Tied to Tide: Living in the Ecosystem That Sustains You

Guest post from fisherman and conservationist, Michelle Stratton

Each summer, I find myself in Kempff Bay, a remote inlet on the southern end of Kodiak Island, Alaska. It’s one of those rare places that makes you feel small in the best way. The mountains rise abruptly from the sea. Bald eagles perch on cliffs. Sometimes whales pass just offshore. If you pay attention, you might spot a brown bear nosing along the ridgeline, pawing through the tundra for a meal. The days stretch long in June and July, and the light has a way of softening everything, even the most challenging work.

Sunrise over Twin Peaks Fish Camp in Kempff Bay. Three skiffs wait on moorings for the day’s work to start. photo credit: Michelle Stratton

This is where I come to fish, but it’s also where I come to live in rhythm with the ocean. We fish with gillnets stretched out in the bay, catching sockeye salmon on their return home. I live in a small cabin tucked into a protected cove, above the beach just enough to be safe from storm surges, just close enough to hear the waves roll in at night. We sleep when we can, eat when we must, and build our days around what the water will allow.

Fishing teaches you quickly that you don’t make the schedule, the tide does.

Michelle’s fish camp sits at the base of its namesake mountains, a boat ride away from any neighbors. photo credit: Cory Lescher