tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56023912011-12-14T18:48:17.377-08:00Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.comBlogger1361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-26194198610423864152011-09-18T09:54:00.000-07:002011-09-18T09:54:22.317-07:00

Hopefully this will post as a video so that you can visualize how hard three men have to pull on this net to land 200 pinks, each weighing an average of 4.2 lbs. Jack, Andrew, and Steve roll in over 200 pinks. They will slide over the deck and into the underwater tank to hold for delivery later.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-76263730607335939562011-09-18T09:21:00.000-07:002011-09-18T09:42:49.810-07:00

The reefnet gear is an old Salish and Lummi Indian fishing method which traps salmon between two barges or canoes and pulls up any salmon that swim over the net strung between the two boats.The nets and ropes used to be made of cedar bark. Compared to seiningand gillnetting, this old-time method is inefficient and requires alot of patience. The owner Jack calls it a working museum. The Seattle

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-88877830097079163662011-09-18T08:15:00.000-07:002011-09-18T08:46:20.584-07:00

Steve comes home for a vacation and two days later he is reef netting with the local fishermen for pink salmon: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016197678_reefnet14m.htmlWe have done business with Jack and his crew for two years for their sockeye that we use in our canned wild sockeye skinless boneless pack.Now Steve was fishing alongside with Randy, Andrew, Jack, and John, first

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-64350529790369848092009-09-11T21:22:00.000-07:002009-09-11T22:39:56.051-07:00

It has been a long time since we have been able to blog for many reasons, but I just couldn't not honor a few people on this very important day. First of all, 9/11 has been Steve's parents' wedding anniversary. Phyllis died before their 60th, and Clark just died on June 8th of 2009.Steve and I went camping with them for every anniversary since their 50th. On that particular anniversary, we tied

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-66008566940307340502009-03-07T14:22:00.000-08:002009-03-07T15:51:49.840-08:00

There are a gazillion tuna noodle casserole recipes. Here is a start online:1. Cooks Illustrated: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,178,141187-243199,00.html2. Gourmet 2004: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tuna-Noodle-Casserole-1094343. Skillet version: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/skillet_tuna_casserole.html4. Healthy & Fit version: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-4752048488338261512009-03-07T08:01:00.000-08:002009-03-07T14:15:47.181-08:00

Recently it was reported in a local newspaper that one of the most Googled recipes of late was Tuna Noodle Casserole. The writer was seeking to link the downward spiraling economic times to a resurgence in comfort foods, ala Tuna Noodle Casserole. This classic dinner of the 1950's is much maligned for its fat, salt, and processed food content, so I will offer two recipes which use our very

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-30099937951610488002008-11-30T16:56:00.000-08:002008-11-30T17:15:10.793-08:00

There is a new sustainable seafood guide to ocean friendly sushi put forward by the Blue Ocean Institute. This guide can be downloaded at Blue Ocean Institute's new website . A query may also be sent by text to FishPhone- text FISH and the species name to 30644 for the instant sustainability info.We participated in the Lopez Island Pre-school Bazaar yesterday and sold a lot of canned fish. Most

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-24325321244430065452008-10-17T06:35:00.000-07:002008-10-17T07:01:55.258-07:00

Our goal has always been to produce the finest canned seafood in the gourmet market. I think we have really hit the jackpot with our latest canning of Washington Wild King Salmon, lightly cold smoked, skinless and boneless, in a byphenol-A free 6 oz. can. These king salmon were caught in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and canned within two weeks of being caught. I have to admit that we didn't catch

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-6208731300958099372008-05-05T19:37:00.000-07:002008-05-05T20:29:28.958-07:00

Just as we introduced a new seafood item (shrimp) to our store, a feature in the Sunday Seattle Times, April 20, 2008 to be exact, extolled the delicacy of tiny pink Oregon shrimp nestled in an artichoke. The author, Greg Atkinson, has always been a NW Chef who carefully sourced his local seafood and promoted fishermen. This article is beautifully illustrated by Barry Wong photography.Links:

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-67505423302977184692008-05-03T20:20:00.000-07:002008-05-03T21:15:43.761-07:00

Sometimes it just all comes together.......the ingredients, the music, the appetite, but mostly it was a combination of time, effort, and what was left in the fridge. I am describing cooking for a bunch of hungry guys who never ask what's in the recipe. First, the music.....good jazz or classical. In tonight's venue, YoYo Ma in a cello concerto. Then there's the cooking wine. A bottle of pinot

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-61675481109798620482008-03-14T20:06:00.000-07:002008-03-14T20:25:04.469-07:00

Our chilly North Pacific Ocean provides one of the most delicious crab species near the coasts of Washington and Oregon. Anyone experiencing the fearsome pinch of a Dungeness crab might disagree that Dungeness tastes better than king crab or tanner. We couldn't resist the chance to co-pack with our friends at Nelson Crab in Tokeland, WA., who cook and can Dungeness. Papa George Gourmet Seafoods

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-10255914128351810752008-02-15T12:57:00.001-08:002008-02-15T12:59:59.708-08:00

Steve is squid fishing in San Pedro, CA.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-568610595581116632007-10-07T05:34:00.000-07:002007-10-07T06:17:24.864-07:00

In the late afternoon of September 2nd, 2007, our fishing vessel the Papa George sank off the coast of Washington with the loss of two hands. The sinking is being investigated by the Coast Guard. Three crew members survived in the skiff and got to shore after a harrowing ride. They were given the utmost care by the first responders in Ocean Park, WA.. Many thanks to the fire department, the surf

