Hey guys,

I have been here for 5 or 6 days now. What a wild place.
From the moment I left Lake Hood in Rockets Tri-Pacer it has been an adventure. Crazy. No words for what this part of Alaska is about. Those of you who live here, or have lived here know. Those that have not been here do not know or understand this place, no matter what you have read, seen on TV, or been told. It is different than that and you need to just see it, and not in the "tourist" either. You need to dive in for a few months like I am.

The work is good. I am staying in a hangar and my view is of a beautiful beaver on floats. There was a turbine Otter, but our work is done on that. I am told I will be getting some rides in both of those.
Naknek is a rough little fishing town on Bristol Bay. The locals I have met are great people who love where they live. Unlike so many places I have been, even the 20 somethings, who have left and moved back, will tell you it's the greatest place.
I don't think I could be a full time resident, and my wife would never stay a winter here, but I could see coming back for a few summers at least. We will see if I still feel that way in 2 months.
There is an ugly side to it too. There is some dark history, some epic destruction of nature, lots of decay, and the evidence of pain and suffering. What cool is that you can fly through all of it at 200 feet, crap, 50 feet? It is like an 85 mph history tour.

The airplanes. It's late and I am on my little phone keyboard so I can't even scratch the surface of this subject. Please, do not take this the wrong way, and I include myself in this name calling I am about to do.

Most of us are posers with more paint and fancy parts on our planes than we know what to do with.
Some of you are not, you know who you are, but most of us are.
I know NOTHING compared to these guys.

I love this place. How awesome is it that I made a post on BCP less than two weeks ago, only even 1/2 serious, and I am now living the dream in Naknek Alaska. It is like a paid vacation, all I have to do is hustle from 7 to 7 and the rest of the day is mine. That gives me 6 hours of daylight!!!

I put pictures and stuff on Facebook. If you look me up and I recognize you as someone I have conversed with here on BCP, I will accept the request.

Thanks guys, more later.

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I'd love to look you up, but DavidB is a pretty wide search and unfortunately I can't see much from it.

Other than that, I would say that all of Alaska besides Anchorage is ridiculously expansive. We flew out around Montague Island, Latouche Island, Wooded Islands, the West side of Prince William Sound yesterday looking for (and finding) tsunami debris.

I would add pictures if it was a little easier, but if you link your Facebook info I will add you and you can see it there.

I love this place.

Another convert! Love it.



Gump

awesome! embrace all the sights, smells and experiences.

Your so right, Alaska is a great place to live and play. Every day is an adventure.
In joy your stay..

Ken in Alaska.

Some say, that in 6 weeks, you will either hate it or never leave, took me a year to get back and another 30 to leave. get the wife up and maybe both can live the dream!!
Been gone for a few, I just come back every year formy fix, usually takes me 6 months and -30 to leave.
GT

Spent a lot of time up there...
On that rare occasion when the sun shines, fish for trout about a mile upstream from the Katmai Trophy Lodge.
Keep sending the reports.

Mark

Look for the helio couriers coming in and out on floats. There dock is just up from Katmai Air and just behind Branch River Air. Thats my uncle. They own Royal Wolf Lodge up at the mouth of the Nonvianuk River and the Big Ku lodge at the mouth of the Kukaklek (head waters to the Alagank). Will be there in a month. We should connect for certain!

Good luck. How are the bugs? I bet not bad....YET

You are fired up!

AKT

aktahoe1 wrote:Look for the helio couriers coming in and out on floats. There dock is just up from Katmai Air and just behind Branch River Air. Thats my uncle. They own Royal Wolf Lodge up at the mouth of the Nonvianuk River and the Big Ku lodge at the mouth of the Kukaklek (head waters to the Alagank). Will be there in a month. We should connect for certain!

Good luck. How are the bugs? I bet not bad....YET

You are fired up!

AKT

I will be down by the docks in a week or so. We do Branch Rivers stuff as well as Rapids Camp.

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A few have asked how to find me on Facebook.

Try David Bingham Chelan Washington, or maybe by
david.wingsandmotos@(remove for spam)gmail.com

I have trouble on my Droid doing anything but the basics. My employer has an older ibook, but I am a PC.

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Used the email, added.

I have several friends in my Facebook circle of friends that are far more experienced and travelled than me, look them up!

Nothing quite like the view of a beautiful beaver.

All sorts of critters to see... Two legged, four legged, and winged.



Gump

Is that an "Enchanted Lake Lodge" Beaver (w/Bear on float) out of PAKN?

I dunno. Someone sent me that pic quite a while ago, but I don't have any info on it.

Gump

SkyTruck wrote:Is that an "Enchanted Lake Lodge" Beaver (w/Bear on float) out of PAKN?

Colors are the same but the pattern is very different, and I think I had heard that it was not one of the King Salmon-based airplanes in that photo. Taken a long time ago now...

Troy Hamon wrote:

SkyTruck wrote:Is that an "Enchanted Lake Lodge" Beaver (w/Bear on float) out of PAKN?

Colors are the same but the pattern is very different, and I think I had heard that it was not one of the King Salmon-based airplanes in that photo. Taken a long time ago now...

The Enchanted Lake Lodge is the reason I spent a lot of time there (in the past).
Because of the Lodge, I have many great memories of the area.
The Lodge only fished for trout, so we pilot types made sure the "Customers" had fresh Salmon to eat.

I was up in AK last year and kick myself in the ass for not heading out there to check things out.

Is Eddie's Fireside Grill still in business? Mighty good burger after a full day of fishing

Mark

SkyTruck wrote:

Troy Hamon wrote:

SkyTruck wrote:Is that an "Enchanted Lake Lodge" Beaver (w/Bear on float) out of PAKN?

Colors are the same but the pattern is very different, and I think I had heard that it was not one of the King Salmon-based airplanes in that photo. Taken a long time ago now...

The Enchanted Lake Lodge is the reason I spent a lot of time there (in the past).
Because of the Lodge, I have many great memories of the area.
The Lodge only fished for trout, so we pilot types made sure the "Customers" had fresh Salmon to eat.

I was up in AK last year and kick myself in the ass for not heading out there to check things out.

Is Eddie's Fireside Grill still in business? Mighty good burger after a full day of fishing

Mark

The one and only...still going strong with huge burgers, dark paneling, and lots of smoke.

Now I'm really kicking myself

Brian Shauback still wrenching for PennAir?

I already told you Mark I can go back