Summer nearly here, cont'd.

24 hours and counting to first clients 

Well we are counting down to our first clients now, and we've hit the 24 hour mark!  It's been a very busy and eventful start to the season, what with in incredible run of warm weather, followed by a mega-wildfire that galvanized the entire Kenai Peninsula. 

As I look out from my office overlooking the beatiful Kenai and Moose rivers, the rain if falling hard and that spells more relief for the hard working firefighters.  At this point we are around 50% contained and the teams are on the offensive, rather than defensive position.   The fire was a big one, and we'll be seeing the effects for years, but with all of the dead timber (a result of Spruce Bark Beetle infestation that the Kenai has been seeing for about 10 years now) it was bound to happen.  Thanks to the hard working fire fighters who risked their lives to save our beloved Kenai.  Here is a shot of a "last stand" that was successful in saving some cabins 7 miles upstream from our lodge.  Amazing.

So......what now?

Now the good news....fires in Alaska bring growth, and that new growth that comes in behind the burned Spruce and Birch and Poplar Hardwood will be excellent Moose browse, (plus look for some incredible Fireweed flower displays, as the quintessential Alaskan flower is the first to re-grow after a fire...hence the name!) so as always, there is a larger purpose to everything.  For our soon - to - arrive guests, the fire has done nothing that will affect your adventure, so keep planning and packing!

BEARCAMP

Our amazing bear viewing camp in Lake Clark National Park is nearly up and running.  Our first clients arrive tomorrow, and the bears are in the meadow, the tents are ready and Chef Heidi is fine tuning our menu, as always.  Our resident bear whisperer, Caprice is re connecting with her beloved bears and learning the ways of the new spring cubs.  As always, there were a few hiccups in getting "ready for business"!  Our barge that brings gear into camp each year grounded on the beach on a low tide, leaving the team to wait out the next high tide.  Then a pretty wicked storm blew in for 3 days, a low pressure whopper with 50 and 60 mile per hour winds that kept most everyone pinned down to wait it out.  The weather report for the next week is looking better, so back to the 60's and 70's we were enjoying all of May would be nice!

Offshore Fishing

The last run to Seward caught the stormy weather that we have been experiencing the past 3 days- 10 foot seas and 30 mile per hour winds kept the fishing to a minimum on the shakedown cruise for the "Stellar", but the boat ran beautifully after a good run of working on systems, readying for a busy summer of Halibut and salmon fishing in Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound.   We'll be running new bilge pumps, updated electronics and twin VHF's along with new rods and reels for 2014.  We'll be launching in Deep Creek tomorrow and will start tapping the great Halibut fishery available there with our guests this week.

The next report will feature Kenai River Rainbow Trout fishing, as well as Sockeye Salmon and even a status of the Kenai Kings, as we have been seeing them roll in front of the lodge and one of the staff landed one incidentally while fishing for Sockeye salmon.  Stay tuned!

Livin' the dream,

Kent