Coffman Cove, Alaska.

May 8, 2008.

Coffman cove is toward the north end of Prince of Wales Island. Like most of the towns on the island, Coffman Cove is very small and full of characters. We stayed with some folks who own a lovely lodge a short boat ride from "town". We had the chance to see the area from Clay who had grown up there and lived off the fat of the land most of hs life. He took us to where he used to live, a run down farmstead in a quiet cove. He walked us around and pointed out where everything used to be, before the place was abandoned years ago. The chicken / bunny hutch he built still stood and he showed us where he stared a wolf down when he ran outside to pee when he was a kid. Later we also got some crab and clams for diner that night. We also got to go sea cucumber hunting. they ooze along the bottom and on a clear water day with no wind, you can drift about in the shallows and snag them with a hook on a stick. their flesh is prized in asia. We cleaned some were amazined by how much of the animal is wasted and how little meat is there. the meat is tender and yummy though. The abundance of wildlife in the sea and on the land is amazing here. crab were literally right in front of the dock and clams were so plentiful we got 1/2 a bucket in 5 minutes. Deer and bear meat fills the locals freezers and wolves are common, but not commonly seen.