Set Netting

On Thursday I took Emma, Heidi, and Mason with me to see a friend who was camping on the beach set netting for fish.  They call it fish camp and it lasts about 10 days, but you can only set up on this beach and there is only about a mile-mile and a half that you can do this in.  The key is to set your camp up 3 or 4 weeks in advance, and then every few days spend an evening and check on things to make sure none of it is stolen or moved, to get the spot you want for that year.  The furthest point that you can set up on is the most desired because the tide hits there first and leaves last giving you prime location, but there are a certain group of people that have "held" those spots for years (like 30+) and they bring guns, and so I learned that you just leave those and try to get the next best spot you can!  Set netting is only for Alaska residents and the number of fish you can catch depends on the number in your family.  Our family could get 75 fish if we did this because the head of household gets 25 fish and then 10 fish for every person in you house hold after that.  This is what people do to fill their freezers for the winter, or you can smoke it, or can it. 

While the kids and I were there we were served potato chowder with bread and cheese, and I brought some sushi and strawberries for whenever, which eveyone there was pretty happy about!  Then we sat and visited and watched the kids play on the bluffs and in the ocean.  The day was so beautiful and you could see for miles, a huge improvement to the day before when it was downpouring rain!  

see all the tents/camps set up along the beach!

walking the half mile to camp from the entrace by the Kasilof river

Emma climbing the bluff behind camp

Mason right after he belly flopped in the ocean

My friend Farrah who invieted us down to "fish camp" for dinner and visiting :)

It is always cool to see an eagle flying overhead even if you see them all the time!

Mt. Redoubt

Heidi wearing Esther's hat....Hiedi had a good time with Esther! :)