Back to the boat (and coastal North Carolina)!

Ever since we left the boat stored safely on land in North Carolina at the end of March, we've been thinking about getting back to her. Leaving a boat so far away is never a preference, but for now it's necessary while we work toward our goals in Alaska. Luckily for us, we found a great boatyard meeting all of our requirements that include excellent security, the option of "do-it-yourself" work, a weather and tide-protected location, and affordability.

All that said, even though our fiberglass leading lady is doing fine without us, we still miss her and have a bit of work to do (not that we're expecting that to end, ever). So, we're making the cross-continential hop back over to pay her a visit.

The weather in coastal North Carolina is currently pretty agreeable, with daytime temps in the high 70s and nighttime temps in the 60s. Since we're planning to cut trip costs by sleeping on the boat (our preference anyway) it helps to know that we'll be able to sleep comfortably without air conditioning as we don't currently have any on the boat.



Scotty is looking forward to grilling out.. on deck!

Last time we were in town, we stopped in downtown New Bern for the afternoon and came across the authentic and inviting Stingray Café and its sister storefront, Tryon Palace Seafood. For lunch, we decided to eat at the café and munched on a very tasty lunch of homemade hush puppies, oyster chowder, fish and chips, and cole slaw. (Their food puts Red Lobster to shame, y'all!) And happily, once again I found myself back in a world with two types of iced tea: sweet and "un-sweet". ;)

Oyster chowder and hush puppies

Trout fish n'chips

With seafood cravings satisfied, we were able to focus on dinner plans. Scotty and I are suckers for a good mom-and-pop seafood counter, and next door to the Stingray Café, Tryon Palace Seafood exceeded all expectations.

While the friendly guys at the counter answered our questions with patience and knowledge, we had to restrain ourselves from buying more than we could eat. We decided on a locally-caught fish called a sheepshead. Here's an interesting article I did not see before eating it... this fish should totally be on Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods!

Next, we made a foray over to local-legend, Mitchell Hardware, also in downtown New Bern. If you're ever nearby and looking for a good way to kill at least an hour, don't miss Mitchell's.

Mitchell's has an extensive selection of cookware, gifts, and regular hardware items, and we left with several useful items for the galley and also picked up a home-blended seafood spice mix to use on the sheepshead. Also, the people working there were very welcoming and seemed to take pride in their store, which goes a long way with these two travelers.

Later that night at the boat, we brushed the sheepshead fish with olive oil and the spice blend, then laid it on the pre-heated grill in tin foil. After it was done I picked up the tail to clean it and the meat slid right off the bones, cooked to perfection.



That dinner- eaten sitting around the main salon on the Wind-Lass- was way better than any restaurant meal ever could have been. I think we also had salad and rice (quick-cook, from a box), but the sheepshead took center stage. And the sunset view from our perch on deck was pretty nice, too!

Anyway, after all that meal reminiscing, it must be dinnertime! Check back soon for more updates from the land of sun and water... and no, I'm not talking about Juneau this time. ;)

Atlantic Beach, NC ~ March 2013

An early spring hike in Southeast Alaska

As you may have read, it's been a late spring and a long winter here in Juneau. And it could have been the sunny weather or just overly optimistic thinking, but when the day arrived to make the trek to Peterson Lake Cabin, I didn't even consider canceling. We hadn't been out to any local cabins since December and I was more than ready to get back on the trail. And after all, it was April 20, high time to say goodbye to winter... or so I thought when we booked it a few months earlier.

Instead, when the day arrived this was the wintry reality:

Peterson Lake trailhead- April 20, 2013 

Recent months have seen steady snowfall around here, especially back in the woods 24 miles north of downtown Juneau where the trail begins heading east.

The popularity of overnight stays at the Forest Service cabins in our area require reservations made well in advance, especially for Saturdays. Sometimes each Saturday is booked out six months in advance- the entire booking window of availability. Canceling a reservation means either forfeiting $10 to reschedule for a different date or to request a refund. There's no allowance for inclement weather, nor do I think there should be- it's just part of the deal.

The Peterson Lake Trail is a familiar one, 4.3 miles each way to cabin and gaining only 700 feet in elevation from sea level. It meanders along the high loamy banks of Peterson Creek through forests of hemlock and spruce.

Narrow, slippery planking and considerable tree roots make it a good idea to pay close attention to one's feet. And to wear the right footwear! Here we used Xtra-tuffs (me) or Bogs (Scotty) with pull-on Micro-Spikes.

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At around Mile Marker 2, the forested trail gives ways to a meadows of muskeg. In warmer months, this means a few miles of mostly flat, but sometimes slippery, wooden planking. Here, the path consisted of trampled-down snow.

At the end of the meadow, Peterson Creek widens as it feeds into Peterson Lake. The sight of it means that the cabin is just under a mile away.

In some patches near the lake, the snow had begun to melt giving way to one of the first signs of spring in Southeast Alaska: the first bright yellow shoots of skunk cabbage, a plant ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest.

The cabin still had quite a bit of snow around it, but inside we spent the night warm and dry thanks to just enough firewood someone kindly left behind and the cabin's propane heater. The next day, the sun came out again for the return hike; two days of sunshine in a row around here is always something to celebrate! ;)

View of frozen Peterson Lake from the cabin

Truth be told, I prefer when the lake isn't frozen over. This is what it looks like when there's not snow on the ground:

  September 25, 2011

 September 25, 2011

But then again, there's beauty in every season. Hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of our "backyard"!

