August 21 - Neet to Naha

Aug 21 Neet to Naha

 

 

 

Weird lobster like creatures in the prawn pot

 

 

In Naha we tied to the dock.  The ramp to shore is missing.  It was taken out last year by a huge storm which also took out much of the trail up to and thru the lagoon.  There are downed trees everywhere.

 

 

The walking trail is under this tree fall.  They have a lot of work to do to clean up this trail. 

 

We took a dingy ride over to Loring to look around.  There was a fish cannery/packing operation there about the turn of the century.   The last ship-load out of there was in 1930.   We went to the ‘museum’, which was really just the Heckman house with a lot of old family photos (Stack family – who still live there, 5 generations have lived there), and old stuff that has been gathered over the years from back in the day.   There appear to be about 4 houses there in use.  We walked thru the woods toward Naha and saw what the women at Loring told us was the native cemetery ….. interesting no natives buried there according to the headstones.  The oldest headstone was from 1865 marking the resting place of a man who fell from the rigging on one of the ships from California. 

 

 

 

 

Further along the path we came to a place where we had to wade thru the water … above my knees deep, and then on to a waterfall. 

 

The waterfall by Loring.  No fish are going to make it up that one.

 

It is a pretty waterfall, and had salmon around the bottom of it.  There is no way any salmon could make it up this waterfall as it was very tall.  Anyway, we made the loop and came back to that watering hole that we had to cross.  You guessed it the tide had come in and it was deeper yet.  Let’s just say I am lucky to have very long legs, else my waist would have gotten wet.  As it was both Diane and I were wet further up than we would have liked.  We had to change clothes when we got back to the boat.  Glad we did not linger any longer at the waterfall.

 

A bare print …. But not a Bear print

 

 

Mushrooms anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at Naha ….. Old Skid where small boats were pulled up into the lagoon and back out again.

 

 

Rapids heading into the lagoon

At our last bend in the stream up the lagoon.  Great place to watch bears, but no bears here today.   There is a viewing stand on the hill to the left out of view.

Diane and Willard exploring the stream and lagoon.

 

 

 

 

Back to Naha and we looked at the entrance to the lagoon again, hum, need about another ½ hour. There were kayakers riding the standing waves at the waterfall.   We goofed off and went back a ½ hr. later. Perfect we made it into the Lagoon.  We spent the next hour or so running up to the end of the lagoon/lake and up the river as far as we could.  We made it past the church camp and to the bear viewing area at the next set of rapids.   No bear were sighted during this adventure.   We saw lots of salmon trying to make it up stream, many swimming and many who either finished their business or just died trying to get to their goal.  

We spoke to the new caretaker of the camp.  They have had a tough time for the last couple years.  Their prior caretaker got ill and passed away and then they had no one and the place went downhill as one can imagine.   He and his three sons (14, 12, and 4 yrs. old) are living there this summer working on the place while his wife is in school, he plans to stay there over the winter and get the place into shape for next summer in hopes of getting some campers (church groups, scouts, etc…) to once again enjoy time up there. 

We headed back down the lagoon and out before the tide turned and made our exit more difficult.  We rode the rapids out.  Fun fun.

The wind picked up and made it a bit bouncy so we decided not to put our crab or prawn pots down.  

Had a quiet evening and movie night.