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-9040739819849972542007-08-26T08:45:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:13.862-08:00

The school picnic was a day long event. In evening hours the day before, a calf was chased down by the young men, its hind leg tendons cut and then his throat slit. In the morning a fire was made in the schoolyard and a spit set up to roast the beef. Bowls of coffee on the windowsill set near the fire as the men splayed out the calf and began slowly turning the huge spit. The day before also saw

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-86111561934612787572007-08-12T05:47:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:14.031-08:00

We collected our weatherfax prints of the impending storm as well as our boat documentation and headed off to the council building where the town elders would determine our fate. Rapa Island is part of French Polynesia, and is governed by the officials on Tubuai Island, part of the Austral Islands. Radio communication the previous evening did not sound good. We were not supposed to be at Rapa

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-74228271258926828592007-08-05T07:28:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:14.200-08:00

It was a harrowing passage through multiple coral heads, but the reception was warm and friendly. Say language barrier, however. Rudimentary high school French was all I could muster, and even that was pathetic. With lots of smiles and gestures, we realized that our arrival, and subsequent tying up to the dock, was the day's entertainment for the Rapa Itians. Historically, some Easter Islanders

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-5347307730221574192007-07-28T06:29:00.001-07:002008-12-10T03:34:14.416-08:00

April concluded with rotten weather. We decided to head north from 40 degrees South Latitude. The fleet was delivering in Papeete, Tahiti, and it was rumored that Starkist would give us an end of the season party. Tahiti was the carrot upon which we gladly bit. We studied the chart for the best route and set “Gilligan” to steer us for the next 800 miles. Little did we know that another tropical

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-53020073988948935682007-07-15T09:12:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:14.952-08:00

This picture of the starboard stern quarter was part of my domain for many months. I looked backwards usually, watching the lines, the jigs, the birds and other boats. This view is looking forward from the stern rail. First of all notice how calm the ocean is. In the upper right there is a triangular shaped piece of steel we call a “stabie”, more accurately known as a stabilizer fish. Sometimes

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-79699727725819905042007-07-08T10:21:00.001-07:002008-12-10T03:34:15.232-08:00

Large swells roll endlessly past. The sight of another troller on a calm day could invite a "Board Meeting." Imagine seeing your friends face to face after two months of radio conversations. It means food, booze, new movies and books, and a headache the next day. Each season we had one board meeting at least, usually because the weather prevented the launching of zodiacs and dinghies. Our buddy

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-87072159309148041922007-07-01T07:07:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:15.891-08:00

Some evenings as we listened to the fishing reports I would make up new leaders out of 220 lb. test Jinkai monofilament. This weight was just right for pulling albacore over the rail. This leader attached to the trolling line, usually of 400 lb monofilament, which slid through a plastic doughnut and spooled on to the hydraulic gurdies. The leader was 2 to 3 fathoms long and was crimped to

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-65558862934870634142007-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:16.164-08:00

A Crew’s Companion in the Loneliness of the Back Deck Long hours on the back deck staring at the wake, watching the jigs for a strike, can leave a crew member stark raving nuts. There is little debris like eel grass to clear off the hooks. The hooks have been sharpened twice already. The jigs just follow the boat long hour after hour. Above the water soars a friend, having spied the boat from

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-7159191312001238522007-06-17T06:39:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:16.420-08:00

A Typical CW (Morse code call) on the Ham Radio On our first South Pacific Ocean tuna trip, I was an Advanced Class Amateur Radio Operator with the call sign, N7LHJ. The “N” identifies you as American, and the “7” locates you in the Northwest section which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, and Utah. The final three letters are issued in the order the license is earned.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-6648858965844134222007-06-09T06:59:00.001-07:002008-12-10T03:34:16.595-08:00

My Booklist for This Fishing Expedition Across the Pacific One prerequisite for a long journey at sea is a box of books, both light reading and what some call heavies. My reading list centered on historical novels which could be found at used bookstores. The most unique use of a book was the inclusion of Adrift in our life raft along with food, water, and extra fishing gear. My offshore

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-25474780641056984282007-06-03T21:20:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:16.747-08:00

Weather. It was always “weathering” in the South Pacific Ocean at 36 degrees South Latitude. We had stiff southerly breezes, a big lump, and a secondary swell from some unknown storm in a faraway region. Typically you lived life hanging on, bracing on the shower wall while bathing, sliding down the companionway wall to reach the galley, or clutching the sea rail on the edge of the galley table

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-17199070643462974012007-05-27T20:20:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:17.039-08:00

Nicknames in the offshore albacore fleet seemed like a badge of honor. In my mind, it was a name bestowed on a skipper for a personality trait, an outside occupation, or to commemorate or sum up a notable event. Our friend, Don, of the Marine Star was a longliner before switching to trolling and earned the nickname “Longline.” Another skipper was a welder on the side…..”Steelbender” was the

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-11963156526880108862007-05-20T21:21:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:17.195-08:00

How does a fisherman find albacore in the middle of nowhere? It’s not all by guess and by gory, but the vastness of the South Pacific Ocean makes you appreciate finding any fish at all let alone a boatload. We call it “getting located”. First of all, the band of ocean with the right temperature for albacore is between 35 and 45 degrees South latitude. Secondly, the albacore hunt for bait….krill

