Fresh Eggs

Five dozen eggs...that is our inventory par. We eat and use plenty of eggs. Most baked items require eggs...and eggs are a common breakfast entree at Port Ashton. So when we run out of eggs it's an emergency!

Our nearest grocery source is a 3 hour boat ride away. The most resourceful folks in our area grow their own produce...so why not raise laying hens? Randy and Lia raised chickens four years ago so they are experienced chicken farmers! Thus began the building of the chicken coop.

The body of the coop is an old stand up freezer that has three roosting shelves. Randy enclosed it with reclaimed cannery wood...drew up plans for the fencing and left Lia and I the task to finish the coop.

More green painting, luckily we had help from Tristan and Tasha. It was 75 degrees the day we painted and I was too hot! Between the bugs and the heat I was ready to quit.

After painting we scavenged wood from the ruins of China Town and the Cold Storage buildings and began measuring. We cut the wood with a hand saw...which was no easy task, dug the holes for the posts with a little help from Heila and set the posts. We made sure the posts were level and started in on the fencing framework.

After painting we scavenged wood from the ruins of China Town and the Cold Storage buildings and began measuring. We cut the wood with a hand saw...which was no easy task, dug the holes for the posts with a little help from Heila and set the posts. We made sure the posts were level and started in on the fencing framework.

With only a few pieces nailed in place Randy arrived from his supply run to Anchorage. After unloading and putting away the supplies we returned to the chicken coop project now with Randy's supervision.

He laughed when he discovered we cut the wood by hand and then the lesson began. We had tried leveling the framework but it was crooked...he informed us that you cannot level on uneven ground! So we dismantled some of our work and measured this time. We also learned that if we blunted the ends of the nails the old wood was less likely to crack.

Complete, except for the chicken wire...so we thought. Randy just saw my post and informed us that we need one more 1x4 in the center of the overhang.

Chickens next season!

Overwhelming Laundry

Laundry is constantly arriving at Creekside - clothing, table linen, sleeping bag liners and bed linen. Between July 2-5 we had 40 guests, 6 dogs, 4 kids, 13 boats and 36 loads of laundry!

Here is our personal laundry...notice the towels in the shower...we have found the shower to be a great place to stage dirty dishes as well as laundry!

We have a full size stack washer and dryer in our bathroom that is constantly running. This means closely watching the water tank level so we don't lose the prime on the pump...see last seasons Water blog posting.

Lia is the laundry lady...she keeps the washer and dryer running during the day. With the beautiful weather we were hanging the laundry...Port Ashton style, on the dog run! We have a laundry line that needs to be hung up...the big decision is where to locate it. In the sun but out of site of the guests? Serious questions for us to consider...

Any thoughts?

Fish Alaska Story

We were so excited to have a writer as a guest. Les Palmer, a columnist for the Kenai Peninsula Clarion newspaper, and his fishing buddies were guests at Port Ashton Lodge last season. Getting publicity for the lodge seemed very important and having a professional writer and experienced Alaskan fisherman visit was ideal. Lia and I looked forward to having Les’ impressions of PAL documented hoping that his words would describe the essence of our offerings.

Palmer planned to write and submit a story about Port Ashton Lodge to Alaska Magazine, Alaska’s premier publication. A story in Alaska Magazine would mean incredible exposure for our business. Visitors as well as Alaskans read Alaska Magazine. We couldn’t wait to see our lodge displayed on newsstands!

When Les, Dave and Rod arrived at that dock we were all there to greet them…kids, dog and moms. Our overwhelming desire to please them exuded our every action. We wanted Les to know everything about Port Ashton Lodge…but he was tired and hungry. So we hurried to finish dinner.

Dinner was wonderful…fresh Lingcod they caught with raspberry chipotle sauce and red salmon, purchased from a local seiner, served with a vegetable kabob and mango salsa. We finished the meal with blueberry cobbler and homemade ice cream. Les and his friends reminisced about fishing in Prince William Sound and we got to know one another.

