CONSTRUCTION ~ and ~ PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND

June 15~Friday~sunny/cloudy~Maggie's day.
Woke up, surrounded by Pioneer Peak, mountains, glaciers, moose (the resident moose with her twins have NOT shown up) and Stan's coffee cup. Janell doesn't seem to be feeling very well today, even took the day off and napping...so left her to mend and drove back down the Glenn highway to Hick's Creek where our nephew is the head of an AIC road construction crew to visit with him. While there we road with him, checking on the work being done and saw the 6pm blast to clear dirt and rock from the proposed site, raising the roadbed 40 feet from the riverbed...a seven mile, 2 year project, 6 years in the planning stage. We also have found the cabin we want to build on our property at Talkeetna. David's landlord has a sawmill and has erected several small cabins, one of which he is renting to David and will talk to us later as to prices, etc. Arrived back at Jeff and Janell's for BBQ steaks with them. Stan and Blooie and getting ready for a boating day tomorrow.

June 16~sunny~a day of beauty and of God's almighty arms protecting us.
Up at 4:20am, to leave at 4:50 to 'catch' the 6:30 drive-thru the tunnel to Whittier for the 'beat-the-rush' launching of the Spitfire, Jeff's and Janell's Hewes OceanPro into Prince William Sound for a day of shrimping and sight-seeing. Jeff, Janell, Tanner (their son) and Jack pulling the boat and Stan, Blooie and I following in the other p/u, knowing we wouldn't get lost since I knew the way. We lost them before Anchorage, but found p/u/boat again on the outskirts where they turned off into a fast food's drive-thru. We followed, thinking Tanner was hungry...followed all thru Anchorage to the Diamond turn-off, thinking Janell's work is close, maybe she needed to go to the office quick...and into a store's parking lot, parking right beside & almost waving...but not...because it was the wrong boat/vehicle. The woman apparently thought she was being stalked by the look on her face! Made a quick get-away and proceeded down the Seward highway, almost out of gas (none open at that time of day), just missing a wreck by seconds (those protecting arms), arriving at the Whittier turn off at 6:55am to four people waiting with their arms crossed wondering what had happened to us. Stan was in fine form by then..."There I was, minding my own business..."! and Blooie and I hurt from laughing. Got thru the tunnel at 7:30 (found fuel...$3.39/gal) and by a little after 9am, with fishing licenses bought, had launched in a -3 tide...very very low...grounding a huge Princes' cruise ship until evening.
Beautiful seas..."2 feet" by the harbor master's statement...cruised into Piget Bay (renamed Piglet by Blooie) and dropped three shrimp pots. Motored over to Blackstone Bay to see the glacier, fish and have a picnic on the boat. Awesome scenery!!! Blackstone glacier comes right down into the bay*** heard calving*** picked up some glacier ice for drinks later*** fished, catching 6 rockfish of three different species***saw a big black bear watching us and just had a wonderful time. Mid-afternoon we went back to "Piglet" Bay to retrieve the shrimp baskets...thru water that had 'whipped up a tad'...probably 4-5 foot swells with whitecaps before turning into the bay. Was a bit tricky getting the baskets in, having to pull up 300 feet of line (they do have a puller), trying to keep the boat turned just right. After the second basket was in three 7 foot waves hit us with water coming in the front, coolers banging against the forward windows ~with the glacier ice cooler going over the side, water ankle deep in the cab...all scrambling to get life vests on (I had had mine on, taken it off, but was still in my arms and INSIDE-OUT when put back on...really should be colorful on both sides for those circumstances!) Decided to forget the cooler and last shrimp basket ,as***according to Tanner, "We still have us"*** (smart guy)! After returning to the dock three other boats came in with similar stories...so...God's arms were around all of us, not letting us drown. Returned by 10pm...still sunlight...and stopped to eat at a restaurant in Palmer with Steve (Stan/Blooie's son) stopping by...and filleted the fish before going to bed (TOUGH skin, but heard good eating) at 12:30am. A most awesome and thought-filled day!