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-12918599880203611862007-05-12T21:10:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:17.485-08:00

My day as a deckhand of this tuna trolling adventure began like a fireman….pull up your pants and your boots by braille and pry open the eyelids at the first buzz of the alarm. Then ooze out of the stateroom and slide along the wall to the head. Water on the face, rake over the teeth, then you tackle the coffee pot. Any cook on a fishing boat knows about bracing oneself in the galley

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-65515571313933931242007-05-06T08:31:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:17.735-08:00

There is no other way to describe being the skipper than “all consuming”. At sea, the skipper is on call 24/7. His word is law; he has the last word, and the final responsibility.His attitudes and personality permeate the trip. The boat’s personality comes from the top. In any event, Steve had chosen to be a skipper from age seventeen. He loves fishing, is always optimistic, and

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-26918048270565971642007-04-29T12:16:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:18.326-08:00

Donee in a stunning survival suitSteve "Drake" Bond out on a limb............. Our companions on this lengthy venture spanned the fishing knowledge spectrum from expert to novice. Steve Bond and his wife, Donee, joined us in Golden Meadow, LA for a journey which would span the Caribbean, the South and the North Pacific Ocean. Steve was an Alaskan dragger and joint venture skipper

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-69651880162019881942007-04-21T07:06:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:18.517-08:00

Now that Easter Island is astern our focus shifts to gear, radio reports, water temperature, and weather reports. It is always a thrill for me to begin the season with a clean slate so to speak. We had sport fished on the way to Easter Island, but now the real thing began and every fish counted. Our life took a new turn as we disciplined ourselves to fish from before the crack of dawn until after

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-72599054523840482312007-04-15T07:38:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:18.718-08:00

Out of concern that many of my readers think Steve and I are actually in the South Pacific today, I bring into this narrative a dose of real-time stuff. First of all, in the throes of a cold wet winter here in Washington State, I set about to mind travel on a journey to the tropics and to fulfill a request to recount some of our fishing experiences. This tale occurred fifteen years ago and Steve

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1885028876214696902007-04-07T07:45:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:18.978-08:00

Our charter across the South Pacific to hunt for albacore was beginning, the fleet was catching, so the inevitable was upon us. Knowing it would be at least two months before we walked on dry land again, I dug my toes into the sand with extra emphasis. The boat lay at anchor ready for sea, all was stowed and tied down. It was merely a case of breaking down the raft and running to the 35 degree

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-11068995854308900112007-04-01T13:08:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:19.219-08:00

All adventures must progress through to the inevitable end. The two fishermen bade us goodbye from the boat harbor with many thanks for the tuna gear we gave them. I promised to send them some new gloves and large hooks for yellow fin and big eye as well as some stainless steel wound tuna wire and wire leaders. The anchor ground up slowly in the winch as we squared away for the other side of the

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-91896147804081170162007-03-21T10:00:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:19.641-08:00

The last ten years has seen a re-emergence of “Wayfinding” essentially finding one’s way across the ocean with no modern navigational aids, only the help of the stars, waves, wind, and birds. The most famous of these modern attempts paddled traditional Hawaiian canoes to Tahiti and back using ancient Polynesian wayfinding skills. In Hanga Roa on our second and last afternoon there, I met an old

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-19546738869983302622007-03-17T15:35:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:19.970-08:00

The Rapanuians spread blankets on the grass and arranged their carvings and shell jewelry along the edges. The older kids were in school so just the young children and babies distracted their parents as they socialized in the warm afternoon sun. One item I especially wanted to buy was a rongo-rongo board. Briefly, the boards portray mystical animals and birds, anthropomorphic figures, and other

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-78815654990699763382007-03-17T08:30:00.000-07:002008-12-10T03:34:20.174-08:00

Steve changed the oil on the main at 200 hours. Done and I cleaned the wheelhouse and galley as Drake worked on deck projects. We worked diligently because the lee side of Easter Island afforded us a gentle swell and breeze, unlike the rolling and pitching of the open sea. Today was another special day for visiting the island nestled in a morning mist.The zodiac took us in through the breakers to

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-13068261954210574102007-03-10T21:09:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:20.530-08:00

The only anomalous statue was the “kneeling moai”. No one knows why it is postured the way it is. We soon were back in the VW van for a ride to the crater from which the head dresses were carved out of a red rock. The grassy hillside makes you want to roll down like logs, like kids. In the crater lies a lake lined with reeds. We realized in seeing Easter Island with this 360 degree view, that it

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-55453506688355953142007-03-04T21:09:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:20.824-08:00

( This Albacore trolling trip took place in the 1992-3. I have been cooped up by the gloom of a stormy winter in the Pacific Northwest and needed to travel away to the tropics in my imagination. Recounting a few yarns is fun anyway. Hope you don't mind. The F/V Papa George is fishing for squid tonight off of Catalina Island, CA with Steve on board. ) The area was marked

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-42110797902819882242007-02-28T20:52:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:21.321-08:00

Gingerly, we stuffed the four of us into the Zodiak. The smell of eucaliptus and horses focused our noses to the new scents of an unfamiliar island.I navigated the raft between the breaking combers, apparently a little too close to the local surfers. One of them slid into our path and doused us good. We turned hard to port at the small breakwater and throttled down into the boat

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-38499108661640045742007-02-27T06:13:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:21.460-08:00

