Category Archives: Commercial Fishing Crew
The Day Before Departure
It’s the day before G and the crew leave for Alaska and the blackcod/halibut longlining season. The crew showed up on Monday and they’ve been working hard getting the boat ready to go. I’m not exactly sure what they’ve done besides put the shack on and load all the groceries because I haven’t made it down to the harbor yet this week.
I normally have plenty of time to get down there, but the week before a big season like this is always hectic on both ends and time just got away. Last year, George was gone from June until October catching our quota. The quota was reduced a bit this year, so I hope that he catches it quick and makes it home before the summer is totally over. That was a long stint last year, even for me, who was born into this life.
I think I’ve got the kids’ summer schedule pretty well planned. A couple of mornings and a couple of afternoons of activities for them each week, and the rest of time free to play with Mommy and go for walks, play on the slip ‘n slide, and go to the lake. They’ll have swimming lessons in August, and I’m going to sign Eva up for a mini art camp. They are also extremely excited to go visit our dear friends who live a few hours away to play and swim in their big outdoor pool. I’m looking forward to that trip myself!
As for me, I can’t wait to attend Bloggy Boot Camp in June and the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association conference in August. I think the children and I have a nice balance of things to keep us moving along without Dad; plenty of activity and plenty of downtime. Now if the sun would finally come out and stay for a while, that would be perfect!
Oh, I almost forgot. I signed up to foster dogs through our local no-kill shelter. George and I fostered many dogs before we had children, and in fact, that is how we were lucky enough to meet and adopt our beloved pitbull Toby, whom you all know recently passed away. I’m not going to foster young, energetic dogs or puppies, however. I’m not up for that at this time.
I told the shelter that I’d prefer senior dogs or dogs recovering from trauma or surgery. Basically, dogs that just want a warm bed on which to sleep, a pat on the head, and a good meal. I also have a very special place in my heart for pitbulls. So if the right fit comes along, I’m looking forward to honoring Toby’s life and memory by taking in a needy dog. It will also be good company for Mandy.
Okay. Off to pick Eva up from preschool and clean the house for our last night all together as a fishing family for the next few months. Will be back with departure day pictures tomorrow night! Have a wonderful and peaceful day.
No Housework? Right!
I learned on Facebook this morning that it’s National No Housework Day! What’s even better than National No Housework Day is one of the images that accompanies the event….
Hilarious.
Of course, it is never No Housework Day when you are a stay at home mom without a housekeeper. Laundry and beds await, as do dishes and everything else. It’s a great idea and an awesome picture, but…maybe next year. That will give me plenty of time to have everything in the house done and in order so I can proclaim the day!
In other news….the boat came home this week.
For the last couple of weeks, G has told the kids “I’ll be bringing the boat home soon.”
That confused 3-year old Vincent, who took G’s statement literally.
“When is Daddy bringing the boat home?” he keeps asking me.
“The boat is home, Buddy,” I reply.
“It’s not home,” he says. “It’s not in front of our house.”
“Oh,” I say. “No. Bringing the boat home means it’s returning to the harbor, not to the front of our house.”
Vincent asks next if Daddy will bring the boat home on the trailer or the forklift.
I’ll let G explain why we can’t dock a steel 58-foot combination fishing vessel in our residential driveway!
As you all know, we always celebrate the boat and crew homecoming. Sometimes we celebrate at home and sometimes we go out. I wasn’t sure if anyone would be up for going out this time, but they were! We had a fun but tame night out this week. We had a great evening of laughs, food, and a pitcher or two.
I just love our entire operation and most everyone involved. It’s family oriented with a splash of silly and a dash of daring. Together we all seem to make one merry and unique family season after season and year after year.
Commercial Dungeness Crab Photo Gallery is Up!
F/V Vis Dungeness Crab photos are up!! Check them out here. Mostly featured in the pictures is Bryan, Brett, Brandon, Steve…and one or two of George.
Thanks to the most awesome professional photographer of commercial fishing photos around, David Hills!
Here’s a small preview of what you’ll find when you view the gallery:
Favorite Job and a Night Away
Prompt:
If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?
