The statewide commercial salmon harvest, all species, currently tallies about 85 million fish.
It's now up to the pink salmon whether we make the forecast of 203 million fish for the season.
Speaking of pinks, seiners in northern Southeast have scored record catches, while southern harvests are well below average, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports. Some 20 million pinks taken overall in Southeast so far.
In Kodiak, the pink salmon run is believed to be either weak or late, the department says. Only 1.3 million caught so far, well below expectations.
Elsewhere, in Upper Cook Inlet, fishermen of all descriptions have feasted on sockeye, with the total run headed for 9 million fish rather than the 6.4 million forecast.
But remember, this is Upper Cook Inlet, so anger and discontent abound, right along with the fish. Here's an entertaining cut from Fish and Game's weekly commercial salmon summary:
This past week a large protest was held in the parking lot of the ADF&G office in Soldotna. The protesters were mostly sportfishing guides who were unhappy about the no-bait restriction being implemented in the Kenai River by Sport Fish Division in response to a weak Chinook salmon run. These folks were specifically miffed by the fact that a mandatory restriction to the commercial set gillnet fishery was not in the management plan when the in-river fishery was restricted. The management plan only speaks to a commercial closure when the in-river sport fishery closes. A representative from the protest group met with department staff so they could have their issues heard. In response to the weak Chinook salmon run, the setnets on the east side of Cook Inlet have been fished much less aggressively than they ordinarily would have been in light of such a strong sockeye salmon run. The result will be that the escapement goal for sockeye salmon in the Kenai River will be exceeded, perhaps by a half-million fish or more.
Sunken salmon seiner salvaged
The Lively Jane, a salmon seiner that hit a rock and sank July 13 southwest of Valdez, has been refloated. That's her there on the right, with the salvage tug Oswell Foss to starboard. The plan is to tow the seiner to Cordova for drydocking and repair, the U.S. Coast Guard said this afternoon. USCG photoIF YOU BUILD IT...THEY WILL GO SOMEWHERE ELSE
No, wait. Here we are in the middle of the fourth season of Arvest Ballpark and we are still waiting for some signs of development. I guess we're still a bunch of hillbillies raising chickens.
While Perry Webb is sitting in a sitz bath in Hot Springs and Mayor Sprouse is on yet another holiday in Destin, the local media has announced that the long-anticipated arrival of Cabela's in Arkansas is on the horizon...in Rogers. Yes, the neighbors to the north win again.
A master plan for the area is in the works, Webb said, and Springdale must be well positioned when a "destination" retailer such as Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops comes calling. "We have changed the horizon," Webb said. "We've done a good job of lining up the dominoes and the first will fall the night we open the ballpark. People are now seeing the vision.I guess this is the return on investment the taxpayers are getting for the $50,000 raise Sprouse gave Webb this year.
Rats off to ya! Just some ran-dumb crap.
Well, I have no pics of rats to join in on the TSP Ratstravaganza that is going on over at neithermorenorless.blogspot.com and evgrieve.com right now. I certainly have SEEN hundreds of rats in the trash bags by the bathrooms in the park and some even out during the day just running around eating leftover food. If the park were kept a little cleaner with people throwing out their trash I guess it could help. It doesn't bother me too much. They are scared of people and are not going to eat anyone's damn baby at the playground. Unless their leader demands a sacrifice so their crops will grow next year. That is understandable. AnyRat, been trying to play a lot of gigs and been busy hanging out with Aline Crumb and seeing movies and doing fun stuff every day. There are SO many shows and pilots filming right now..I apply for extra work on them all but with the tats and hair I only get called when they need "east village" "freaky artsy" types. I think I could do well in some weird type film like a Harmony Korine one but I got no connections. I am but a lowly extra...however I did make some connections in Italy and will be spending two months in Europe next summer and if anyone knows of any festivals that would like my band or places to play at, feel free to write me. The more paying gigs we get, the longer we can stay. Any kind of pay at all. I will go there and sell authentic NYC rats if need be.
Soo...here is the tagged van with weird dirty shit written all over it I see parked everywhere..Then the awesome troll hat that I got as a belated birthday gift from my friend Emily..
I attended whiskey Friday at The Onion offices..Here is Joe Garden with his Hair Mug. If you come and drink you donate a lock of hair to it. I did so, and the other hair glued to it is probably scared of my bad hair which resembles wooly mammoth pubes. I love The Onion..So damn funny..Then I like this one of me with huge packing corn. At least I am taller than something!
Back with bits and pieces
Deckboss apologizes for his silence the past few days. Had some nonfish business to deal with.
To catch up, here are a few news nuggets I'm sure you'll find interesting.
• The Copper River District has produced a catch of 2 million sockeye so far this season, which is pretty awesome. Gillnetters managed only about 636,000 last year.
• The Prince William Sound shrimp pot fishery will close for the season at 10 p.m. Friday. Why? Because shrimpers by then are expected to max out the 52,760-pound quota. Last year's harvest came in at 45,349 pounds, well short of the 55,000-pound limit.
• The Norton Sound red king crab fishery also will close Friday, at noon. Crabbers are expected to hit the 331,150-pound quota by then.
• We know more now about the outcome of the big Togiak sac roe herring fishery back in May. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game puts the total value of the huge 22,699-ton harvest at about $2.3 million, based on an estimated grounds price of $100 per ton. Last year, Togiak herring paid $150 per ton, not counting any post-season adjustments.
• I haven't read it yet, but here's an independent review the states of Alaska and Washington commissioned on the recent federal biological opinion regarding commercial fishing effects on endangered Steller sea lions. The BiOp resulted in the closure of significant fishing grounds out the Aleutian chain — and provoked an ongoing lawsuit.
