A Place To Savor!!

Well Gang, we've completed the preliminaries to KHS graduation, the ceremonies and pageantry of the event itself and the afterglow with its attendant warmth, nostalgia and hopes.  And now - we have another priceless opportunity to spend time with our family and friends for some post-graduation visiting.  And, it's also time to renew acquaintances with the places and features of Kodiak we have come to treasure.  Fortunately for us, the Kodiak folks are fully aware of the priceless treasure they have access to and have never taken their island home for granted.   We took a leisurely drive to downtown Kodiak to check on progress of preparations for "Crabfest" that would begin the day after our flight home leaves.  (Rats!!!)  But, the shops, restaurants and other businesses in the downtown area are a lot of fun to visit and are operated by some very colorful and interesting people.  We also had the opportunity to have lunch at another favorite of ours - "Monks Rock", a fantastic restaurant, book store and gift shop all wrapped into one.  I'm not sure I'll get all of the organizational relationships right but ... I believe the shop is operated by the staff and students from St. Herman's Seminary - and is affiliated with Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral in Kodiak.  However it is set up, the bookstore/coffee house/gift shop is extremely well run with excellent choices in any of the above categories for which you wish to shop.  The food is outstanding and waaaayyyyy more than most of us normally eat in one sitting.  I'm not going to try to duplicate their menu here because it is huge and ever-changing.  Go to one of the many on-line sites that have info for Monks Rock and you'll see for yourself - it is well worth the visit.  I saw one review of the shop that I agreed with right away.  One visitor said that when they entered it was like getting a big, warm hug.  I agree!!!  Oh - I would also encourage you to visit the Cathedral and their gift shop.  Great stuff.  Anyway ... our "post-graduation" activities included a whole bunch of fantastic adventures and I will be heard pressed to do them justice.  One of the things that Linda really loves to do here when she has a little extra time is to search for "beach glass" along the shoreline, particularly around Mission Beach.  She takes our 'finds' and converts them into some really attractive displays.  She placed some of mine into a small container and it immediately became one of my treasured possessions.  But - hey, regardless of what - or how much - you find on one of those excursions, what more could you ask for than to be surrounded by spectacular scenery, wonderful family and friends and weather that is 'Chamber of Commerce' quality?  There is so much here to remind you of the beauty of this earth, our country and the special joy of being around folks you love, sometimes it seems almost dream-like.  Our search took us along the coast of Chenega Bay, looking southward toward the Gulf of Alaska.  The expanse of ocean is dramatically huge and, looking out across the placid waters sliding gently ashore here it is easy to forget that to the northwest lies the rich Bering Sea with it's enormous waves and perilous fishing grounds and to the south lies the gigantic North Pacific, an almost incomprehensibly large body of water!!!  We have friends and family who make their living on those mysterious and often-hostile waters and we keep them in our prayers at all times when they are out at sea.  For those of you who have traveled with us in the past you might recall some of our posts showing construction of one of the ships now fishing out of Dutch Harbor way out on the Aleutian chain.  If you missed that, please take the opportunity to scroll back in time and take a look.  I think you'll enjoy it.  And ... we talked earlier about our 'recent graduate' and his plans for fishing this summer.  Well it turns out that, instead of squid or anchovies, this time he will be fishing for salmon.  Should be a very exciting summer!!  But, while we're talking fishing ... I can't let the opportunity pass to do some bragging of our own.  Regan, Matt and Morgan treated us to what we had hoped would be a successful fishing trip but what wound up being an absolutely spectacular adventure!!!  Early on Linda and I both hooked Pollack and Rockfish  but she outdid me and not only reeled in more of everything but she added Cod to the list as well.  As odd as it might sound, we decided not to keep these guys since we were hoping for Salmon.  And then .... Right in the middle of a tremendous string of 'angling luck', Matt pointed to the south and we turned to see a whole line of 'spouts' signifying the
presence of some of the largest creatures on the planet - whales!!!  We willingly (and quickly) abandoned our fishing activities, pulled our lines in and headed toward the spouts.  Quietly cruising near the spot we had spotted them we were soon surrounded by these gentle giants.  A school of fifteen to twenty Humpback Whales circled our boat and treated us to a spectacular aquatic show.  I added a fairly brief video to give you an idea of what we got to see.  I think all you'll have to do is click on the following link - Whales of Kodiak to see what we experienced!!!  It is not a very sophisticated clip but I think it will show a little of what we experienced - and our delight.  The area where our giant friends were swimming was in the direction of Aleksashkina and Long Islands and, with our earlier luck with fishing, it seemed pretty clear that they had found a really great place for lunch themselves!!!  The views in every direction are simply spectacular.  As we looked westward we recalled earlier visits to spots further out on the island and talked about what we might like to see during our limited time.  Rezanof Drive is the main highway running along the coastline to the west past the airport and is a beautiful drive.  As it curves around the end of Womans Bay, Rezanof eventually intersects with Chiniak Highway to the left and, later, intersects with Saltery Cove Road to the right.  (That route leads to another of our favorite places - Pasagshak.)  We didn't have time to make it all the way out there but the Pasagshak River and Pasagshak State Park are really, really great places to visit - particularly if you are an outdoorsman or a nature lover.  It is one of the best places to fish for salmon and the wildlife sightings are fantastic.  On a previous visit we were out at Pasagshak and at one point I thought our son, Rick, was going to jump out of the car.  He had spotted a pair of spectacularly beautiful Bald Eagles perched at the top of a low tree and it was an unreal 'photo-op.'  Well - in remembrance of that trip, as we were heading out the Chiniak Highway, Linda spotted a nest way up in a tree and we pulled to the side of the road.  We looked closely and, although it is not as clear as we would like, the photo at the left shows a baby eagle waiting for mom to bring lunch!! What a marvelous way to remind us of what a wonderful treasure this country is - but - also what awaited us before long.  We too would soon be stretching our wings and taking to the air to return to our side of the world.  Along the way there would be countless reminders of the things we have seen and done and opportunities to laugh some more - and - to do some fussing when our travel plans don't work exactly like we want.  But, there is nothing that can erase the gorgeous scenes we have enjoyed, the warmth of family and friends we have been blessed with or the pride we have gained for all of our friends and family who continue to meet difficulties head-on and prevail despite tough odds.  This has been a wonderful visit and we are, again, delighted that you were able to join us.  We will probably come back with some additional "wrap-up" things we would like to add but we are also gearing up for additional travels in the near future.  We have a couple of options coming up quickly and we will tell you about them as soon as we get things settled.  In the meantime, hug your own graduates and let them know that we are all counting on them.  Then, come on back and join us for the next adventure.  See ya.