The tougher the trail, the sweeter the arrival

Last night, Scotty and I found ourselves reflecting on our recent trip to John Muir Cabin last Saturday and how frustrating and tough the hike had been. It was so difficult, that at the time we both swore never again would we try to hike a trail in those conditions. Of course, it started out benignly enough at sea level...

Trailhead: May 11, 2013

We'd started out toward the cabin much later in the day than usual at around 6 p.m., but with daylight lasting until around 9 p.m. this time of year (hard to believe the summer solstice is only just over a month away!), we figured we had more than enough time to get there. But then conditions vary by elevation and can change quickly and unexpectedly in the mountains, even mountains well-known.

As dusk and fog rolled in over the mountain trail, we trudged along in near darkness, our packs heavily laden with firewood, food, water, and at least a few completely unnecessary creature comforts. This did nothing to help with the trek, pushing us deeper into the drifts that still covered the alpine meadows.

Here we were, on a Saturday evening, falling thigh-deep in wet snow just to get to a Forest Service cabin to spend the night. It seemed ridiculous to be out there when we could be curled up at home watching a movie or chatting over a cozy meal.

"I promise you," I shouted in Scotty's direction, as I tried not fall over in the snow. "I will not reserve any more cabins from early December through the end of May. I thought this *@%# snow would be gone by now!"

"We just need snowshoes. This is stupid." He grumbled in answer. (Yep, six winters of hiking here with no snow shoes... we must be in denial. Or cheap. Probably both.)

At a few points the trail wasn't immediately clear because of the snow drifts, but blue trail markers nailed to trees kept us on course.

 (This marker is en route to Peterson Lake Cabin, but you get the point.)

After three hours we made it, too exhausted to cheer, but relieved to have made it before it really got dark. Inside the cabin, we stripped off our wet clothes, cranked on the propane-fired heater, and unpacked our sleeping bags and mattress pads. Scotty started the fire (his job), and it's crackling warmth heated the place up so much we had to turn the other heater off eventually.

Dinner consisted of pan-fried king salmon that Scotty had pre-cooked at home, with Mary Jane's Farm backpacker alfredo pasta. Everything tastes better when backpacking, but this really was a good meal. Even people who claim to not like fish usually like fresh Alaska salmon.

 Cooking breakfast the next morning

My cell phone still worked and I'd be lying if I said I didn't look at it a bit (damn addictive technology). But before going to bed, I also got out my new book and- while Scotty slept- read by candlelight for at least an hour. The only sound was the rushing of the wind as it swept the surrounding meadow and soft breath of my loved one beside me. More days should end so peacefully.

That night we both slept well, tucked away in the cabin surrounded by trees and winter. On mountains, only the strong and the lucky survive. I know that night I felt like both.

The next morning the sun came out and we cooked breakfast, cleaned and packed. Going down the mountain is so much easier than going up, even in those conditions. When you're falling frequently, it helps to have gravity on your side! (Our shoe spikes also helped.)

 

It's easy to smile about the hike now, to diminish its difficulties. But when Scotty and I reflected on it and other difficult hikes we've taken, those somehow have ended up being the ones we remember most and when we experienced the most joy at the end.

Ptarmigan!

It's more than simple relief: perhaps a combination of the rush a physical challenge brings, along with the emotional relief that we made it through together and can now relax and enjoy the reward. There are a lot of things in life that are like this. Being on a trail is just one way I'm reminded to remember the good, let go of the bad, and keep on going.

In hiking- and in life- sometimes the tougher the trail, the sweeter the arrival.*

*This is not to say that you should book a cabin in Alaska in the winter without skis or snowshoes. Unless you're a masochist. Then, have at it! And bring good food.
**This is the second hike like this we've done in the past month. The first was to Peterson Lake Cabin. You can see those pictures here {coming soon}. 

It's springtime in Alaska (I think)...

Mt. Juneau- April 19

For the past few weeks I'd been starting to wonder if winter would ever end.

Lena Loop- April 28

Some days it seemed like it would be over soon... sort of. This kind of weather-induced delusional thinking began a full four weeks ago.

Hmmm... are you necessary, sweatshirt? (April 7)

 Getting warmer...

Okay, whatever, it's cold.

And others, not so much...

Gonna sit right here and have another beer in Mexico Juneau- April 28

 On my walk to work, April 30. Large blur= giant snowflake.

We weren't the only ones in the nation to experience colder-than-usual weather, but in Juneau the sun had definitely left the party and it didn't seem like it would be coming back anytime soon. Talk about making a person want to buy a one-way plane ticket!

And then, three days ago, the sun returned. Yesterday, I walked home from work in 3/4 length sleeves with- get this- NO jacket! It was, and for now, still is, gorgeous outside.

I'm even going to venture so far to say I don't think it will snow again until winter returns.

Random eagle feather next to daffodils... seriously.

Even the flowers are starting to bloom. Besides the crocuses which bloomed a month ago - they are little liars. ;)

Juneau-ites are known for their affinity for gardening, particularly those in the downtown area.

So many yards are meticulously groomed, the flower beds strewn with local mussel shells collected from the beaches.

Since I work nearby, I've spent a lot of time walking around these neighborhoods. It's amazing how much you can see when you really take the time to look.

More on the ICW is still to come, but I wanted to share some recent stuff. Clearly, Alaska has not been getting enough press time on this blog, so I'm planning to share a lot more about life here in the coming months! It's surprisingly easy to forget that this place I call home is also a "once in a lifetime" destination for many. And that despite the challenges of living here, there are just as many rewards.

Here's to Spring!