To catch up, here are a few news nuggets I'm sure you'll find interesting.
• The Copper River District has produced a catch of 2 million sockeye so far this season, which is pretty awesome. Gillnetters managed only about 636,000 last year.
• The Prince William Sound shrimp pot fishery will close for the season at 10 p.m. Friday. Why? Because shrimpers by then are expected to max out the 52,760-pound quota. Last year's harvest came in at 45,349 pounds, well short of the 55,000-pound limit.
• The Norton Sound red king crab fishery also will close Friday, at noon. Crabbers are expected to hit the 331,150-pound quota by then.
• We know more now about the outcome of the big Togiak sac roe herring fishery back in May. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game puts the total value of the huge 22,699-ton harvest at about $2.3 million, based on an estimated grounds price of $100 per ton. Last year, Togiak herring paid $150 per ton, not counting any post-season adjustments.
• I haven't read it yet, but here's an independent review the states of Alaska and Washington commissioned on the recent federal biological opinion regarding commercial fishing effects on endangered Steller sea lions. The BiOp resulted in the closure of significant fishing grounds out the Aleutian chain — and provoked an ongoing lawsuit.
ZIP, ZILCH, NADA, Nothing...
What a return on your investment, folks.
Just consider for a moment that the city gives the Springdale Chamber of Commerce $200,000 annually for economic development. Mayor Sprouse seems to have a real generous nature towards his traveling companions since this is more than Little Rock gives their chamber - a city with almost three times the population of Springdale.
Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
- Author Unknown
Herelies the problem..
Today I finished up a long-overdue proposal (mostly because I’ve been kinda slacking, but pstt, this is just between you and me), and as I drew a relieved sigh, I glanced at the bottom of the page and almost exclaimed unattractively. Holy cow! 17 pages! Seventeen frikkin pages! My words in all their glory..all 17 pages worth of ‘em, in fact.
And yet, I have abandoned this space for a lot longer than I should. And I thought writing leisurely has always been therapeutical! No wonder I’m so stressed with work lately. I just don’t channel the stress the right way.
(Well, I’ve been spending a lot of time with dearie and that should be a stress-free method too, right? Although, every time we do, we stay out late, which results in me not getting enough sleep and probably being even more tired and stressed out the following morning. Oh shit.)
Well anyway. It wasn’t until earlier when my friend said that she hasn’t been visiting my blog recently and I was like, “Err. You’re probably not missing out much since I hardly update it.”
But then as soon as I said it, I felt really, really sad.
No kidding! This really did make me feel sad. There was a point of time I could write my blog every day with anything and everything, and now I can’t even muster a single post because:
I don’t know what to write
I don’t have the time to write
I’m always feeling uninspired
And somehow these three reasons don’t make me feel better at all.
As if it’s not bad enough that I’m losing the motivation to write, I seem to lose my otherwise brilliant, witty writing personality as well. Without it, what else do I have?
I better tell my boyfriend right away. He should know what he’s getting himself into. I’m no longer the bright and creative soul he once knew and loved.
It’s sad that I could churn up 17 pages worth of words (albeit, probably not very interesting), but I couldn’t even do a single post.
Ladies and gentlemen, what has this world become?
Hm. See? Even now I’m struggling to find something interesting to say. Do I talk about the recent awesome weekend I had with dearie when we went to watch Lion King the Musical and Harry Potter on IMAX? About how emotional I was during the scene when Harry realized he had to die, until I could feel tears forming in my eyes, and then feel slightly embarrassed about it, because. Oh well, you just don’t cry from seeing Harry Potter. You just don’t. I’m already a sissy as it is.
Ah yes. I guess I could talk about that. Or maybe I could touch a bit about how last week during work I had to sing a song in front of everyone..alone? Imagine the horror. And about how after that ‘incident’, my colleague made a poster that read “Christina, we believe! The next Singapore Idol!” and pasted it on the wall. He’s forgetting that I’m not even a Singaporean but of course no one really gave a rat’s ass about it.
What about the weekend before that when we went to Universal Studio and had a great evening reminiscing being a kid, taking rollercoasters and screaming on the top of our lungs like there was no tomorrow? (oh wait. That was just me. See, I told ya I’m a sissy.)
Or maaaaybe. I could write about my Italy adventure?
THERE! It’s not like I have nothing to write. Now I recognize the core of the problem.
I’m just a lazy ass.
Hurray!
Now I can go back to thinking that deep down I’m still very much witty, adorable, smart and all those traits are just waiting to burst out in the open again real, real soon! Yay! Now my boyfriend will love me again!
And yet, I have abandoned this space for a lot longer than I should. And I thought writing leisurely has always been therapeutical! No wonder I’m so stressed with work lately. I just don’t channel the stress the right way.
(Well, I’ve been spending a lot of time with dearie and that should be a stress-free method too, right? Although, every time we do, we stay out late, which results in me not getting enough sleep and probably being even more tired and stressed out the following morning. Oh shit.)
Well anyway. It wasn’t until earlier when my friend said that she hasn’t been visiting my blog recently and I was like, “Err. You’re probably not missing out much since I hardly update it.”
But then as soon as I said it, I felt really, really sad.
No kidding! This really did make me feel sad. There was a point of time I could write my blog every day with anything and everything, and now I can’t even muster a single post because:
I don’t know what to write
I don’t have the time to write
I’m always feeling uninspired
And somehow these three reasons don’t make me feel better at all.