We anchored in six fathoms off of the main town of Easter Island, Hanga Roa. Aloft we flew a quarantine flag, a yellow square basically, and under that the official flag of Chile. This hastily sewn flag featured a rectangle with the bottom half red, the upper left quarter, a field of blue with a white star, and the upper right quarter, a field of white. Steve’s old white Hanes and an extra scrap

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-89189739944655483882007-02-23T06:30:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:21.831-08:00

Approaching a remote island by sea on a clear day gives one many hours to study its contours. The chart offers a birdseye view from which a course of action is planned, but a surface view provides the real perspective. From ten miles away, Easter Island was a small lump with clouds overhead. The details formed slowly as we ran closer. We cruised along a black rocky shore with green hills sloping

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-15246197089423124372007-02-17T06:59:00.000-08:002007-02-17T07:05:38.108-08:00

We studied the British chart of Isla de Pascua and imagined what it was like. All the National Geographics and guide books could not prepare us for the magic of Easter Island. Some background information is helpful, beginning with Thor Heyerdal's Kon-Tiki Expedition."The Kon-Tiki Expedition (1947)After the war, Heyerdahl continued his research, only to meet a wall of resistance to his theories

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-17285382707030068752007-02-10T19:53:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:22.856-08:00

One week’s running from Easter Island, Brian from Pitcairn made an interesting request. Would we be the search and rescue boat in our area for a small plane who was flying solo around the world from west to east in the Southern Hemisphere? Apparently he was on his way from Papeete to Easter Island and then Chile. We agreed to monitor a special frequency and listen to his progress. He eventually

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-88662206124199172432007-02-06T21:13:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:23.557-08:00

In addition to our ham schedule with Brian on Pitcairn Island, we regularly talked with Gary K7WQE in Seattle. Gary is a lifelong friend of Steve. They sat for their ham licenses together in high school hence the sequential licenses of Steve, K7WQD, and Gary, K7WQE. That was an attention getter on the air. We developed a loyal fan club that monitored our sideband QSO’s with Gary,

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-32221353442367214152007-02-04T06:23:00.000-08:002007-02-04T06:24:54.574-08:00

Transversing the Southern Ocean, ( we’re talking 40 degrees south latitude); a boat can travel for days without seeing anything on, in, or above the water. I felt comfortable on my 3 am to 6am watch to DX on CW. With a straight key I was able to send Morse code at 15 wpm but could copy about 20 wpm, if I really concentrated. Somewhere in the world the sun was either setting or rising which

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-31745290001998251592007-01-29T06:59:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:23.818-08:00

It is true that one's hobbies will help make friends in every country. Our ham hobby introduced us to Brian and Kari on Pitcairn Island, and now we were to meet the legendary CE0DFL from Easter Island. He was an active ham in many DX contests Steve had participated in during the height of the sun cycle in the seventies. Two explanations...firstly, "DX" is the name for ham radio contacts with a

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-64326538806806037692007-01-16T07:20:00.000-08:002007-01-16T07:26:36.801-08:00

Our ham radio station onboard the Papa George featured a Drake TR-7 which transmitted on all ham bands with both side-band (voice) or CW (Morse code). Sometimes we bumped up the power of our transmissions from 100 watts to 500 with a Metron solid state amplifier. Our signal was pushed through an R-7 Cushcraft vertical antenna which I built from a kit. I liked to send CW with a straight key which

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-86184529724169188812006-12-24T14:59:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:23.936-08:00

In the Pedro Miguel Lock, we heaved our 100 foot hawsers to the Canal crew who are experts at throwing the monkey’s fist up to a large ship’s bow. In front of us were two deep sea pleasure boats called the Hooker and the Madam….the guys waited in vain for the namesakes to appear on deck.After Pedro Miguel we sped off at nine knots to make the next opening at the Miraflores Locks. We planned to

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-39891076172861824152006-12-21T07:41:00.000-08:002008-12-10T03:34:24.215-08:00

The Caribbean side of the Panama Canal opens up into a bay where boats anchor and wait ad-measurement by officials from Cristobal. Your transit fee is based on your hull’s volume. After payment and an OK from immigration, you also receive an assigned transit time and a pilot. While waiting for clearance we barbecued some West Coast king salmon and lured in a dingy load of “round-the-worlders.”

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1166329241231744322006-12-16T19:53:00.000-08:002006-12-16T21:02:58.136-08:00

It is impossible for a troller not to have a line in the water just to see what's there. The water was warming up nicely as we ran south and Mark pulled in our first fish. In fishermen's lingo, the "skunk was off the deck." He hauled up a nice yellowfin tuna. I licked my chops. Sushi and then a barbecue. You just can't beat that!Steve and Drake were having fun with our autopilot and GPS interface

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1166024767870199212006-12-13T07:31:00.000-08:002006-12-13T07:46:53.363-08:00

This storytelling has become disjointed, going from 1958 to 2006 and back so it looks like a theme must be decided upon. It was only to embellish the stop at Easter Island by delving into my past dreams as a girl to visit this magic island, that led me to add the section about the Yankee. This effort led to all the skills I learned as a kid which got me into fishing in the first place. I realized

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1165765015002340142006-12-10T07:07:00.000-08:002006-12-16T21:10:57.863-08:00

