Cuttin Cod Collars

I was a little hesitant about going to the fish processing plant with Linda today, but it was actually a really cool experience. What we were doing is know as "cutting black cod collars": when black cod fishermen process and fillet their fish they don't cut out the meat in the throat of the fish or the "collar". It's some of the best meat on the whole fish and unless people like us come in and cut it out, it just gets ground up with the rest of the fish head and thrown back into the ocean. The Sitka Science center is having a fundraiser next Saturday, so Linda, me and two other fishermen cut 14 gallons of cod collars today to be smoked for appetizers at the event. Linda would make the cuts in the fish's throat and then I would stick my fingers in and pull out the meat. I was a little grossed out by it at first, but then I just got into a sort of rhythm and it was actually kind of fun. I felt pretty hardcore I must say.

In the afternoon I took the most beautiful run. I jogged to a trail just a mile from the house (bear whistle in hand) and ran through the woods until it opened up onto this gorgeous lake. I stepped out onto the little fishing dock that was there and just looked for a minute at the water and the snow capped mountains rising above. It is really a whole new level of wilderness.