As if it’s not bad enough that I’m losing the motivation to write, I seem to lose my otherwise brilliant, witty writing personality as well. Without it, what else do I have?
I better tell my boyfriend right away. He should know what he’s getting himself into. I’m no longer the bright and creative soul he once knew and loved.
It’s sad that I could churn up 17 pages worth of words (albeit, probably not very interesting), but I couldn’t even do a single post.
Ladies and gentlemen, what has this world become?
Hm. See? Even now I’m struggling to find something interesting to say. Do I talk about the recent awesome weekend I had with dearie when we went to watch Lion King the Musical and Harry Potter on IMAX? About how emotional I was during the scene when Harry realized he had to die, until I could feel tears forming in my eyes, and then feel slightly embarrassed about it, because. Oh well, you just don’t cry from seeing Harry Potter. You just don’t. I’m already a sissy as it is.
Ah yes. I guess I could talk about that. Or maybe I could touch a bit about how last week during work I had to sing a song in front of everyone..alone? Imagine the horror. And about how after that ‘incident’, my colleague made a poster that read “Christina, we believe! The next Singapore Idol!” and pasted it on the wall. He’s forgetting that I’m not even a Singaporean but of course no one really gave a rat’s ass about it.
What about the weekend before that when we went to Universal Studio and had a great evening reminiscing being a kid, taking rollercoasters and screaming on the top of our lungs like there was no tomorrow? (oh wait. That was just me. See, I told ya I’m a sissy.)
Or maaaaybe. I could write about my Italy adventure?
THERE! It’s not like I have nothing to write. Now I recognize the core of the problem.
I’m just a lazy ass.
Hurray!
Now I can go back to thinking that deep down I’m still very much witty, adorable, smart and all those traits are just waiting to burst out in the open again real, real soon! Yay! Now my boyfriend will love me again!
Grey
You pull beauty towards you--like new moths to a flame
And as I'm drawn before you, I believe I am the same
I'm lovely, melancholic art, a picture in your frame
I've never been so beautiful as when you say my name.
You see the world in fractured light, the colours you downplay
The darkened blacks, the lightened whites, the words you never say
I'll make your lips move through the night, but you will never pray
Let's go somewhere with colour--love, you must escape the grey.
You still command the sunrise--because you paint the stars
The world, it strings your canvas and your heartbreaks are your scars
Wake up--paint the truth for once, it isn't very far
You say that you're not worth the fight, but I know who you are.
You're everything I'll ever breathe, the oceans and the sea
Can't run their waters low enough to find a love this deep
And I'll wade through the darkest depths if it will make you see
You're beautiful, you're worth this, love, you're all there is for me.
- Shawna Howson
Just beautiful. <3
And as I'm drawn before you, I believe I am the same
I'm lovely, melancholic art, a picture in your frame
I've never been so beautiful as when you say my name.
You see the world in fractured light, the colours you downplay
The darkened blacks, the lightened whites, the words you never say
I'll make your lips move through the night, but you will never pray
Let's go somewhere with colour--love, you must escape the grey.
You still command the sunrise--because you paint the stars
The world, it strings your canvas and your heartbreaks are your scars
Wake up--paint the truth for once, it isn't very far
You say that you're not worth the fight, but I know who you are.
You're everything I'll ever breathe, the oceans and the sea
Can't run their waters low enough to find a love this deep
And I'll wade through the darkest depths if it will make you see
You're beautiful, you're worth this, love, you're all there is for me.
- Shawna Howson
Just beautiful. <3
The best thing.
One of the best things in life is finding someone who knows all your mistakes and weaknesses and still thinks you're completely amazing.
Sitka processing plant forced to evacuate
Here's a situation report on an ammonia release at the Silver Bay Seafoods plant in Sitka.
More Italy pics simply to make you all jealous. Hey, I'm honest about it!
Here are some more pics from Italy...Hoping to book lotsa gigs there and around there...and stay for the whole summer next year. I want to see more of Europe! I need some leads and connections to get some gigs, especially on the festival circuit. Bands play every weekend in some towns and villages in Spain, France, Italy all summer. They seem to love American music and old timey stuff. It's VERY hot in this city now. I like it though. I am a "summer" person and it sure feels like summer out there right now! And sort of like hades! Whatever. I'm tan and if I ignore skin cancer it will go away!
Very sad about Mars bar closing...wondering where all the regulars are going now. I haven't checked out any likely substitute bars yet. Been too busy and not drinking that much. Aline Crumb is in town and between that, working, practicing for gigs and trying to do as much summer roaming and adventuring as I can fit in-I have not had too much alcohol in my system. Hangovers do suck when it's 100 degrees out...Think we will be playing in Vermont next..after a gig or two at Jalopy Theatre.
OK, some for you, and for you — now hush!
Competing fleets have waged a halibut war for many years around the Gulf of Alaska.
Now federal regulators are working, again, on a potential resolution to the conflict.
It's called a "catch sharing plan." It would allocate halibut between the commercial and charter boat sectors.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is inviting public comment on the plan, and today issued this press release.
Deckboss, of course, takes no position. Other than he hopes the regulators this time succeed in settling this tiresome fight. I'm frankly worn out writing about it.
Now federal regulators are working, again, on a potential resolution to the conflict.
It's called a "catch sharing plan." It would allocate halibut between the commercial and charter boat sectors.
The National Marine Fisheries Service is inviting public comment on the plan, and today issued this press release.
Deckboss, of course, takes no position. Other than he hopes the regulators this time succeed in settling this tiresome fight. I'm frankly worn out writing about it.