We left our friends in Golden Meadow, Louisiana the day before Christmas. With a combination of heavy hearts and excitement, we bid goodbye to Gerard Ledet as he untied our lines to his boat. We had been on his dock for a year, refurbishing the Papa George from a shrimp trawler into a tuna troller capable of long ocean voyages. Nathan, Gerard, JC, Mitch and their families had made us feel so

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1164899962812566202006-11-30T07:10:00.000-08:002006-11-30T07:39:14.390-08:00

Sculling was a skill my brother and I learned when I was eight and he was six. My Dad carved out a three inch wide quarter moon in the transom of our row boat and found an extra long oar with no leather in the middle to use for the sculling oar. He demonstrated the technique and we practiced until proficient. We sculled so hard the bow of the boat swerved back and forth and we left a wake behind.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1164725617206911922006-11-28T06:52:00.000-08:002006-11-28T07:44:11.846-08:00

The letter was never written. In my heart I knew my parents would never let me go. It was a few years later that the Brigantine "Yankee" was sold and the Johnsons set about building a smaller Yankee which could cruise the canals of Europe.The new owner of the "Yankee" continued the concept of circumnavigations with a college aged crew who paid for passage. Tragedy followed in this pursuit. One

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1164427658699472902006-11-24T19:55:00.000-08:002006-11-24T20:21:11.440-08:00

The 96' Brigantine Yankee*Irving and Electa Johnson; The Yankee's Wander-world (National Geographic Magazine, January 1949)*Irving and Electa Johnson; South Seas Incredible Land Divers (National Geographic Magazine, January 1955)These articles in National Geographic were some background. My grandmother gave us National Geographic magazine from 1949-1969. This was typical for children of the '50's

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1164381609139355882006-11-24T07:16:00.000-08:002006-11-24T07:23:02.293-08:00

In the 1950’s the imagination of a child was often inspired by National Geographic, both the magazine and the TV program National Geographic Explorer. TV was a new diversion in our home but it did not substitute for playing childhood’s made-up games. My sisters and brother & I often played “orphans” where we survived parentless on a deserted isle, ala Swiss Family Robinson. National Geographic

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1156484338218110952006-08-24T22:15:00.000-07:002006-08-24T22:40:39.780-07:00

The previous post in early June had us looking to upwelling as a source of food for the phytoplankton upon which small fish like sardines feed. This marine phenomenon has occurred to some degree but at present, the chlorophyl satellite near real-time images don't give much indication of a microscopic food source for the sardines. However, there is a large bloom west of the upper half of Vancouver

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1149513742498092902006-06-05T05:27:00.000-07:002006-06-05T06:24:05.596-07:00

It's time to make a move. Sea surface temperatures south of Point Conception, CA., are warming up over prime squid temperature (11 - 14 C). The hope is that squid will pour into Monterey Bay and our efforts will locate there with our newly rebuilt lightboat. Most likely, our Papa George will transit the West Coast waters moving North to the summer sardine grounds based in Astoria, OR and Westport

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1147882371626709172006-05-17T09:05:00.000-07:002006-05-17T09:16:46.466-07:00

Our relief skipper, Dave, has brought in full hatches of sardines for the past three days. Steve thought he could come home soon. Wrong. Our boat sat for two months of maintenance and that caused new problems. Our refrigeration system is electrically challanged, the sonar up & down motor failed, the deck hose pump quit, and one of the four inch pumps which pushes ballast water in and out froze up

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1145302440811500852006-04-17T12:31:00.000-07:002006-04-23T09:40:52.966-07:00

Last night we traversed the channel between San Pedro and Santa Catalina Island, a 26 mile journey if one believe's the 1960's Four Freshmen song. It is actually 26 miles from Newport Beach and 19.5 miles from Fish Harbor on Terminal Island, our departure point.We began to light a good mark on the fathometer off of Two Harbors. Squid looks like a haze of golden dots laying on top of the red

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1145119854622710142006-04-15T09:33:00.000-07:002006-04-17T12:35:48.486-07:00

sWe're tied up this week for maintenance. Installing a second chiller, rebuilding the lightboat's main engine, and installing the rebuilt engine in the lightboat are the major work projects. In addition, Manuel and crew are mending the sardine and squid nets. Steve is rewiring some lights for scooping squid and I am preparing an Easter dinner.In Wilmington, CA., Steve discovered a hideaway for

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1142430341004366362006-03-15T05:19:00.000-08:002006-03-15T05:49:19.860-08:00

Steve and I are on a road trip, attending a WA State sardine meeting, and now in Westport to meet with potential markets and projects for our canned business. My first issue of Food & Wine appeared in our wad of mail I had stuffed into my briefcase. What a wonderful array of articles and recipes for a foodie!My favorite was a Fresh tuna salad with Avocado... and the other was the California

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1142175438208748082006-03-12T06:43:00.000-08:002006-03-12T06:58:21.896-08:00

Our industry must transform to a new reality.......Humanely caught and cooked lobster. PETA takes on the Maine lobster industry demanding that the tasty crustaceans not be plunged into boiling water toward their untimely death and distribution to the gourmet's plate with melted butter. There are too many people with nothing else to do......Squid season in San Pedro is over. The markets quit

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1141365388844477322006-03-02T21:38:00.000-08:002006-03-02T21:58:16.580-08:00

At our insurance pool business meeting, we engaged in a conversation about "salvage" claims. It rises from a catastrophic marina fire in Gig Harbor in which friends of ours were involved. Their two boats were tied together, the tuna troller rafted outside of the yacht, when the fire spread quickly down the marina dock. Our friend woke up smelling smoke, ran down the dock warning other liveaboards

