June 13

It feels like the last breath of winter has just left this bustling village, but the locals say that it really is full on summer in Petersburg.  The sun muscled its way through the clouds this morning but by mid day, the battleship grey cumulous are once again gathering.  Regardless, gill-netters toil away in tee shirts, working on the last necessities before their season launches.

In the north distance, snowy spires backdrop this town with its Nordic culture.  Several seafood companies call this home, counting on the fishing fleet that harbors here all winter to feed the hunger for profits from the sea.  We found no fresh fish in the markets.  It seems it’s sold to the canneries then on to other places, however, most all of the locals get their sustenance from their own boats in the surrounding seas.   We read that nearly 51 million in seafood was processed here in 2015, yet, it seems like a modest town.  Makes me wonder if most of the profits go to Seattle just as in Wrangell and Ketchikan.  That’s just the way it is.  So, I think we’ll have to get a line in the water again since the king’s are running now.

Allusion, our sailboat, has taken us hundreds of miles north, with a few more hundred to go.  We’re grateful for the amenities such as full outside canvas that allows us to sail in even the worst of gales, though we usually open it up to better see.  Sailboats don't have windshield wipers.  She got a bath today even though the rain keeps it fairly salt free.  Its the cedar tannin that stains the hulls up here.  Or the milt from the glacial runoffs that can stretch for sixty miles.  She’s doing well, though we still have a water leak and the batteries won’t stay charged.  My main peeve is the noisy floor boards, same as in our other Benneteau.  I have padded them with little felt circles and squares but still, the squeaks prevail.  Arghhh…

We’ll stay marina’d till tomorrow when Kate and Connor fly in to join us for nearly a week.  We won't see a marina again for quite a while. The water tanks are filled, fresh vegetables are stuffed in our little fridge, a 12 pack of Tim’s latest favorite brand of Alaskan brew is on board, laundry farmed out and ready to be retrieved, the orchid traded for a smaller jade plant, I think we’re just about ready for the open waters again.  We head north then jog east, maybe the sails will get a workout since the weather is predicting 10-15 kts.  South and west of us the forecast is alarming but so far, the next 4 days seem just right.