Crabby Mama

Part 3!

10/1/2020

Part 3 in my series of interviews with Megan Waldrep!

Today's interview talks about ALS, Business and Grief. As I sit here on Camano Island, the weather seems consistent for the topics...foggy.

When we entered the ALS world most days you couldn't see past the 10 feet in front of you. Some days were minute by minute. The nature of ALS makes you feel penned in...kind of like the fog I see today. You know there something beyond the fog, but what is it? How will you navigate to get there?

My first answer to Megan's question give you a glimpse of how we moved through the fog of ALS with our business. Let's just say Pat and I had two completely different ideas. Then the second answer to a follow up question relates to the fog of grief once Pat passed away from his ALS.

I know...not the most uplifting of posts, but as Pat would say, "It is what it is."

Click here ➡️ to go to Megan's blog and check out Part 3.

Thanks again to Megan for this opportunity. You should follow her Instagram. She's a hard worker, a phenomenal person and a great writer. My favorite part of her Insta, other than everything else she posts, is her Word of the Day Calander. Waaay better than the email I used to get with the word of the day from a dictionary website!

Also, If you want to learn more about ALS and help us find a treatment or 20, check out Pat's Fund at ALS Therapy Development Institute. ALS TDI is working hard every day to #endals.

Thanks for reading,
xoJenny

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Part Two!

9/23/2020

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Good afternoon from Seattle!
The smoke from the wildfires is gone and it's pouring down rain in Seattle. Life seems like it's a little bit back to normal.

Continuing with my partnership with Megan Waldrep, part 2 of my interview with her has been published on her website.

Before I go any farther, I want to say thanks so much to Megan for giving me a place for me voice and story. She does such a great job promoting and I was overwhelmed by the response. Also, thanks to for all of you who sent notes and messages to me. Again, overwhelmed. If you missed part 1, you can checkout out here.

So! Here we go, part 2. Life on a boat, with the one you love...total happiness right?! Some days yes, some days no. Life together in a home that was a bit smaller than the boat life...same thing, some days fun, some day nope. Pat and I started our business in 1986. We grew a business together, a family and then had to navigate through a couple rare really horrible diseases, cancer and ALS. The lessons learned on the Alaskan waters, they got us through the days, and continue to do so.

You can check out my answer here ➡️"What are some of the challenges you faced as a partner of a commercial fisherman?"

Enjoy the read. Thanks again to Megan for the opportunity.
Jenny

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A new Joint Venture!

9/16/2020

1 Comment

Hi there!

I know many of you come to my blog to find out the happenings of Sean, the Brenna A, life in the Bering Sea. I'll give you an update on all of that next week. Spoiler alert, all is well!

Today is kind of a sweaty palms kind of day for me. I'm entering into a new venture with my new friend Megan Waldrep. Megan is a writer. LIke a real writer! She has many topics near and dear to her heart. But, one of her focuses is Partners of Commercial Fishermen. She has featured my daughter-in-law Bri, and one of our crew member's wife, Cydney.

Megan is a fabulous writer, a kind soul, gracious, a connector of people, and a sharer of stories.

Through her work with Bri and Cydney, Megan and I connected. She asked if I would share my story of life in the fishing industry. I said sure! Of course, most of my story is out there, thanks to Deadliest Catch. But there is always more to the story. Having been involved in various sides of the fishing business since high school...there is much to tell. As many of you know, Pat and I started our business in 1986. We bought our first boat together, before we were married. So. Many of stories, observations, and crazy life experiences.

Megan presented me with a list of seven questions to answer about various aspects of being a partner to a commercial fisherman. Today Megan is publishing my resonse to her first question she asked me.

I think she might have been expecting a couple paragraph answer, but...I don't know how to write tlike that! I'm sure that drives my business partner, and kids, and our business managers crazy sometimes with my long answers to simple questions, that are puctuated with exclamation points! But, it's all I know how to do.

Soooooo, click here ➡️ "Tell us where you are from and how you met Pat"

That will take you to Megan's blog where you can find out what I wrote when presented with a simple question that almost turned into a book on it's own...I edited tons out, lol, so it didn't!

Question two is being edited. It was tough, but hopefully it will offer some insights.

Thanks for reading along. Be sure to clink on the blue link above and learn more a little bit more about our story.
xoJenny

As an introduction to Megan, here is her bio:
Megan Waldrep is a freelance writer and journalist who writes for national and regional California publications. Her blog highlights real stories of partners of commercial fishermen to helpothers feel less alone while navigating this unique and adventurous lifestyle! To learn more, visit www.meganwaldrep.com

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Welcome to 2020

1/8/2020

7 Comments

Welcome to 2020 and the year’s first blog from the world’s worst blogger! I open every blog of the year saying that. For the past two years, that has been completely true. Can you guess what my New Year’s resolution is?! I can’t decide if I should actually say it out loud, and be held accountable by you all. Or. Keep it to myself and if I get more than one post out this year, call myself the world’s ok’est blogger!

I hope the year 2019 was a good one for you, and 2020 has started out on a good note for you.

Welcome to 2020 from Brenna, Jenny, Sean, and Bri!

Sad start to 2020
For our fishing community, 2020 began in a very sad way. I really didn’t want my first blog be about tragedy, but I feel compelled to write about it. For me, writing is processing and there is alway much to process when there is a sadness in my heart, and our fleet.

On December 31st, the FV Scandies Rose was lost at sea. Two crew members were found in a survival raft. Five other crew members, including the Captain and his son, were lost at sea. The Coast Guard suspended their search and rescue last Wednesday for the five missing men.

Remembering the loss of the St. George
For me, the loss of a fishing vessel hits hard. When I woke up New Year’s Day, and started reading small blurbs on Facebook and news reports, about the boat being missing, my first visceral reaction is to throw up. Literally. My stomach drops, twists, and starts churning. My second reaction is that I want to just sell everything. Boats, quota, pots, equipment, everything. I think, “why are we in this business, why do I continue to send boats out with family and friends onboard, knowing what the risks are? Why?”

As you may or may not know, we lost our first vessel, the St. George, in January of 1992. All six men were lost at sea. Six families, suddenly thrown into a chaos that no one should ever experience. We lost our boat. Pat and I were 30 and 31. The families and we were all suddenly dealing with a loss that even today, is very hard to wrap my head around.

So much comes flooding back when I hear the news of a boat going down. The reason for wanting to throw up…because I know, I know the heartache and the horribleness of the process that happens. The Scandies Rose was lost almost 28 years to the day that we lost the St. George. 28 years does not dull the memory at all. In fact the memories seem to turn into to sharp, alive, vivid emotions.

