Alaska 2013, Day 47, Valdez Day 4

Thursday July 18, 2013

The sky was clear from the start today and it was actually hot.

The kids lost one pixie on a snag lastnight so I needed to pick up a few more.  I went downtown to see if I could find some cheaper than $6.  The marine hardware store on Hazelet and Egan had lots of fishing gear.  He had pixies for $4 but said to use the big ones 1/2 or 7/8 ounce (I had been using 3/8 oz).  I bought two big ones and a Mepp's like spinner (big ones ended up being worse for snags,  I had to switch the kids back to the little ones). 

There was a high tide at 10AM so we decided to try Allison Point for pinks one more time.  No pinks but we picked up more of the small cod like fish.  Pinks just aren't in yet.

There were 4 to 6 eagles on beach at low tide outside the hatchery as we were coming home.

A few more fish at the weir.  No bears anywhere along the way home.

Late in the day the wind kicked up and it got rough on the bay.

After lunch we went over to Maxine and Jesse Whitney Museum.  Maxine Whitney came to Alaska in the late 40s and collected eskimo art, taxidermy and antiques to sell to tourists in her store. She kept quite a few things in her own private collection which became the museum. Nice taxidermy but the the eskimo art was even better.

After supper we drove out to Peter Pan's retail seafood counter.  They had fresh spot shrimp ($10/lb.), fresh salmon fillets, frozen king crab (red/$22/lb. and blue), frozen clams, frozen shrimp, frozen halibut ($16/lb, frozen black cod, frozen salmon.  The Halibut is so good we have eaten all but one meals worth in the freezer.  Now would be a good time to pick up some more.  We picked up another 2 lbs for eating on the way home.

Stopped by the Fat Mermaid tonight to grab a beer.  They had a Hawaiian guy playing a 6 string electric ukulele (guitarlele) for entertainment.  He played Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues on ukulele! They had Alaskan Bitter on tap, haven't seen this in bottles, really hoppy, better than the American Pale Ale (APA).

They got tortillas in at the Safeway (whew!), they put them on an end cap immediately at the door as you enter.  Safeway also had pixies for $3. They had all sorts of fishing stuff, I bought a small Plano box for my Pixies and snaps.  I always get my fishing gear at the grocery store. Fishing tip; locals store their pixies on their truck visors.