Get Ready World - Here They Come!!!

OK Gang ... so this is our second Kodiak High School graduation experience and, yeah, I realize we're here to watch some kids we love very deeply finish their high school careers - but - I'm here to tell ya... this is something that all of us have the right to be proud of and to feel good about.  The K.H.S. class of 2016 represents not only the small borough of Kodiak but the future of our country and, perhaps, the world.  No - I don't want to put too much pressure on them but, hey, take a look around.  We have seen the seams of the world begin to fray and pull apart.  We have seen organizations rise to immense power that we would never have conceived of existing let alone taking over so much territory and terrorizing so many people.  So what is the answer to all of that troubling stuff???  A world population that understands what it will take for this planet to survive and thrive.  A group of young people who have the courage to step up, face the present and the future and who will say ..... "Not on our watch!!!  We will restore truth, kindness and confidence in the goodness of mankind."  All over our country and around the world our youth are participating in ceremonies much like the one we saw in Kodiak and I believe in my heart that the kids we met during this visit are the vanguard of our hope for the future.  Morgan's friend, Elinore is but one example.  She is an extraordinary young lady - a valedictorian in her class and one of the brightest folks you will ever meet.  She is shown in a couple of the photos above and, if you will take a very close look at the footwear of the kids on the right you will notice one that is barefoot!!!  It wasn't a "statement" or any kind of display, she simply doesn't like to wear shoes very often!!! Individualism is alive and well among the kids of Kodaik!!    But, it's more than that too.  We also met a bunch of adults who have looked around themselves for a good while, seen things that disturbed them in terms of what was facing coming generations and decided that they had the responsibility to do something about it.  From businessmen who founded extraordinary scholarship endowment programs to company owners who took young people under their wings to show them how to grow a thriving business; from fishermen who accepted the responsibility for helping a youngster get his life 'on track' to coaches, counselors, advisors and just plain "friends" who realize that we are all in this together and we, as citizens, must take ownership of our communities, schools, states and countries if we want them to survive and thrive.  The number of scholarships made available to the kids of Kodiak is simply phenomenal and it is clear that these folks are committed to investing in the future - through their kids!!! OK - enough of the somber stuff!!  Graduation is about ... Fun!!! Hope!!! Family!!! Friends!!!  And a lot of other Good Stuff!!!  And - although we readily acknowledge prejudice in the extreme ... our great nephew Morgan symbolizes all of the stuff we talked about above.  He has a network of friends that is simply extraordinary!!!  Morgan will be headed for the University of Alaska at Juneau in the fall and I am confident he will do great.  But, before then he has a couple of minor chores to finish up.  He is getting things lined up for the upcoming squid - or - anchovie fishing season and it promises to be a very interesting summer!!  Now, if you're like me, those brief comments might have just zipped on by your consciousness.  Squid fishing???  Anchovies???  Hey are we talking about summer jobs or ordering a pizza???  Well, lemme tell you, this is some serious - and lucrative - stuff folks.  For the last couple of years Morgan has fished along the coast of California with a great guy we have gotten to know over our last few visits.  Squid fishing is a huge business in that area and it is demanding, "character building" work for a young man.  We have seen some videos from his last few trips and one, in particular, was very intriguing!!!  It was a video showing Morgan and a buddy taking a brief break from their chores on the boat to dive into a school of millions of squid!!!  Really weird, folks!!!  But - within mere minutes they were back on board, dried, dressed and back at work - hard work - pulling in nets and loading the catch.  Now - I've mentioned that Morgan is a huge outdoorsman and he and his dad have hunted some of the most challenging places on the planet.  But he is also in thoughtful, creative young man who is totally capable of carrying out any task he accepts.  One we got to see first-hand was his most recent project - building a "Jet Boat" -- from scratch.  If you have a few minutes, check out this video -  Jet Boats in New Zealand