The Coast Guard searches. Family members and the owners hold out hope that all will be found safe. The Coast Guard calls off the search…As is said, “No joy is found.” The crew is declared lost at sea. The reality of the loss begins to creep in. Nightmares are frequent. The investigation begins. The memorial services begin. You attend services, all the while, still not believing they are actually happening. As owners, the insurance company and attorneys direct you on what you can say and can’t say and to whom. Lawsuits are filed, and in the horrible, horrible end, dollar values are assigned to lives. As owners, having to sign off on that, it’s something that still haunts me, as it did Pat. There is not enough money in a situation like this to even begin to compensate.

Just come home
Hearing the news about the loss of the Scandies Rose came at the same time that Sean, Zack, and both crews for the Brenna A and the Elinore J were waiting to get on a flight to Dutch Harbor. They had been stuck in Anchorage since the 28th of December because of weather both in Dutch and Anchorage. As the day went on and more details of the Scandies were disclosed, I just felt so much sadness, so much melencholy, so much questioning going on in my head.

Later in the afternoon, I received a text from Sean saying the weather was flyable. They were getting on a plane and hoping to make it to Dutch after a fuel stop in Dillingham. He said he would text from Dillingham and let me know the status of getting into Dutch.

It took every fiber of my being not to pick up the phone and weepingly say, “just come home, just bring everyone home, I don’t want you guys to go. Just come home.”

I did the same thing when the Destination was lost. I just wanted the Brenna A to be done fishing, like right then. I wanted them to forget about the pots, turn the boat around, and just come home. Both of those times, it just feels like every cell of your body is releasing an energy that is screaming, “come home now.”

I remember the first time I flew into Dutch Harbor. It was four years ago when we first started filming for Deadliest Catch. I remember sitting in the cramped seat looking out over the small islands and all that water. It was then I made the connection, really made the connection why when a boat goes down, quickly and suddenly, it is gone. All. That. Water. The Bering Sea can be brutal, violent and a sneaky life stealer.

But I didn’t call.
I didn't call. Why? Because this is our life. It’s what we do. It’s been our family business for 34 years. Pat and I started our business, a year before we were married. It’s always been our life. It’s in our blood. But it’s more than our business, it’s more than our life…It is in the DNA of our children. It is who we are and what we do. We go, even knowing the risks involved. We go, just like everyone else who has fishing in their blood.

So, instead of picking up the phone and telling the boys to come home. I went to the ocean. I put my feet in the water. I prayed for a safe flight. I cried a little. I prayed for all the families who have lost loved ones, and I prayed for the survivors of the Scandies Rose. I talked to Pat. I asked him to keep watch over Sean and the boys as they head to Dutch. I asked him to keep watch over Brenna in Montana, as she makes her own way there. I asked him keep watch over Bri, who was traveling. But mostly, I asked him to keep all those fishing safe. It helped. A little…

Out working
Sean, Zack and the crews made it to Dutch and are out fishing now, as I type this. I try not to think about the weather, the water, or the 9 million other things that can go wrong when boats are fishing.

When Sean first started crabbing I told him I would forever envision the weather in the Bering Sea to be 70 degrees and calm seas. But every once in a while when the fear creeps in, I counter it with prayers for safe fishing for all who are working Alaska’s waters, and continued prayers for all those families who have lost loved ones at sea. It helps…a little.

Today, January 8th 1992, 28 years ago the search for the St. George and her crew, was called off by the Coast Guard. It's always a tough day. We always held out hope. You have too. Today, and honestly many days throughout the years, my heart and mind is on the families of the crew of the St. George. Two years ago, I added the families of the Destination to those thoughts. Now, I add the families of the Scandies Rose, sending love, prayers and good vibes to all. But even doing that seems so inconsequential compared to the magnitude of everyone's loss. If you are reading this, join me in sending prayers, good vibes or what ever you have to the families who have lost a loved one at sea.

I just checked the weather for the Bering Sea…it’s sunny and 70 degrees, with a light wind blowing. Ok, not really, but having that vision in my head…it helps…a little.

For more information on the loss of the Scandies Rose, click here.
For information on making a donation to help the families of the Scandies Rose, click here.

Thanks so much for reading, I appreciate it.
Jenny

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Welcome to 2019, and playing catch up for 2018, and 2017!

4/10/2019

1 Comment

I will preface this by something I’ve said and will say again, I am probably the world’s worst blogger! I have all kinds of good intentions of spending every Sunday writing, so I can have a new blog to post once a week, but honestly, where does time go? That being said, I appreciate all of you that have stuck with me and for everyone who has signed up in the last year.

I remember when I was in high school, I was a Senior, and I said to my Mom, “I can’t wait for this school year to be over, so I can get to college.” She was sitting at our dining room table, reading the paper, and replied back to me, “Don’t wish your life away Miss Jeffiner, it goes by fast enough.” (Yes, one of my mom’s nicknames for me is Jeffiner.) I’m sure I did the classic teenage thing and rolled my eyes and thought, "what are you talking about, it can’t happen fast enough.”

Now here it is, the day after the Season 15 Premier of Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.” We joined the show on Season 12. That seems impossible to me. Honestly, Season 12 seem like yesterday.

With this new season starting it’s put me in a reflective mode. As I look back, much has transpired, but it seems like the last three months of 2018 were huge for our family…Sean and Bri got married. Brenna decided on a new career path, while continuing her love of massage therapy. Business wise, we made a few changes, and it’s keeping us on our toes.

Prelude to a Wedding Story!
On September 15, 2018 Sean married the beautiful Bri. It was a lovely day, in every way. Even the rain and wind couldn’t dampen our happiness and joy.

I always say that life is crazy. You never know what is going to come your way. Some things break your heart. Some things fill your heart. Sometimes the breaking heart is comforted by the sneaky filling of your heart…let me explain that.

I am a sign person. Sometimes they just show up, and they make me smile. Sometimes, I look for signs, or they find me, in times when I need them most. You know, a 4 or a 14 here, a scallop shell there, the name of our company, St. George Marine, or my favorite word popping up randomly. I always see the signs that things are going as they should be.

This wedding story is filled with signs. (It will all make sense by the end of this post, I promise!)

You know, when you have kids, all you want for them is to be happy. There is heartbreak along the way as we teach them life’s lessons, and sometimes life teaches them lessons…in the end, you just hope they are happy.

When Pat was first diagnosed with ALS, Brenna was 16 and Sean was 14. With an ALS diagnosis, the life span is typically 2-5 years. After our ALS diagnosis, there were many things that went through our minds, and a A LOT of swear words. One thing we both eventually realized was that Pat would never be able to walk his beautiful Brenna down the aisle when she got married. He wouldn’t be around to help adjust Sean’s tie, and he prepared to walk down the aisle to await the love of his life. We knew this would be a reality.

