I have bought and sold a couple of items in the last 5-8 years since I have been on this forum. But, the knowledge and generosity of its member base is what keeps brining me back. I drove ships of all manner and size for my profession and being out of touch like that so sporadically over the years makes it hard to keep track of much else than the local weather.
I do wish I had the tools I use today available to me for most of my career. The images I could have taken would have simply blown my mind if I had the ability to capture and process them while out to sea. I spent quite a bit of time driving in and out of Seattle in my early years. It is a not so small and and very tight-knit commercial boat community based there. In fact I had the opportunity to attend middle and high school with the Brothers Hansen who are now a semi famous crew on the cable show "The Deadliest Catch". Good times for sure.
I specifically remember a moment that I wish I could have captured on camera. I was bringing a one half million gallon fuel barge into a tiny little remote village in Glacier Bay Alaska. It was called Pelican Cove. The route into the village, which can ONLY be accessed by sea-plane or boat, was about a mile or two deep into the little village. As we were bringing the barge into port we had a small sea otter that followed us all the way into the harbor. Sort of like an escort. It was swimming on its back most of the way in while opening shellfish on its belly and keeping a watchful eye on the strangers.
When we arrived in the harbor and the boat was secured to the pier I decided to do a bit of exploring while we were pumping their fuel and heating oil. About 100 feet down the pier, there was a Jeep Wrangler parked on the wooden dock with a garden hose in the back seat. Asking a local what this thing was doing parked in the middle of the boardwalk.......the response was a very simple, "Oh that thing, that is our fire department."
I will never forget how simple they made life all the way out there in the middle of nowhere.
I really need to find a pic of that cove online and see if it is still the way it used to be back in the early 90's. I know for a fact that Ketchikan is NOTHING like it used to be back then.
No that I am retired I have ample opportunity to trek out and find those special moments. Anyhoo..........I have another story that is CRAZY serendipitous that I will save for later, but for now...........
