Quick update on the boat: we're not in the water yet, but we're SO CLOSE! The engine started up well, then quit the other day.
Mike's been working hard to prepare the F/V Courageous to launch. Our most loyal crewmember, Bhajan (who is now like family), is back for his 5th season with us. He and Mike have been putting in long hours doing a massive deep clean on the engine. Every season has its challenges, but there's obviously a much better chance of everything going smoothly if you catch potential problems in the preseason.
More sockeye salmon returned to Bristol Bay than ever before. The last harvest data recorded is from August 1st. It shows a total run of 65,859,000. Fishermen harvested 40,227,000 of those, and the rest escaped. Here's to sustainable salmon runs and the biologists who help ensure fish will be around for generations to come.
We're close to a record-breaking season in Bristol Bay. It's winding down, but Mike just made a crew swap to get new energy in for the last couple of weeks.
The Journey from Homer to Bristol Bay by way of Williamsport.
We launched the boat on Monday the 14th, a few days behind schedule, but everything went great and she's just about ready to make the journey from Homer to the fishing grounds in Naknek.
Over the next few weeks, we'll give you a glimpse into what the preseason looks like for us. Follow our boat work, preseason projects, and family chaos as we prepare for a summer at sea.
If you thought the fishing season wasn't exciting enough, wait until you hear about the journey home.
The fishing is great in Bristol Bay! To date, over 25 million fish have been harvested in the entire fishery, which is roughly 125 millions pounds of sockeye salmon.
It seems like every year, the week leading up to the 4th of July seems like the longest, most stressful week of the year.
