January 2002
Hello again. It is time to get psyched up for the new year! Time to practice thinking 2002!
Daylight's increasing, with more to come. We expect more chilly days, with hopefully less precipitation. It is always a joy to share winter with the loons, harlequins, scoters, oldsquaw and goldeneyes in the waters surrounding our home.
Our boat is dry-docked, waiting for its new supply of goodies and gizmos, and fresh bottom-paint. Our calendar is ready for reservations. Independent travelers should consider making reservations before April, as lodging becomes less selective after that.
March 2002
We've had so many clear sunny days in March! If temperatures ever get out of the 20s, my daffodils will start growing again.
The strong high pressure system over us has come from the north, bringing brisk, cold winds. Consequently, the ocean has usually been rough. Though we've been out on the water and found gray and humpback whales, sea otters and sea lions, we haven't been able to bring a king salmon home for supper....yet.
April 2002
With winter definitely behind us, I often forget about my friends farther north, in the state, who are still measuring snow and ice in feet!.
The herring have spawned...the animals are happy...the sun's been out for weeks!
We've had fresh halibut and king salmon, and our summer calendar is filling up! Boat's working fine...we're working fine...garden's doing fine...just wish the world could find some peace.
May 2002
The papers have reported an unusually dry spring, which we can vouch for. The Department of Fish and Game has predicted the most king salmon around since 1990, which unfortunately, we cannot yet vouch for. The tufted puffins have returned to St Lazaria! When the sky is clear, it's light from 3:30 am to 10:30 pm.
We lost one of our best friends this month. We know it's something everyone experiences sooner or later. Our friendship began in 1979, in the Aleutians. He lived in Anchorage, but was in Cameroon, Africa, on another adventure, when he left us. As our summer unfolds, and life goes on, it feels like a piece of us will be missing.
June 2002
Summer's in full swing. There's no turning back the clock. It's daylight when we get up, and daylight when we go to bed. (We never have any trouble falling asleep before the sun does.)
We've had some marginal weather days, but our clients have returned home happy, with memories of catching a king salmon or halibut, or just filling up on tufted puffins, sea otters, bald eagles and humpback whales.
July 2002
I feel like shirking responsibility for the tardiness of this posting. My main batch of 20 baby hummingbirds headed south near the middle of July. They kept me busy keeping their four feeders filled.
Fishing's been spotty. Somebody leaked information to the orcas about the abundance of king salmon this year. We have had an unusually high number of killer whale sightings. The silver salmon are a little late in showing up, but they are getting bigger by the day.
Temperatures have been in the high 50s and low 60s. Not much sun, but better than the triple digit readings in the Lower 48 states.
August 2002
With only one more month of chartering Sunday through Saturday, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel! We have had a few hot, sunny days to help us forget those stormy ones.
The phalaropes are here, getting ready to head south. The warblers have already passed through our place.
Halibut fishing continues to be good. We have had alternating great and poor days of coho fishing. A 92 pound king salmon was caught nearby, by a commercial troller. That will keep people dreaming for a few years!
September 2002
There is nothing quite like closing the season catching a 44 pound king salmon! Thanks again to everyone who came aboard this summer. Without a doubt, we enjoyed the company.
With our rainwater catchment tank overflowing, and mostly cloudy skies ahead, we are ready to follow our avian friends south, for a brief respite.
The best way to contact us in the coming weeks will be by emailing us at info@sitkasecret.com. If you send us mail via the postal service, please be patient as it may take up to four weeks for letters to catch up with us.
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