Crabby Mama + late night call from Sean, from Dutch Harbor = Happy Mama.

The Jennifer A just finished up with their third trip, and are tied safely at the dock in Dutch Harbor.  The unloading of the crab began early this morning.  Everyone is working pretty hard to get unloaded, soooo, they can all go watch the Seahawks game.  Glad they have their priorities straight!

This trip, was definitely a Bering Sea winter crab trip.  (Lisa, if you are reading this, PLEASE skip down to the next paragraph.)  There was wind, (up to 50 mph) there was serious wave action (seas and waves building up to 12 feet) and there was rain.  The good news was, the wind was warmish, so there was no freezing spray…no ice building up on the boat!  The weather was going to start building and become even nastier, so while the JenA did not have a full load of crab, Kjell, our skipper made the call to head to Dutch.  Sean said it was a good move, because as they were heading to Dutch, the weather did come up.  On the way in, the wind was blowing and the seas were building, they ended up in "the ditch" pretty much the whole ride in.  What's "the ditch" you ask?  Well, it's kind of like sitting in a ditch, with the waves, the big waves, slapping up against you on each side, making the ride very rocky and rolly.  Bleck!

The crabbing is going pretty fast, for us.  We have 2 trips left, and we will have filled our quota.  I think I've mentioned this before, but every year we are issued crab quota that tells us how many pounds of crab we can catch.  This amount is determined by the overall crab quota…our quota is a certain percentage of the overall quota.  This season, we are fishing our quota, and fishing the quotas that were issued to 3 other quota holders. Sometimes, we will trade our king crab quota, for opilio quota.  Meaning, we let some one else fish our king crab, and in return we get to fish their opilio quota.  This trading is called leasing.  There are rates negotiated for leasing, as determined by the the two negotiating the lease, and staying within industry standards.  For instance, a lease rate of 50-50 means 50% of the money from the delivery goes to the owner of the quota, and the other 50% goes to the boat fishing the quota.  

Why wouldn't you just always fish your own quota?  Because some times, based on the quota you are issued, it's not cost efficient to fish your quota.  The cost of gearing up, and actually fishing, are more than you will make fishing your quota.  So, you trade around.  It works out well.  Ok, enough of that…it makes me feel like I should go start crunching numbers on the calculator!  

Pat LOVED all the negotiating and wheeling and dealing that went with talking to people about leasing their quota, or for them to lease ours.  I can totally picture him still, in his walking days, talking on his cell phone, with his ear piece in, pacing around the kitchen, hands in his jean pockets, with a half smile on his face, and every once in a while raise his eyebrows at me…with either a big smile, or an eye roll!  I knew things were going good when he walked out to the living room, and sat down on the couch to make the deal.  It was the same thing in his wheelchair days.  He would drive around, back and forth between the living room and kitchen…chatting away, smile or an eye roll, and when then closing the deal in the living room, looking out the window, that faced the Cascade mountains.  On the nice sunny days, those wheelchair deals were made driving around the deck, chatting away, doing what he loved…not letting his ALS slow him down or define him.

Speaking of ALS, in October I was honored to be asked to serve on the Board of Directors for ALS Therapy Development Institute. (ALS TDI)  In the last weeks of Pat's life, I told him that I was going to keep doing my ALS Advocacy, and he blinked yes in agreement.  I am thrilled to be a part of ALS TDI's innovative approach to finding a treatment for ALS, by being able to serve on their board.  Pat's legacy will not be dying from ALS, but instead, inspiring me to keep working to find a treatment…that will be his legacy.  

I am really excited to be part of a new program at ALS TDI, and I know it's something Pat would have totally supported.  ALS TDI is developing ALS stem cell lines, made from the skin cells of those people who are actually living with ALS.  The hope is that once these lines are developed, the scientists will be able to test drugs on these stem cells, and see how the disease reacts.  This is much more cost efficient way to test drugs.  Plus, by finding similarities in different ALS stem cells, it will help to speed the process up.  If there is one thing ALS needs, is speed…speed in finding a treatment.

If you are interested in learning more, you can click here: IPS
(And warning, the freeze frame of me is not so flattering…but the video was produced well!)  Thanks for looking.

I've added some more pictures of the JenA crew unloading crab.  It's from last year, but the process is the same!  Sean was going to try and get new pictures today!  Thanks for reading…and Go Seahawks!

First post to the Crabby Mama blog in a very very long time!

I started this blog last year, as Sean went off to his fish his first crab season in the Bering Sea.  I had really really good intentions of staying up to date with last year's crab season, but things got a little crazy last winter and spring, here at home.  As many of you know, Pat was diagnosed with ALS in June of 2005.  Last winter, as crab season geared up, so did Pat's ALS.  He needed full time care, as the disease left him unable to do anything for himself.  I became very busy trying to take care of him, and Crabby Mama blog, went dark.  

Last winter and spring, Pat maintained his spirits, but his body was failing.  ALS is the cruelest of diseases.  This past June, June 4th of 2013, Pat decided he was done with his ALS, and sailed away, up to the heavens, on a beautiful sunny Seattle afternoon.  The kids and I were with him as were other family members, and a few close friend.  Pat lived his ALS life on his terms, and dictated his end, just the way he wanted. There aren't enough words to describe how amazing Pat was, and still is.  He lived with ALS in a such a gracious, loving, humorous, kind way.  Even in his last few weeks on earth, he was still running St. George Marine, making sure he had all his plans in place, so we could continue to operate.  His gift of life blessed many on this earth.  While void left behind is huge, I know he is in a place of love, and guiding us as we continue to own and operate St. George Marine in Pat's honor.

The 2014 Opilio Crab season started on Decemeber 27th, when the crew of the Jennifer A flew into Dutch Harbor Alaska.  The boat left the docks on the 29th, and early early on the 30th, they started setting pots in the Bering Sea.  The first trip was bountiful and mostly full of calm seas…mostly.  On the 3rd of January, the Jennifer A pulled into St. Paul Island to offload all of it's little crabbies.  (The Alaska crab fishery is one of the most managed fisheries in the US.  It is managed to be sustainable for years to come.)

After about a 10 hour unloading time, the crew had dinner up in the mess hall with the processing crew, rested, and then headed back out to start fishing.   Tonight I received a call from Sean, saying they were back in St. Paul with another full load of crab!  Fishing is good, and the weather is too.  Crabby Mama likes to hear that!

They won't be able to start unloading until the 10th, so tomorrow, rest day.  When the boat is fishing crab, they are running gear, and setting pots 20 hours a day.  It's a grind, so having tomorrow to rest, his huge.  Crabby Mama likes that too!

I will really try to stay up to date on this blog this year!  The boat will be fishing crab until late February to early March.  

Please feel to read the posts from last year, they go into a little bit of depth as to what crab fishing is all about, for St. George Marine.

On a side note, I can't even begin to thank everyone for all their support last year.  It was completely unbelievable and there are days that I am still stunned that Pat is not here.  I just really want to say thank you to all of you.  Your presence in our lives, has helped to ease our pain and grief.

Here's to full crab pots, smooth seas, and calm seas, to all those fishing.  I know Pat is keeping a watchful eye on all.