We never tried to focus on what Pat would miss. We always tried to focus on what we had. However, for both of us, this was hard. Again all you want is for your kids to be happy, and we both knew that the kids’ wedding day would be a day where he would be sorely missed. It broke our hearts.

Pat lived with his ALS for 8 years. In 2013, he passed away. It was heartbreaking for all of us and there are days that it’s still stunning he is gone. (We know we aren’t unique in this grief and for all of you that have experienced loss…big hugs.)

The days come and go, you learn to move through the heartbreak and the light starts to shine again. Brenna continued on in Montana with her massage therapy and her horse riding. Sean continued working and fishing in the Bering Sea. The business grew and I ventured down some new paths as well.

A Tale As Old As Time, From Alaska
As it seems to be in our family, boy meets girl, in Alaska, they fall in love and they get married.

In Dutch Harbor Alaska, Sean met the lovely Bri. They spent more and more time together and then when Sean left for Alaska, Bri and I spent more and more time together. Getting to know each other. Our first real weekend together was well…the lovely Bri spent the entire weekend in bed being very sick! We had plans to do girl stuff, but instead, she was tucked in, in Sean’s old room. We bonded over Ginger Ale and then finally crackers.

At one point Sean said, “I think she’s the one Mom.” A bit later, Brenna and I received a text. With three beautiful rings. I of course burst into tears and, said “they are all so lovely honey.” He said, “I know, but which one?!” I picked my favorite, Brenna picked her favorite and Sean had his. We all picked the same one. I figured that that was just one of the signs that the broken heart was being filled by the sneaky heart, or as I say, Hi Pat!

SP Proposes!
Later, another text, followed by a phone call! Sean had proposed, and Bri said yes! I was with my Mom and sisters in Ketchikan. I shared the news with them. We all shouted and cheered and and the car was filled with happiness. But mixed in with that happiness there was a small pocket of sadness. In moments of happiness, there will be a tug of sadness. I realize It’s just one of those things that will be. Now it’s ok, I get it and understand it now.

Once the news was shared with family and friends, the wedding planning began. It was a count down to September 15th! Wedding showers were had and the decision was made. We decided to have the wedding on Camano Island. It was a place Pat loved and Bri wanted to do it there, so Pat’s spirit could be there. To me, that was very touching that Bri thought to include Pat. She sensed that since Pat couldn’t be there physically, he would definitely be there in spirit. Another sign, in my mind.

Much work was completed by many hands to make the property wedding ready. There was much organization and coordination and grass growing…oh the grass growing. Hot tip. Do not try to grow grass in July…which happens to be the hottest July on record for like 1,000,000 years!

Eventually the grass grew, the tables and chairs arrived as did September 15th arrived…cloudy, cold and with the look of rain in the air. Typically, September 15 on Camano is about 75 and sunny. This one year. It was not. As guests started to arrive, the rain held off. As guests started to get seated for the ceremony, the rain and wind started!

The beauty of the love stories being told made the rain barely noticable. Stories first by Brenna about our love for Camano Island, and how Pat knew that he wouldn’t be around to enjoy it long term, but wanted us to have a place for our family….for days like September 15th. The other stories were told by Sean and Bri as they wrote their own wedding vows and gave us all an insight on their joyous love.

Love and joy was also woven into the ceremony by Theresa, who officiated over the wedding of Sean and Bri. There was love and joy and a few tears (probably mostly by me and Bri’s mom, Lisa) when Bri’s dad walked her down the aisle to meet Sean. To this day, I will never forget the love and joy on my son’s face as he saw his bride walk down the aisle to greet him and begin their life together.

It was in that moment that I teared up…really I’d been doing ok most of the day. But it was in that moment when I remembered Pat the most. Our wedding day, our excitement. And here it was me, alone.

Pat should have been there…(this is where I swear, and say the big fat F word and combine it with “you” and “ALS.”)

But instead I had all these memories of our life together. For every thing that happened in our wedded, family and business life, the one thing that always kept our spines straight and standing tall was love. I saw that in the faces of Sean and Bri. Love…the love that will keep you standing when you feel like falling.

After the ceremony we gathered under the big white tents that had been set up, in case of rain….thank goodness! The evening started to flow with food, wine, speeches and toasts for the newly married Sean and Bri.

Time rolled around and soon it was my time to make a toast…on behalf of Pat. I had two parts, two things that I wanted to convey. I did fine with the first one. Maybe because I had talked about it before at the rehearsal dinner. It flowed. That second part, that I wanted to say on behalf of me. Well I totally choked. I started to say the words, and suddenly my brain just locked up. I raised my glass and we toasted to Sean and Bri. Then I sat down.

So if you will bear with me, this is what I wanted to say that night….this is the part where all the signs are revealed. This was the part I choked on. There were just too many emotions and my brain was on overload.

Toast to Bri and Sean, Part Two
“All we want is for our kids to be happy. There are times in life is hard and the sadness on the face of your children is heartbreaking. And I’m talking about before all the big things like a devastating boat loss, cancer and ALS. I’m talking about the time when you skinned your knee skateboarding or horsebackriding. But then those big things slammed into our lives, and it was the soul crushing unfairness that was heartbreaking.

But tonight, even though we all missing the one person that we know should be here and would be leading this party with a joke here, and a laugh there, his blue eyes twinkling…But amid the sadness in our hearts, there is great joy.

Great joy because I am able to reflect on all that Pat has given to me and left me…this lovely venue we are at, a thriving bunisess, memories and love, But mostly for our beautiful BrennaBoo and of course, our SeaniePoo. Great joy because our bouncing baby boy, SP found in his best friend, the love of his life…the lovely Bri.

Sean and Bri, I can see that happiness, the love an joy you have for each other, when you look at each other. I mean like actually see it! Yes, I know that sounds corny, but a mom can just tell a look what’s going on in the eyes of her child…well this mother can. Your eyes reflect your love for each other.

Sean, Remember, all dad and I ever wanted for you was to be happy. Life was hard, you deserve it. I see it tonight, I feel it tonight, in all these people that have gathered here tonight. This is your community. Everyone single person is here because of love, love for you, love for our family, love for Bri’s family, love for Pat. These are the friends who surround your world now. These are the people that will help you when your steel spine is bending. They will help you stand. But they will also celebrate the joys and the highs as you begin your life together tonight.

Bri, I know I have said this many times, but all Pat and I wanted was for our kids to be happy. Thank you for coming into our world, our family, becoming Sean’s best friend, and now his beautiful lovely wife. You make him happy. Your beauty, your confidence, your intelligence, your energy, and your passion is the perfect combination to meld with Sean and together you will be a force. But I think there was a bigger force at work…bringing you two together.

