Salvage De Mayo

The Master with camera in hand and a sidearm on his hip.

In the beginning of the week I suffered an injury that prevented me from floating the Kenai in my cataraft.  If I played in the NHL my injury would be described as "an upper body injury".   Anyway, I was disappointed that I wouldn't be one of the first to float the river in search of treasures lost.  The best stuff is always found if, 1) you're the first, or 2) the river is low and clear. Lo and behold my phone rings and Jeff King said he put his boat in and was wondering if I wanted to go on the hunt with him.    He didn't have to ask me twice. We went out for about an hour and because of the low water levels we were limited to a search area near his boat launch.   We did find a few small treasures; a floating dock section and a couple of lures, but no Holy Grail (anchor). All in all, not a bad day.

Later in the week Jeff called again and said the tide was right to run down the river to search the "good spots". There was no way I was going to pass up on this opportunity.  The first place we checked Jeff found a split ring, needle nose plier and I found a fillet knife.  Not bad, but we checked a very long gravel bar and that was it.  Next, we headed down the river a little further and found a nice kwikfish and a Wilson volleyball.   Things were starting to pick up.

The next spot we hit Jeff said we're going to find an anchor here.   Who am I to second guess the founder of Kenai River salvaging?  I start walking the gravel bar and found several spinner baits.  Hey, I'm on a roll in this friendly competition.  Next thing I know Jeff finds a fishing rod.  Nuts. He definitely took a lead in the game. When he picked up the rod, buried in the gravel right behind me, Jeff spots an anchor. Really?   At this point we decided to split up and I walked down river while Jeff chose to go up river. He was about 50 yards away from where he found the anchor and yells at me "I found a wallet!"   Holy cow, this could possibly be the best find ever.  Game, set. match for Jeff.

In the middle of this photo you'll see the wallet.   Most of the credit cards expired in 2012 so I'm thinking this had been sitting in the river for at least two years.   Much to our surprise there was no money in the wallet.   Who travels to Alaska with no money in their wallet?   Or, maybe this was the end of his trip and he ran out of money? Who knows.

So a good story teller would end this adventure with finding a lost wallet.   But, me, "Grasshopper" to Jeff's "Master", did find a nice anchor near the end of the day.....I'm still a walked player!   No doubt the 2014 salvage run was definitely one to be remembered.    

Mom and Jane

So, with my recent "upper body injury" it got me to thinking about when my mom took care of me when I broke my arm in high school.   It was a tough six weeks and it was a job only a mother could do. Thanks, mom for your care, and have a Happy Mother's Day.