The best traveler has no plan and is not intent on arrival.
Lao Tzu
Arrived Kodiak right on time after a great trip from Old Harbor. Kodiak yet another fishing town of Alaska, full of boats, docks, and houses along the coastline.
We had a couple of hours so departed the boat, making sure to carry ID and ferry ticket. Apparently they will not allow reentry without those two items, room keys do not count or knowledge that we have been on board for 4 days and they now theoretically know us. Personal relationships do not seem to count as much. We walked several blocks just looking and comparing to previous trips to the area. Both Jeanne and I had been here years ago teaching various classes. Jeanne teaching emergency trauma, and me teaching burn classes. Steve and I had been here 20 years + on a deer hunting trip with his son.
Several bars as per fishing towns, and we walked the main harbor just looking and admiring the boats. Mostly seiners with a few trawlers and longliners thrown into the mix. A working town. Not a lot of pleasure boats, although they may be in another harbor in the area. Ended up at a delightful brewery and enjoyed a good beer. Nothing overly exciting. Back to the ferry and the 10 hour run to Homer, arriving at 3 am. Ugh, but getting used to boat life which does not entail regular hours as arrivals and departures are at all hours.
Our friend Scott had driven our car, which we dropped at his house last week, and left it at the ferry terminal and we drove to his house, falling into bed for the second time this night. Proved to be a reasonable night of sleep despite awaking at 2:30. A delightful visit with Scott and Cindy that morning and then to the charging station to add a little electricity to the car. apparently the security system uses a fair amount of power, when people walk by and it records that. Next time remember to turn off the security system. We met with other friends at a coffee shop while adding 45 minutes of charge. then we were off, for the 5 hours drive home, stopping at supercharger along the way and having a good meal while charging. Made it home and prep for the next trip. Jeanne off a a girlfriend trip, and me at home getting house and me ready for winter.
It’s all so easy when you don’t know how hard it is.
Luann (comic by Greg evans)
And the ride began late due to mechanical delays. Originally scheduled for 5 pm departure from Dutch Harbor, but due to some mechanical maintenance needed, new schedule was 12:45 am – ugh. Thus we had another evening. We had extended our room, at the grand Aleutian hotel, so could hang there, but weather was reasonable (no rain or wind) so we walked about. Headed to the sushi restaurant and had a delightful meal with some very good sushi. Interesting walking as it just winds amongst the industrial canneries, which arebusy but not crazy, as not much fishing now. Company store, the bunkhouses and apartments, generator building, docks, both boat, and truck.
Sushi dinner
It was a long day and all were ready to fall into cabin bed and sleep, and all did except me, who in spite wanting to sleep, did not seem capable, so I wandered exploring the boat. 270 feet 3 decks plus the car deck below. We had departed amongst scattered clouds and an almost full moon. Beautiful and with the iPhone camera able to somewhat capture the mood. I wanted to see Priest rock but alas it was dark when we passed it at 1 am. We have a painting on wood at home of priest rock, and now at least I can say I have been by it.
Departing Dutch harbor
It is now Tuesday and we departed Saturday night Sunday morning. We have made 6 stops thus far with Kodiak yet to go, in about 5 hours. Akutan, Cold Bay, King Cove, Sand Point, Chignik, and this morning Old Harbor. Each unique, with a varying makeup of native and western, makeup, ranging in size from a few dozen to maybe a few hundred. I managed to at least get up and get on deck to see, at least the dock, of each although several were middle of night. Could get off and walk but frequently the actual town too far in the allotted time of usually half hour, sometimes an hour. One has to be careful though, as apparently if you do not take your ID and ticket with you they will not let you back on. TSA rules apparently.
Akutan dock and town at 5 amCold bay dockKing coveSand pointChignikOld harborOld harbor
It was fascinating to observe the choreography of docking and loading as well as unloading. This is the last run of the year, for this Aleutian run and folks are returning themselves, gear, boats, cars to points north. Will be interesting to see how many get off in Kodiak. The crew says a lot of standby in Kodiak awaiting trip,to Homer and the road system. Currently I count only 2 empty spaces on car deck, and it is packed in, with minimal,squeeze room between vehicles, cars, pickups, trailers, boats, a front end loader, vans, dogs.
