Good thing we like Sitka.

We've been in Sitka for 15 days now and it looks like we'll be able to leave (possibly?) on Monday or Tuesday assuming Bowhaus is all patched together and passes its test runs.  We've filled our days with virtually everything Sitka has to offer and, by now, we know  every shop, restaurant, and attraction there is.  We've covered all 16 miles of roads many times and we've also learned a lot about commercial fishing from the many    fishermen (and women)  who are working from this busy marina.  Pleasure  boats are clearly in the  minority and fishing boats come and go at all times of day and night.       

Below is a shot of Eliason Harbor where we  are moored followed by examples of the various fishing boats that have become so familiar to us.    

 

  

A small charter boat takes visitors on day trips.  This is similar to the boat that Doug and Torben chartered last weekend.  You can see the rigging on the larger fishing vessels in the background.  

 A good example of a large fishing vessel (purse seiner) next to a large pleasure craft

  Trollers use multiple lines at various depths.  They don't use nets like purse seiners and gill netters do. They must keep their catch alive in holds up to the point of transfer to the processor.  They do so using generator operated units which keep fresh sea water pumping through the holds.   Often, those units run throughout the night.   Trolling vessels catch mainly salmon and receive the highest price for their catch

 Anita is a gill netter and crabber They fish Southeast Alaska and off the Washington Coast and, unlike most boats in this harbor, they take July and August off.

Summer Girl also crabs and fishes

This purse seiner has its seining craft out of the water and secured on its aft deck. 

Sunrise arrived in port yesterday and is one of the best looking boats we've seen.  It's larger than most (about 70 feet) and features a crow's nest for spotting fish the old fashioned way and also has its own processor in the aft section.