away from the dock.
Johnny on top of the pots.
George will have a few days at home in between getting the boat to Westport and when the season officially begins, so here’s still hoping the baby decides to arrive during the window in which he is home.
I’m ready.
The kids’ bedroom switch and redesign is complete; Vincent has cool new bunk beds, Eva has her rainbow/butterfly/flower room. Holidays are over, children are back in school, preschool, and activities. House is clean, Christmas presents are put away, writing invoices have been sent off.
I’m tired of waiting; I’m looking ahead already to springtime, capris, sandals, renewed energy, evenings of sunshine and bayside cocktails, and a body I can actually move with ease and feel comfortable within.
Time to get this party started! :)
I love this picture of Vincent; he looks like he just climbed off a Dutch Harbor fishing vessel.
G Has Arrived…Will Summer Follow Suit?
Well, I’ve finally made it to the second trimester, but I’m not feeling any improvement in yucky pregnancy symptoms yet. I feel awful most days, which accounts for the continuing delay in blog posts! The good news is that so far, all blood tests and ultrasound measurements show a healthy little baby in the works, so that is a relief.
In each ultrasound, the baby’s been flipping and twirling around, which is amazing to see. At the last one, the baby even appeared to give me an excited wave with its tiny hand before the machine was shut down. I keep that image in my mind when I start feeling sick and frustrated. I won’t be able to find out whether it’s a girl or a boy for seven more weeks.
George and the crew arrived home last Saturday. They arrived in port accompanied by rolling thunder several hours earlier than expected. I knew they were going to be early, but I was a bit startled when I looked out my window and saw the boat coming across the bay. You couldn’t miss it; the rows of bright orange buoys tethered on top of the substantial steel shack can be spotted miles away.
My heart pumped with excitement as the kids and I flew out the door, down the stairs, and into the car in a race to the finish. Who would be the first to arrive at the harbor; George or me?! George won by less than ten minutes.
The next day, they unloaded the final halibut delivery (George took some pictures for me, seen below) and the kids and I went down to visit later in the afternoon. Vincent has been asking to drive the boat for the past few months, so G waited for us before moving the boat over to its normal spot in the harbor.
The kids wore their life jackets and boarded the boat, settling into the wheelhouse with Dad. The crew was cute and played along; after the lines were untied and they were ready to move away from the dock, Bryan yelled “All clear, Vincent!” up to the wheelhouse. That made me laugh.
I met them over at the dock across the harbor where I climbed aboard. Johnny showed the kids around the deck and answered their questions and Brett gave them donuts while we all got caught up on the past few weeks and months.
The post halibut/blackcod gear work finished up in what seemed record time, and the crew was picked up by friends, girlfriends, and wives within four days. Now, if our summer would only begin…it’s cloudy, windy, and cold today. Vincent has a bad cold and stayed home from preschool. I love November in July!
And They’re Off!
On our way down the ramp to the dock.
Brandon, Bryan, G, and Brett with future crew members Eva and Vincent.
A beautiful and calm day for a boat ride.
Straight to Jazzercise to play with friends and keep the tears at bay.
Good Luck to My Very Favorite Commercial Fishermen in the 2011 Dungeness Crab Season!!
We Love You All Very Much!
Bryan wanted to know why I was never in the pictures and made me get in this one. Five of my favorite peeps right here!
The Last Night for a While
Well, the guys have worked all week finishing up a lot of projects in addition to loading pots onto the boat for the 2011 Dungeness crab season. I’m trying to not feel sad/bad. G and the crew are excited to go while I am not looking forward to the departure in the least! G is myrock and the glue that holds us all together. He’s got a quick wit, makes the most hilarious faces, and can fix and do anything. Plus, he’s a wonderful and loving father. I’m trying to focus on all the good things going on and looking ahead to the spring when we will take our first real vacation in several years.