I’m a believer in signs. Some days I feel like Pat is always dropping little hints of encouragement along the way. Shortly after meeting you Bri, as we were getting to know each other, I'm pretty sure it was that weekend when you were at my house, we were chatting and I asked you when your birthday was.

You replied, “October 14.”

I said, “Well, there we go, Brenna’s is September 4th, so there is 4 and 14.” Hi Pat!

We laughed and then you said, “yes, my birthdate means I’ll never spend it with Sean as it’s the day before King Crab season starts.” I said, well, let’s celebrate your half birthday, when would that be. You smiled and said, “April 14th.” My eyes got wide and I said, “that’s Pat’s birthday.” We kind of stood there and smiled and I’m sure I started crying. Another Hi Pat!

Then for some reason I asked what your middle name was…for those who know me and those who don’t, my favorite word in the whole English language is Joy. I love it for a multitude reasons, it reminds me of Christmas, it reminds of life when it’s good, and even when it’s not, I know joy will be back. The word joy just makes me happy.

Well guess what, Bri’s middle name is Joy! I stood there, stunned into silence and all I could think of was, “wow Pat you are sneaky and very very good.”

Bri, I think Pat sending you to us was his way of wanting Sean to be happy. I think it was his way of being a part of this wedding day, in his usual sneaky style. I think it was his was his way of bringing joy to us in a way that was completely unexpected and now very much appreciated. I think it was his way of saying “Welcome to the family.” We can be a tough crowd sometimes. I remember telling you a couple times that it wasn’t to late to run away because we are a little crazy sometimes! I think he brought us joy in the form of you because you are spectacular in many ways and in just the ways that will complement Sean. We as a family will be stronger for that. So welcome to the family Bri, may you and Sean live in joy in happiness. During the times that they aren’t don’t worry, happiness and joy will help you find your way and probably a sneaky guy named Pat will be leading the way.

Let’s lift our glasses to Sean and Bri, and love, happiness and joy!

The End, and a few more wedding pictures!

As I finish this blog of 2018 and 2019, I want to say if you are new to my blog, and want to read from the beginning, scroll all the way down to the bottom and read up!

Thanks for reading along and I promise, there will be more soon!
Jenny

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It's beginning to look a lot like....a new blog!

12/10/2017

12 Comments

Good afternoon from Seattle. It's a beautiful day here. It's cold, but we've had clear, crisp, sunny days here. I love the weather when it's like this. The sun seems to give off a golden glow to everything making the sunrises and sunsets spectacular! I'm a crazy sunrise/sunset picture taking person, and these past few days have added probably 100 pictures to my iPhone!

What to write about?! A couple things...First up Dutch!

In a few weeks, Sean will be heading back up to Dutch Harbor to begin fishing. So, I thought I would share a few pictures of Dutch, from when I was up there in October. I have been very fortunate the times I have flown into Dutch. The weather has been good and most days while there, it's been lovely! I have yet to experience the full force of weather that Dutch has to offer.

Sean and Kjell, our Jennifer A Captain, met me at the airport and took me to the Brenna A. The Brenna A boys were busy working, trying to wrap up final details before heading out to the fishing ground. Buoys needed to be painted, line needed to be spliced, bait needed to be loaded, there was engine room work, final groceries and produce needed to be bought, and pots needed to be stacked!

The work is non stop pretty much all day, and into the night. There is lots of moving around as the Brenna A. runs from the City Dock at the Spit, back to our slip in the Carl Moses Boat Harbor. With all the running around, you run into other Deadliest Catch boat friends. People always ask if all the Captains hang out in Dutch when everyone is up there and getting ready. The answer is sometimes yes, and sometimes no! Usually everyone is busy and on their own schedule so if it does happen, it's at random unplanned times. Below are a few pictures of the Brenna A crew, working away. ((The video below the pictures is the Walk through Crab tunnel!)

I just have to say we have a pretty great group of guys this year. They work hard, they have a great attitude and are hilarious! Thanks Zack, Kyle, Willi, Hank and Luke, and Kjell too, we really appreciate all your great work.

Field trip to Mt. Ballyhoo

One afternoon, Sean and I had the chance to go up to the top Mt. Ballyhoo in Dutch Harbor. Seeing the remnants of the WW II US Army base Fort Schwatka was amazing. It's the highest coastal battery built, at 1,600 feet. The concrete lookouts were built to withstand 100mph winds! All I could think of was that it took some hardy souls to build the Fort, and be stationed there, because I was freezing cold after about 20 minutes. My stepdad Jake served in the Aleutians during WWII and I also kept wondering if he had been at this Fort. It was a pretty incredible afternoon walking around, through and in all that history.

Some final Dutch thoughts and scenes....

There is something about being in Dutch Harbor that just pulls at my heart. It's crazy because up until two years ago, I'd never been there. I don't know if it's because when I'm walking around, I wonder if Pat had walked there too? I don't know if it's because Dutch really is the beating heart of the crab fishery? I don't know if it's because I'm able to put scenes and views to stories and tragedies lived through and remembered?

However, I think for me, much has to do with the fact that it's Alaska, and I just love Alaska. Probably the fact that too, that I was born and raised on an island in Alaska, and Dutch invokes those same "hometown" feelings that some days, I long for. There are some other reasons as well, but those are for another post! Here are some of my favorite views from Dutch in October.

Next up, Recipes!

One question people always ask us is, "Do you like crab?" and "What's your favorite way to eat it?"

Yes, we love crab. The boys don't eat it on board during crab season. Every crab is money in the tank! We usually eat it at home for special celebrations...Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays and "Crab season is over" BBQ.

Since the holidays are upon us, I thought I'd share a couple family favorite crab recipes.

Hot Crab Dip!
One way we serve crab is in a hot dip. Below are Brenna and Bri's (Sean's girlfriend) recipes for Hot Crab dip. Brenna's is a dairy free version. Both are a hit with Sean, and the Brenna A/Jennifer A boat boys! FYI, if you don't have any crab, both of these recipes are delicious without crab.

Brenna's Dairy free Hot Crab Dip
1 brick Dairy Free Cream Cheese (Brenna uses WayFare brand)
1/2 cup Mayonaise or Greek yogurt (Brenna uses Best Foods "Vegan" brand for Mayo or Daiya brand for the yogurt)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese (Brenna uses Daiya brand)
1 can Artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup Spinach, cooked and chopped
1 1/2 cups Crab meat, cooked and chopped, again any crab meat will do!
4 TBS Garlic, minced
1 TBS Onion powder

Directions:
Combine the cream cheese, mayo and mozzarella in a saucepan and heat over Medium heat on the stovetop, until melted, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and stir in cooked Artichokes, Spinach and crab. Heat until creamy. Stir in Garlic and Onion powder. Cook one more minute one low heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
(On the boat, Brenna just serves from the pan! However, you can place the mixture in a nice serving dish and serve it that way too!)

