ALEUTIAN RUN

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Monday, 9 August:  En route to Kodiak – We boarded the M/V Tustumena for its 11:00AM departure to Kodiak.  Once at sea, the day became cloudy and rainy with lots of wind.  The seas got increasingly rougher as the day progressed and waves were crashing over the bow.  The only relief came when we reached the protected area near the harbor entrance.  By then (~8:30PM) everyone was ready to get ashore.  We arrived at the dock shortly after 9:00PM.  Although it was rainy, the temperature was pretty mild so we walked to the hotel to enjoy the fresh air.  Although Ed wasn’t affected by the 10 hour roller coaster ride, Lindy sure felt it.  Thankfully, not getting ill, however, despite the numerous individuals who were suffering from seasickness.  Once at the hotel, we went out and purchased Korean soup for a late dinner.  Perfect recovery food.

Tuesday, 10 August:  Kodiak – After a leisurely morning (including enjoying sourdough hotcakes), we picked up a rental car to explore the environs of Kodiak.  We first drove to a road above Kodiak to get a view of the city and the sea.  The dreary weather of yesterday changed to full sun before noon so it was a great day for exploring.

We went to Fort Abercrombie State Park to the north of the city.  The park is set on a WWII battery established to defend the island from the Japanese.  The concrete bunkers are intact but the gun placements are rusted and breaking.  No shots were ever fired here in wartime except for practice rounds as the Japanese did not invade Kodiak.

We drove back through Kodiak and headed south.  We stopped at each of the American River and the Russian River.  Both were teeming with spawning pink and chum salmon.  A few fishermen at each location were attempting to catch the salmon despite the fish’s primary goal of mating versus eating.  We also saw (but did not tour) the U.S. Coast Guard base.  It’s the largest base in the Coast Guard and it provides helicopter support, fixed wing support and cutter support.  We made our way back to town and called it a day at 7:00PM.

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Wednesday, 11 August:  Aleutian Run -  First thing in the morning, we visited the Kodiak Aquatic Center with numerous exhibits of sea life and a large fish tank.  Then, after turning in our rental car, we did a bit more touring of Kodiak before leaving on the Aleutian Run.  We went to the beautiful Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Church as well as the Russian Orthodox seminary.  Both had the characteristic onion dome and the crosses with two cross bars – the lower being the bar which held Christ’s feet to the cross.

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We boarded the M/V Tustumena (yes, we were on it early in our travels) and got our stateroom for the three night voyage.  Boy, what a relief to have some private space.  The boat was already packed with people using eating booths as camping spots.  Every nook was filled with sleeping bags laid out on floors.  Then, on the upper deck there were tents tethered to the railings and the duct-taped to the cement floor.  Our 4-bunk berth with ensuite facilities was like being in a mini-Hilton.  Our room had a picture window so we could enjoy the sites while sipping a glass of wine.  Perfect!  As we left Kodiak at 6:00PM, there was lots of whale activity to enjoy.  None came near the ship but they still bring a smile.

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Thursday, 12 August:  Aleutian Run -  This was our last full day on the ship and we thought we might get bored.  No way!  After a leisurely breakfast (quite good), we watched a presentation about the bidarka, an Aleut kayak used to navigate and hunt in very rough waters.  Then at 11:30AM, we made our first stop en route to the Aleutians, the community of Chignick.  We got off the ship and wandered the town until reboarding at 1:00PM.  At interesting phenomenon which occurred at this stop and every subsequent one (irrespective of the time of day) was the “cheeseburger rush.”  The M/V Tustumena makes the Aleutian Run only once a month for six months of the year.  So, it’s a big deal when the ship comes in bringing goods.  But the really big deal is to buy a hot, juicy cheeseburger with fries cooked by the chefs of the M/V Tustumena.  Brings a whole new view to “Cheeseburger in Paradise!”  After returning to the ship we enjoyed the views and the balance of the day before retiring to our cabin.

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Friday, 13 August:  Aleutian Run -  Today was our busiest day in several ports.  However, since it was rainy at all locations, we didn’t’ photograph but just did some exploration on shore.  Our first stop was at 7:00AM at King Cove and it was brief (left at 8:00AM).  Our next stop was at Cold Bay.  Here Lindy’s name was drawn to join a Park Service trip (by truck) to Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.  The group went to Granite Point, 11 miles away.  The wind was howling (30MPH+) and only one ptarmigan flock showed itself (and that was on the road on the way back).  However, it did provide a great glimpse into this wild and unique area.  Interestingly too, Cold Point’s dock is almost a ½ mile extension into the sea.  It was necessary for sufficient depth to accommodate freighters and the ferry.  The next place we disembarked was False Pass at 4:45PM.  This was our first time to step foot on an Aleutian Island as all previous stops were on the Alaska Peninsula.  Given the time of day, the “cheeseburger rush” was huge here!  The last stop was at Sand Point at 10:45PM.  We passed on it.  By then we were fast asleep after having a real treat for dinner.  At first I thought Ed might be pulling my leg when he told me to order halibut checks in Alaska.  Well, they were tonight’s special on the boat and absolutely delicious.  The flavor of halibut with the consistency of lobster.  Terrific and a great way to salute our last night on the ferry.

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Friday, 14 August:  Dutch Harbor/Unalaska - At 8:30AM we arrived at Dutch Harbor, the final port in the Aleutian Run.  From here the M/V Tustumena retraces its route back to Kodiak and Homer.  We previously decided to skip the return and fly back directly to Anchorage.  In doing so, we had to build in a couple of days in Anchorage since flights from Dutch Harbor only have a 50/50 rate of getting in/out due to severe fog and cloud cover.  Anyway, when we arrived we picked up our car at the ferry terminal.  As promised by North Port Rentals, a red Ford Festiva was on the landing with our name on the dash and the keys in a cup holder.  No issue on this easy approach on this island.  We used the car to explore Dutch Harbor and Unalaska, the latter being the community “on the other side of the bridge.”  We visited historic military sites from WWII.  The island once had a fort atop one hill for defending the island from Japanese attack.  Dutch Harbor was bombed by the Japanese during the war but there was not any land or sea invasion.  The island is littered with “pill boxes” – concrete bunkers used to observe the seas.  Two Aleutian Islands further out, Atta and Kiska, actually were invaded by the Japanese and successfully occupied for several months before American forces recaptured them.  After seeing these sites, we went to the Holy Ascension Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Unalaska.  At the end of the day we had great fun photographing a group of Puffins. 

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Sunday, 15 August:  En route to Anchorage – Today was cloudy but the ceiling looked okay  So we first headed to the airport to return the car and see if our flight was scheduled to leave.  We learned that all flights had been cancelled yesterday but ours had already left from Anchorage en route to Dutch Harbor.  Yeah! So we checked our bags and then walked to the Aleutian WWII Visitor Center.  It was very informative.  We enjoyed the exhibits until we had to report back to the airport for our flight to the mainland.

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