Jenn Walsh, Jessica Kayser-Forster, and Abbey Holmes are home from a nine-day and 100-mile journey. They were dropped on top of Flower Mountain by Coastal Helicopters and proceeded to hike, mostly glacier travel to Bartlett Cove in Gustavus. They used Fairweather Ski Works approach skis to traverse the glaciers. The terminus of the Carroll glacier ended up being as complex as it looked on the map that the group used to plan their trip. On day six, Jessica’s husband Keven Forster, with assistance from Paul Swanstrom of Mountain Flying Service, dropped packrafts and additional food to assist with crossing the Carroll River. The rafts added extra weight but came in super handy to shuttle gear to the kayak drop off in Queens Inlet. The group finished off their trip by kayaking with the whales for two days before flying back home to Haines. The women had one harrowing bear encounter involving Jessica but fortunately no one was injured. Alaska Spice Shop provided all the meals for the traverse which kept the trio humming right along.
Sam McPhetres celebrated his 50th birthday in the 50th state on Maui. Sam, with his wife Shannon and children Owen and Emily celebrated with a small family reunion. His mother, Jan McPhetres and friend Bob Engelbrecht, sister Wendy McPhetres and partner Catherine Knowles and Shannon’s parents, Terry and Ellouise Linebarger, gathered together to celebrate. The group snorkeled, hiked, enjoyed a lot of family time, and visited a turtle sanctuary daily. They also attended a luau feast and had a photobomb with actor Adam Sandler while eating at Mama’s Fish House.
John and Sharon Svenson had a surprise visit from cousins they had never met: Dona Svenson, her daughter Carolyn Carvey and son-in-law, Chad Carvey. Chad is a retired school principal. He and Carolyn are now high-end auctioneers and live aboard their 43-foot steel hull sailboat with plans to sail around the world. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic they have spent the last two years in Canada and Southeast Alaska, primarily in Petersburg. Dona brought with her a ton of family pictures from the past and family tree information. Dona was joining Carolyn and Chad on the boat for three weeks. The trio left Haines for Glacier Bay and Sitka.
Bozhi Dellinger with her almost one year old daughter Parker and husband Daniel are in Haines visiting. They met up with her mother, Margaret Sebens, in Juneau and then the group came to Haines together to visit with friends, attend the SEAK Fair, and see her father, Tod Sebens. The group plans to travel via her father’s boat the Taz to Gustavus. Bozhi and her family live in North Carolina.
Janie Hall with daughters Natalie, 13, and Grace, 10, came to Haines from their home in Sitka to visit with Janie’s parents, Jerry and Barb Blood. They enjoyed visiting the SEAK Fair and a kayak tour on Chilkoot Lake with Rainbow Glacier Adventures. Janie graduated from Haines High School 20 years ago and this was her first time back in Haines in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Haines Dolphins Swim Team had a float in the SEAK Fair parade. Pool supporter Heather Lende drove Lutak Lumber’s delivery truck in a swimsuit, cap and goggles. The flatbed was filled with past, current, and future swim team kids including Haines’ grown Genny Reitze who competed in the 2008 Olympic trials in the 200-meter backstroke. HDST board members, swim officials, and parents walked alongside the float as well. The float was adorned with signs celebrating Lydia Jacoby, the 17-year-old swimmer from Seward, Alaska, who recently won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 100-meter breaststroke. She won a silver medal in the women’s 400-meter medley relay. She also placed fifth in the 400-meter mixed medley relay. Hand painted signs additionally reminded parade viewers that the community pool will reopen on August 9. Lexie Dewitt, a current Dolphins parent and former coach, was one of the supporters walking with the parade float. She recently signed on to volunteer as a coach for the Haines High School Swim Club. The high school fall sport will begin on Aug 9 and the ASAA State Championship is scheduled to be in Juneau Nov 5-6. You can reach out to Lexie for any questions.
The Dolphins will host a registration potluck on Friday Aug. 27. Placement, for those athletes who are new and/or unsure what group they should join, is Monday Aug 30. The first practice is Tuesday Aug. 31. Sydney Wray, a parent and pool lifeguard, was recently hired to the head coaching position. Sydney and her family were also in the parade as part of the float. More information can be found on the Dolphins facebook page.
Jim and Kathy Hibbard filled in as pastors at Assembly of God church for five weeks ending July 7. Kathy said highlights included attending the annual Fishermen’s Barbecue and Fourth of July celebration. “It was wonderful,” Kathy said, including reconnecting with friends of their three sons, Scott, Chris and Josh. “It always feels like coming home.” The Hibbards lived in Haines 1981-1998 and Jim served as minister at Port Chilkoot Bible Church and Haines Cornerstone Church.
Ron Owens, a musician, magician and career music teacher from Manchester, N.J., came last week to see the fair and visit former student Neil Einsbruch. Owens gave tips to the Haines marching band, performed magic tricks during the fair’s talent show and jammed with local musicians on his accordion. On arriving at the ferry terminal, Owens was about to be photographed in front of the “Welcome to Alaska” sign when Linda Huber showed up with a fish for him to pose with. “It’s not really Alaska if you’re not holding a fish,” she said. Owens’ resume includes marching with string bands in Philadelphia’s famous Mummers’ Day Parade. Ron’s son Buck Owens played snare drum with the Haines marching band in Saturday’s parade.
Diane Arnold of Santa Barbara, Calif., again held up more than her share of the Southeast Alaska State Fair. Arnold organizes and hosts crafts at the fair’s Kids Stage, often donating materials. She also created the Can-Can entry in the fair’s wearable art show and created the giant, walking cherry pie that was awarded Best Float in Saturday’s state fair parade. Diane is the sister of resident Mark Sizemore.