The surrounding mountains on Prince of Wales Island protect the water of Thorne Bay. Fog on calm days is not unusual there, making travel out by floatplane unpredictable. Peace comes to mind as I remember this moment, and now the squawk of seagulls and ocean smell infiltrate my mind.
The bright orange wind sock hanging limp at the top of the pole and the reflection in the water below are evidence of the lack of wind or passing water traffic. The pilings stand tall above the boats, securing the dock; their striking height indicates it is low tide. The sun is attempting to peak through the thin layer of clouds shedding light on the green trees across the bay.
The various boats remain in their berths throughout the winter because the temperature seldom drops low enough to cause the bay to freeze, though I have seen it happen a time or two. Look beyond the boat Helen – T. Can see the tree tops on the hidden island in the middle of the bay?
Now, for the rest of the story.
Typically, this blog section gives more detail about the feature picture and content; however, this week, I am writing a shameless plug on the current events surrounding my Alaska memoir—The Call of the Last Frontier.
High Plains Book Awards 2022 – It is an honor to be a finalist for the High Plains Book Award. Though I didn’t take home the gold plaque, it was amazing to be sitting beside outstanding authors with impressive resumes, such as Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series. Congratulations to the 2022 winners and finalists! May we all return to our desks to write the next round of fabulous books.
Other Alaska Bush Life Dock Posts
A Way of Life in Remote Alaska – The Alaska Dock – This post explores what you might see on a remote Alaska dock.
A Staple of Alaska Life – The Dockside Cafe, a staple in Craig, Alaska, sits right across the street from the water and old dock.
Remote Alaska Schools – Though this post talks about the former J.R. Gildersleeve School, life on this floating building includes dock information.
Uncovering an Alaska Mine of the Past – This post discusses the old Salt Chuck Mine and includes a feature photo of the dock remains.
