The Seward Military Resort has four deep-sea halibut charter fishing boats that operate seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day on Resurrection Bay.  All fishing equipment is provided, but we obtained our fishing licenses, and brought our own rain slicks and rubber boots to help keep dry in anticipation of wet weather.

On the morning of the trip, we woke just after 5AM. Once outside, we were uncertain about the trip’s status, as we felt strong gusts of wind at the resort suggesting the bay might be too choppy for fishing.

But the resort, who arranged our reservation, assured us that there were plenty of fish to catch without care for the weather, so our trip was definitely on. I learned that in Alaska, you must be prepared for a variety of weather conditions.  There is the local saying, “if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” No truer words.

Around 6AM we boarded the bus with over a dozen other fishers and headed to the bay. Along the short drive to the docks, we received some instruction about what to expect then headed to our waiting boat, the M/V Top Cover for a lesson in salmon and halibut fishing 101.

We motored out of the bay for about 30 minutes, while I napped under the effects of a few preventative doses of Dramamine.

Among the group, I was especially glad to meet Luther and Eric, two brothers who shared with me they fish all over the globe in search of the best catch. And they were here in Alaska to fish each day for the entire week.

Our boat used sonar to detect fish, and sea depth. So we stopped at spots to drop our lines that had the best likelihood of catching either salmon or halibut.

To catch salmon requires constant, shallow, up and down movement of fresh bait on the line. Halibut requires a two-pound weight on heavy gauged line that drops to the bottom floor where these fish dwell. This kind of fishing is not of the pedestrian variety, and was definitely a workout!

At first, the bites on the boat were mainly rock fish and cod, and after hours of moving around the bay, with few of us catching the prized fish, we became uncertain about how the day would turn out. On top of that, the weather became very unstable.

The ocean swells moved our boat up and down several feet, and rain whipped us from every direction. It was necessary at times to set aside the poles and go inside the cabin, or hold on to avoid going overboard! Eventually, rain found its way into my boots, and through my clothes. Without the constant exertion from the movement of my pole, my body started to chill. We noticed these weather conditions also meant few other fishing boats and charters besides ours were on the bay that morning.

After several determined hours of moving around the bay guided by sonar in search of fish, we experienced more inclement weather, yet the views of the surrounding mountains and wildlife were stunning with sea lions and puffins on the horizon. But eventually with patience, we each began to have tight lines!

“Fish on!” we called out when we had a bite.

“Color!” we shouted, as reeled fish came close enough to the surface to be in view.

With these calls, the charter staff rushed over to help bring in the fish with their nets.

It was in the last two-hours of our journey that I caught all my fish for the day. Mark and I were proud to reel in halibut, salmon, rockfish, and cod. But there were two salmon that got away from me — a real bummer, and now I can fully appreciate the saying that describes, “the one that got away.”

In the end, our group returned with dozens of fish, and headed to the resort fish house to fillet and vacuum seal our catches. We shared beers, filleting tips, and lots of camaraderie along the way.

After all the processing was over, with our fish was packed away in the resort freezer, Mark and I set-up a portable stove outside our room to cook halibut cheeks, a favorite delicacy, with lots of butter and garlic with new friends Luther and Eric — a wonderful sea-to-table experience.

On my  last night in Alaska, I went to bed grateful for dryness and warmth, but also for the exciting adventure of the trip to America’s last frontier.

And I cannot wait to return.

Outdoor Afro is grateful for Mark B. who hosted such an amazing and fulfilling tour of Alaska!

Click to follow my trip from the beginning!

Submitted by Outdoor Afro Brandon Pope, CIG, Education Specialist at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center. His blog exemplifies the need for relevant outdoor leadership to help youth feel more comfort and at ease to explore nature for the first time. Click to enlarge the wonderful pictures below:

Then and Now

What a difference the outdoors can make.

Discover California’s Past

Splash in the water

Play in a safe place

Camp under the stars

Explore nature

Learn to swim

Play on a team

Follow a trail

Catch a fish

Celebrate their heritage

According to the California Roundtable on Recreation and Tourism, “Numerous studies document that children who do these things are healthier, do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives.”

In 2011, please join Outdoor Afro in helping all children, no matter what state they live in and their adult caregivers, exercise these rights through activities such as camping, hiking, biking, birding, and other outdoor activities in both structured and unstructured ways.

Each month, Outdoor Afro will focus on a different aspect of these opportunities.  I encourage you to share your photos and videos that show how you connect with nature and community and can inspire others.

In what ways will you commit to helping a child in your life connect with the outdoors?

“On October 29 and November 1, Oprah Winfrey will devote two entire shows to her overnight camping trip in Yosemite National Park earlier this month. Ms. Winfrey’s visit originated with a letter of invitation from Park Ranger Shelton Johnson. While in the park, Shelton shared his Buffalo Soldierpersona – Elizy Bowman – at an evening campfire chat with Ms. Winfrey and others staying at the Lower Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.