Change
“Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed.“
I’m scared of change. I’d like everything to remain the same, because only then would I feel totally in control. I don’t like guessing and anticipating what’s gonna happen next, especially when I’m happy with what I have right now.
But that’s not exactly possible, is it? Without change, how can we grow for growth is the only evidence that we’re still living? We have to change, whether we want to or not.
And the key is to stop thinking that change is a bad thing. I read this quote somewhere:
“There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place.”
I know it’s easier said than done, and trust me, I’m still learning too. I’m still freaking out over changes too. Sometimes I would find myself getting all paranoid or coming up with fake scenarios in my head although they have no base at all.
But if you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change. If you’re in a good situation, don’t worry it’ll change too.
I guess that’s the lesson for today, my dear students.
I’m scared of change. I’d like everything to remain the same, because only then would I feel totally in control. I don’t like guessing and anticipating what’s gonna happen next, especially when I’m happy with what I have right now.
But that’s not exactly possible, is it? Without change, how can we grow for growth is the only evidence that we’re still living? We have to change, whether we want to or not.
And the key is to stop thinking that change is a bad thing. I read this quote somewhere:
“There is a certain relief in change, even though it be from bad to worse! As I have often found in travelling in a stagecoach, that it is often a comfort to shift one's position, and be bruised in a new place.”
I know it’s easier said than done, and trust me, I’m still learning too. I’m still freaking out over changes too. Sometimes I would find myself getting all paranoid or coming up with fake scenarios in my head although they have no base at all.
But if you’re in a bad situation, don’t worry it’ll change. If you’re in a good situation, don’t worry it’ll change too.
I guess that’s the lesson for today, my dear students.
Cook Inlet's blessing — and frustration
Sockeye salmon are storming the Kenai River in big numbers. Which is a great thing, right?
It is if you can catch 'em.
Commercial fishermen are on delivery limits due to a processor capacity crunch.
"I am on the water right now with a 5,000-pound limit," one drift gillnetter told Deckboss this afternoon.
It is if you can catch 'em.
Commercial fishermen are on delivery limits due to a processor capacity crunch.
"I am on the water right now with a 5,000-pound limit," one drift gillnetter told Deckboss this afternoon.
Science and jobs
Here's a congressional note of interest.
The House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a hearing next Tuesday on "NOAA's Fishery Science: Is the Lack of Basic Science Costing Jobs?"
Hmm, now that's a provocative topic.
At first I thought this might be a New England inquisition. But after looking at the subcommittee membership, I'm not so sure.
The House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs will hold a hearing next Tuesday on "NOAA's Fishery Science: Is the Lack of Basic Science Costing Jobs?"
Hmm, now that's a provocative topic.
At first I thought this might be a New England inquisition. But after looking at the subcommittee membership, I'm not so sure.
Wandering and Pondering
Summer has finally arrived! With it has come the heat, but not so bad as in other parts of the country, and as one rider last Saturday remarked, we'll be nostalgic for this heat soon enough. As for last Saturday, we had another great ride down to Bowdoinham along some really pretty back roads, skirting ponds and marshlands, dappled with welcome shade. Our "warm" thanks to Geology Joe for another great tour.
This Saturday is the Bicycle Coalition of Maine's 10th annual Lobster Ride in Rockland. They could still use some volunteers for flagging, rest stop support, and post-event clean-up. There's a lobster roll (and a t-shirt) in it with your name on it - just call Cecelia Garton at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine at cecelia@bikemaine.org or 623-4511. Volunteers may also sign-up online, at http://www.bikemaine.org/events/lobster-ride/lobster-ride-volunteer-form.
Please join us in Mount Vernon this Sunday to count ponds and have fun on multiple 50 mph descents (there are potentially three, road conditions permitting). Whether that has any benefit to cardio-vascular training I'll leave for experts to judge. I've been informed that this ride has 3,230 feet of climbing (by one rider's electronic calculations) and there are several 15% grades (short ones, though) on Sandy River Road. The ride also has some unique scenery, with a delightful (and flat) run along the Chesterville Esker - a good part of the route was laid out by glacier! We may also get together after the ride at the cafe in Mount Vernon.
Sunday, July 24th - MOUNT VERNON
"Eleven Ponds" - a tour past many of the hidden ponds and lakes in Mount Vernon, Fayette, Chesterville, and Vienna.
START: 9:00 AM, Mount Vernon Post Office, just off Rt. 41 on Main Street in Mount Vernon.
DISTANCE: 14 and 29 miles.
TERRAIN: Rolling with a few good hills.
HIGHLIGHTS: rural back roads winding through many small ponds and lakes, and across the top of the Chesterville Esker. Possible post-ride get-together at the cafe in Mt. Vernon village.
LEADER: Jim Merrick.
A brief and sad interlude between italy pics. Mars Bar RIP.
Mars bar is officially closed now. I am so glad i went last night and had a blast with my friends: Tim Shea, Amy, Juggernut and others. I will try to find some pics now to upload as I didn't take any last night. It was a fun, mellow evening with a vibe of "this is the end" in the air for some reason and I enjoyed every minute of it. I will miss this place more than any normal person should miss a bar considering I don't much care for bars really..but this one was special!
NYC just became a lot more boring.
Bristol Bay sockeye price reportedly reaches $1
Deckboss hears a major Bristol Bay processor, Yardarm Knot, has posted a base price of $1 a pound for sockeye, plus 15 cents for chilled fish.
Last season's average base was 95 cents a pound, the best price seen around the bay in quite a few years.
Last season's average base was 95 cents a pound, the best price seen around the bay in quite a few years.
