Sorry our blog went silent...

Our internet connections have been weak so uploading photos has been problematic and slow. Sorry.

I would like, however, to share an amazing experience that we had on Barronoff Island/Sitka (serious bear country) this past Thursday, August 2, 2007.
We ended up on Barronoff Island in the first place because the direct Alaska Marine Highway ferry going from Juneau to Prince Rupert only traveled on Saturday. Susie arranged a series of Island stopovers to avoid shabbos travel and add a few extra experiences to our adventure.
Barronoff Island (scene of the book Yiddish Policeman's Union) is a picturesque place where rainforrests, beautiful coastline, and fish literally jumping out of the water, are the norm. There are only 14 miles of road on this island so you're either headed one way or the other.
Well, on Thursday morning we packed up our camper and headed out of our amazing rainforrest campsite. While driving North, I notice a strange looking group of people dressed like pirates walking along the road pulling a wagon with 2 kids, fishing rods, and net.
I almost ran off the road when I noticed that the adult man and his older son had tzitzit hanging from their sides. I stopped to say hello and only after saying Shalom Alaichen did they figure out what I wanted from them.
The Medlin family has been living on Barronoff Island for 3 years now. Moshe and Chani Medlin have 6 great children - Mozel, Adom(f), Osnat, Uriel, Yani, and Darius. There are 2 other jewish people (families?) that live on the island too.
The Medlins invited us to a picnic with them on a rocky shoreline near their apartment. They took us fishing on their sea canoe and kayak and then we cleaned and cooked cooked the fish and other food on a fire we built right on the rocks.
We talked, sang Jewish songs, ate fresh fish and sipped spiced rum while watching the sun set over the small islands the Medlins had named directly in front of us. We even had an early birthday party for me - complete with streamers draped from the trees.
They showed us how to fish for LinkCod and Rockfish. They were delicious.
The family is unlike any we have ever met before. They eat mostly what they catch in the ocean and the few kosher foods they can find in the local store. On Passach, the store in town will bring in Matza and other basics for them.
We ended our evening by fishing again after midnight and carrying the boats up the bank, down the road to their apartment, in almost total darkness. We said our goodbyes and promissed to stay in touch.
What a (birth) day!
Regards,
Eddie and family