Bri's Hot Crab Dip
1 pkg Knorr Dry Vegetable soup mix
1/2 cup Mayonaise
1 cup Sour Cream or plain Greek Yogurt
1 brick Cream Cheese
2 cups shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 cups Artichoke Hearts, drained and chopped
1 1/2 cups Crab meat, cooked and chopped, any crab meat will do!

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Mix all ingredients, except half cup shredded Parmesan, together in large bowl until creamy. Transfer to oven safe 9x9 ceramic dish. Sprinkle the remainder of the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for 25 minutes or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm with crackers or tortilla chips

Jen's way!
I like my crab cleaned and chilled, and served with cocktail sauce. I make my own cocktail sauce, which is the same way my dad made it, which is the same way my Grandma made it. You take Heinz Catsup (yes, I see you all cringing Catsup on King Crab?!) and mix it with hot Beaver Brand Horseradish sauce! It's truly a personal preference on how much horsradish sauce to add to the Catsup! But there is something about the sweet salty crab mixed with the hot horseradish, (and Catsup!) that I think truly enhances the flavor of the crab. I've tried getting fancy and adding other things to the cocktail sauce, like chopped caramelized onions, but it is really just best with Catsup and horseradish sauce!

Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary! Pat's ALS was pretty advanced at this time. Going out to a restaurant was pretty exhausting and since his arms were so weak from his ALS, I had to feed him...eating out at a restaurant had pretty much lost it's appeal, So instead, I took out the King crab, a couple of steaks, and made a chocolate cake! We had a good evening at home. This was about 6 months before he got his feeding tube as his ALS caused him to lose his ability to swallow food. On our 26th Anniversary, Pat had feeding tube formula, and whiskey. I seriously thought about putting some King crab in our blender, blending it up with some liquid and and giving it to Pat through his feeding tube. We both agreed that would have been a huge mistake! We had another little sip of Irish Whiskey instead!

As long as we are talking holidays...I have to share these Halloween pictures and video!

On November 1st, I discovered these amazing photos taken by the a family in Michigan. It was a family project as they made Brenna A and Saga boat costumes for their boys to wear trick or treating! They took several weeks to construct with Maria, the mom, leading the way. We all fell in love with these cute "Catch Captains!" We also decided they win "Best Costumes Ever" award and the "Cuteness Overload" award! Check out the video...priceless!

Until next time

Time sure does fly by, especially when you are writing a blog post! I hope you have enjoyed the 9 million photos and get a chance to try out the recipes.

We are enjoying these last weeks of 2017. Sean and Bri have been busy working, BBQ'ing, duck hunting and dirt bike riding. Brenna is in Montana, working away, building up her massage clientele, and riding her horse as much as she can. Me, I'm just trying do a little bit of work trying to keep everything in sync, thinking about making Christmas cookies, and maybe decorating my Christmas tree!

Thanks for following along and sticking with me, even though I'm not the most consistent blogger. We are happy to be starting our third season with Deadliest Catch and appreciate the opportunity to continue to tell our story...thanks Original Productions and Discovery. To all you you reading this blog, the support from you, our family, our friends, our fans, continue to inspire us.

For all those missing a loved one over these holidays, I feel your pain, and know that you are not alone. I get that some days, it can just be about trying to get through that next minute. While there is no way, that I have found, to ease that deep, wistful heartache, I can try to minimize it at times, and look for one moment of joy. As for me and our family, we will continue to raise awareness and funds to #endals at ALS Therapy Development Institute.

Take care and happy Sunrise Sunset from Seattle.

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The Past and the Present

10/24/2017

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Back at it

If I've said it once, I've said it 100 times, Seriously, I am the world's worst blogger! Since August I've been meaning to sit and write, and I have. I had some pretty amazing places to sit and write while I was in Alaska. But the words just never got transferred over to my blog. Then, something new would come up, and what I did write was out of date, so in Word it stayed.

But now that summer is (long!) over, the crazy month of September has come and gone, and October has settled upon us, and almost gone, I'm ready to get geared up to write and keep you filled in on all things FV Brenna A and FV Jennifer A, all things Gore Dwyer household and ALS related. Well, maybe not all things Gore Dwyer household as that is so not exciting!

Sitting on the deck of the Jennifer A as we travel back to Ketchikan with a full load of salmon on board.

So, a little bit of cheating

With this blog, I'm going to cheat a little bit. I'm going to use a FaceBook post that I wrote two years ago. It was two years ago that we were approached by Original Productions and asked to become a part of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch." For those that don't know the story, click here.

The short version of the story of how we got here, is ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis...also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. My husband Pat, (also known as Brenna and Sean's dad!) was diagnosed with ALS in June of 2005. In June of 2013, he passed away from his ALS, on his terms. Because of our involvement with "Deadliest Catch," many opportunities to raise awareness and funds have come our way, but those are for another blog...that I will write...I promise!

Pat and me at Cannon Beach. Thanksgiving 1997.

Back to the cheating

Here is my Facebook post from two years ago, October 24th, 2015:

Warning...crazy lady posting her...just sitting down and having time to process all these emotions...to process, I write! Today was the culmination of one of Pat's dreams...both boats are on their way up to Alaska, to fish crab. He was diagnosed with ALS in June of 2005, and in November, five months later, bought the FV Shishaldan, which he renamed the Brenna A, after his beautiful baby girl Brenna.

(Flashback to the day Brenna was born, Pat was the one who picked Brenna's name from the approved list of girl names we had decided on. Sean Patrick was always going to be Sean Patrick...the only boy name on the list!)

Now, today, the Brenna A is being run by Sean, Pat's handsome son, who, like Brenna, has many many qualities of Pat, that will make him successful in his crabbing adventure. Both kids listened, argued, listened some more and learned so much from Pat.
The Jennifer A has been well taken care of over the years by the amazing friends who became crew, and the amazing crew who have become friends, more like family really.

Never in a million years did we think things would work out the way they are working out...without Pat here and ALS having sliced through our life, cutting us deeper than we could even imagine.
But we promised Pat we would carry on, get the Bren fishing crab, and keep the Jen fishing along side of her. We've had so much help from family and friends along the way. But mostly, it was the plan and business that Pat put into motion for us.

Pat wanted the Brenna A to fish crab, that was his goal when he bought the boat...he just ran out of time because of his ALS. The unconventional way we were able to get the Brenna A fishing crab, makes us realize that Pat is still a part of what we do! Pat never did things the conventional way, and always thought outside the box...the rest of us scrambled to help make his ideas come to fruition.