We are hopeful and anxious to read Les’ story…not knowing when it will be printed we wait patiently through the summer. In August, I forward more photos to Les…and we keep in touch awaiting news of the printing date. In January, Les sends the bad news that Alaska Magazine has killed the story…they are cutting back on stories due to the economic down turn. We are all so disappointed.

Finally in April, Les sends news that Fish Alaska will print his story over the summer. We are overjoyed, thankful and eager to read the story. June 2009 the story is published and I search the Fish Alaska website for a copy. Unfortunately, it is not one of the stories featured on the web…so again I must wait.

Kristofer and I arrive into Anchorage June 20th and begin the shopping marathon. We spend five days looking for supplies from new shower knobs to cilantro. During each day, I look for something to do with Kristofer to break up the monotony of shopping. So we go to Barnes and Noble for some new books. After checking out we walk past the check stands and I see it, Fish Alaska magazine.

Going Back: Reliving Adventures in Prince William Sound, story by Les Palmer, photos by Les Palmer & Paige Talvi. Yahoo! Port Ashton Lodge is in print…

Porcupine Obsession

Wildlife is abundant at Port Ashton and one of our inhabitants is the porcupine. Last season Randy and I kayaked across Sawmill Bay and went exploring. “Get your camera…there’s a porcupine,” Randy directed. “Where?” I inquired. Pointing and with much direction I finally saw the moving porcupine. Missing several shots eventually I photographed Mr. Porcupine.

Finding the porcupine is not a problem for the dogs, Licorice the black lab, and Heila the Karelian Bear dog. If there is a porcupine on Evans Island, and there are, they will find it. Seeking porcupine is a team effort…if one of the dogs is kenneled the other dog will not go out of her way to find one.

Yet, on those occasions when they are both roaming freely, they will return to camp with evidence of their excursion. Heila, and her mother before her, especially love the porcupine. Porcupine quills cover their faces…and removing them is a family effort.

At least one adult must hold the dog while our PAL (Port Ashton Lodge) medic, Randy, removes the quills, one by one. It is a painful effort for all involved.

Now one would think that a few negative quill experiences would at least cause a dog to hesitate before harassing the porcupine again. Yet, this has not come to pass. The dogs are obsessed with porcupines.

So, when you arrive at Port Ashton you may be greeted by one dog but never by two dogs. On this island of porcupines they cannot control themselves, so we do, by always kenneling one dog…for her and the porcupines protection.

PS: This is my dog, Cloud, a Bichon Friese. Cloud lives on Kauai and although she would love Port Ashton Randy advises that she would be lunch for a soaring Bald Eagle. Cloud’s coat is like Velcro…and when she runs free she attracts weeds and mud. Kristofer and I are missing her!

Water Tank Cleaning

There are several levels of maintenance necessary to open the lodge...the first steps are Randy's kuleana (responsibility). And, with the help of friends he travels to the lodge on weekends, beginning in May each season, delivering supplies and de-winterizing the buildings and equipment. One item he cleans, and puts back on line each spring are the water tanks.


Our water tanks store the water pumped from the stream, first microfiltered and then sanitized before supplying the domestic water needs of all of our buildings. (see Pumping Water blog). The tanks and the entire water system is drained for winter and cleaned in Spring. Luckily, friend Steve Bartelli could fit into the tank to give it a good scrub!

Randy, reports that few repairs were required this spring and Port Ashton Lodge is "up and running"! His early Summer project is building a Freezer House that will sit near the dock and house a couple of freezers for freezing the fish caught and processed by our fishing guests. This will eliminate the hauling of hundreds of pounds of fish from the dock to the Cook House. A more difficult job depending upon the tide...on high tide we have to haul the fish by hand...on low tide we can use the four wheeler.

The Freezer House foundation is in place thanks to Randy and crew. Can you see the beautiful pepto pink color of the lumber? That is the color one gets after mixing free paint. The kids, Lia and I painted the lumber last summer so it would winter safely. At Port Ashton we use what we got...aesthetics are second to usefulness. So, the new building supply list has been created...now another trip to town!

