We just completed the first leg of this season’s salmon research cruise with the Cathy G and Bayhawk. During this year’s study, we will be visiting many streams throughout Prince William Sound. Just recently we visited Simpson bay, Port Fidalgo, Jack bay, Perry Island, Cochrane Bay, Paddy Bay, Eshamy Bay, Ewan Bay, Louis Bay, Hogan Bay, Stockdale Harbor, Rocky Bay and then we headed back to Cordova. Everyone enjoyed the record breaking high temperatures (we departed Cordova at 90 degrees F!) and calm seas. The next cruise will cover much more of the sound and will last around two and a half months. At this time we are relaxing at Glacier Island where we have some Alaskans using the Boaters Base Camp with their out of state guests. Glacier Island is a great place to get away from the 4th July crowds and there is a lot to see in the area. Columbia Glacier is just north of the island and has been releasing lots of ice bergs over the last few days. We have been watching humpback whales feeding along the south shore and many bait balls being worked over by the birds. Seals and otters (and hummingbirds!) frequent Jackson Cove where we are anchored up. We have been working the shrimp pots in the area with the number of shrimp being caught less then what we get in other areas but they are much bigger – some take three bites to eat! Lingcod opens today and there is a red salmon run North West of the island. It has been great cruising weather with lots of sun and flat seas - we just now got some much needed rain. Cordova is a great town. It reminds me of the small coastal towns we used to have before industrial tourism. Cordova has lots to offer: plenty of grocery stores and the best selection of marine supplies in the State. The locals are very helpful and friendly and the town’s economy is booming in the summer. Parking at the harbor is only $20 a month. I asked the folks in the Harbor Masters office why so cheap? They told me the town tries to keep the cost down of doing business in Cordova, to promote business. Wow, what a concept! Towns like Seward and Whittier could learn a lot from Cordova! Seward and Whittier have been running small businesses out of their towns for decades. Cordova is bustling with small businesses which in turn make the town a nice place to live in and do business. The anti-industrial tourism stance Cordova has taken shows the town supports its citizens, not the cruise ship industry. Way to go Cordova!
Matt
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