It's been a crazy crazy few months getting both boats geared up. It's been a crazy crazy unbelievable 2 years and four months since Pat decided he was done with his ALS. We've tried our best, and I think Pat would be proud...mostly of his kids...he loved them so.

Click. Fast Forward to King Crab 2017

So here we are, two years later. We are starting our third season with Discovery's "Deadliest Catch." This year, as in past years, we have a great hard working crew, a trusted vessel, and a thoughtful determined, but realistic (safety first) Captain. King Crab season is in the books, and up next is Bairdi.

Plus, we are four years into life without Pat, our anchor. I continue to be so proud of Brenna and Sean. They have their father's attitude of "get it done," and have stepped up big time, to many different challenges. Best kids ever.

If I've said it once, I've said it 100 times. We are thankful and grateful beyond words for this opportunity that "Deadliest Catch" has given us to tell our story and raise awareness and funds for ALS research at ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI.) ALS TDI is the "world's foremost drug discovery center focused solely on ALS." To learn how you can help make a difference, click here

Thanks for your patience!

I know this is blog is short but I really wanted to reconnect with all of you, and let you know that I'm still here, and have many inspirations for future posts. As the crab season moves forward, I plan on keeping you up to date on what's happening there, as much as I can.

But also, to fill you in on what happened over the summer, the CRAZY month of September as we did work on the Brenna A in Seattle, what it takes to get the boat ready to go crabbing, opportunities that arise, challenges that will come along, about life on the Bering Sea and all things in-between that make this Crabby Mama happy, sad, joyful and yes, crabby!

Here's to safe travels to all those upon the Bering Sea, and all waters.

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A little bit of Bristol Bay, a little bit of Southeast Alaska, a little bit of salmon in our lives!

7/17/2017

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Tendering season is in full swing! Usually things start picking up after the 4th of July. Especially in Bristol Bay. Sean and the crew of the Brenna A have been up to their fish tanks in salmon. It's been a slamming couple weeks of them, but things have tapered off, and soon they will be headed out of the Bay, and pointed towards Ketchikan. It will take them about a week to travel to Ketchikan so of course, this Crabby Mama is hoping for smooth sailing as the cross the Gulf of Alaska!

SP and the Brenna A in Bristol Bay
The Bristol Bay fishery is a gillnet fishery. The boats are smaller, usually two or three guys on a crew. The nets are reeled off a drum on the stern of the boat, and hand off the stern and soak for a certain amount of hours. Once the net is done soaking, it is reeled back on to the drum as the crew picks the salmon out of the nets. They are loaded into brailer bags. When the gillnetter comes to deliver to the Brenna A, those brailer bags are swung on to the Bren, and then loaded into the fish hold. On a typical delivery night, the Brenna A can have up to 30-40 boats delivering to them!

Once the boats deliver, Sean then runs the Brenna up the river to the processing plant in Naknek Alaska. The Brenna A is unloaded by the processing crew at the plant. When her tanks are empty, Sean runs the boat back down to the fishing grounds and it starts all over again. When the fish hit in Bristol Bay, everyone is crazy busy. But, it's the cycle of the season and we are grateful for it.

Working with what you have!
One of the things that our boats try to do, is always have some goodies on hand when boats come to deliver, or to hand out to the offloading crew when we are in town to deliver.

Bri, Sean's girlfriend who is a deckhand/cook/baker on the Brenna A has been baking up a storm in Bristol Bay. So much so, that the hand mixer burnt out. So, in true "figure out a way to make it work," she took one of the beaters, realized it fit in to a cordless drill, and is able to continue to churn out, or should I say drill out, cookies, brownies, and cakes for the fishermen and crew!

Next up, Southeast Alaska on the Jennifer A!
While Sean and crew are working away in Bristol Bay, his sister Brenna is on the Jennifer A, working away in Southeast Alaska. Like Bristol Bay, the fishery in Southeast is starting to pick up, but typically gets more busy towards the end of July, beginning of August. Then, it's crazy time in Southeast, where you are working, unloading boats, running back and forth to Ketchikan to unload fish, and trying to sleep when you can!

The type of fishery that the Jennifer A tenders for is called a Seine fishery. Brenna did a really good job summarizing what the fishery is like, on our FB pages. You can read that here.

Unloading the Jennifer A in Ketchikan
I was in Ketchikan a couple weeks ago and was able to get some video of the Jen unloading. The fish, these are chum salmon, also called dogs, are vacuumed up through the pump. The eventually make their way up to the sorting station on the cannery dock. From there they are moved inside the processing plant. There they are cleaned and canned. Alaska has one of the best managed and sustainable salmon fisheries. We depend on that so future generations can continue to work the fishery and for many families, continue on with a traditional way of life.

Ketchikan at sunset
For me, my story always takes me back to Ketchikan. For many different reasons, or none at all. Sometimes I just want to go sit in the living room chair and watch the boats go by. It doesn't matter if the day is sunny or rainy, the view is always healing.

I''ll be headed back home soon, and it will be great to have both boats, both kids, both crews in Ketchikan too. It will be a good August.

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Thanks Discovery Channel

7/2/2017

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Since Sean, the FV Brenna A and crew made their debut on Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," we have had some amazing things happen for ALS Awareness. Yes, this post I'm going to talk about ALS, ALS Awareness, ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and the unique ways that we have been able to raise money for this horrible horrible disease, thanks to Discovery Channel.

It's been four years since Pat decided he was done living with his ALS. When we were all saying our goodbyes to him, one thing that Sean said to him was, "I'll be watching for the challenges you throw at me Dad." Pat and I knew that Sean, and Brenna, would be able to handle what came their way because of Pat's wisdom and skills that he passed on to them.

Signs
Little did we know that one of those challenges would be being approached by Original Productions (the production company that films Deadliest Catch for Discovery...thank you Decker, Lisa and all for telling our story) to become the new boat on "Deadliest Catch." There were many times along the way that we saw Pat's hand in this. Side note, I'm a firm believer in "signs," you know, something happening that can only be attributed to that person you are missing. Or not even missing, something that pops up out of the blue and it can only be described as crazy!

Sign #1
Let me give you a couple of examples...I'm sure you all know about the 4, 14 connection and Pat. he was born April 14, 4-14. He passed away on June 4th at 4:14 pm. His good friend Melissa passed away from her ALS, at 4:14pm the next day. So, when we, our family, sees the number, 4, 14 or 414, we know that Pat is around somewhere.

When Sean and I went to the Emmys in September, after the award ceremony, there is a huge lovely dinner. Sean, Sig, June and a bunch of crew from Original Productions were standing around outside, getting ready to walk over to the dinner venue. Sean is handed our table seating assignment...guess what table we were seated at...Yep, table number 414. Sean and I looked at each other in disbelief, I texted Brenna a picture of the table number, and we were all just kinda in shock...but them we all started laughing and thought, "of course Pat is here, he loved a good party!" (I of course, was crying before I was laughing!)