I’ve got my family, my Jazzercise friends, the preschool crowd, the gymnastics and ballet groups, and my other friends to help keep us moving forward. I appreciate all of these people so much; they are my support and laughs much of the time, and especially when G is gone. Tonight will be hard and tomorrow will be worse, but I’ll be back to my normal self by Monday, forging ahead with renewed energy and motivation.
I’m posting two pictures of Brett and the boat taken yesterday with all the Dungeness crab pots on board.
The last picture is of the boat crane that was lifted off the Vis for some reason this past fall. I can’t remember why G had it lifted, but I know the crane well from my own time seining on our boat in SE Alaska (with my dad and sisters) and thought it was rather funny and unusual to see it on the flatbed trailer.
Oh, and how could I forget. One thing I’m looking forward to after G leaves is beginning the 24-Day Challenge through AdvoCare that my friend Sara turned me on to. I had not heard of AdvoCare before, but I do love my vitamins, supplements, and working out, so it sounded like a fun thing to try.
Their national spokesperson is DrewBrees, the New Orleans QB who was the MVP of the NFL World Championship game. I’m obviously not an élite athlete (or even a fan of football) but fortunately, the product line is for everyone. Be sure that I’ll let you all know how it goes, lol.
Will be back tomorrow with Departure Day pictures. Have a great night.
A Few Pics from Another Sunny & Blessed Day.
Short break from the halibut and blackcod off-load.
Crusing the harbor in Daddy's flatbed.
Pop and popcorn at the local Farmer's Co-op.
Welcome Home!!!
Welcome Home!!
George, Bryan, Steve, Gary, and Brett!!! 
They brought the sunshine with them. The day started out dreary, dark, and rainy. It slowly began to improve. By the time I saw the boat cruising across the bay, the sun was out in force. The children and I jumped into the car, parked on the dock, and actually watched them come into the harbor.
Bryan helped the kids down to the boat and showed them giant ling cod heads. We drove around the harbor with Steve in the flatbed, following George on the forklift. We ended at the family store, Vis Seafoods, where Gary and George unloaded two totes’ worth of home-pack.
As the little ones and I drove to the harbor today, I felt like I was floating above the earth. It was a surreal and beautiful day, and the most perfect way to spend my 8th wedding anniversary.
I’ve included some videos of today; they are second-rate videos, taken with my iPhone, that only a grandmother could love. Still, here they are.
Hooray: An ETA From the Captain!
Heck, I’ve brought you all along for the ride this long, I thought I may as well keep the narrative going. I’ve shared pictures, audio posts, the good, the bad, and everything in between.
I’m sure G won’t mind if I share this one little innocent e-mail I received today; after all, it’s the only one I’ve received, and it brings good news! I’m leaving in the signature line that comes with the satellite e-mail because it always makes me roll my eyes.
Thanks for going along this latest fishing family journey with me. You are all the best! 
Hi Sweetheart!
Here’s the update! First day was really good… next two were pretty average. Yesterday was bad. Today… hopefully will be decent here. Only need 7500 lbs more. Should be home by Monday.
Love you!
G
This e-mail was delivered via satellite phone using OCENS.Mail software.
Please be kind and keep your replies short.
Icebergs in Yakutat Bay, Alaska
Commercial Fishing Is America’s Most Deadly Job
CNN Money.com has released its list of America’s Most Deadliest Jobs and readers of this blog will not be surprised to learn that commercial fishing once again ranks as our country’s top deadliest job.
Here are a few of the top most deadly jobs according to the report:
- Commercial Fishing: 2oo deaths per 100,000
- Logging: 61.8 deaths per 100,000
- Airplane Pilots: 57 deaths per 100,000
- Farmers and Ranchers: 36 deaths per 100,000
Check out the article here. It’s pretty interesting and it always astounds me how far ahead of the second most deadly job commercial fishing ranks.
I can’t even think of anything to write other than there is a reason we celebrate like crazy each time George returns from sea. There are too many fishermen who do not come back home.
