Fly (ing and) Fishing - BOW 2015, Day 1

Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Alaska starts today. I am so excited. I packed yesterday. I need to be prepared for all types of weather, so I packed a fleece jacket, warm hat and gloves, a cold-weather base layer, raincoat, rubber boots, change of clothes, shorts and tank top, sun hat, a Bug-Off pullover, a warm pull-over, towels, tent, tent footprint, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, travel mug, camera, sunglasses, fishing hat, water bottle, head lamp, toiletries, day pack, etc. Would you believe I got it all in one duffel bag? Well, I did. Everything except the sleeping bag, which was my carry-on.
 
I got up early to catch a 7 am flight to Fairbanks. I could have driven, but it would have been at least 7 hours of driving each way, plus stops, plus construction delays and I just wasn't up for it. The flight to Fairbanks on a Bombardier Q400 took just 49 minutes. It was partly cloudy, but I could see Denali and Foraker peeking out from the clouds.

Foraker (17,400 ft) on the left and Denali (20,300 ft) on the right

I was picked up at the airport by a good-hearted University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) student named H, who was also heading to BOW. We were joined by two other young adventurers and we headed down the Richardson Highway for a chatty 1-hour drive, passing North Pole, Eielson AFB, and Salcha. I didn't see Santa Claus at North Pole, but I saw his house. :) Near Birch Lake we turned off onto the road to Lost Lake Boy Scout Camp.

Lost Lake Camp is a stunningly beautiful piece of property. The Boy Scouts are incredibly lucky to have it. It covers over 400 acres and borders on Lost Lake. It is hilly and wooded. The facilities are rustic, but comfortable. There are small cabins, as well as campsites with tent platforms. There is running water and the campsites have flush toilets and some have hot showers. There are several large shelters, and facilities for various activities such as boating, climbing, and shooting. The mess hall easily seats 150 people and is supported by a commercial kitchen.

We went straight to the mess hall to check in. The staff was very organized. Everything was decorated in purple, which turned out to be this year's color. (The color changes every year.) We each got a purple tote bag containing a lavender t-shirt that we were expected to wear all weekend and a neck pouch/name tag. All of the staff members had deep purple t-shirts. This was very helpful. We also got a map of the camp, a schedule, and our assigned cabin or campsite.

The "camp uniform"

I had elected to bring a tent rather than stay in a cabin. I was assigned to the Coldfoot campsite. It was close to the mess hall, but still a bit of a walk. Everything there was a bit of a walk, but exercise is a good thing, right? Yes, it is. Especially in the woods and the fresh air.

H was also assigned to Coldfoot. She parked nearby and that was it for the car until BOW was over. We schlepped our stuff up the hill to the campsite and set up our tents on tent platforms. Most of the platforms had canvas tents on them. They weren't real tents, though, more like heavy-duty rain flies. They would not be any good at all for keeping mosquitoes out. 

Tent within a tent

View from tent of toilets/wash house and small shelter

It is really hard to set up a tent inside a tent. I kept bumping my head on the wooden rafters. The tent poles kept falling through the gaps between the floorboards. There wasn't really enough space to get around to the back of the tent to attach it to the frame. I hope nobody was watching me. 

After setting up camp it was time to go back up to the mess hall for lunch. We were welcomed and introduced to some of the staff and given the 3 cardinal rules:

• Safety first
• Have fun
• No politics

Every meal would start with door prizes - to encourage timeliness. You had to be present to win. Next came announcements, and then we got to eat. 

I was starving! A big menu was posted listing all of the meals. Apparently the kitchen staff came from Grizzli's Italian Bistro in North Pole.

Lunch:
Soup of the Day - Roasted Tomato Basil
Fresh Garden Salad
Baked Potato Bar with Assorted Toppings
Fresh Fruit Bowl
Chocolate Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Sodas
Hot/Cold Tea
Coffee
Water


Soon it was time for the first of our four sessions. We had to list our first, second, and third choices for each session when we registered. I had requested a lot of fishing classes because I didn't think I'd get in to all of them. But I did.

The options for Session I were: Firearms Safety, Archery, What's in the Woods?, Fur Sewing, Pond to Pan, Boating, Dutch Oven, Kayaking, Backpacking, Chainsaws, Wild Edibles, Rappeling, and Fly Fishing (my class).

I wanted to take fly fishing because I had been hearing about how great it was ever since I read A River Runs Through It about 36 years ago. There seems to be a cult-like vibe about fly fishing, so maybe I need to check it out.

The 3-1/2 hour class was so much fun! There were about 10 of us, with 2 instructors. First we went over the fishing regulations. The 48-page book of regulations had always been intimidating and mystifying to me, but now I know how to use it. Then we talked about equipment. We learned and practiced three useful knots (the Perfection Loop, the Surgeon's Knot, and the Fisherman's Knot). We talked a little bit about flies. We looked at some of the small critters that live in the lake using simplified microscopes. Then we set up our fly rods.

Next, we learned how to cast and how to make the fly wiggle around like a real insect. We had lots of time to practice. I was amazed that some of the women actually caught fish! In the crystal clear water I could see fish checking out my fly, but I didn't get any bites. I think if I had used some waders and gone out a little deeper in the lake I might have had better luck.

The weather was beautiful

The kayaking class included different size kayaks and paddle-boarding

Our lead instructor, Alex, did a great job! The other instructor was a fisheries biologist from ADFG. I couldn't believe how much information we were given. There was not a trace of condescension towards this group of sometimes clumsy, mostly novice women. They were patient and encouraging. That made me feel really comfortable. 

Fly Fishing Handouts

 I really enjoyed fly fishing. The rod was very light and it wasn't hard to get the hang of casting. You wave the rod around until the line makes a U and then you cast forward. When your fly hits the water, you start reeling it in, and then you keep doing it, over and over. It's always interesting because you are trying to get your cast just so, and you are trying to reel in at the right speed, and you can see the fish in the water. You get a rhythm going and it's hard to stop.

Fur headband

All of a sudden it was time for dinner. People were excitedly sharing their afternoon adventures. The chainsaw class was a big hit. In the fur sewing class they made gorgeous beaver headbands. I won a door prize - a reusable tote bag.

Dinner:
Gourmet Chicken Pot Pie
Steamed Rice
Steamed Vegetable Medley
Fresh Salad
Dinner Rolls
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with French Vanilla Ice Cream

After dinner we had a Round Robin activity. A number of instructors set up stations and we had a chance to learn a 5-minute skill. My favorite was how to signal a plane with a mirror.

By the time the Round Robin was over, I was ready for bed. I was so tired, and my feet were hurting. My Fitbit said 12,000 steps and 25 flights of stairs. Did I mention the big hill to get up to the mess hall? The hill to get from the waterfront to anywhere was even bigger.

After a heavenly hot shower, I went to bed EARLY, and I wasn't the only one. It was very quiet at Coldfoot. Breakfast tomorrow is at 7, and I want to be there on time!

If you are ready to sign up after reading this, here is the link:
Alaska BOW link
You don't have to live in Alaska to participate.