On June 19th, 2023, I flew to the remote fishing village of Naknek, Alaska to be a seafood processor for the annual Bristol Bay salmon run. I was looking for something that would cast me out of my comfort zone. I wanted to be uncomfortable. I wanted to be somewhere unfamiliar. I wanted to be a fish out of water. And ultimately, I wondered if I could survive the ordeal while maintaining some sanity. The following blog posts detail my 35 challenging days in Naknek. The highs, the lows, the smells, the people, and the views. And some of the lessons learned along the way.
Part I – A Fish Out of Water
It was 10 PM on June 19th, and in true Alaskan fashion, was still light outside. I hopped off an aging yellow school bus with 50 of my coworkers as a few raindrops pelted my face. A cool breeze blew in from the ocean to the west, sending a shiver through my body. Overcast skies…
Part II – Summer of Salmon
Excitement and nervous energy flowed through my body as I hopped in a line of 50 salmon processors to begin day one of work. The line began at the plant entrance and stretched around a corner, down a few stairs, and ended near the door to the mess hall. The smell of eggs and bacon…
Part III – The Power of Moments
Every morning when I went into the cafeteria to have breakfast before my 4 AM shift, the same 20-year old was working. His greeting to every person that walked through the door was the same. “Good morning! It’s a beautiful day to be alive!” He must have said that a hundred times every day. During…
Ben Clagett 