- or one of the many others you can find that show this popular - and extreme - sport.  As you will see, they feature a very small, powerful boat that seems capable of going virtually anywhere.  Well - Morgan decided that he wanted to build one and enlisted the help of a family friend and expert maritime builder and the rest is (almost) history.  The boat is well along in construction and plans are being made as we speak to order the power plant for this incredible vessel.  The skills he has developed during this project are simply amazing and the knowledge he has acquired along the way will be incredibly valuable to him in his future endeavors.  But, most importantly, he has worked on the project with the support and guidance of some amazing friends and family members.  As you can tell, we are very proud of our great nephew but I want to again remind you that we saw this kind of character and drive in a whole bunch of kids in the graduating class of 2016.  It reassures us for the future and it restores our faith in youth.  We'll be back with more from this beautiful island soon - so - come on back.  See ya.

Graduation Day Minus One - 2016

OK Gang - so, it's time for a party!!!  We're back in Kodiak for our Great-Nephew's graduation and we are really excited.  Morgan is one of the coolest kids you will ever meet and when we were here for his sister's graduation we promised him we'd be back for this event.  It was a commitment we really meant and I can tell you - we are totally delighted we are able to be here again!!  As we talked about earlier, we had all been given our assignments for chores in preparation for the graduation party celebrating Morgan's completion of Kodiak High and - believe me - his mom is a task-master you really don't want to disappoint!!!  Fortunately for us our jobs were more along the line of .... go with Matt to do this .... or ... help Regan do this ... etc.  So - we managed to finish our work in a timely way and were able to kick back and watch the real masters do their stuff!!  One of the things I had looked forward to helping with was putting up the decorations.  Morgan's Mom is probably one of the best in the world at decorating for a party and her ideas are always the best.  Last time we were here for a graduation event, we made a huge 'heart' to mount photographs of the graduate on and it turned out pretty well.  This time we wanted to mount a bunch of photos but we decided to do them in a way that would pay a special tribute to Morgan's "outdoorsman skills."  So ... we decided to mount his photos on some of his memorable friends!!!  Since he has managed to capture some of the most sought-after trophies on the planet we thought we would use some of his very favorites.  Morgan's friend Eleanore - who is a spectacular artist and a 'soon-to-be' engineer helped with the drawings and I was beginning to think we would have to wind up exhibiting her work in a gallery somewhere.  She is one of the most charming people you will ever meet and we fell in love with her - and her family - right away.  Believe me - you will hear more from these young folks in the not-too-distant future.  And it will very likely have something to do with Kodiak Island or the state of Alaska in general.  Their love for their state - and community - is infectious and we are extremely proud of them.  I can tell you one thing for sure ... if you can be around these wonderful young women and men and not get excited about the future they will build - you don't have any imagination!!!  In talking to them, hearing their plans, dreams and expectations - as well as their concerns - you get a clear impression that our world can definitely come out OK if we are willing to give them our trust and support.  And then ... there is Kimberly!!!  As we mentioned in our opening post, our niece from Washington state had come back to Kodiak (where she grew up) to join in the festivities.  It was truly an extraordinary treat for us to have these two beautiful sisters together with us for a while and it could have only been made better if their younger sister, Courtney, had been able to join us.  All three of these ladies are "world-class" and I cannot begin to tell you how much they mean to us.  Each one of them is smart, strong, beautiful, shrewd in business, devoted to their families and simply some of the best, most loving people you could ever hope to meet.  But - that's where the irony comes in!!!  As sharp and unique as our nieces and their families are, the friends they have are the stuff of legend.  Their circles of friends - every one of them - are some of the most devoted people you could hope to encounter on this planet.  I'm not going to try to recount examples from each one but let me tell you - straight up - I have never ... never ... seen people so willing to go to extraordinary lengths to help friends like those we met in Kodiak and those we have gotten to know in the other places in the "lower 48 where these remarkable ladies live."  The other thing that struck us as remarkable was the clear respect the adults had for the young folks at this gathering.  I know it is traditional to be "upbeat" and positive at an event where kids are celebrating the end of their high school years.  