It's "All in the Family"

So, I thought I’d start out with a little precursory warning: No, we did not see any wild bears, whales, etc., climb any mountains or catch any fish while my dad and brother were visiting. However, we did see some eagles, otters and salmon, watch some live music and explore the more touristy side of Sitka, which I had yet to do. And more importantly, (I think) everyone enjoyed themselves in the process.

View from the B and B

The B and B that the guys stayed in was great; just up the road from me, right on the ocean, with a hot tub and fire pit overlooking the water. We spent a good deal of time just relaxing there, which was a treat for me. One night we cooked up some Coho salmon my bunkmate Ben had caught earlier that day,but we also got a chance to taste some of the local fare downtown.

Fish caught by the B and B owner and his friends

Here’s a quick run-through of some of the highlights:

On the first full daywe walked around Sitka visiting the key points of interest, including the Sheldon Jackson Museum which showcases artifacts from the different native tribes around Alaska, the touch tanks at the aquarium where Dad had a little too much fun petting all the starfish and sea anemones, and a little walk around Totem Park. The next day the big events were the Raptor Rehabilitation Center where I checked in on Ms. Eagle and Fortress of the Bear to see the brother grizzlies. Kayaking around the harbor and surrounding islands was another highlight of the trip with my friend Ellen as tour guide, though I should have known that putting Dad and Matt in a kayak together probably wasn’t the best idea. They spent the whole time zigzagging behind the rest of us (and ignoring directions) as Matt kept “forgetting” to steer.

A sunflower sea star

Saturday night Kurt, another bunkmate, performed at the Larkspur, a café in town, and Dad finished up the performance by leading the audience in an out of tune rendition of “Happy Birthday” a few days prematurely. We also spent a decent amount of time on Tripp’s boat, being more a hindrance than a help as he fixed it up for his girlfriend who’s moving up here today.

Tripp and Kurt working hard on the boat

Matt trying to net fish out of our trap

Matt in the Redoubt cabin

Our last day together was probably the coolest as Perry (Joe’s boss) was able to take us out to Redoubt on his boat. I showed them the weirs, the lake and the cabin and now the guys have a hands-on view of what exactly I do when I’m out in the “wilderness” all the time. Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, there were no bear sightings – typical of them to be shy at the most inopportune time! I did (almost) catch a Pink salmon though, I say “almost” because I snagged it instead of catching it in the mouth, which is illegal in many places. Anyway, I’m glad I could share a little bit of my life here in Sitka with my family and I’m sure that the people and the landscape are things they won’t soon forget.