I knew this man spent a lot of time running the beaches of that island in search of the big coastal brown bears.
My phone rang later that night. "You want to try to find some of those duck in the morning?" He asked. "Looks like the weather might settle down enough to make a skiff trip over there."
We left the dock in the dark of the early morning and idled through the harbor.
"Look at that!" Jim said. "There's a flock of long tailed Old Squaws bunched up in the harbor."
"Wow, that is another trophy duck I'd like to bag, but I've only seen them inside the harbor here."
The wind was supposed to pick up to nearly gales by noon so our time was limited in the 18 foot skiff. We broke out of the smooth harbor and between several islands, and into open water. The wind blasted our faces with salt spray.
"Oh great!" I shouted over the roar of the outboard motor, "The wind is already blowing."
We had a several mile run in open water to reach the big island ahead and the waves just kept growing and growing.
"Are you sure we want to keep going?" I shouted back at Jim. He was leaning into the steering wheel and throttling through the growing waves.
"I think we will get out of it once we hit the shore," he shouted back. "I'll then take us north up the beach and to the north islands and we can sneak back home."
I kind of doubted him but he has cruised these areas most of his life so I just left it up to him.
Jim was right on. Once we reached the shore the wind was broken and the waves settled down to manageable ripples.
We spotted Harlequins as soon as we stopped the boat. They were sitting on rocks. I could not believe my eyes. I have always imagined diver ducks live way out in the open waters of the ocean or the center of vast bays.
These colorful little ducks were perched, pretty as they pleased, on rocks.
" I don't know if I can get the boat in tight enough to get one of them," Jim said. "This area is brutal on propellers with all the submerged rocks"
I was nervous, Jim seemed totally calm. I am used to running a large boat with deep motors and big propellers. I totally stay out of shallow water. Jim lives running his boats in rocky shallow water.
Jim eased me into a large rock and I clawed my way to the top. A flock of Harlequins burst into flight from the back side and I showed my shooting skills by missing my first shot.
"Shoot again!" Jim encouraged from the boat. I stood frozen pulling hard on the trigger of the gun but no follow up shot rang out.
"Oh, good grief," I whimpered to Jim, "I am so used to shooting automatic shotguns that I forgot to pump this pump gun."
We both got a good laugh at my lack of thinking. The colorful Harlequin ducks were probably laughing as well.
Jim did a masterful job dodging the rocks and picking his way through kelp forest and managed to get me to a few rocks that held the Harlequins. I amazed both of us by making a couple of good shots and was able to hold my first Harlequin ducks of my life.
Two days later I called a friend, Don, and asked if he wanted to try to decoy some Harlequins. He has spoken to me of his desire to try to bag one of these trophies.
"See you in the morning," he quickly committed.
The morning brought rolling swells breaking on the beach Jim and I had hunted the days before. Huge rollers became curling waves smashing the rocks in white foam.
Don and I drifted in my big boat looking for some way to try and get the little skiff to the beach.
"Wow, this is just not going to happen," I said to Don while powering the big boat out of the reach of the curling wave tops.
"The weather called for no wind, but eight foot swells. I sure didn't think it would pound this beach like this," I added.
We decided to make a long run through the big swells to an inside water channel.
"Look at the birds!" We both exclaimed as I powered the boat out of the swells and into a necked down channel between two rocky islands. " We may be able to hunt this place."
We long lined some decoys and I let Don off on the skiff. He made his way into a kelp paddy and hunkered down. I idled the big boat a distance away and sat back to watch the show.
It wasn't long until I heard Don shoot and then caught his waving arm. I raced the boat over to him.
" Got a Harlequin down!" Don shouted excitedly. "He is over that way!" I looked to where he was pointing and idled the boat to the bird.
I did not want my little Lab puppy to retrieve this bird as I knew Don planned on mounting it.
I waited for Don to shoot some Surf Scoters to send little Hali on some ocean retrieves. The little brown dog did an amazing job retrieving it the rolling water. She seemed to be born for this.
Don and I had a great sea duck shoot and both agreed that this day would be remembered forever in our minds.
We had to hurry back to town to beat the early winter darkness.
Alaska is one of the few places one can find these little ducks, and the nasty winter weather and short days makes it nearly impossible to hunt them around my area.
I felt so blessed to be able to accomplish one of my bucket list goals.
I hope to have the little bird perched on my desk as a reminder of how difficult and dangerous it is to pursue a simple little duck.
Halibut with a couple of Harlequins
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