While the shows highlight Ms. Winfrey’s visit to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Tunnel View, her mule ride, and fly fishing on the Merced River, she also raises the question of why there aren’t more visitors of color in national parks.

We all struggle with this question – and what to do about it.

Ms. Winfrey’s visit and the popularity of her show offer the National Park Service an unprecedented opportunity to reach a vast audience of potential first-time visitors and to start a conversation with them.

Photo by Dudley Edmondson

Coming on the heels of Ken Burns’ acclaimed documentary, these broadcasts promise to take the national parks to heights of visibility rarely seen before, particularly in mass media and pop culture.

At the national level, we are working with the Yosemite staff to create opportunities to leverage the broadcasts and deliver a National Park Service invitation to visit the soon-to-be 393 national parks and learn about these places owned by all Americans.

I encourage all of you to use this opportunity to reach out to your communities. For example, you could host viewing parties with the show as a discussion starter on how to increase the diversity of our visitors or hold “how-to” events over the weekend of October 30-31 to teach the basics of hiking, camping, and visiting for first-timers.

WATCH VIDEO PREVIEW

While we literally had years to prepare for the America’s Best Idea broadcast, there is now little more than a week to prepare for these episodes that will reach more than 30 million viewers and millions more through Oprah.com.

I am confident that our innovative and creative employees will rise to the occasion and create immediate opportunities for all Americans to connect with the national park idea.”

The Outdoor Afro community is all aflutter about this news, as a major goal of this site is about changing perceptions of who engages with the outdoors. It is especially important that women of color be shown engaging with natural spaces in a positive context, so that others can see the possibility and benefits of building a relationship with treasures such as our national parks — which belong to everyone.

We hope this won’t be the last time we see Oprah camping! Can’t wait to hear your comments about the show!

Outdoor Afro just received a note from Arthur Bronson, President of the International Federation of Black Bass Anglers (IFBBA) to let us know what his organization has been frying up these days. The IFBBA’s members are comprised primarily of people of color and its membership and outreach spans the globe. The organization also targets and mentors urban kids of color to participate in various fishing derbies and clinics.

Arthur Bronson and IFBBA members Ed Hasse and Reynaldo Anderson

Mr. Bronson says that fishing for African Americans is not new, “we have always fished for food first and recreation second. Our families came out of the South where we fished the river, creeks, and lakes for crappie, bass, and catfish.”

Two Toads

He is so right. And for those of us who don’t fish regularly now, most have memories. I recall catching my first crappy at age three in Clear Lake, California, along side my southern Daddy. As legend has it, once I had the fish on my line, I exclaimed, “Look daddy, the fish is laughing!”

Kudos to the IFBBA for doing its part to make fishing a more visible tradition and to create more memories — and delicious fish frys for a new generation!

Please click their logo up top to learn more!

Santa Monica Mountains

I met Eve Fields back in 2006 through an active online community that connected people together around travel to the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. From her first post, Eve advocated getting out and traveling the world, no matter the budget – or physical ability.

Eve was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) when she was 25.  While it has not stopped her from camping, visiting her local fishing hole, collecting stamps in her passport from all over the globe, AND running her own construction company, she has had to learn new ways to enjoy the same activities she did before her diagnosis.

Indeed there are challenges when traveling with a disability. For example, “people with MS are extremely sensitive to body temperature changes.  Just a two-degree change can make the difference between the ability to walk or not,” she explained. However, she uses a variety of special clothing and accessories to regulate her body temperature that are available for free for people with MS.  She also emphasizes that rest and hydration are critical to maintain with MS, so energy conservation is essential during the week to be able to take on weekend adventures.

There are several organizations that produce annual weekend camps for folks with MS and their caregivers, such as the National MS Society. Some allow caregivers to drop off their MS friends to enjoy a well deserved weekend off, while the camp takes complete care of the participants.

Eve has been involved in several MS support networks and observes that the African-American MS groups do not typically promote and participate in outdoor activities like the groups with predominantly white members — but Eve wants to help change this and is starting by sharing her tips and experiences with the Outdoor Afro community.

Here are Eve’s 6 tips to help people with MS get out of the house and into the outdoors:

1.  Know the terrain of your site and the walking distances between your destination and key areas, such as the restroom or parking lot.

2.  Make sure an able bodied person can come with you.

3.  Know the proximity of the nearest food and drink, or bring your own.

4.  Plan for rest breaks and allow extra time to travel and engage with the activity or site.

5. Know the location of the nearest medical facilities and bring medication.

6. Check the condition of your equipment (cane, crutches, walker, and scooter) and have a plan of action in case they fail – your able bodied companion won’t appreciate your scooter battery going dead in the middle of nowhere!

There is much more to share about MS and disabled people of color getting out into the outdoors, so expect more updates, pictures and contributions from Eve in the future!

Are you disabled or have a loved one who is and likes to get outdoors? Got more tips to share? If so, Outdoor Afro wants to hear from you!