Sign #2
Then there is the other example. Brenna and the FV Jennifer A pulling into an anchor spot on their first salmon tendering trip of the season. They anchor in a secluded bay, and the other boat anchored in the same bay, the Lynda...the boat Pat and I met on way back in the day when we first started tendering together. Brenna sent me a picture of the Lynda and said, "look who is here!" Of course Pat would be there to say hello to his baby girl on the first opening of Brenna's first salmon tendering season in...4 years!

It's those kinds of things that happen, and they make us smile. But again, I've gotten of track!

Along the way, as we were making preparations to get the Brenna A ready to fish the Bairdi season, there were many signs that Pat was with us. While I say it was a challenge, I mean it in the sense that it was a huge consideration for us to get the Bren ready to go crabbing, so many pieces had to come together. They did, and here we are today. I'll tell you more about the signs later if you want to hear them, but...in the end, this "challenge" came in the form of a huge gift. Thanks Discovery.

Discovery Opportunities
Back to the reason my blog post is titled, "Thanks Discovery." It is because without this opportunity, we would not have had the chance to raise ALS awareness on this international level, and the amazing fundraising opportunities that have happened because of our being on the show, well, it's been humbling.

Plus, we have received emails from other families that are living with ALS or have lived with it. Those emails are heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. But, motivating as well. Motivating as it keeps us trying to find a treatment for this disease. Also because of the show, people have volunteered to help us raise money for research and the potential treatment in the freezer at ALS TDI. (More on that at the end of the blog post!)

Florida!
When the show first aired, Sean received an email from Florida. It was from our now friend Leslie, who owned an online clothing boutique. She was moved by our story and wanted to sell a "Brenna A" dress and donate profits to ALS research at TDI. Leslie and Brenna chose a dress, the "Brenna A" dress went on sale, online and sold out within the day. We were all floored! The amazing thing, Leslie and her family have no connection to ALS...they just wanted to help in some way. Thanks Leslie.

Woodinville, WA!
Then there is our friend Rich, who like Leslie, has no connection to ALS, other than wanting to help. Rich was introduced to ALS by his friend Mike, Mike's mom passed away from ALS. Rich brews the Brenna A beer for us. For every pint sold, $1.00 goes back to ALS research. Rich has participated in the ALES for ALS program, which is nationwide. The ALES for ALS program is a summer fundraiser, but because of Rich at Triplehorn Brewing, the Brenna A beer is available year round, and will be raising money for ALS TDI. Thanks Rich.

Fremont, WA
Then, there are our friends Mike and Patti of Fremont Mischief Distilery. When Pat and I first started out in the fishing industry, we did all of our out-of-the water shipyard work at the yard Mike owned. Mike and Pat were friends, and he and Patti reached out to us after seeing Sean's story on the Discovery Channel. Mike and Patti are true and genuine charity supporters. They asked us to participate in their Captains, Casks, and Cocktails Fundraiser. This fundraiser is done along with some of the other Deadliest Catch Captains, (Sig, Keith, Casey and Josh) and with the kick off event, we were able to raise over $5000 in one day for ALS TDI. This event ongoing and we will keep you posted!

Alaska!
Then, there is the restaurant in Ketchikan Alaska, my hometown. Last summer, a friend of mine, Doug, from high school called me up and said he had a business proposition for me. We met for lunch and over the course of the conversation, Doug said they wanted to rebrand the restaurant. They wanted to name it "Dwyer's Crab and Fish Company" restaurant. He wanted to help tell the ALS story through Sean and the Deadliest Catch, give the restaurant a local feel and help raise funds for ALS research. For being able to tell our story, and use our name, we receive a portion of the profits with are donated back to ALS research as ALS TDI. Through the restaurant Doug is also raising more funds. Again, while Doug doesn't have any disease connection to ALS, he lost a friend to ALS, and both Doug and I have other mutual Ketchikan friends who have lived with ALS, or are living with it now.

This really is a huge and incredible opportunity to raise awareness and funds for ALS. There will be 1 million people through Ketchikan this cruise season. Dwyer's Crab and Fish Company Restaurant is featured in the coupon book on board the Cruise boats, so ALS awareness starts then. Dwyer's is located right on the dock where the boats tie up...it's an orange building it's easy to see! So, if you are going on an Alaska Cruise, that stops in Ketchikan and are looking for a local restaurant to have lunch or dinner at, head to Dwyer's. Not only can you order King Crab, but you will be helping to support a cause that is so important to Sean, Brenna and me, and Doug and many people in Ketchikan, and around the world. Thanks Doug.

Why we do it
Really, I can not put into words how humbling this all. Especially when I receive a story like this from Doug in Ketchikan:
" Another cool story. A group of 8 came in yesterday. One of the fellows in the group had the early stages of ALS. They said they had heard of the restaurant and wanted to come. They bought 8 shirts and 3 sweaters. They also each made a $10 donation to ALS for a total of $80. They knew about the place you work with, ALS TDI. Alaska was on the guy's bucket list and he wanted to do it before he progressed. Cool group."

Not enough ways to say thank you
So. Back to the title of the blog, "Thanks Discovery." I just really want to say "Thanks Discovery!" Not only by your monetary donation, but by including Sean and the FV Brenna A on "Deadliest Catch" you are making a huge difference in the ALS world. By letting us tell our ALS story, you are inspiring others, to help us raise awareness, raise money and that will help us find a treatment for ALS.

I have always said "you don't do ALS alone," and "once you meet ALS, it never leaves you." Just as there are not enough ways to say thank you, there are not enough words either. I will end this blog with a simple thank you. But I hope you know that simple thank you comes with the largest and immense gratitude of those of us in the ALS community.

Discovery, you have already helped to change the course of this disease, ALS. Simply put, but heart felt around the world, thank you.

How can you help? Want more info about ALS?
ALS is a disease that affects the nerves/motor neurons in the body. The person living with ALS eventually becomes paralyzed. They lose their ability to speak and breathe on their own, while their mind remains as sharp as ever. Most people diagnosed with the disease live 2-5 years. Click here for a more detailed description.

I serve on the Board of Directors for ALS Therapy Development Institute. They are the world's largest non-profit biotech research lab, focusing on only ALS research. They have 30 scientists on staff, working around the clock to help #endALS

ALS TDI has a treatment sitting in their freezer but we are trying to raise funds to bring that treatment to clinical trial.

AT-1501, in preclinical trials, this potential treatment is the most effective treatment tested at ALS TDI, according to Dr. Steve Perrin, Ph.D, CEO, CSO at ALS TDI.

