"K.C.", Home at Last

Sam, me, Lyle, Heidi, Zach

Sam and Zach in Pile Bay!

The adventure of taking the new boat (named K.C.) up to Lake Clark is over…well, almost over.  Sunday afternoon we flew to Pile Bay, AK  (population, 4) which is on the very SE end of Lake Illiamna.  The word awesome is over used, but the flight and the hours we were able to spend in Pile Bay was truly awesome.  While there are just a handful of people living but Pile Bay, much of the freight that goes into SW Alaska comes through it during the summer months.  Being there with Sam and Zach was an experience that I am so grateful to have had with them.   Sunday afternoon we worked on trying to figure out a way to get the lumber we had shipped in the boat from Homer along with the trailer (we had planned to carry the trailer on top of the boat) secured in a way that we could get the boat on step.  Well, the weight was just too much and we opted to have it barged over instead…so while the adventure of getting the boat up the water system to our house is over we still have a few details to work out.  Oh well, we get to add a step and in the long run it will be good since we can make the trip back up the Newhalen River and see our friends in Nondalton on the way. 

Pulling out of Lake Illiamna

Putting into the Newhalen River after the 13mi portage

We stopped at “Agate Island” on the way up Lake Illiamna and spent a couple of hours picking he coolest rocks, they are polished naturally on the pebble beach.  Very cool place for a picnic!  We got to Illiamna (the village) and had no trailer to put the boat on since we left to be barged over from Pile Bay.  The portage to the Newhalen River is about 13 miles so were literally stuck up the river without a paddle.  We got out of the boat, prayed and walked to the store.  We walked in the door and Lyle saw a friend of his who offered, without us asking, to put the boat on his trailer and to pull it over the road for us.  Not surprised but grateful for the Lord’s provision.

We were hungry and tired but stopped to see our friends in Nondalton for a few minutes and what a blessing they are.  They are an incredible family living in a village where I think they are either the only white family or one of the few. We love them and really they are an inspiration to us as we look ahead to living here.  Beyond the time in the boat with Lyle, Heidi, Sam and Zach; the time in Nondalton was really worth the entire trip to me although I wouldn’t have wanted to lose any of the adventure of boating up the massive Lake Illiamna; it was all worth it…

Today is a catch up day for admin.  Amazing how much I get behind by doing just the minimum over the past couple of weeks. Not much else I can do about that but plan a day or two to catch up after the trips. 



Zach taking us the home stretch in Lake Clark

We love the new boat!  It is efficient on fuel, we only used about 10 gallons yesterday running for over 5 hours wide open.  The seats are 100% enclosed keeping everyone dry from the sea spray and its WAY warmer being out from the wind.  So blessed, it’s the nicest vehicle we have owned…thank you again to those of you who helped make it happen, we want you to come and enjoy it with us!