Tag Archives: fishing

Holding my Breath & Looking out the Small Porthole

Boat 2007 © Stephen Bruno

In my thirties, I rented an old Alaska fishing boat at a small marina for my new residence. There were a variety of pleasure craft and sailboats. Looking out the stern, I had a beautiful view of the bay, sensational sunrises, and stunning sunsets. Early one morning, the lived-in owner of a majestic ocean cruising sailboat moored beside me introduced himself. He asked how I was enjoying the marina and wondered if I knew the history of the fishing boat. I found little comfort in his enigmatic smile.

He wistfully looked toward the bay and shared that a woman newspaper reporter was the previous renter. He mentioned that my new home had been used for many years as a productive fishing boat in Alaskan waters by successful fishermen catching king salmon, silver salmon, halibut, and various other species.

Then, after a long silence, with an unfathomable smile, my new neighbor described how the boat occasionally quickly sank to the bottom of the marina and suggested the owner was a maritime slum lord. I pondered his comments for the remainder of the day.  

From that day, early each morning, after waking up and holding my breath, I looked up at the small single porthole in the cabin to see if water covered it before breathing a sigh of relief. This was quite an adventure until I relocated to an inland apartment months later. This was one of the many unusual places I’ve lived in. I did miss the calm rolling motion of the water, sitting at the stern, drinking coffee, and enjoying the incredible views of the bay.

Maynard in Valley of Enchantment

Many years ago, I took a job in Riverside County, Southern California as a deputy tax assessor, (I know it is hard to imagine) which I had taken temporarily while waiting for the home closing that I was purchasing. The day the sale went through I quit my deputy tax assessor job and relocated to the beautiful San Bernadino National Forest in the Valley of Enchantment, Crestline, California.

Throughout my high school years, I shared free time between surfing at Huntington Beach and hiking in the San Bernadino National Forest. I had always thought about living there after college. I did not consider being drafted during college and sent to Vietnam, so it took many years later to move to the mountains. I especially loved sharing the mountains with Kelly, my daughter.

I was waiting for my application acceptance for the half-time position of Executive Director of a mental health agency in Crestline.  In the meantime, I decided to rough it a bit and fish for Rainbow Trout at Lake Gregory, a small local rustic lake within walking distance of my new home, since I did not hunt wildlife except with a camera. For daily meals, I planned to add a storage of rice to the fish as all my money was tied up in the house.

I borrowed a fishing pole, lures and a stringer from a neighbor, and I ventured out to the lake and found a tranquil location with a beautiful view. This lake was the quintessential mountain retreat. A great location to obtain primary food until the job became available. Seriously, how hard could it be to catch enough fish for sustenance?

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