And ferry has gotten fuller with people as we go along. At first it was seemingly just a few, mostly tourists as ourselves, but each village added a few more, with a stop of 1 to 1 1/2 hours to unload and load vehicles. A circus but well choreographed. Fascinating to watch, staying out of way, as lots of heavy machinery.
The views were spectacular. We spent much of day just watching the ocean and/or the coastline. This may be some of the most spectacular coastline I have ever seen. Volcano’s when clouds allow, but cliffs and rugged coastline amazing. And the wildlife! Sei whales, humpback whales, harbor porpoises, birds mostly gulls and shearwaters, possibly an albatross or fulmar. Constant incredible views.
Cape castle Sunrise by Jim Winchester Aleutian coastline
The weather has been calm, with only a slight rocking of the swells. We had expected the gulf of alaska to be rather rough, this time of year, but has been basically flat. We had been concerned prior to departure watching weather, but a wasted worry. Currently as I write seas are larger, but we are running with the wind so fairly smooth.
Cell phone reception again is irritating me. Be at dock in village and everyone is yammering away on phones, except us, who get no reception. Again AT&T fails to,deliver. Was reasonable in Dutch harbor but apparently only GCI (a local alaska company) covers smaller places here. Seems in 2024 somebody would have it figured for all to share. Starlink is on the boat for crew or just boat work but not available for us. And as I write and we are closer to Kodiak we have reception and everyone is on phones catching up.
Catching up
Weather has come in again, cloudy, windy, occasional rain. Beautiful to just sit here in our cabin, looking out at waves, with the shearwater birds just floating the waves. The ocean always is changing.
Rode the 8:40 am flight to Dutch harbor, arriving 11 am.. beautiful flight over Lake Clark National Park, and on to here. The landing interesting as I looked out the window to see cliffs off the wing, and apparently pilot saw about 70 humpback whales just frolicking about the waters below.
Anchorage departure Lake Clark national park
We are on this little,excursion with friends Jim Winchester and Steve Dombrowski. Steve used to be our neighbor in Anchorage and both of them worked construction building roads. They were somewhat interested to see the work they had done here 10 years ago paving the runway and the roads. We were like little kids in our excitement to see it all. Steve had rented a big suv for cruising about and we began touring, eyes wide. Steve turns out to be an excellent guide showing us about, Winchester excited about it all and fascinated to see new birds.
Dutch harbor airport terminal
Like any village in Alaska, Dutch Harbor and the town of Unalaska is very different than the city of Anchorage. Historically and pretty much still is a native village. But Dutch Harbor is the largest fishing seaport in the United States, and there is evidence of it all over. An industrial town with huge connexs almost all refrigerated, one I counted 5 high by 25 on a side and 5 deep. All for shipping seafood. And crb pots stored away for the season, which is in December and January. This is the place where the crabs boats depart for the Bering sea and king crab fishing. Think of the tv show “The deadliest catch”. The boats are in and the crab seem to have gone away, and we walked docks and looked.
Crab pots
A great lunch at the “Norwegian Rat bar”, with an awesome blue cheese bacon burger and fries with very reasonable prices, cheaper than Anchorage.
A drive up to review a gravel pit, with stored road work machinery, and on up into the hills. Why a road we were unsure, but as Steve noted probably a remnant of World War II and maintained since. The war was quite significant here in the Aleutians with some major bombing take place here by the Japanese and the occupation of Kiska and Attu islands. For some reason it was not widely known that the United States had some occupied territory during the war. There were some incredibly brutal land battles and flying done.
A good stay at the grand Aleutian hotel, and have extended our stay. Seems we were to depart at 5 pm today, Saturday, but alas a mechanical on the ferry, and it is delayed until 00:45 Sunday morning. Hence rather than have no where to hang out we extended 1 room for the evening.
Thus delightful hiking, good food, watching the weather and just enjoying the company and the vibes of a working industrial town. Tonite we board the ferry for 3 days and 3 nights of Bering sea and gulf of Alaska.
