Photos from the Land of Salmon

Alaskan CloudsAs I previously mentioned, last weekend I headed up to Alaska on a fishing trip. And most of my time was spent fishing rather than on photography. Weather was a major factor in keeping the camera in the bag – it rained four out of the five days I was there.

The trip was sponsored by Holt Services, a drilling firm we often use in my day job as a geologist. I was part of a group of 18, mostly geologists and drillers. Many fish were caught and much beer was drunk. We stayed at and fished from the Clover Pass Resort, about 20 minutes north of Ketchikan. The first couple days of fishing were not so good; I only caught on fish – a 10-pound coho (silver salmon). The last two days were much better; I caught nine coho. We saw plenty of wildlife as well, including bald eagles, Dall’s porpoises, gray whales, and seals.

Overall, it was a great trip, except for the limited photography opportunities. I didn’t get anything too special, but since I mentioned it in my previous post, I thought I should post a few images. So, without further ado, here are some shots from the land of salmon.

The first day we had good weather, with only scattered rain over distant hills.
The first day we had good weather, with only scattered rain over distant hills.
A couple nearby fishermen on that first day.
A couple nearby fishermen on that first day.
Most the shoreline was rocky and lined with trees.
Most the shoreline was rocky and lined with trees.
This was what it was all about - coho salmon.
This was what it was all about – coho salmon.
These were the boats we used to fish. My boat was #28 in the foreground.
These were the boats we used to fish. My boat was #28 in the foreground. Note the rain and gray skies – a common feature for the last four days of my trip.
We saw plenty of bald eagles.
We saw plenty of bald eagles.
The streams in the area were full of tannins, making the fresh water almost brown in color.
The streams in the area were full of tannins, making the fresh water almost brown in color.

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9 responses to “Photos from the Land of Salmon”

  1. Jane Lurie Avatar

    Looks like a great trip, Joe.

  2. Ernie Misner Avatar

    These images are actually great! Love the gull in that first one. I bet this was a good attitude adjuster and the photography will always be there. Thanks for taking the time to share as always Joe. It is much appreciated.

    1. joebecker Avatar

      Thanks Ernie. I like the gull to, but unfortunately my shutter speed was a little slow and he is a bit blurry.

  3. smackedpentax Avatar

    Fantastic, what an amazing place and the photos are superb ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Frank King Photos Avatar

    Love this photo series, Joe. What are tannins??

    1. joebecker Avatar

      Thanks Frank. Tannins are a natural compound found in plants. They are the same compound that makes red wine taste dry. On the Pacific Northwest coast, with its abundant rain, the water often leaches the tannins out of decaying plants and trees, turning the water a brown color and giving it a taste like weak tea. At the resort in Alaska, even the tap water was brown with tannins.

  5. annicaaktiv Avatar

    So beautifully ๐Ÿ™‚

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