A pretty lady lost
The Lively Jane in happier times. Joshua Roper photoWe told you last week about the Lively Jane, a Prince William Sound salmon seiner that hit a rock and sank in Anderson Bay six miles southwest of Valdez.
Sometimes when we hear a report that a boat has sunk, it means she just swamped. But as you can see by the smaller photo from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Lively Jane went to the bottom. Boom was deployed around the sunken seiner to corral any fuel or oil leakage.
Divers were able to plug the vessel's fuel vents and "remove the 20 feet of seine net and bridle from the vessel," said the Coast Guard, noting it was monitoring salvage efforts.
Fortunately, all five crewmen got off safely. But too bad for this pretty boat.
My thanks to Joshua Roper Photography for the nice shot of the Lively Jane.
Reds retreat, but pinks are coming
Here are some key stats as we enter the middle innings of the 2011 commercial salmon season.
• The total catch, all species, stands at just over 53 million fish, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported today. That's about a quarter of the way toward the season forecast of 203 million.
• The Bristol Bay sockeye catch is coming up well short of forecast. The harvest through Thursday stood at 20.4 million reds, with 8.5 million taken in the Naknek-Kvichak District. The run took a nosedive in recent days, and now fishermen are pulling their boats and hopping planes for home. The state had predicted a catch of 28.5 million sockeye. Deckboss hasn't heard anything yet about prices.
• Pink salmon catches are starting to come on. The statewide tally is 16.7 million pinks, with Prince William Sound accounting for most of them. Still a long way to go, obviously, to reach the forecast of 133.5 million.
• Chum salmon catches are mixed, with 5.1 million taken so far statewide on a forecast of 19.5 million. Chum runs are ranging from horrible at the Hidden Falls Hatchery near Sitka to excellent way up in Norton Sound.
• The total catch, all species, stands at just over 53 million fish, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported today. That's about a quarter of the way toward the season forecast of 203 million.
• The Bristol Bay sockeye catch is coming up well short of forecast. The harvest through Thursday stood at 20.4 million reds, with 8.5 million taken in the Naknek-Kvichak District. The run took a nosedive in recent days, and now fishermen are pulling their boats and hopping planes for home. The state had predicted a catch of 28.5 million sockeye. Deckboss hasn't heard anything yet about prices.• Pink salmon catches are starting to come on. The statewide tally is 16.7 million pinks, with Prince William Sound accounting for most of them. Still a long way to go, obviously, to reach the forecast of 133.5 million.
• Chum salmon catches are mixed, with 5.1 million taken so far statewide on a forecast of 19.5 million. Chum runs are ranging from horrible at the Hidden Falls Hatchery near Sitka to excellent way up in Norton Sound.
PALEO FITNESS: The Key To Athletic Longevity (Part 1 of "The Paleo Series")
"Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the lion or it will not survive. Every morning a lion wakes up and it knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve. It doesn't matter if you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running." ~African Proverb
Paleolithic man. The image conjures up brute cave people...nomadic, moving from forest dwelling to dwelling. Who were they? What were their lives like? Did they leave the modern world with any clues as to how to unlock our own potential?
During my undergraduate years of pursuing a degree in Medical Anthropology, I was exposed to these very questions. Year after year, from India to the Amazon, from the rainforests of the Maya to the Celtic coastlines, I sought the answers to these queries.
Amongst temples, towering over the forest canopy to ancient stone ruins, I sought the expertise of scholars who probed archaeological remains for clues to our past. Two highlights of my academic career: working with Geo-Physicist, Gregg Braden (who edited my B.A. thesis for me) and interning with Dr. Cynthia Robbins (U. of Pennsylvania), head of the Maya "Xunantunich" archaeology project on the border of Guatemala and Belize. These two brilliant scientists had a lens on our ancient past that few have had the privilege to view. Working with both of them, throughout my academic years, was an unimaginable treat for me.
"Xunantunich," where I completed part of my undergraduate research, outside of Succotz Village, Belize
As I began to wonder at the sheer genius of subjects such as archaeo-astronomy, Mayan calendrics, and the architecture of the ancients, I began to ponder what their daily lives were like. Granted, depending on culture, environment, food/water sources, etc. it varied from continent to continent, but there were underlying themes which were woven throughout all cultures that I had the opportunity to study.
It mattered not, whether I was studying with the Quechua natives abiding on the floating islands of "Lake Titicaca," Peru (16,300 ft.), or the Celtic coastal fisherman, inhabiting sea-level villages along the British Isle coastline. Underlying primal needs were a necessity. Physical exertion was part of having those needs met to ensure survival. A "lazy" person amongst the tribe was not tolerated. Water needed to be carried, foraging and gathering to occur, and the hunt to feed the entire village was not optional.
Current Medical Anthropology states that "The average Paleo ancestor walked/hiked/ran up to 9 miles daily to complete life tasks." Pushing, pulling, lifting, hauling, squatting, climbing, crawling, jumping, all these were functional movements that were used, in one capacity or another, to assure survival for the whole. These movements were executed, according to Medical Anthropology experts, at high-intensity for short bursts of time. In other words, what we term "anaerobic exercise" today.
