Friday, August 6, 2010

Solomon River...What a night!


















Iran and I were down at the mouth of the Nome River...was not catching anything.....so we decided to head out to "Solomon" (approx 30 or so miles on a gravel from Nome) with nothing less than our never used before inflatable boat! Well...to get it out there we had deflate it some to get it on the car......when we got out to Solomon which took us over an hour my HUSBAND brought the wrong pump (it would not air it up...due to insufficient power connections!) so there we were mouth to boat air blowing....the wilderness rebels that we are said forget it! Lets throw it in the water...as is! First off it was SO beautiful that evening in Solomon!! Anyway, the wilderness rebels (Iran and myself) just threw the boat in.....well being that I am rather "thick" in stature and Iran is not too much thinner the sides of our boat was almost water level, particularly where I was stationed. Really nervous but too late to turn back now, already away from the rocky shore....away we went. Let me add we had no real motor just paddles. We were having a blast....floating down the river, pulling over onto the shore every now and then to cast from the bank...that is where Iran caught his SECOND of the season, yummy silver salmon!! (The silver is the one you see him holding up). Here was the problem.....we were down stream...our car was up stream...there were BEAR TRACKS EVERYWHERE...we did see one set of moose tracks. Bear tracks are huge...but in the mud they look like monster big foot. I was terrified...thinking where did the time go?? Here it is 2am...(bears are nocturnal) and we can NOT get the boat back up stream in the water due to lots of fish weight, fatty weight and Iran's weight, we were paddling for all we were worth, pretty much standing still.....we could not get off at the bank due to all the willow bushes..uhhhhh that is wear all the bear tracks lead to.......so here we were in the middle of the river paddling against the current standing still. So Iran pulls us over....now let me mention...NOTHING really gets my husband excited (his motor cycle/snow machine is about all) he does not show a lot of emotions, especially scared emotions but I did notice he had his big bear pistol drawn and told me twice to walk (we were half in the water, half out....shallow enough to walk up river next to the bank, walking faster than what we could ever paddle) next to him. Of course I learned that bears do not like loud noises and will usually go away...so I was BANGING the metal paddles with everything I had in me as my stomach was quivering with fright, praying all the along the way for God to get us out of there....seems like I pray those prayers so often these days. Anyway I was banging paddles and talking as loud as I could with out screaming...."HIIIIII IRANNNNN, HOW ARE YOUUUUUUUU DOING TOOOOONIIIIIGHT???" As I get a glimpse of Iran ROLLING his eyes at me, not even bothering to answer me........that is fine, I know I scared the bears away! Well, God did! At one point we finally had to get back in the boat and paddle for all we were worth, to get to where the car was up on the gravel road....with the old cematary in the moonlight. Cold, soaking wet and tired. Ohhhhhhhh but we made it...did not get home till 4am..what a night!

1 comment:

  1. I sure am glad no bear showed up to relieve you of your salmon...or worse!!! Good thing you were talking loudly, Lisa! I sure that IS what tipped the tide! Iran SHOULD be grateful, rather than sarcastic!

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