The Joe Libera connection

11 July 2010
Sunday


On the way into Haines we stopped to watch the salmon fishermen and then pulled off the road near a fish weir that the DNR is using to count fish. Yesterday's count was 91: not so good. They would like a daily count of 500+.

The clouds are higher today but the wind is still blowing. We dropped in at the Rusty Compass and met a young 9th grader who chatted with us for quite some time. He was a very mature young man and into music so he and Jim got along well. He had just returned from a music camp in Sitka. In order to get there he had to drive, take a ferry and then fly.

Anyway, it turns out that his mother is married to the science teacher in Haines and he knew Joe Libera way back when. Joe, Mark Fonteneau says hello. Also we paid your last bill [$57.35] which you can reimburse us for when we get back. Small world.

We then drove to the end of Beach Road where we hiked for about four miles through a wonderful temperate rain forest that opened up onto a rocky beach. The wind was ferocious on the outcropping of beach but inside the forest it was calm and quiet. The lush greenery was incredible. We hopped over small streams, slid down steep parts of the trails and climbed over innumerable roots. The play of light upon the leaves and bark and ferns made a great temptation to take tons of pictures. We saw salmon berries and blueberry bushes and lots of mosses and nurse logs.

Then we drove back onto the Haines Highway to watch the salmon being caught in native-style fish traps.

Finally it as time to head to the Marine Ferry for our ride to Skagway. It was late but the ride was nice. It was like being on a cheap cruise. By the time we arrived it was after 10:00 PM and everything was closed so we drove into a campground which turned out to be something less than nice. We decided NOT to spend any more time in Skankway.