Uhhh...

Today I walked out of the grocery store toward my car and was really confused about where I parked?

Uh….which one is mine?

Kenai’s Garden

Every good bird-dog deserves a sanctuary to hang out when she’s not working, aka hunting. So I created Kenai a garden to relax in while the humans are at work!

Even the best bird-dogs beg…

My husband and some funny pictures…

Jeremy loves his Yamaha 115 4-stroke and gives it lots of TLC every time we get back from fishing…

Who Me????

Co-Workers

Two of my co-workers, Emily and Rachel, hard at work!

Rachel – I dig the shades!

Boca de Quadra Camping trip...

After killing as many fish as possible we hit the beach for some snorkeling, rest and relaxation.

This beach is our favorite one here in the Ketchikan area. Luckily it is accessible only by boat so it is not a well known beach. So sshhh don’t tell anyone about it! We love this beach because there is little human sign, beautiful white sand and the water is as blue as the Caribbean.

The water however, is just a little cooler than the Caribbean. It was about 61 degrees, which isn’t too cold once we get our wetsuit, hood, booties and gloves on. The only thing that gets cold is your face.


Ketchikan has amazing snorkeling! The huge underwater grassy fields are full of fish. Sandy bottoms provide a dozen species of starfish, sea cucumbers, crabs and flounder. Work your way over to the rocks and spend hours looking for colorful nudibranchs, anemones, scallops, abalone, sponges and coral. Every crack and crevice is filled with feather duster worms, cup coral and fish of every imaginable variety.


After an hour or so of snorkeling we lit a fire and kicked back to watch the bird-brain chase birds up and down the beach. She even stocked a couple Bald Eagles! But the poor girl didn’t have a chance. She had better luck chasing these little sand birds up and down the beach. It was hilarious, she must have spent an hour chasing the same bird! After tiring from chasing birds she went for a sunset walk on the beach.

Fish story...

Once again Da Baums went on a camping/fishing/snorkeling expedition. Kristi, once again, came back with the biggest and the most fish! But I also have a GREAT fish story to tell.

We of course started the day with fishing. After about 20 minutes I had caught my halibut limit, one being about 50lbs. After watching my husband catch nothing for awhile I got bored and was itching too geta pole back in the water. So I decided to get my little trout spinner pole with 10 lb test out and try for a King Salmon. Well not 5 mins. Later I landed a pretty little 15lb king.

By this time Jeremy had finally caught a halibut and was getting bored and wanted to reel up and hit the beach. I said, "just one more cast, puuulllleeaaseeee??"

Well being the ever great husband he said ok. So I tossed it in one more time and got a bite. I set the hook but then couldn't lift the pole... Jeremy said, "You've got bottom." I highly disagreed, I knew I had a fish. So he took the pole and proceeded to get it "off the bottom" and realized I did have a fish and handed the pole back laughing.

He said, "Great we are going to be here all day trying to get that thing to the boat."

About the time I would get this fish to the boat it would take off back for the bottom. Finally after about 10 minutes I almost got him to the top and my poor little trout pole snapped. I was bummed about that because I had just got this pole the week before. But my sadness turned into pure joy when I saw the fish my little trout pole helped me catch! To our astonishment it was a HUGE Ling Cod!

At least I got some good use out of my trout pole. Jeremy said he is going to get me a new one called the Whoopin Stick! That sounds perfect for me to use on him! Dual purpose fishing rod! hehe

I thank God for letting me live in such a beautiful place and for all the amazing fish I have been able to catch!

One of my students!

As a reward for being good in class Jeremy took one of my students, Brian, fishing in May. Brian caught the "biggest fish" he ever caught, a sea bass. He had a blast and I love this picture. He definitely is my most creative student. I still can't believe Jeremy gave him the gaff to carry his fish around on :) hehe

My Boss!

Jeremy and I took my boss, Tim, fishing and crabbing way back in the spring. I am finally getting them on here. This was Tim's first time fishing in Alaska and his first time ever crabbing.


Tim recently got married and is on his way back to Alaska with his new wife, Kayla.


This is for you Kayla!

Bakewell Lake Cabin

This past week Jeremy and I took the boat out into the Misty Fjords and hiked or rather bushwhacked our way into the Bakewell Lake cabin. The hike was supposed to be a 2-mile hike, no problem I thought. However, there was only a trail for about half-a-mile. So the other mile and a half we had to hike through marsh and thick vegetation. I was about to go crazy at one point because I got stuck in this big bush, it was not fun.

Fortunately the fishing made this trip worthwhile. We finally got to the cabin and after we got settled we took the row boat out for a sunset fishingtrip. I caught a nice 15 inch rainbow and Jeremy caught an 18 incher, finally he catches a bigger fish than mine.

The next morning I got up and went for a swim in the rain. It was a blast. The water was pretty warm. After a lot of pleading I finally got my husband to jump in with me. But he screamed like a girl and got right out saying it was to cold!

That afternoon before we hiked out Jeremy, the chef extraordinaire cooked up our trout. We had brought wheat things with us so he crushed them up and coated the fish with them and salmon berries! It was delicious.

After our scrumptious meal we hiked out, but stopped to fish the creek. Wow talk about hot trout fishing. Every cast I caught a rainbow, cutthroat or dolly. They loved my spinner. Jeremy had almost equal luck with his fly rod. But I think I kept fishing all the holes out before he could get his line in the water!

Next week look for pictures of our snorkeling trip – if the weather cooperates!

Jasen Catches a King!

A couple Wednesdays ago Jasen played hookie from work

and spent the entire day fishing with Jeremy!

Luckily the boys came back with a full fish box.

Here is a picture of Jasen with his king!

(Helen you need to add this picture of your husband to your blog so you can have dead stuff on your blog too!)

Sea Lion Rock

During the last week of June we went fishing and ran across this Sea Lion Rock. Wow, are they stinky and loud!

They smell like a heard of cows but the sounds they make are a mix between a moo and a barkish growl!