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Fishing Snafu

7/30/2019

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A down-rigger is a manual or electric device that can drop and retrieve a heavy lead ball to any depth required to catch fish. Used while trolling for salmon, the fishing line is clipped to the ball, going for a ride to where the fish are. When a fish bites the lure, the line is released from the ball so the fisherman can fight the fish without ten pounds of lead slowing things down.

Salmon fishing opened yesterday, so off we went to catch dinner. At our first fishing spot, about an hour from the marina (but right in front of our next anchorage), Sarah put us in position, slowed the boat, and I started to lower the gear to 100 feet.

At about 70 feet there was an unexpected bounce to the fishing pole, much like when a salmon hits hard. That hopeful thought lasted less the a second. I spent the next minute staring in disbelief at the end of the down-rigger. I couldn’t speak. The wire that should have been leading down into the water holding the big expensive ball and assorted other clips and leads was gone. The stainless wire had broken.

Unfortunately there were no spares on the boat, and we really do need a down-rigger to salmon fish. Back to the marina we went to order replacements.

After studying the stainless steel wire, I found the failure was due to corrosion, so the wire will be replaced as well.

Our parts (with spares) arrive tomorrow on the supply boat.

UPDATE: 

We were able to get the parts needed to put the down-rigger back in action. Unfortunately, when replacing the wire, I failed to spool it tight enough. The first time we used it the wire jammed at about 90 feet. Luckily, nothing was lost. So, back to the dock to un-spool and then re-spool, but this time with lots of tension.

At last we are able to troll for salmon. Now, if the fish would just cooperate!
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A Deeper Peace

7/13/2019

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I haven’t posted for awhile simple because we just can’t get reliable internet here. True, we’ve been off in remote anchorages most of the time, but even at the marina, the connection is iffy and the bandwidth is low.

That means email and weather reports if you are patient, a little surfing, but forget facebook and most any kind of downloads. (Even small ones.)

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to post this, but I’m going to try.

The Broughtons are an amazing world of green islands, rocky mountains and surprisingly few people. We had heard so much about the area before getting here, but you really can’t wrap your head around it unless you visit it yourself.

One blogger, who sails solo, described how overwhelmed and lonely he felt when traveling this far north. I can understand that. You need someone to share this with, to marvel at the beauty and then together, talk about it  late into the night.

In Burly Bay we spent a week at anchor, completely alone, painting and writing and having fun. It is a small bay buried on the northern edge of the archipelago, near Mackenzie sound. There were bears and eagles and giant jellyfish with 15-20 foot tentacles. 

The wildlife highlight was a visit by a humpback whale. I’m not sure what he was doing so far in, he had to navigate small channels and currents, just like we did, and Burly bay can get shallow. We were anchored toward shore in 25 feet of water.


But visit he did. He came in and the swam the edge of the bay, right around us, and then back out. I had no idea they would travel is such shallow water.

​
Picture
Breathtaking
I’ll try and post this now before the connection is lost. More to come.
​We are happy and loving what we are doing.
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    Odyssey


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    Learn as if you were to live forever.
    -Mahatma Ghandi-

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