What is the worst job you’ve ever had? What did you learn?
Oddly enough, I’m already doing both of the jobs I’d most want to have: Stay at Home Mom and Writer.
The only thing I’d add to this is that I’d do more writing. More paid writing, that is. It would be nice to have time to dedicate to additional professional projects, but that’s where my SAHM gig comes in and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The worst jobs I’ve had were in offices. I was always hired as the cheerful front desk person and while I enjoy people and love typing, I found that I couldn’t stand the positions after one week on the job.
My anxiety went into overdrive each day about 2 p.m. and I couldn’t wait to leave the office and breathe. I like office work…but I’ve since learned that I like it best in my own office!
(I can only pin the “I suffocate sitting within four walls under someone else’s thumb” on the heritage of fishermen and captains in my bloodline!)
******
The kids and I got to make a quick and spontaneous trip to visit The G and B&B (Brett & Bryan) this weekend. We had the best time, and the little ones and I were beyond thrilled to get in the car and get out of town!!
We shouted “Road Trip! Road Trip!” as soon as we turned onto the freeway, and we did not stop the car until we arrived in port and saw G waving at us.
We had only one night with The G and B&B, but every second was awesome.
Bowling, pizza, laughs, love all around…maybe I’ll make it to the end of the season after all.
Lay Off the Red Bull and Eat Your Veggies!
I hope everyone is having a relaxing or fun-filled Sunday. The sun is out today and I’m thrilled about that. Even if it is absolutely freezing and the wind is blowing, I’m just so glad the non-stop dreary rain has stopped for at least one day!
One of the traditions in our fishing family is that when our boat leaves for a fishing season, G (or Dad, when we were younger) steps outside the wheelhouse just before the boat steams out of sight. He blasts the foghorn, and those of us standing on the dock wave like crazy as they round the breakwater and cruise out of the harbor.
Well, early this morning, Eva ran into my bedroom.
“Mommy!” she said. “I heard a foghorn! I think Daddy is driving the boat past our house on his way home! Is Daddy coming home today?”
I regretted having to tell her that, sadly, Daddy was not coming home today and the horn must have been from the train or another boat. (I didn’t bother explaining that sounding the foghorn on the way home was not actually part of our tradition, lol.)
I’ve decided that wherever G ends up the next time he comes in from sea, wherever he unloads the crab and for however long he’s in port, the kids and I are going to see him. It’s become clear they need a big Daddy hug and I think he could use a couple of baby hugs.
One thing I’ve been thinking a lot about lately is how hard these guys work and for how many hours they are at it. They do not stop to sit down and eat meals and they do not quit work to sleep. They are up for 36 hours at a time, for days on end. When the weather is good and the crab (or salmon, halibut, blackcod, etc.) are there, they do not stop. They keep going, and going, and going.
How does someone force himself to stay up? And not just up, but working. Physically working. Fighting weather conditions. Thinking. Making decisions. Keeping the adrenalin going. Staying safe and preventing accidents and injury.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many healthy methods that make this possible, because it really isn’t a healthy situation at the end of the day. Fishermen have been known to rely on…
Red Bull. Which, importantly, is not recommended if you have high blood pressure or are working in physically strenuous conditions. Too much Red Bull could make you irritable, shaky, anxious, and totally over-the-top.
Chewing Tobacco. No need to say much here…
Cigarettes. Eeeks.
Coffee. Caffeine. (Of course, not consumed in a delicate glass cup and saucer with dainty spoon as shown here, but gulped down in extra-large steel or hard plastic mugs by the pot.)
No Doz. This stuff has been around forever.
Diet can also go out the window when guys are fishing hard and non-stop.
So here’s my plea. Lay off the Red Bull and the chew. Forget the bacon, fellas! Eat your fruits and your veggies. Take your vitamins. Lots of them. Drop the anchor and get three hours of peaceful sleep now and again. Please!
Try your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle whether at sea or on shore. It’s not easy. We’re all tired, need energy, and have our habits. But we have to at least try.
Listen to your commercial fishing mommies and wives. We know best!
