Published: August 22, 2009 11:46 pm      

An adventure of a lifetime

Last week, through the kindness of a close friend, I was able to spend five glorious days in Alaska. My journey started on Wednesday with a seven-hour flight out of Houston straight to Anchorage.

Upon arrival, we rented a car for the 225-mile drive to Homer, Alaska, where the rest of the group had been since the previous Friday. We arrived at about 3 a.m. our time, and were on the water fishing by 6.

The first day our trip was about 55 miles out, with halibut as our fish of the day. We had a little trouble early, but by the afternoon we were into them. With little sleep after the flight and almost nothing in my stomach for almost two days, at about 3 o’clock that afternoon, I made that infamous call to everybody’s deep-sea friend, Ralph. After talking to him very loudly for an hour or so, I finally got my sea legs beneath me again and the fun of the trip really started for me.

The first day, the five of us had our limit of 10 halibut and it was into shore to have a picture taken and our catch cleaned. After the picture, the tradition is to partake of a beverage or two at the Salty Dog Saloon. My first day of Alaskan fishing was in the books.

The second day, we did what was called a combo trip. The first part of the day was setting out lines and trolling for silver salmon. We finished the morning by boating 12 salmon, all which were about in the 10-pound range. Then out to the deeper water for more halibut.

Our boat captain found the honey hole, and it took only about an hour to have our 12-fish limit. What a day, and for me one of the best things was no call to my deep-sea, boat-waving friend, Ralph.

The final highlight was about a 90-minute flight on Saturday to a remote area for some bear watching. We were lectured by the pilot before we took off as to not worry when we got to our area because the bears were more intimidated by us then we would be of them. Yeah right!

When we landed, we had about a quarter-mile walk to the area we would be watching the bears. At first sight there were at least 11 bears, some with cubs, that were in the fast water stream filling their bellies for the upcoming winter hibernation with as many pink salmon as their hearts could desire.

Being a little frightful at first, everyone soon realized the pilot was right as some of the bears were within 10 to 15 feet from where we were sitting and nobody showed any fear at all. It was just amazing to see such a large animal, that has a reputation for eating humans, be so close, yet so harmless.

This was one of the most memorable things of my life that I will never be able to forget.

The last day was spent doing a little souvenir shopping for the folks back home and then to the airport for our return trip home. What a fabulous five days.

I would like to mention and thank one fine person, Mr. Paul Mitcham for allowing me to enjoy this trip with him and his family. Along with his son Davis, sister Joy and her son Adam, his darling fiancé Valerie and her son Ethan, as well as other friends and clients, this was a trip that will be a lasting memory with me forever.

On a final note, with the rest of the group being there for seven days of fishing, before myself, Jerry and Angie arrived, all total, we shipped 891 pounds of filleted halibut and salmon home. I personally can’t wait to get some of our catch and put it on the grill.