A Day in Dyea with a Friend

Angie and I at the Brew Co. after a fun day

Uncle Russ was supposed to come and visit me in Skagway, but things didn't work out.  Instead, without really knowing until I was down on my day off, Angie was going to be visiting me.  Angie and I lived with Russ in Willow while she was training for the Iditarod and I was running dogs for Scott and Russ.  

I got down from the glacier and headed out to Dyea to go meet up with Angie and check out the camp where she used to work, meet her new puppies and go fishing.
The views where SPECTACULAR!  You are so high up, looking over the river and down at Eagles soaring by and off at the snowcapped mountains.  This is the kind of beauty that if you just stand quietly and listen, you could feel nature.  Sounds "hippy-ish" I know, but it truly is magically the beauty and size of Alaska.

© Sarah M. Waterman

© Sarah M. Waterman

Then we were off to walk down to the beach and play with the puppies.  Angie has three, it was an accidental breeding, i.e. where she had them, some one wasn't paying attention.  I can't remember the names, but they were pretty dang cute!  She was able to find homes for them which was a good thing.  Some times it is hard to find homes for sled dogs, these ones were special.  One was deaf and the others... well they were cute.  There really wasn't anything wrong with them that I know of, but they had great homes to go to.  Land they could run on, not some tiny apartment where the dogs and probably the owners don't get much exercise.

Down by the river
© Sarah M. Waterman

© Sarah M. Waterman

I think this is the deaf one
© Sarah M. Waterman

Now, FISHING!!!  Yes, I am from Maine and I should know how to fish.  Blood and guts don't bother me, worms or bait, no problem.  I just can't really fish all that well!  I've caught a Tuna before, she was a "beaut!"  When I went fly-fishing for the first time I was in Wyoming in Piney Creek and loved it.  Granted my boyfriend at the time caught GIANT rainbow trout and I caught... we'll go with 7" rainbows.  (That's being nice!)  I was SO happy nonetheless.  But this was my first time fly-fishing in Alaska.  I caught some GIANTS!!!  Well, I wouldn't really call it "fishing."  The salmon were at the end of the road as far as strength.  They had their "run" and spawned.  So they were pretty slow and easy to catch.  Helped my ego, not that I try to work on it.  It was a great time fishing and I was as happy as a clam in mud.  

BUT!!!  Here in Alaska they have these little insects called white socks.  They are called white socks because when you look at them up close, it looks like they have little white socks on.  If you ever get bit by them... you swell up very badly!  Because I am tough (stubborn) and I didn't wear boots in the FREEZING water (Hey I'm from Maine... right?) and had my pants rolled up, those guys went to war on my legs.  The next day on the glacier I could barely put my boots on, my legs were swollen so bad.  So Karen, the cook, said to try deodorant on the bites.  IT WORKED!!!  I was also told mouth wash.  Things you learn!  

Note the dead fish... that were hitting my legs while fishing.
Some thing about that doesn't seem right.
I know that this isn't the correct way to fold a fish, he was really strong.

© Sarah M. Waterman

These are Xtra Tufs.  Great for wearing in COLD WATER!!!
© Sarah M. Waterman