From Tim,
I had met Hans, a salmon troller and Sitka resident, at a party at Paul’s and Toni’s home in Sitka. When I stood next to his docked troller, the Patience, I tried to imagine fishing the North Pacific Ocean in a twenty-five foot boat.
Recently, I mentioned to Paul and Toni that I was looking for photos to accompany Carole’s LETTERS FROM ALASKA that we would be publishing in the NESTER. Paul responded that he had two folders of photos from Hans that I might like to check out. I had no idea what a treat waited for me and that I would have the opportunity to share his stunning photography with you.
Do take this opportunity to visually experience Southeast Alaska’s outer coast in pictures from a photographer who has fished on the ocean for many years.
I chose photos for this post to further illustrate a paragraph in LETTERS FROM ALASKA 3. Carole writes, “This region of Alaska is called the Panhandle. It’s a five-hundred-mile strip of islands dangling off Alaska’s lower right corner. . . Locals refer to this long, wild border between ocean and shore as the Outer Coast, and the words are spoken with a certain reverence.” (Italics mine)
Carole refers to “a certain reverence.” That gets my attention. I am reminded of something that I need to pay attention to more often in this scientific/technological world of ours. We see with our eyes; we analyze with our brains; and we perceive with our minds. The author Marilynne Robinson writes in an essay that, “The locus of the human mystery is perception of the world.” It’s our perception of the world that guides our participation in the world.
Carole’s use of the word, “reverence” reflects a “perception” of the world.
“Let me keep my mind on what matters which is my work which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.”
― Mary Oliver
It is entirely possible that behind the perception of our senses, worlds are hidden of which we are unaware.
Albert Einstein
“It is above all by the imagination that we achieve perception and compassion and hope.”
– Ursula K. Le Guin
To read Carole Gibb’s LETTERS FROM ALASKA 3 – click here –
Wowzer! Hans is so very gifted. What a treat! The quotes and your narrative make this post very special!
Hello…..beautiful site. I have these photo here in Kelowna BC. Hans sent to me many tears ago. I just wish he was not in the condition that he is in.
A magical roundabout brought me to this post with your name. My son had asked me if I had mor photos from Hans after he saw the obituary for Hans on one of his Facebook sites that mentioned Hans’s photography and art. So, I did the quick search, found quite a few photos and need to hustle over to Amazon to get your books downloaded before Pedr and I fly off to Panama where we keep our sailboat in a marina when we come back up here to STILL fish the season. I think of you often especially when fishing Yakobi and Chichigof. Most of June through Mid-Aug we fish down Ketchikan and Sitka way. Pedr says howdy!
Char and Pedr- F.V. ZAPAT chardamron7@gmail.com