Sitka, Alaska (A Walk Into the Wild)

Wild. I have trekked, backpacked, fished all in what is designated wilderness. It was, indeed, wilderness. Whether alone or with another, I knew I was in a wild place. Yet, a short boat ride out of Sitka is a small bay, Katlian Bay. I recall a quick look see excursion up Katlian Bay to see what was shaking in the inlet streams. I was motored in close and cautioned that the tide would be going out soon…so don’t dawdle, or reaching the boat will not be easy.

I ventured up the edge of the stream, which was choked with  a black mass of fish. Chest high grass waved in the strong breeze. I carried a high powered rife, slung over my shoulder, and a rod. My son walked behind me. Maybe he was aware, at 15 y/o, of the possibilities, maybe he was not. Large bear paw prints in the muck near the water’s edge told me we were in a different element than our previous environs.

We moved up into the heavy timber and followed the stream up to just see. The stream narrowed. Not fishing water. We were just looking about. We were a hundred yards from the bay, but it might as well have been a mile. The ‘wild’ was real. It was like a weight of reality. Balls of salmon swirled and moved about in a way I had never seen and never have sense. The colors of the water, even in shadows, positively glowed.

We paused and looked about and softly muttered, let’s head back down. Back toward the ‘safety’ of the tall grass, bear paw prints and available salmon. We were in the open, in view of the whaler and we found water less stacked with fish. We swung hot pink marabou enticements and took many pinks that chased. The tide made the call, we made our way back to the whaler.

That short boat ride from Stargaven, up into Katlian Bay, provided me with a wonderful memory of ‘wild’.