Photo By David Hills www.fishingpix.net
Commercial Fishing Photo Gallery is Up!! (Halibut and Blackcod Longlining Pictures)
David Hills, who takes some of the world’s best commercial fishing photos, has published a gallery of the pictures he took while on board our fishing vessel last winter during round one of the Alaska blackcod and halibut longline season.
If you want to see what it’s really like out there and see some extraordinary tough guys at work (including my dear husband, G, of whom I could not be more proud) check it out!!!
David, you ROCK!
Ways to Send Your Man Off to Sea!
One of the things I love most about maintaining this blog is the awesome people I meet. I’ve forged some pretty cool friendships with some pretty neat people that have even gone over into Facebook and otherwise. I love logging into Highliners and Homecomings and seeing that I have a comment that someone was thoughtful enough to leave!
The other day, I received an inquiry through my Contact Form. Elizabeth wrote in with such an interesting question that I thought it would be fun to create an entire post out of it.
Thanks for letting me post your question here, Elizabeth. As I said before, you are one cool chick to be thinking of ways to send your man off to sea in style rather than giving him grief for leaving.
Here’s her note:
I am the girlfriend of a soon-to-be commercial fisherman. He did it in the past, left it to pursue a career on land, and I of course started dating him while he was in this on-land period. But the call of the sea is too great, I guess. He was recently offered a job on swordfish boat down here in San Diego. I don’t know how often they’ll dock or how long he’ll get to stay docked, but I do know that there won’t be any phone calls while he is out. I know I’ll miss him terribly, and I have no idea how I’ll cope with him being gone all the time but I do know that I want to send him off with something special. Since I’m a complete rookie – is there anything that the men especially enjoy having with them? Pictures, music, food? Any feedback that you have from your own experiences would be much appreciated!
Well, I couldn’t stop thinking of ways to send a guy off to sea! (Rated G, of course, this is a family-friendly blog!) :-)
Here are some of my favorites:
- Gift pack of his favorite treats. Candy, cookies, crackers, chips, etc., to hide in his bunk.
- A special “boat cup” (Not glass, boat-safe, can be bought at fisheries supplies or sporting goods stores).
- A set of boat dishes. George loved the set I got for him.
- New galley towels. They get dirty and ruined so fast, it’s nice to have something fresh and clean!
- A photo of yourself in a frame. My friend took a nice black and white of me years ago that George loved. Unfortunately, one time we had a big fight and I threw it away, but it was nice while it existed :-)
- Create a photo book of your best pictures together at Snapfish, Shutterfly, or Costco. They are easy and fun, and you can add quotes and messages on every page if you want.
- A photo calendar. I create them every year and send one with G to look at in the wheelhouse throughout his months away.
- A book. A light read is usually better. For example, skip the self-help or how to improve your relationship, haha!
- You can hide a card in his bag for him to find once he’s on the boat.
- You can send him off with many cards labeled with dates, one to open each day or once a week.
- Have kids? Eva just drew a picture of her and George holding hands. We picked out a frame for it, she wrapped it all by herself, and then couldn’t wait to tell him about it when he called.
- Find out the address of the place they’ll be unloading their catches, and have something waiting for him there each time they unload. I like to send George his magazines, pictures, and the kids’ artwork. We go to the post office and select the bright, fancy, decorative envelopes so it goes in style!
- A new CD or a mix-CD of his favorite music.
- Several magazines.
- A small portable DVD player and a couple of movies.
- A new boat blanket or sleeping bag.
- Fresh new boat pillow case.
- Nice new boat shower towel.
- Have a phone that takes and sends pictures? George loves receiving new pics whenever he gets cell coverage.
- You can also get “creative” with your cell phone pics, if you get my drift. Not for everyone, but it won’t go unappreciated! :-)
Anyone else have additional ideas? Let’s grow the list! This was fun!