Jen’s Friday Favorites
It’s a new feature here on Highliners and Homecomings. Actually, it’s an old feature with a new twist. A couple of years ago I borrowed something my friend Kim does on her blog, which is create a list of my “Favorites of the Week.” I try to come up with five or so things, people, or places that struck a chord with me that week and include them in the list.
I thought it would be fun to give the Favorites of the Week a new spin by giving it an official logo and creating the list each Friday. I searched around last night looking for images and I found this cute Snoopy one, which I personalized a bit. I love it!
Anyway, here’s my official Favorites of the Week:
- My Jazzertogs order that showed up. I love everything in it and got it all on sale. Now, if only my kids and I would regain good health so I can sport my new gear at Jazzercise next week.
- The AdvoCare order that arrived. I’m so excited. I just learned about AdvoCare from my friends Krissy and Sara last week and was so optimistic about it that I’m now a Distributor. More info and a link to my Distributor page later.
- The professional commercial fishing photographer, David Hills, arriving in Westport to board our f/v Vis to take photographs of the Dungeness crab season. His work is awesome; just check out the link to his longlining photographs in the sidebar.
- Sending G and the crew off. It’s certainly not my favorite thing to see G go, but the send-off was cheerful and upbeat. It is so important for fishing kids to see their mom and dad (and everyone else) staying positive and optimistic in light of departures. We waved and waved, G blasted the foghorn (a tradition started by my dad) and then we got into the car and went directly to Jazzercise to play.
- The unexpected check I found while sorting out presents and cards from Christmas 2009. I was shocked! I also found a couple of gift cards from Eva’s birthday a couple of years ago. I’m crossing my fingers the check is still good, lol.
Have a great weekend!
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.
Back by Request: Alaska Longling Photographs by David Hills
I received a nice comment and request this morning from a lovely woman named Patti who wanted to get another look at the professional commercial longlining fishing pictures I posted a few months ago. I’m posting a bit of her message here as it really made my day. Thanks, Patti!
Hi Jen. Enjoy your blog. My nephew fishes in Alaska and consequently I follow the industry with great interest. The passion these boys have for the fish/crab is truly amazing. I can understand why they stay “hooked” to it.
A few months back you posted some amazing pictures. They had been done by a wonderful professional photographer who really did a nice job of catching the “boys” in action on the Vis. I wanted to see them again, however now I can’t seem to find them on your blog. What is the possibility of reposting them? Or is their another way I can see them?
The following is a copy of the original post from a few months back. Thanks again, Patti!
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!
Halibut and Blackcod Commercial Fishing Photographs
Will You Be the Next Fisherman TV Star?
BBC has a new series in development and is looking for a former or current fisherman to host!
Attached are some casting/show details, sent to me by Rachel Stevens, the Casting Producer:
They’d love to find a personable host, a person who has “been there and done that” when it comes to adventurous and daring situations. They’d like the person to be athletic and between the ages of 25-45 ish.
Here’s the Official Notice:
NOW CASTING
BBC Worldwide Productions and the producers of Dancing with the Stars, Skating with the Stars, Top Gear and What Not To Wear are currently seeking fearless hosts with a high tolerance for disgust, danger and extreme situations!
Are you an all-out risk taker with an above average tolerance for all things difficult, adventurous, or unexpected when it comes to occupational duties?
We are seeking an International host to work shoulder to shoulder with every day workers in occupations that most people avoid. You will dive in and work hard to complete every task despite potential danger, discomfort, or hazardous situations.
If extreme crab fishing, dealing with explosives and demolitions, smoke jumping, working on an off shore oil rig, mining coal, or wrangling alligators are within your scope of ordinary, you could be who we are looking for!
You will profile the unsung laborers around the globe who make their living in the most unthinkable — yet vital — ways. Our host must be willing to overcome their fears and embrace the danger and deal with the stress of an honest day’s work!
For more information, contact:
BBCHostCasting@gmail.com
Please send submissions with photos, bio, relative experience and any video links. Tell us why you would be great for our show!
CONTACT INFO:
Rachel Stevens
