Day 14 - Kasaan

A raven eating one of Marko's cherry pits


Black Lily (native flower)



Yoshi the fish master contemplating todays stradgy


State Dock in Kasaan

Martin Crosing the beach

Baby Eagle feasting on Halibut stuffs

Kasaan is noted for its Totems and longhouse – they were moved here in the early 1930’s by the Haida. There are 52 fulltime residents here, a school, library but no store or any other amenities. We are all parked on the “State” dock which there are many of in the State of Alaska. They is no charge to moor here and the docks are very well built. These docks need some TLC and while we are here, a team fly in to do some estimating of the repairs and replacements that are required for these docks. Some of the docks have been handed over to the local residents to maintain but we think that most are still state maintained. The docks go a bit awash during high tide and early evening due to a stiff breeze that seems to kick up. The first night here, there is very little sleep for most of us. It's a bit rocky rolly, so the next day, Oceanaire, Shaman II and On the Edge move to the inside of the docks.

We opt to stay here an extra day - its a beautiful spot and has lots to see and do. At high tide, we head over by dinghies to see the totems and longhouse. They are in such a beautiful setting, its hard to believe that they were transported here so many years ago! The long house or "Whalehouse" (as they call it here)is showing a lot of its age with lots of rot and a bit of roof falling in. The residents have taken up a collection to raise money to re-build. The photographs do not do it justice! The last time we were here (2008), we did not walk the trail to the end, this time we do and are rewarded by finding the cemetary. There was much that must have gone wrong in 1927 as the majority of headstones death dates are marked 1927.
Kids fish off the dock at dinnertime and they are successful in catching a few "Doly Varden" -- they are pestered by an immature eagle for the fish they have laying on the dock. We are not sure, but the eagle does not look like an immature bald eagle, but rather an immature golden eagle. The locals tell us he was kicked out of the nest early and has learned to be an opportunist on the dock. Te locals have been feeding him with some of their catch. Hopefully he weathers the winter without handouts.

In the afternoon, the boys head out fishing to further their derby standings. Lo and behold both sets of fisherman are checked by the State Trooper to ensure they are properly licensed and that all aboard have fishing licences. Imagine in the middle of nowhere that this would happen! Some resident obviously didn't like that we were there. The residents have been successful in a 10 year fight in getting rid of the commercial fishery in their bay/inlet. I guess increasing the population by 20% was a bit of worry to them on their fish stocks. To celebrate this win, the residents are having a crabfest on the 18th of June. We were not successful in crabbing, but prawning was good and Bob managed a catch of a 50 lb halibut.I see a fish fry in our future!

In 2018 the tiny town will host the meeting of clans with a show of war canoes - they are starting preparations now. That might be a good year to come back!