Man Climbing Tree In The South Pacific For Coconuts
Anaerobic exercise has been, up until recently, the "neglected orphan" of the exercise world. Why? Perhaps its because its difficult. Perhaps its because our culture has become "cardio crazed." Regardless, anaerobic activity is a vital necessity for any type of long-term athletic training for modern man. Our ancestors lived in a nomadic way. Sprint running after game, running away from being game, and the like were all necessary components of day-to-day existence. Modern man likes what is termed LSD types of exercise: "Long Slow Distance." Is this a "bad" thing? Of course not. But, from an anthropological perspective, there were very few members of a tribe that were allotted the role of being "messenger" or the "pony express" across vast distances. In other words, the majority of tribe members got their daily exercise through functional, anaerobic movements, combined with intermittent distance walking or hiking for water or food. There were 1-3 people (depending on the size of the population) that were given the task of carrying messages throughout the kingdom, to neighboring tribes, or to make far-reaching announcements.
Today, with modern science and technology, any individual can train to become an ultra-runner, or endurance athlete. This is an amazing exercise physiology phenomenon. One that has never been seen before historically. However, along the way, anaerobic exercise was a bit forgotten. Thanks to exercise outfits such as "CrossFit," P90x, and an emphasis on interval training and plyometrics, we are beginning to understand the relevance of it. We are realizing the need for our body's metabolism to train like our ancestors.
Alaskan Inuit Walrus Hunting
When we delve into the world of the human need for movement, we find common denominators the world over. There are fundamental movements that are necessary for life to continue. We call these, in modern day, "functional movements." Do you think of a deadlift as a "macho" thing to do? Does it sound a little too "Gold's Gym" for you? Think that sounds "hardcore?" The reality is you deadlift everyday. Whether its picking up your child, the groceries, or loading something into your car, the capacity to move loads across a distance is of vital importance. In other words, these movements: pushing, pulling, climbing, jumping, crawling, squatting, run-sprints, lifting, rolling, etc. should be considered the "ABC's" or fundamentals of any exercise regime. They will only make your favorite sport of choice that much stronger. Why? There is something in our genetics that says that these movements perpetuate ongoing survival of the species. They are "familiar" to our bodies, no matter where you live in the world. They could be considered "common denominator" movements.
Maasai Jumping Contest
To execute functional movements, at high intensity, for short bursts of time is even better. It keeps your metabolism "on its toes" to where your body recognizes its time to move into a "hyper" state of fitness.
It has been said, by exercise physiologists and medical anthropologists, that the Maasai tribe have "some of the strongest knees the world has seen." Vertical movement, executed at high intensity (see previous blog post on "Knee Health") is one of the most powerful and healing movements one can do to strengthen and/or heal the knees, and supporting lower limb muscle groups. It is a no wonder that NBA coaches fly to Kenya and northern Tanzania to recruit potential future star basketball players. Generation after generation of Maasai have been jumping for health, to participate in cultural ritual, and to assure continuation of tradition.
The infamous Maya ball court games: Deadly. Political. Tradition. The ball court was the "leveling field" of political dispute. Only the most skilled, and trained warriors of the classic Maya era had the last say at the end of the game. This was a match over kingdoms and commerce. The contestants saw themselves as the most elite and physically fit specimens of their people. "The sport of kings," as its been referred to in historical texts.
What little information we have of the warrior-athletes who participated in such a pivotal political "game" of strength and will is a testament to functional fitness. Run-sprints, at high intensity, up and down the ball court, along with long jumps and high jumps have been indicated in records. To be able to run, at high speed, with the ball, or to block the ball (such as in soccer) was of utmost importance. The stakes were high. Winning could not be considered optional. Kingdoms, crops, temples, and trade were all at stake. The team that lost didn't get the opportunity to say "Good Game" to one another at the end. Fitness was paramount. Their very lives, and the lives of their loved ones, depended on it. Training was everything.
Maya Ball Court Game
Fitness, in eras gone by, was rarely utilized for just enjoyment. It had to be maintained to survive. We now have the modern luxury of "enjoying" our runs. We can run with no other reason in mind, other than to feel the wind on our face. The majority of the time we're not hunting for food, or being chased. We aren't obligated to remain fit to survive the way "Paleo" man was. This is both a pro and a con. The pro? We get to experience the way our bodies move for the sheer bliss of being alive in them. The con? A hypnotic "web" of laziness has ensued amongst industrial nations that we're now paying the price for. This is the first time in history that parents are outliving their children. The national obesity crisis, in the U.S., has reached an all-time high. Doctors are now stating that 90% of disease is preventable through healthy lifestyle habits. Yet, the fast-food eating crisis has put out a subliminal message the across the globe: you don't need to hunt or gather food anymore. Sit back, and we'll take care of it all for you.
Poster From The Movie "Super-Size Me"
You may not need to hunt or forage for food any longer, but your body still has the need to train like it does. Genetics and ancestory change little over time. Your body still has the same functional fitness needs as your ancestors...and their ancestors before them. All the way back to the first inhabitants.
To train against the cultural lethargy of sedentary living and working environments is a mental discipline. It is one that cannot be ignored. Not if good health, and quality of life, is to be maintained. To move into a state of deliberate athleticism is the next level of fitness.
"CrossFit" gives 10 basic principles that should be utilized in any high-intensity, functional fitness program. They are:
10 Elements of Fitness
"According to the "Crossfit" ethos, there are 10 components of fitness. All of these points can be trained, while some of them are more down to genetics and god given ability. All the more reason to Train Your Weaknesses. Hammer the things you can, the things you don't want to, and often!" -Coach Glassman, Founder of "CrossFit"
1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance- The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility - The ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
Here are a few picture examples, illustrating above "CrossFit" principles and functional movements:
POWER
ACCURACY: HITTING THE TARGET ACCURATELY
BALANCE
FLEXIBILITY
SPEED: ROPE-CLIMBING AGAINST THE CLOCK
STAMINA
STRENGTH
CARDIOVASCULAR/RESPIRATORY ENDURANCE: RUN-SPRINTS FOR TIME
"Paleo Fitness" means that you pretend you still have the need to maintain the above listed 10 elements of physical fitness, even though our society doesn't live a "primitive" or "paleo" lifestyle. It means to consider the ways of our ancestors, and how their survival mechanisms have allowed us all to get to where we are today; to be here at this moment. Obviously, they did something right. They were "hardy" enough to withstand ages of living amongst harsh environments. Just because we have a remote control in our hand doesn't mean we can't benefit from lessons of the past.