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1140243804452775152006-02-17T21:54:00.000-08:002006-02-17T22:26:40.906-08:00

Our latest canning of gourmet albacore is one of the tastiest yet! It's almost sold out and I just picked it up from the cannery on Wednesday. I heard rumors of a newspaper article on the East Coast featuring troll caught albacore such as ours....the health benefits, etc. Several orders this week were from new East Coast customers.On Valentine's Day, The Seattle Post Intelligencer recommended a

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1139842738966360242006-02-13T06:48:00.000-08:002006-02-13T07:25:15.440-08:00

Our squid buyer has closed for the week. They are cleaning out their cold storage in order to accept more fish. While the moon is full, it is a good time to take a little time off. Steve is home with me, and the crew has scattered from Bellingham,WA to Ventura,CA.Papa George Tuna will have upgraded labels soon to comply with the new "country of origin" and "transfat" labeling laws. We have to

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1139498184459201262006-02-09T07:03:00.000-08:002006-02-09T07:17:07.436-08:00

A new line of products will be introduced very soon to the website, Papa George Gourmet Albacore. We will feature a kosher line in both Original "cooked in its own juice", and in Extra Virgin Kosher Olive Oil. The can sizes will be 6oz. and 3.75oz. pop-tops. In addition, Papa George Gourmet will eventually can a Cold-Smoked Albacore in both 6oz. and 3.75oz.Our label printer is busy on the proofs,

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1138980959867032402006-02-03T07:16:00.000-08:002006-02-03T07:54:53.766-08:00

This early morning, KGO radio filtered out my husband's snoring until I abruptly woke up upon hearing another ad about mercury in fish. The gist of it was that mercury in fish is poisoning our children and we must restrict their fish consumption. The ad was a promotion endorsed by the Ad Council and Earthshare, as a PSA. It was featured on a program called "America in the Morning." Earthshare

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1138378718597846072006-01-27T08:10:00.000-08:002006-01-27T08:20:17.630-08:00

This crew has "The onions" ! After bombing the net Tuesday night, they sewed until 9 PM, ran out to Catalina and hauled in a few sets. 40 tons delivered. Out again Thursday night and in two sets, more squid. 40 tons delivered on Friday. Now this weekend, the bunt must be sewn correctly to last the rest of the season. To all my new customers on Papa George Tuna , thank you for being patient for

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1138289276002922322006-01-26T07:13:00.000-08:002006-01-26T07:36:07.166-08:00

Tuesday night the Papa George crew fished for squid on the back side of Catalina Island. The front side is a Marine Protected Area and is closed to seining. The squid were deep and wouldn't come up to the lights as usual. Steve and crew made a set and saved eighteen tons, but with a large amount of "junk" .... unwanted sardines and mackerel. The search was on for a cleaner school of squid. A

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1138073617822947612006-01-23T19:24:00.000-08:002006-01-23T19:34:33.816-08:00

My husband, Steve, reported the sad news that yet again, another squid seiner sank last night. It rolled over after taking a big wave over the bow. The sea conditions were dangerous with a Santa Ana wind sending gusts of 60 Knots into the fleet bucking their way into San Pedro. Steve and our F/V Papa George were near Cat Harbor, the West side of Catalina Island. They didn 't leave for San Pedro

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1137860346774516822006-01-21T08:01:00.000-08:002006-01-21T08:19:06.826-08:00

The FDA issued a small press release that indicates a more favorable stance toward tuna. As an agency which guards our American health and food safety, this is very good news for a governmental watchdog to endorse the major product of American albacore trollers. Our Papa George Gourmet Albacore contains less mercury than light tuna which is the less tasty seine caught skipjack tuna.One year we

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1137251378537916852006-01-14T06:53:00.000-08:002006-01-14T07:11:21.206-08:00

Over the past month, the really bad cold has spread through the fleet like the plague. Steve and Rick were bedridden for three days in December, Cameron was sick over Christmas, and Benny the lightboat skipper, as well as his crew, was a bunk rat for the first three days of this opening. Steve had 100 tons under the boat Monday night and could not wake up Benny to set him. After two hours of this

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1130684748603758432005-10-30T06:54:00.000-08:002005-10-30T07:27:01.103-08:00

The boys scouted the outer reaches of the Channel Islands last Sunday and settled for six tons of big squid off the gravel pit near Avalon. The squid appear in deep water off the south end of Catalina and rarely come up to the surface. Those fishermen with deep nets...ie. 30 F or 180 ft. deep, can hope to lure them up into their grasp with the bright lights of their partner lightboats. Steve was

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1130215260859991712005-10-24T21:00:00.000-07:002005-10-24T21:54:22.476-07:00

With an eye on the weatherfax and an ear to the weather radio broadcasts, the Papa George loosened her lines in Astoria, Oregon and glided down the Columbia River on the slack tide. The entrance bar was forecast to be rugged during maximum ebb. Steve planned to be on the bar at the beginning of the ebb but even so, the seas were steep and the ride past buoy 10 and out to sea dislodged anything

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1110595380580692022005-03-11T18:35:00.000-08:002005-03-11T18:44:39.503-08:00

Runner's World lists the numerous benefits of Omega 3's in one's diet, and cites fish ie: tuna as one of the four best sources. I like to think our younger albacore tuna is the leading source of Omega 3's in the sea. Our original brand contains 2200 mg. of Omega 3 per 3 oz. serving. That is a two day supply!