Russian churchHikingWalking the dicks photo by Jim Aleutian ladyWalking to grocery storeAleutian museum Overlook from World War II bunkerDutch harborHotel view
Autumn colors are starting and Jeanne and I wanted to view them, as we did 3 years go on a train trip to Fairbanks, from anchorage. It was then the height of COVID, and you had to stay in seats, for entire ride, and they only sold every other seat. Ok we had an awesome time and colors were spectacular, especially the Siberian larches north of Denali park. That was about third week in September.
Jeanne had inquired early last week, but train travel totally sold out. Despite Alaska closing up after Labor Day (first Monday of September), numerous people had not heard that, and the cruise ships and tourists are still about. On Thursday she called and obtained a cancellation, for Saturday.
We had made arrangements to pick up a friends parents in Seward on Friday so it was a busy day. A delightful,drive meeting the parents at 8 am at Seward dock as they exited an 8 day cruise through the inside passage of alaska. We toured town reviewing where Brandon’s dad had worked in 1979, and out to exit glacier. It had receded even farther than a few months ago when we were there, with earlier summer visitors. Up late with dinner with them, then an 8 am departure on train. Much easier than flying, as one shows up 15 minutes early and boards.
Exit glacier June 2023June 2024
Exit glacier view September 2024
Alaska railroad
The problem with Alaska railroad, it is noted and famous for being one of the slowest in the world. The drive of 350 miles (750 k) to Fairbanks can be done in 6.5 hours with minimal traffic. The train schedules 12, for essentially same distance. But, the views are amazing and continuous, so lots of time to see. When a moose or bear was sighted the conductor would announce it and several people were able to see it, me not being one of them. I did see several swans and of course ducks, and grebes.
Broad pass
The train begins in Anchorage and our seats were first in car, hence we had a wall in front of us, blocking view. Near immediately we went up to dome car, where one is supposed to stay only 20 minutes to give others a chance. I do not think it ever filled up, and we stayed there most of trip.
Indian creek
Once when stopping to pick up passengers along the way, and the conductor describing how to open and close doors, as well as walk along the moving train. He advised the train cars were sort of like most of the people riding the train – somewhat old, set in our ways, sometimes cantankerous, but unique. And it was true of the 6 cars, each was unique and without a commonality of design other than wheels on track. Some doors you pushed, some you pulled, some you pushed a button, either on floor or on the door. Quite interesting.
Along the way, unfortunately someone developed a medical emergency and it was deemed an ambulance was needed. We stopped at a place called hurricane and waited an hour and half for one to arrive from either Palmer or Talkeetna a hundred miles south. I did see the patient walk off the train with assistance into ambulance.
Hurricane gulch awaiting ambulance
Interesting to hear the speculation on what happened. I am sure none were involved with the “emergency” but were willing to explain what happened.
Glitter gulch Denali national park
We arrived in Fairbanks at 10:30 – 2 1/2 hours late. Too late and dark to see the colors. Our friend Clif arrived and shuttled us to his place, for a wondrous sleep.
Sunday an awesome breakfast at more friends, then to the antique car museum. Fairbanks, it turns out has one of the best antique car museums, anywhere. Maybe 50 cars ranging from late 1800s with electric motors and steam engines. Turns out batteries were a problem then and people did not like sitting on a steam boiler, which on occasion burst. Latest cars were late 1930s. And bit of trivia, where the saying “that’s a deuzy” came from. From the old deussenberg car, a fine machine. The word station wagon comes from the 1911 model T Ford, which was designed to carry passengers from train station to hotel.
A flight home and begin prepping for next little adventure, obtaining tickets to ride the train, circumnavigating the lower United States, what we in Alaska call the lower 48. Coming up now is a ferry ride from Dutch Harbor to Homer a distance of a 1000 miles (1600 kilometers).
We just drove two cars to Homer, leaving one for our arrival next week on ferry. The flights from Homer to Anchorage are ridiculous a $250-$300 person.
jrpatee 