It's 6AM here in Canada and this morning we leave Campbell River for Anchorage AK. Yesturday I was held at the border for over an hour as they grilled me like a criminal, but after they found no drugs and ducks all in a row I was free to rape and pillage the Canadian countryside. From Vancouver we took a ferry over to the island of Nanaimo. I met Dave's friend "Spike" for the first time on the Ferry ride. He is a real interesting charactor. Spike was shot down in Vietnam 1 year before John McCain was and he served 6.5 years in Hanoy Hilton 5.5 with McCain. Spike has written a book on the experience that has done well and we are going to pick up a copy this morning at the airport. I'll make sure he signs it. We are taking off in Dave's plane on our way to Sand Point AK to put the dredge boat in the water and travel up the inside passage to Nome, AK. Dave figures 90 hours of boating time with lots of scenery. I guess Nome does have internet access so I will be able to correspond with you when I get there, but this will be the last time I will be able to write for a couple weeks.
Background: I got the "bug" at a little tourist place in Sumpter Oregon with Cammy and Bud on our way back from a hunting trip in Idaho. The guide let me pan in the tub that I'm sure was meant for children, but when I saw gold show up I bought a pan at the convieniently placed tourist store 20 feet away. I then proceeded to a stream around back and froze my fingers off for 5 minutes before I gave up with no color. Over the next few years I got into the hobby more and more. I also got into scubadiving after my boss/friend Mike and friend Wade encouraged me to try it out. Through the natural progression of things I combined the two hobbies and this last winter built a 3" dredge:
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=exanchorite&view=videos
Construction work got slow with the downturn in the economy and so I started to look for part time work to fill the gaps. I sent in a resume for a part time roofing estimator position and continued to look. With my prospecting hobby I like to visit forums to converse with miners and keep up to date with the hobby. One day on Alaska prospecting forum I saw an ad posted from the Fairbanks daily newspaper that said "Diver/Dredge Operator Wanted". I have always wanted to travel to Alaska and to be able to travel and make a living in the same trip doing my hobby full time is too good to pass up. The ad also said must have big boat experience, and big nozzle experience neither of which I had, but I did have a good work ethic and motivation. Undonted I sent in my resume. Two weeks later I get an email from ***** ******* at ****** ****** ******* asking me, "Do you have a girlfriend or a wife?" I replied, No,no. Two weeks later I get another email and he says,"Call me." I call him up and he says he wants to meet me, so the very next day I drive 3 hours to Vancouver BC, and I get the job!!! I will be using a 10" suction nozzle powered by two turbo deisels at an average depth of 15 feet for 6-8 hours a day.
The adventure begins...
