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What else has been going on around here…
- We Made It! December 22, 2025
- We Make Do, So Can You! November 2, 2025
- Twice in 3 Days October 31, 2025
- Processing Day October 26, 2025
- Raspberry Saskatoon Mead October 18, 2025
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Tag Archives: fishing
It’s just after midnight. I’m laying here listening to the rhythmic crashing of the waves. My tent softly illuminated with the fading “civil twilight” from the setting sun. Kids are finally asleep. It’s so peaceful.
It’s Wednesday June 22 (my nephew’s birthday!) And we have three days left of this personal use fishery. Later today will be the first time since it started that we get to fish any of the incoming tide. That’s where the fish are, headed to the river on the incoming tides. We get one hour of incoming tide today. Slightly more tomorrow, with the best fishing window on Friday, the last day.
I’ve tried not to focus on the negative and lack of fish. But enjoying my Solstice Sisters’ company. Making & eating good food and the best beverages a gal could ask for, and beach ice cream for the kids. Tonight’s served with fresh baked brownies from Mr Jimmy!
Each night Niki fills hot water bottles for each of us to put in our sleeping bags to keep extra warm. What a sweetie.
Solstice marks the official “winter is coming” season because we’re now losing daylight hours. Even though we have about two months of decent weather left, it will be gone before we know it! So get out in the sun and soak it up! Play in the sea spray. Walk barefoot in the sand. Hunt for some agates and beach glass. Enjoy a margarita with your besties. Live life Alaska style.
#solsticealaska
#midnightsun
#salmonislife
#thisismytribe
We are home for our compulsory break after three days. It’s necessary for feeding and watering our animals. Plus showers, laundry & restocking. Helps with mental fatigue too. It’s a lot of work fishing and setting up camp simultaneously, feeding all these people, & factoring in the disheartening lack of fishing time. We’ve had nets in the water a total of 4.5-5 hours over the past two days and netted 27 salmon. Total. It’s a lot of work for not so many fish.
We got home late last night, it was after 9 pm but I’ve lost track of time to know for sure. Kids tended to the animals, I jumped in the shower. I had two days of Cook Inlet mud to wash off my legs and out of my locs. And that long hot shower helped to soothe some of my tired muscles. And I went straight to bed.
Mental fatigue is always a thing for us at fish camp. We love doing this, look forward to it all year long, but it is a lot of work. Even walking on beach sand all day, every day is tiring. And dealing with other people in close proximity is hard. I mean, we love all of our FC family but even loved ones can get on your nerves at times, amiright?? But it’s all for a purpose. It’s our “working vacation” to fill our pantry with fish.
So taking away that reward, or at least feeling like it’s being taken away from you, makes you question if it’s worth it or not. Plus the reality for us is that there isn’t another opportunity like this to get salmon the rest of the season, it’s a real mind #*@&.
One of my kids were definitely showing that their overwhelmed meters were pegged yesterday so I was glad to be taking our overnight break.
Today we have a plethora of chores and things to load to haul back to the beach for the rest of our adventures. I just keep reminding myself of the purpose: to secure food and enjoy each other’s company. After all, we don’t get this opportunity but once a year, and with Niki here is even more rare.
So it’s off to work and start getting stuff loaded up. I’ve already got a load of laundry going. Made Dean’s lunch and sent him to work. And paid my business bond renewal that expires next week. I think I need more coffee.
We have this thing in Alaska called subsistence rights. It applies to all Alaskans modeled after Native Alaskan lifestyles of harvesting annual quantities of food all at once. From game animals to fish, mushrooms to berries, and whales too but only if you’re Native.
This Wednesday begins our local gill Set-net season for sockeye salmon. So for the next couple of weeks be prepared to see us live on the beach in our little (big) tent village. Breath fresh salty air. Fall asleep to the gentle melody of the tide. Work hard and play harder. It’s the Sourdough way!
Our fish camp tradition began 8 years ago with 3 women with a borrowed site and gear and determination to provide fish for our families. We weren’t very successful that first time. But we did not give up!
We have raised our kids with this annual event. At any given point in the year they can tell you how long until fish camp. It is a tradition that’s anticipated greatly.
This year is extra special because our founder, Niki, is back with us. She’s been full-time RV living and missed the past several years. We are all looking forward to the reconnect.
It’s time to get our fish. Winter is coming.
Alaska on my mind... 