Thanks to Randy every season life gets easier with a few more conveniences.

May Departure

Less than 24 hours from departure...Randy checked the sea conditions...11' seas out of Seward, 6' from Whittier...Lia purchased the produce and last minute items. It is a stressful and exciting time returning to Port Ashton.

The Suburban and truck were packed to the gills - with some room for kids and dogs! It's tricky business getting 3 months worth of supplies out to our remote location. Randy has made several trips over the weekends...supplying the builders who are completing the Cook House. (The Cook House has been insulated and the interior walls installed...time to paint! Guests who choose to stay in a cabin and fore go full-service use the Cook House for their dining needs.) Fortunately, there are more trips to town planned and friends and guides who generously pick up fresh and needed supplies throughout the summer for us.

And a summer it will be...blue skies and warm days are predicted. Lia already has a suntan! I, on the other hand do not...on Kauai it is easy to take nice days for granted whereas Alaskans take advantage of good weather. There is no prettier place than Port Ashton on a sunny day. Kayaking, fishing and hiking are even more enjoyable under blue skies. I looked at the Sawmill Bay camera this morning...the bay is calm and the skies are blue.

We are looking forward to joining Randy & Lia...

And, I just received an e-mail from Lia...they arrived Sunday at 10AM...spent the night in Culross Bay on the way to the lodge Saturday night. Lots of rain in Whittier that they left behind. Guests arrived the following day...so unpacking is taking some time. I'll post some more photos as soon as Lia has a moment to forward the photos!

Dwelling in Port Ashton

May and the signs of the rapidly approaching summer are when my thoughts take flight to Port Ashton. My life on Kauai becomes overshadowed by preparations for summer and life at the lodge. There is a necessary mental preparation that we all go through to be ready for our remote living...and for me a physical strengthening with the knowledge that the nearest store is 110 miles away by boat or plane.

What do we need? What will make our guests and ourselves more comfortable? What new recipes and menus do we want to serve...and what new ingredients will we need? Answering these questions, consulting with Lia and Randy, and searching my cookbooks, computer files, notes from previous seasons and the internet consume much of my free time. The summer is full of possibilities that require our attention and planning today.

And in this process, I'm always several months behind Lia and Randy...who are preparing all year long and who begin gearing up after Christmas by getting the boat ready, purchasing equipment and building supplies, taking reservations and getting to know the coming seasons' guests, drawing up plans...

Summer is exploding in Alaska...Randy and friend, Wally, boated out of Seward to visit the lodge the first weekend of May. It was 70º with plenty of snow still on the ground. At those temperatures though the snow will melt quickly. You can check out weather and Sawmill Bay in real time on our neighbor's weather camera, Armin F. Koernig (AFK) Hatchery. It is updated every 15 minutes!

Randy reported that the lodge is in great shape...the Beach House which floats on high tide needs some minor leveling but that is to be expected after riding the winter tides.

Lia is predicting a warm summer...Randy and Lia's home town of Wasilla has welcomed several 70º days already...so the prospects are good. Of course, this will make packing tricky...but layers are always a good idea. And, any day can start out at 50º and warm to 80º by afternoon. Alaska is a land of extremes. During the summer the sun rises at 5 am and sets at 11 pm in Prince William Sound. And, the tide fluctuates as much as 25'.

Randy, Lia and their children are moving out to the lodge May 23...less than two weeks! Kristofer and I are leaving Kauai June 19 for Anchorage where we will purchase supplies...and either take the ferry from Whittier to Chenega Bay June 25 or Randy will make a run with the Wild Abandon to Whittier to retrieve us. Russ will join us in early August and we will stay until the end of August...a first for PAL...since Randy has to return to Wasilla to his teaching position August 11. We are looking forward to our fourth season at Port Ashton welcoming our returning and new guests.

So much to do and so little time...and isn't that really why we spend the summer at Port Ashton!