Dipnetting

As Alaskan residents we are allowed to dipnet during the salmon run.  This entails taking nets and dipping them into whichever river we choose, for us it's usually the Copper River, and netting the allowed amount of salmon.  Some years we have a quick plentiful harvest...not so much this year.  The river was high and fast and the fish were out in the deeper water (that's what the experts say, I really have no clue).  We did end up with a respectable amount of salmon and we look forward to fresh salmon throughout the winter months!!  This year we went with some friends of ours and made it into a fun weekend of camping and fishing.  We may need to do it this way ever year!!  Here are some pictures of our weekend.

Beautiful fireweed near our fishing spot

Bella loved the idea of driving the Ranger.  JJ was more obsessed with the dirt bike haha

Checking out the water before hauling out the fishing nets.  With Gunner the Chesapeake Bay Retriever.  Boy oh boy did that dog love to retrieve anything out of the river!

The kiddos heading out on one of many wet adventures

The beautiful Chitna area!

This girl and her best friend had a lot of fun swimming 

Another one of my beauties

First fish caught and documented!

Naomi and Madison heading out with a net

The stringer and many unfortunate salmon

Cold, windy, rainy afternoon.  One sick kid in the chair and the other two keeping the fire going with beach driftwood.

Dipnetting.  

Independence Day

What a fun day!  Polynesian pig roast, launching vehicles off of the cliffs, bowling ball cannons, singing by locals (including out Bella), a parade, potluck, watermelon, friends, fun, gorgeous warm sunshine, getting burned to a crisp lol and my favorite thing of all this year was the airplane flyover formations done by the KAC pilots. So beautiful. The one I have pictured below is called the Missing Man formation and is a tribute, honoring those who have fallen in combat. Amidst all of the unrest and dissatisfaction all around in regards to our country and government it's good to remember that is if wasn't for all of the blessings we have enjoyed, we wouldn't even recognize the hardships as being hardships. 

Missing Man Formation

The kids playing in a little pool down near the river

Isabella performing "the Olaf song" for the community

A parade float

Ryan driving the fire truck with the Victory kids (plus a few) in the parade

One of the launch vehicles pre flattening

Don't know if you can see it but this is a vehicle in its descent about 1/3rd of the way down the cliff 

Post flattening haha

Mountain buggy and also the haul away vehicle

Unveiling the pig roast with some theatrics