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1109782424783069552005-03-02T08:30:00.000-08:002005-03-02T08:56:29.420-08:00

It's repositioning time, from squid back to sardines. The big sardine net is wound on the drum. Steve and I drove to Oxnard and Ventura to pick up a new butterfly valve and a gooseneck for the picking boom. Along the way through the strawberry fields, the pickers looked bent in half to reach the ripened fruit. The seedlings of cabbage, carrots, greens, and peas sprinkled the long dark rows of

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1108853749931530572005-02-19T14:34:00.000-08:002005-02-19T14:57:21.743-08:00

Steve and I attended a recent meeting in Newport, OR. of the Developmental Fishery Advisory Board. This Board is made up of fishermen, processor representatives, and is in turn advised by ODF&W. The role is advisory only. The real changes are made by the Developmental Fisheries Board. Fish & Wildlife is also advisory at this upper level of beurocracy.The goal of this board is to shepard

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1108152782144253912005-02-11T11:52:00.000-08:002005-02-11T12:21:59.366-08:00

Yesterday the boys brought in 40 tons of squid. That was wonderful! However, it was at the cost of bombing the net on a pinnacle near East Point ( Santa Rosa Island). The squid like to spawn in the shallows midst kelp and rocky bottom. The squid sirens called five boats into harms way that night as the tide reached its maximum flow, and the nets dragged over the Reef at East Point and shredded

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1106106896883004012005-01-18T19:29:00.000-08:002005-01-18T19:54:56.883-08:00

The calamari on your appetizer plate might just be California squid. Our Papa George is seining for squid in the Channel Islands and last I heard, Squidly Doright was onboard. He makes sure that Murphy stays away long enough for our crew to land a boatload of squid. Avidly attacking our catch are sealions, seals, and seagulls. Milling around in with the schools of squid are mackerel and sardines

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1099801595002239302004-11-06T20:00:00.000-08:002004-11-06T20:29:19.233-08:00

Amazing to have an indian summer over the Columbia River mouth this late, but it is indeed the case. Steve and his crew of Nate, Marcus, and Johnnie are still going out two to three days a week and roundhauling the larger size sardines. Only two boats remain fishing: our Papa George and the Emerald Sea. Together they would like to polish off the remaining quota, and finish the season with a bang.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1098112521149533982004-10-18T07:55:00.000-07:002004-10-18T08:18:56.486-07:00

It has been almost two months since my last post. We had a two week hiatus from the farmers markets and Steve hired a relief skipper. Of course the first large Fall storm released a deluge of wind and rain on the Lovejoy family reunion which is held every year at Adams Fork Campground on the Cispus River on or about September 11th. It is in honor of Steve's parents, Clark & Phyllis's wedding

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1093387250729157462004-08-24T15:09:00.000-07:002004-08-24T15:40:50.730-07:00

A Day at the Dock: The weather has been awful but Steve perservered yesterday and brought in 40 tons of sardines. It was so foggy that the boats ran North toward Westport without the spotter pilot, Johan, only to call him when they saw a small break in the clouds. Johan had to fly through terrible conditions to reach the boats. He set all three and then disappeared up into the clouds to find his

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1092753376189404152004-08-17T07:33:00.000-07:002004-08-17T07:51:45.936-07:00

Another Load of Sardines: The Papa George is catching lots of sardines now that the moon is small and the tides are weak. The boys have seen evidence of a huge salmon run ready to run up the Columbia River when the scent of the river draws them in. There are jumper schools in the tide streaks, both silvers and kings. Our spotter pilot has noticed a larger biomass of sardines lately, as big has he

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1092152837985899482004-08-10T08:32:00.000-07:002004-08-10T08:49:23.970-07:00

An amazing double load: Steve and crew "double loaded " this weekend which means they filled the boat two days in a row... exciting for us. The response from bringing sardines to friends was very positive such as "Thank you so much for the sardines this morning. We ran right home and cleaned and grilled them, had them for lunch. They were incredible!". Also a couple drove all the way over to the

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1091969192601074732004-08-08T05:31:00.000-07:002004-08-08T05:46:32.600-07:00

Loaded in one set! Steve and crew finally had their day. They loaded the Papa George in one set. That means they brought in 65-70 tons of sardines to market! It is Sunday morning, 5:30 am., and they are supposedly on their way out the Columbia River for another day of fishing. Unless there is a glitch...... Sardines on display. Many Saturday marketers were surprised to see how big a Pacific

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1091665853356604502004-08-04T17:22:00.000-07:002004-08-04T17:30:53.356-07:00

The full blue moon on July 31st made the sardines go a little bonkers. The coastal currents increase in velocity adding stronger tide rips. The schools of sardines get flighty and hard to catch. The fleet has been 50% successful in rounding up boatloads of sardines. Steve & the F/V Papa George were in a set yesterday when a tide rip caused the web near the stern to fly horizontally thereby

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1091032299417243912004-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:002004-07-28T09:38:27.450-07:00

Sardines in the Hold: Captain Steve and crew have been catching sardines every day for over a week. The Northwest wind and swell make for difficult fishing conditions but they have succeeded nevertheless. Our packer however has added another boat to the mix and thinks it can handle 100 tons a day. So far we haven't seen them pack more than 40 tons in a 24 hr. period. Fur might fly. It is

