Ketchikan | Waiting for Weather

As (non)luck would have it, Dixon Entrance was completely calm during the two days we stayed to go to Kasaan for the Chief Son-I-Hat Whale House rededication, and now it looks like it’s supposed to be crappy the rest of the week. Tomorrow MAY be a window to go, but we’ll see. No need to push it.

In the meantime, we’re taking advantage of the good internet in Ketchikan to take care of a bunch of work things. We got some groceries, we met our boat neighbor, we shopped, I edited some photos, and we washed the boat (okay, more like rinsed the boat). So here’s a mish mash of all that.

Here’s a quick portrait I did of Haida Chief John McAllister in Kasaan:

Our boat neighbor, Jesse:

Jesse was great…super nice guy. He told Kevin all about his favorite fishing spots and showed him the tackle he liked best…he brought over some bourbon so we could do a shot together, and he enthusiastically let me take photos of him on the dock.

Let’s see, what else? Oh yeah…since last year I’ve been eyeing the work of Gene Chilton, a native Tlingit artist. I looked at a few bracelets last year but didn’t buy anything. This year, after meeting his nephew over in Kasaan, I decided to revisit the work, and saw a ring I’d seen before online…one that I really liked. The design is called Love Birds — an eagle and raven in gold, overlaid on a carved silver ring. We walked over to look at it in person and it was just as beautiful in person. So beautiful, in fact, that we both got them. Here’s a close up:

Meanwhile, it looks like this outside:

We’re going to grill outside anyway. I’ve got some chicken wings marinating (in a mixture of Frank’s Red Hot, honey, cayenne, paprika, Worcestershire, melted butter, and salt). I made some homemade blue cheese dressing to go with some celery sticks and wings (mayo, sour cream, blue cheese, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, Worcestershire) and some of Deke’s wing sauce for dipping (Frank’s, olive oil, sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, Worcestershire, and pepper).

6am Tuesday morning update: Conditions look good (and like they’re the best they’ll be for the rest of the week), so we’re heading out. We’ll make the call at Foggy Bay whether to go all the way across Dixon Entrance to Prince Rupert. Will keep you updated!