But this was very different.  It was clear from the very beginning of the party that the young people who were here had special and unusually positive relationships with the adults.  Over the course of the evening their coaches from baseball, volleyball, track and other sports were there but, more importantly, the adults they had spent time working with on fishing vessels, equine training centers, retail trades, machine trades and many other fields clearly showed that they had developed relationships - and respect - that would last a lifetime.  It was simply spellbinding to eavesdrop on the wide-ranging conversations taking place.  They covered the gamut from big-game hunting in the frozen tundra of northeast Alaska to the plains of Africa; fishing from the coasts of California and Mexico to the Bering Sea; cross-country journeys from the tip of Alaska to the Keys of Florida; to fantastic plans for future education opportunities in every one of our fifty states and virtually every country on the planet.  Remarkable!!!  But - I've gotta tell you, as far ranging as the conversations were, there was never a moment when the reason for this celebration was forgotten.  The young folks were the main attraction and we all reverently acknowledged that this was "their day."  Of course, this was just the "warm-up" for the big event that would take place on Saturday and, as big as this celebration was, it was clear that until the "caps and gowns" were donned it wouldn't seem quite 'real.'  So - we would celebrate tonight, get things cleaned up from this wonderful party and then start getting ready for our return visit to Kodiak High for the graduation of the Class of 2016.  Come on back to join us for that wonderful event.  See ya!!

Kodiak - A Beautiful Sight For Our Eyes

We're here, gang!!!  Back in Kodiak for another long-awaited visit to our niece and her family.  And - as always - arriving on this magical island is an immediate swirl of sights, sounds, smells and sensations.  We have been incredibly fortunate in the past to have great weather for our trips and this one promised to be one of the best.  The temperatures were in the fifties with plenty of sunshine (about 15 to 20 hours of it per day) and the breezes were cool but gentle.  Driving in from the airport we passed many familiar sights - including the huge array of windmills keeping watch from atop Pillar Mountain high above Mill Bay.  Kodiak has a long history of maritime activity including military, commercial, personal travel and tourism.  But - let me get something straight before we get too far into the visit.  I keep saying "Kodiak" for both the city and the island and that is not fair.  Kodiak borough is only one of seven communities on the island and the folks in Akhiok, Old Harbor, Karluk, Larsen Bay, Port Lions and Ouzinkie (as well as those who live on Cape Chiniak) are equally proud of their towns and villages and with total justification.  We have had the good fortune to visit some of those places and to meet people from quite a few and we treasure those encounters.  When we were here last time we visited the local museum and discussed the Alutiq people and culture that has played such an important part in the history of Kodiak.  (Or - as the Alutiq folks would say it - Sun'aq.)  We won't try to go back over all the stuff we discussed then but, if you have time, please go back and take a look at the posts from that visit.  You can click on the following -. 2014 Kodiak Visit- if you'd like to look at it on a separate page.  It is important to remember that the island has been inhabited for at least 7,000 years and served as the capitol of Alaska under the Russians centuries ago.  In addition to the private citizens who make up the island's rich and diverse population, the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard have a major presence here.  The population of the island is around 7,000 and I can assure you - they are unique individuals.  It is always invigorating to look out over the city, the harbor and the bay and the sights from our niece's home are equally enthralling.  The view from their living room is a never-ending slide show of nature's most beautiful images.  Everywhere in their home you can see reminders of the things that make up both the culture of Kodiak and the character of its people.  The influence of the fishing industry, big game hunting and island customs are visible everywhere and we were captivated by the stories generated by everything we saw.   The entire family is involved in the life of the community and the guys are some of the most experienced outdoorsmen you will ever find.  The trophies of their hunting expeditions are too numerous to display adequately but the really important thing to keep in mind is that, for them, hunting and fishing are not just a sports but a way of supplementing their food supply in a big way.  I can tell you from experience that it is also the source of some extraordinary meals.  In our earlier post we included a photo of Matt preparing a truly spectacular treat - King Crab.  During the course of our visit the fish and game