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1090041038850060072004-07-16T21:58:00.000-07:002004-07-16T22:12:28.933-07:00

Steve, Marcus, and I helped unload 5 tons of albacore in Ilwaco today at Jessie's Ilwaco Fish Co.  We had to leave Astoria at 5 am to catch the big ebb tide going down the Columbia River and at times our speed over ground was 11 knots!  Steve and I used to load the F/V Papa George with 50 tons of albacore per trip in years past but now we are more of a sardine boat and less of a tuna troller.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1089549116534065312004-07-11T05:18:00.000-07:002004-07-11T05:31:56.533-07:00

Last evening Steve heard his Nextel Direct Connect beep "on" so he called me with a tuna score. They had been pulling all day on and off and had put down 185 fish with a night bight yet to go. Both Steve and Marcus were dog tired from the tough pulling conditions. We used to have hydraulic gurdies which aided albacore catching considerably but with a seine skiff chained to the tilt stern, there

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1089042505528814032004-07-05T08:22:00.000-07:002004-07-05T08:48:25.536-07:00

Captain Steve and Marcus the crew are steaming North against 30 kn NW winds and rough seas. Steve is out of phone range now but I know the weather is improving considerably and they should be outside of Crescent City, CA and be in Coos Bay/Charleston in 24 hours. Our code group is fueling up in Charleston because the price of fuel is forty cents a gallon cheaper there than in California. What is

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1087949712130237282004-06-22T17:00:00.000-07:002004-06-22T17:15:12.130-07:00

My husband, Steve, is loading up his gear in San Pedro and planning to head North to Washington for the sardine season. On the way he has promised to troll for albacore. The scuttlebutt suggests that an ample group of schools have arrived between Coos Bay and Newport, Oregon. The Farmers Markets have been treated to samples of Connie & Nick Pasche's "Tuna & White Bean Salad" Many have asked for

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1087352355235226612004-06-15T18:56:00.000-07:002004-06-15T19:24:10.976-07:00

Captain Steve is sardine fishing on the far side of Catalina Island, CA. The sardines are bigger there but the drawback can be too many anchovies. If only the fish would swim around in tidy schools, each to its own species and size. We usually go around the West end and fish "around the corner". Steve and I have spent some fun days anchored up in Cat Harbor. His father, Clark Lovejoy, was

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1086611624899749652004-06-07T05:24:00.000-07:002004-06-07T05:33:44.900-07:00

Our first several farmers markets have seen wet weather deterring only a few customers. As we approach the summer solstice, the weather will become more stable and the summer heat will set in by July. As for our vessel Papa George, and weary skipper, the June season in the Channel Islands, CA., is slim on squid and long on very awful weather. Steve reported from Rhodes Reef last week as the gusts

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1084367353814251772004-05-12T06:06:00.000-07:002004-05-12T06:09:47.786-07:00

The Slow Food movement not only is interested in artisan food from local producers, but also in sustainability and quality. The UC Davis group has published an excellent paper on the handling of albacore tuna on the boat.

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1084293854576415592004-05-11T09:29:00.000-07:002004-05-11T09:44:44.550-07:00

The farmers market season is underway. Last week saw 500 pounds of albacore on its way to Felix Custom Smoking for processing and smoking, and Pelican Packers provided 50 cases of canned albacore for our internet site and our markets. This Sunday, May 16th, the West Seattle Farmers Market begins at 10 AM to 2 PM. at Alaska Junction.The following weekend will see the beginning of the University

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1083337145886202742004-04-30T07:59:00.000-07:002004-04-30T08:02:13.216-07:00

At the Wild Seafood Exchange, chefs, retail merchants, and fishermen put their heads together and discussed how to get the freshest seafood to the consumer. This forum discussed the role of distributors (they are necessary in Seattle) and how fishermen should try to pre-qualify for sustainability and quality assurance such as with HACCP or the Cold Trak Program for quality and the Monterey Bay

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1082603015259560782004-04-21T20:03:00.000-07:002004-04-21T20:12:10.780-07:00

Last week we were fishing sardines near Palos Verdes, CA when my deck duties came to a screeching halt. My back zigged when it should have zagged, or I pulled on the web too hard resulting in sciatic nerve damage. After a trip to the emergency room and a week later, I'm home and limping around with a semi-numb right leg. This begins my egress from the life of a deckhand to a market maven or maybe

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1081524518988065042004-04-09T08:17:00.000-07:002004-04-09T08:31:24.873-07:00

The F/V Papa George is a sardine seiner once again. The new biiiiig! net is wet and catching. Last night saw Steve and crew surround 100 tons of mixed sardines and anchovies off of the cliffs of Palos Verdes. The set was so big that the jury-rigged breast line almost snapped. By letting 70 tons swim free, Steve saved 30 tons without the breast line parting. Meanwhile I arrived in San Pedro by

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602391.post-1081470788414858392004-04-08T17:33:00.000-07:002004-04-08T17:35:53.590-07:00

Today was the third delivery of a sardine/anchovy mix for the Papa George's new biiiiiig! sardine net. The guys are working with a jury-rigged breast line until their new one arrives today. The brought in 30 tons after letting at least that much go in order to put less strain on the old breast line. Unfortunately, this mix of small sardines and anchovies is low priced and will probably be sold

Hollyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09503865519853577185noreply@blogger.com0