"Paleo" means to consider the natural world, and its inhabitants. Observe the animals in your surrounding eco-system. Take note of the functional movements they employ for survival. Mimic those. Get in touch with the world around you (literally) by climbing trees, rocks and boulders. Jump in the tall grasses, swim in the vast lakes. Run trails, up them, down them, explore them. Hike your surrounding areas foothills. Move your body in as many ways as possible. Vary intensity and terrain. Relish in the amazement of your body, and all the varied ways it can move...up, down, all around. Most of all, enjoy this beautiful planet that we live on, like its the first time you've ever see it. Ponder the ways a child explores his/her environment. Wonder, excitement and curiosity permeate every cell of their being. To be alive is the greatest miracle of all.
DANCE IN THE RAIN! :)
Paleolithic man. The image conjures up brute cave people...nomadic, moving from forest dwelling to dwelling. Who were they? What were their lives like? Did they leave the modern world with any clues as to how to unlock our own potential?
During my undergraduate years of pursuing a degree in Medical Anthropology, I was exposed to these very questions. Year after year, from India to the Amazon, from the rainforests of the Maya to the Celtic coastlines, I sought the answers to these queries.
Amongst temples, towering over the forest canopy to ancient stone ruins, I sought the expertise of scholars who probed archaeological remains for clues to our past. Two highlights of my academic career: working with Geo-Physicist, Gregg Braden (who edited my B.A. thesis for me) and interning with Dr. Cynthia Robbins (U. of Pennsylvania), head of the Maya "Xunantunich" archaeology project on the border of Guatemala and Belize. These two brilliant scientists had a lens on our ancient past that few have had the privilege to view. Working with both of them, throughout my academic years, was an unimaginable treat for me.
"Xunantunich," where I completed part of my undergraduate research, outside of Succotz Village, Belize
As I began to wonder at the sheer genius of subjects such as archaeo-astronomy, Mayan calendrics, and the architecture of the ancients, I began to ponder what their daily lives were like. Granted, depending on culture, environment, food/water sources, etc. it varied from continent to continent, but there were underlying themes which were woven throughout all cultures that I had the opportunity to study.
It mattered not, whether I was studying with the Quechua natives abiding on the floating islands of "Lake Titicaca," Peru (16,300 ft.), or the Celtic coastal fisherman, inhabiting sea-level villages along the British Isle coastline. Underlying primal needs were a necessity. Physical exertion was part of having those needs met to ensure survival. A "lazy" person amongst the tribe was not tolerated. Water needed to be carried, foraging and gathering to occur, and the hunt to feed the entire village was not optional.
Current Medical Anthropology states that "The average Paleo ancestor walked/hiked/ran up to 9 miles daily to complete life tasks." Pushing, pulling, lifting, hauling, squatting, climbing, crawling, jumping, all these were functional movements that were used, in one capacity or another, to assure survival for the whole. These movements were executed, according to Medical Anthropology experts, at high-intensity for short bursts of time. In other words, what we term "anaerobic exercise" today.
Man Climbing Tree In The South Pacific For Coconuts
Anaerobic exercise has been, up until recently, the "neglected orphan" of the exercise world. Why? Perhaps its because its difficult. Perhaps its because our culture has become "cardio crazed." Regardless, anaerobic activity is a vital necessity for any type of long-term athletic training for modern man. Our ancestors lived in a nomadic way. Sprint running after game, running away from being game, and the like were all necessary components of day-to-day existence. Modern man likes what is termed LSD types of exercise: "Long Slow Distance." Is this a "bad" thing? Of course not. But, from an anthropological perspective, there were very few members of a tribe that were allotted the role of being "messenger" or the "pony express" across vast distances. In other words, the majority of tribe members got their daily exercise through functional, anaerobic movements, combined with intermittent distance walking or hiking for water or food. There were 1-3 people (depending on the size of the population) that were given the task of carrying messages throughout the kingdom, to neighboring tribes, or to make far-reaching announcements.
Today, with modern science and technology, any individual can train to become an ultra-runner, or endurance athlete. This is an amazing exercise physiology phenomenon. One that has never been seen before historically. However, along the way, anaerobic exercise was a bit forgotten. Thanks to exercise outfits such as "CrossFit," P90x, and an emphasis on interval training and plyometrics, we are beginning to understand the relevance of it. We are realizing the need for our body's metabolism to train like our ancestors.
Alaskan Inuit Walrus Hunting
When we delve into the world of the human need for movement, we find common denominators the world over. There are fundamental movements that are necessary for life to continue. We call these, in modern day, "functional movements." Do you think of a deadlift as a "macho" thing to do? Does it sound a little too "Gold's Gym" for you? Think that sounds "hardcore?" The reality is you deadlift everyday. Whether its picking up your child, the groceries, or loading something into your car, the capacity to move loads across a distance is of vital importance. In other words, these movements: pushing, pulling, climbing, jumping, crawling, squatting, run-sprints, lifting, rolling, etc. should be considered the "ABC's" or fundamentals of any exercise regime. They will only make your favorite sport of choice that much stronger. Why? There is something in our genetics that says that these movements perpetuate ongoing survival of the species. They are "familiar" to our bodies, no matter where you live in the world. They could be considered "common denominator" movements.
