The Cape Ommaney – Boat Trip

So, on May 22, 2024, many of my Cousins and friends got to travel on this boat from our Home town of Metlakatla, Alaska to a place called Cape Chacon, to harvest Black Seaweed.

this was my first year, going out on the grounds to harvest Black Seaweed. Over the years, I remember when my grandparents and my aunt, uncles and my parents would all go out, sometimes for a couple of days, to harvest black seaweed, and they would also come home with Seagull eggs, as well. I mean, that was pretty cool. Then, we would lay it all out, on sheets, on the roof of the house, and also, on sheets, on plywood, in the yard. So amazing, and so awesome. That was such a memorable experience for me.

The Seaweed, we let dry in the sun, as shown in the photo above.

530am, as we approach the harvesting grounds. THIS is the point of Cape Chacon. Beyond that, is the wide open, Pacific Ocean. So beautiful.

0430 am, the Sun is coming up as we approach the harvesting grounds of Cape Chacon. This is one of the Skifs that will be used to shuttle us from the Big boat, to the shore and rocks we will be harvesting the Seaweed from. So poetic looking.

Wow! There was so much to harvest. The Black Seaweed was in abundance, thank you God!

The photos above show the grounds and my cousins, my sissy and I harvesting the Black Seaweed. So much fun, and so memorable. Loved every second of this experience.

After 1200 pm, making out way back to the town of Metlakatla, heading home, after a bountiful pick of Seaweed. Over 40 bags of seaweed was harvested, and it was such a blessing and such an honor. To know and realize that many of my family and ancestors before us, harvested the same grounds, it brought such pride and joy to my heart, and brought tears to my eyes to think that very thought. I look forward to another adventure like that.

Note: some of the photos on this post are courtesy of: Melody Leask and Johann Echohawk Atkinson.