I've seen the drug. It's real and it ready. With your help, we can move this drug from the freezer to clinical trial. If you can help with a donation, click here. Thanks so much.

And again, a huge heart felt thanks to Discovery Channel for giving us this opportunity.

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Salmon Tendering, "What it that?"

6/26/2017

9 Comments

Happy Sunday from Seattle. As I sit here, the sun is shining and the Air Conditioning is on! This Alaska girl does not do well in the heat...when we remodeled out house, shortly before Pat's diagnosed with ALS, I requested air conditioning...any time the temperature rose over 75 degrees, our house turned into an oven! Those nights, I declared, "Cereal for dinner night" because I wasn't turning on the over or the stove to cook a dang thing. Fortunately, Brenna and Sean thought "Cereal for dinner" night was pretty fun, and as always, Pat was a really good sport.

Pat was a guy that loved the heat, the sun and doing anything outside in it. One year, he and Sean rebuilt our deck during the one week of the summer where it was above 90 everyday! And yes, those nights, he had cereal for dinner!

But, wait, I've gotten off track...salmon tendering! When Brenna posted on our Capt. Sean Dwyer & FV Brenna A FB page that it was Salmon tendering season for both off our boats, the FV Jennifer A and Brenna A, someone asked what salmon tendering was, what it entailed.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, during the summer time, our boats are like big Fed Ex trucks. We go out to the fishing grounds, and then the fishing boats come to us at the end of the day, or when they are full, and off load their salmon to us. The boats pull up along side our boat, we tie them up, and then we send a big hose over to the fish hold of the fishing boat. On our boat, we have a big pump that vacuums the fish out of the fishing boat hold, and transfer the fish on to our boat. We sort the salmon by species, weigh them, and then dump them into our fish hold.

I've posted video, from last summer, down below to show you the process.

Salmon tendering is usually 60 days long. We are contracted with a processor and we work for that processor only. After the salmon are loaded on to our boats, and we are full, or our processor says it's time to come to town with what we have on board, we will head into town.

From June 18 to about July 15th, the Brenna A is tendering outside of Naknek Alaska, in Bristol Bay. Bristol Bay is home to the world's largest wild Sockeye Salmon (Red salmon) run. The fishery has been around since the late 1800's. Back in the day, fishermen used to fish Bristol Bay with sailing vessels....those were some tough fishermen! Once the Brenna A gets done in Naknek, she heads to Ketchikan, where she will meet up with the Jennifer A, and continue salmon tendering until about August 18th.

The Jennifer A spends the summer tendering season in Ketchikan. It's the same routine there. Head out to the fishing ground, anchor in a protected bay where the boats are fishing nearby, unload the boats, and then head into town. The tenders anchor in a bay and the fishing boats come to them because it's much easier to unload a boat in the non rolling waters of the bay, as opposed to the rolly waters of the ocean.

A typical day on a tender is different from the crabbing life. Because the fisherman are working all day catching fish, the nights are very busy for the tender crew. Usually fisherman start fishing at the break of morning, and then fish until 8-9pm at night. Once they are done fishing, they head in to the Tender, and offload. The crew of the tender is then usually working from 8-9pm until about 2-4am, just depending on how many fishing boats are in the area and how many are coming in to the bay where the tenders hang out, waiting to get to work. Once the Bren or the Jen is full, it will usually take right off for town, and be ready to offload the salmon to the processor.

Because the tender crews are working all night, the days are often pretty relaxed. That leaves time for painting, beach combing, painting, and if it's not raining painting. Most of the time, we try to get the painting done before the boats leave to go tendering because you just never know how the weather will be, how busy you will be during the day. The boats are on standby during the day for the fishermen too. If they need something or breakdown, or want to come and offload early, the tender crews are prepared to help out in any way, any time of the day.

When Pat and I first started tendering, we provided groceries, parts, fuel, a shower and sometimes even a place to sleep if needed. I always had a pot of soup on the stove (when we were anchored in the bay) and homemade cookies or cinnamon rolls for the fisherman when they came onboard our boat. We loved out tendering days. But when you are young and everything is an adventure, life is good! Once the kids were born, we tried to get them onboard the boat as much as possible during the summer time.

Like crabbing, tendering is like living in your own little community for 60 days. For me, it was always the best of both worlds...being home in Alaska, being on the water, working hard, making due with what you had. When Pat and I left for our first tendering season, we were gone for six months, with one other crew member! Back in the day we did the herring tendering circuit and that started in March. So we'd be on the boat from March until September.

Our third season tendering, I was three months pregnant with Brenna, on board the boat. That was fun! Every time we stopped in a town, I would find a health clinic and go have a pregnancy check up. The doctor in Homer Alaska was my favorite...I got off the boat in June of that year. That was the year of the Exxon Valdez Oil spill, in Prince Willian Sound. Since the fishery was shut down in many areas, we were hired by Exxon to house scientists on board our boat. I decided that I probably shouldn't be around all the fumes and chemicals being 6 months pregnant, so I went to Anchorage to stay with my sister for a month, and Pat got to Anchorage when he could.

I'm sure you all know the story that Pat and I met on a boat in Ketchikan Alaska. Pat's brother Phil was on board with us as well. The Captain was a family friend. Before I worked on the Lynda, I also worked for another family friend, cooking on board another tender called the Westward. The tendering lifestyle set the pace for my life I think...when you are on a boat, you have to be prepared to take care of yourself and those around you, and learn how to deal with various people. There is a community to support you of course, but when you are out in the middle of the ocean, you have to be prepared to take care of yourself. When ALS entered our life, it was seemed to be an extension of boat life...Pat and I had each other, we had the most supportive community, a combination really, of many communities, that anyone could ask for, we had our lovely children, but in the end, Pat was the captain of his ALS ship...

Having both kids on the boats this summer, makes me happy. Brenna is on the Jennifer A and Sean of course, runs the Brenna A. People ask if I worry as much during tendering season as I do during crab season. Well, anyone who knows me knows I worry all the time! But no, there is not as much worry during tendering season and I'm mostly happy that both kids know and experience first hand what the core of our business was in the very beginning. To me there is always a certain happiness and joy that goes with tendering, and for 60 days, or for however long the charter is, life is good on a boat! Plus, Pat would be thrilled they were out on the water!

Yikes, this post got longer than I anticipated! I hope I answered questions you might have had about tendering. Check out the videos below and hopefully all will make sense. If not, send me a question and I'll try to answer it.

And don't forget to watch Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch on Tuesday. I'm pretty sure Sean starts fishing for Opies! Thanks again to all of you for all of your support. It really means so much to us.

Jenny

#endals at ALS TDI.