I recently returned from a wonderful book talk tour in Alaska, going to several towns, where I was greeted with enthusiastic—and knowledgeable—audiences. It was so fun to receive questions from people who know exactly what it is like to work in Artic and Subarctic seas.
My first stop was Sitka, with all its beauty and history. For me, a highlight was wandering the Totem Wood, a peninsula of forest in which totem poles stand among the trees, appearing as though from the earth itself, magical.
A way of life
Next was Cordova, home of the famed Copper River salmon, where I met so many women fishing! Women working on boats, running their own boats, working on nets … so many it was not remarkable or exceptional but rather they formed a normal part of the fisheries life there. Such a delight.
Beyond the boats and all, I was impressed with the making of the nets, how beautiful they are and—I did not know this—that they are knotted off by hand, a tremendous amount of work and skill.
Then on to Kodiak, one of my favorite spots in Alaska. People are hardy in Kodiak. One couple was so determined to come to the talk that they skied an hour and a half to get to their car so they could drive in!
City, mountains and fjords
Anchorage next, suddenly feeling the bustle of the city. The talk there was at the Georgia Blue Gallery—and if you ever get to Anchorage, be sure to visit. She has some of the most astonishingly beautiful pieces I have ever seen, both Northwest Coast Native and settler art. Not to be missed!
Then on to my final stop of Homer where the sun greeted me, the far mountains shimmering across the fjords. There I met a number of women (and men) getting ready for the fishing season too, particularly the salmon set netting, an exciting and a family-friendly kind of fisheries.
And then, with regret, I headed back to Seattle, leaving, amid the spring snow, full of the warmth, laughter and friendliness of the people I’d met.