Ginger

dishes we had the opportunity to enjoy were numerous and wonderful.  The island is known for salmon, halibut, cod and a vast array of others not to mention the many varieties of crab to be found there.    Upon arrival we were welcomed by our
old friend, Ginger, and were pleased to see that she was fairly relaxed in our presence. After spending a little time bringing ourselves up-to-date on the latest events in the lives of the Kodiak folks and our niece from Washington state and her family we tried to jump into action preparing for the events that would take place in connection with the approaching Kodiak High graduation.  There was lots to do but our niece was so well organized that there was a plan for virtually every step to be taken.  Amazing!!!  We also took the opportunity to do a bit of reminiscing about Linda's sister who had come to Kodiak to make her home here over forty years ago.  The adventures she had prior to her untimely death in 1986 would have made a tremendous novel and the legacy she left through her three incredible daughters is phenomenal.  The one thing we have found about the people who live in this part of the world is that they don't take life for granted and they tend to try to make the most out of every second they have.  Of course, as in every part of our country (and the world) there are those who would prefer to have someone else help with their subsistence but, for the most part, the folks we have met here are strong, individualistic, self-reliant and energized.  After all, when you make your living by facing the most severe conditions mother nature has to offer it does something for your character.   On the sea or in the air, the people of Alaska have learned to adapt and to succeed in a big way.  Interestingly, there are reminders of the indomitable spirit of both those of native descent and those who came to Alaska for special reasons.  Everywhere on the island you can see remnants of the military presence that was built up on Kodiak during World War II.  Looking at the facilities, gun emplacements, roadways and communications centers that were built during the 1940s you can readily visualize the sense of urgency that must have been felt by those sent here to serve as our front line of defense in the event of an attack or attempted invasion from the west.  Now a state park, Fort Abercrombie is chock full of historical features and one can feel the spirits of those young servicemen who came to this remote outpost so long ago.  Fortunately for us, the park is a place of peace and beauty for all to enjoy.  I know I probably sound like a representative of the Chamber of Commerce but we really do love this place and never tire of looking at (and sharing) the beauty we find here - personal and visual.  We also happened to be here right at the peak of the spring growing season and the flowers were in full bloom everywhere.  The salmon berries, blueberries, lingonberries and many, many others were rapidly maturing - promising to offer some really tasty treats to our real hosts - the Kodiak bears.  There is also a somewhat sinister side to the plant life on the Emerald Island.  On earlier visits here we learned about "Pushkie", a plant that you definitely want to know how to recognize.  Sometimes known as "Cow Parsnip", these plants often grow to over six feet tall with large white flowers and bristly stalks.  The reason it is important to be able to recognize the plant is that is is like poison ivy on steroids.  The itching and burning that an encounter with the plant generates can be excruciating.  Runners in some of the long-distance events in Alaska have been known to crash through them before recognizing what they were and suffering the consequences for a long time afterward.  But for the most part, our "plant encounters" were far more pleasant and enjoyable.  Visiting the homes of some of our new-found friends offered a look at island adaptability and appreciation for the skill we saw in horticulture of every kind.  The ingenuity we encountered in leisure activities, industrial development, engineering, crafts and art were inspiring and awesome.  Even in something like the design of a ship-board crane we saw amazing ingenuity.  The equipment used on the dock for loading and unloading cargo ships not only requires enormous sources of energy - it also generates its own.  When items are being lowered by the machinery shown on the right a huge wheel attached to a generator spins providing a substantial amount of electricity which is then stored in batteries for use in the 'lifting phase.'  Over the course of our trips around the country and especially to Alaska we have seen some of the most innovative technology you could imagine in virtually every aspect of business, recreation and daily life.  From the design and function of some of the large fishing vessels to the amazing factories that proscess their catch - from the phenomenal Alaska Marine Highway System to the artistry and pure talent of artists, craftsmen and subsistence fishermen in the remotest parts of our country we have seen the indomitable spirit of extraordinary people everywhere we have traveled.  And - it makes us feel great!!  Even though the times in which we live give us cause for concern quite often, meeting and getting to know the wonderful people who are striving to make the world a better place refreshes the soul.  We have a lot more to talk about and show from the 49th State so come on back!!!!  See ya.