Maasai Jumping Contest
To execute functional movements, at high intensity, for short bursts of time is even better. It keeps your metabolism "on its toes" to where your body recognizes its time to move into a "hyper" state of fitness.
It has been said, by exercise physiologists and medical anthropologists, that the Maasai tribe have "some of the strongest knees the world has seen." Vertical movement, executed at high intensity (see previous blog post on "Knee Health") is one of the most powerful and healing movements one can do to strengthen and/or heal the knees, and supporting lower limb muscle groups. It is a no wonder that NBA coaches fly to Kenya and northern Tanzania to recruit potential future star basketball players. Generation after generation of Maasai have been jumping for health, to participate in cultural ritual, and to assure continuation of tradition.
The infamous Maya ball court games: Deadly. Political. Tradition. The ball court was the "leveling field" of political dispute. Only the most skilled, and trained warriors of the classic Maya era had the last say at the end of the game. This was a match over kingdoms and commerce. The contestants saw themselves as the most elite and physically fit specimens of their people. "The sport of kings," as its been referred to in historical texts.
What little information we have of the warrior-athletes who participated in such a pivotal political "game" of strength and will is a testament to functional fitness. Run-sprints, at high intensity, up and down the ball court, along with long jumps and high jumps have been indicated in records. To be able to run, at high speed, with the ball, or to block the ball (such as in soccer) was of utmost importance. The stakes were high. Winning could not be considered optional. Kingdoms, crops, temples, and trade were all at stake. The team that lost didn't get the opportunity to say "Good Game" to one another at the end. Fitness was paramount. Their very lives, and the lives of their loved ones, depended on it. Training was everything.
Maya Ball Court Game
Fitness, in eras gone by, was rarely utilized for just enjoyment. It had to be maintained to survive. We now have the modern luxury of "enjoying" our runs. We can run with no other reason in mind, other than to feel the wind on our face. The majority of the time we're not hunting for food, or being chased. We aren't obligated to remain fit to survive the way "Paleo" man was. This is both a pro and a con. The pro? We get to experience the way our bodies move for the sheer bliss of being alive in them. The con? A hypnotic "web" of laziness has ensued amongst industrial nations that we're now paying the price for. This is the first time in history that parents are outliving their children. The national obesity crisis, in the U.S., has reached an all-time high. Doctors are now stating that 90% of disease is preventable through healthy lifestyle habits. Yet, the fast-food eating crisis has put out a subliminal message the across the globe: you don't need to hunt or gather food anymore. Sit back, and we'll take care of it all for you.
Poster From The Movie "Super-Size Me"
You may not need to hunt or forage for food any longer, but your body still has the need to train like it does. Genetics and ancestory change little over time. Your body still has the same functional fitness needs as your ancestors...and their ancestors before them. All the way back to the first inhabitants.
To train against the cultural lethargy of sedentary living and working environments is a mental discipline. It is one that cannot be ignored. Not if good health, and quality of life, is to be maintained. To move into a state of deliberate athleticism is the next level of fitness.
"CrossFit" gives 10 basic principles that should be utilized in any high-intensity, functional fitness program. They are:
10 Elements of Fitness
"According to the "Crossfit" ethos, there are 10 components of fitness. All of these points can be trained, while some of them are more down to genetics and god given ability. All the more reason to Train Your Weaknesses. Hammer the things you can, the things you don't want to, and often!" -Coach Glassman, Founder of "CrossFit"
1. Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance- The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2. Stamina - The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3. Strength - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4. Flexibility - The ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5. Power - The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6. Speed - The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7. Coordination - The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8. Agility - The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9. Balance - The ability to control the placement of the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10. Accuracy - The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
Here are a few picture examples, illustrating above "CrossFit" principles and functional movements:
POWER
ACCURACY: HITTING THE TARGET ACCURATELY
BALANCE
FLEXIBILITY
SPEED: ROPE-CLIMBING AGAINST THE CLOCK
STAMINA
STRENGTH
CARDIOVASCULAR/RESPIRATORY ENDURANCE: RUN-SPRINTS FOR TIME
"Paleo Fitness" means that you pretend you still have the need to maintain the above listed 10 elements of physical fitness, even though our society doesn't live a "primitive" or "paleo" lifestyle. It means to consider the ways of our ancestors, and how their survival mechanisms have allowed us all to get to where we are today; to be here at this moment. Obviously, they did something right. They were "hardy" enough to withstand ages of living amongst harsh environments. Just because we have a remote control in our hand doesn't mean we can't benefit from lessons of the past.
"Paleo" means to consider the natural world, and its inhabitants. Observe the animals in your surrounding eco-system. Take note of the functional movements they employ for survival. Mimic those. Get in touch with the world around you (literally) by climbing trees, rocks and boulders. Jump in the tall grasses, swim in the vast lakes. Run trails, up them, down them, explore them. Hike your surrounding areas foothills. Move your body in as many ways as possible. Vary intensity and terrain. Relish in the amazement of your body, and all the varied ways it can move...up, down, all around. Most of all, enjoy this beautiful planet that we live on, like its the first time you've ever see it. Ponder the ways a child explores his/her environment. Wonder, excitement and curiosity permeate every cell of their being. To be alive is the greatest miracle of all.
DANCE IN THE RAIN! :)
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