The Waters of Kodiak

I hope you enjoyed our brief cruise around the waters of Kodiak, gang, they are really beautiful.  But there is so much depth to the island, it's people and it's history.  We have talked about the thousands of years that the Alutiiq people have lived here but the island has been around much longer.  On one of our previous visits here we talked about "Fossil Beach", a place where the dimmest glimmers of our past as a planet come to the surface of the present.  It is
a place of enormous contrasts and juxtapositions.  A place where the remnants of creatures that lived here millions of years ago mingle with artillery emplacements built during World War II.  A place where remnants of ancient Eskimos stand in stark contrast to the presence of animals who never imagined living in this place - American Bison!!  We love roaming around in these places of anomaly and anachronism.  We even take part in the pageant that is the timeless connectedness that exists here.  Let me explain, as we cruised back toward St. Paul Harbor we passed the beautiful home where Linda's sister lived when her children were young - the place Linda visited during her first trip to Kodiak.  We spent time exploring the sands and rocks of Mission Beach looking for "sea glass" the gem-like remnants of glass that have found their way into these waters and have been buffed, honed and polished by the waters, rocks, ice and wind of Alaska.  Treasures that look more like rubies, emeralds, jade and pearls than ordinary glass.  Remarkable!!  We found treasures we never imagined would be present among the rocks of the beautiful coast.  And when we thought all the surprises were done we looked up and found more new friends - two and four footed - to spend some time with!!  And, speaking of friends ... we also took time out to visit some great friends of our niece and nephew and got a chance to experience more Kodiak hospitality of the highest order.  Not only was their home beautiful and absolutely full of works of art celebrating life on this fantastic island - it was right on the waters of the bay with fleets of sea lions cruising by to check on us as we chatted.  The comfort of the people here is a bit difficult to describe but it is as if you have known them forever and they are some of the most genuine, sincere people you could ever meet.  As if to provide a live demonstration, when we mentioned "geocaching" our niece jumped on the idea immediately and took us on what has to be one of the most beautiful searches we could have imagined.  And - it was right next door!!!  We took a walk through Abercrombie State Historical Monument and got a re-introduction to one of the most fantastic state-owned properties anywhere in the country.  This extraordinary park was one of America's "last line of defense" posts during WWII.  Here you can still see numerous old gun emplacements and evidence of the dramatic preparations the United States made for protecting our homeland.  Now, however, it is a place of peace and beauty.  Trails criss-cross the park and provide challenging routes for the Kodiak High cross-country team as well as strenuous exercise paths for day-hikers.  The views from the cliffs are spectacular - and scary - and the driftwood art provides food for thought and dreams at every turn.  We successfully found our geocache within the park - with a LOT of help from our beautiful niece (without the benefit of a GPS!!!) and took the opportunity for yet another photo op.  To commemorate the find we assembled the whole crew (with me taking the photo) for a picture to add to the log for our "find".  Then we headed back to Cliffside Road but not before pausing along the shores of one of the most beautiful lakes you will ever see.  The park has provided picnic facilities all along the way and it would be hard to imagine a better place for a long summer afternoon.  But our time on Kodiak was drawing to a close and we had to get started on our preparations for return to the 'real world.'  Our final day would be spent with our beautiful family and looking around their home town.  Along the way we would spend time pondering creatures of incredible magnitude; of creatures that inhabit the space we walk blithely through without ever realizing that we share the environment.  We would revel in the accomplishments of those to whom we are related while humbly expressing our deepest gratitude for the blessings we have been privileged to experience.  We would allow ourselves to be engulfed with the beauty, peace, love and pride of this experience while pleading with utmost earnestness for the protection of all the wonderful people who have enriched our lives.  We would take a last look out the window - and remember  ....  that we forgot to tell you about that place across the bay!!!!!!!  That beautiful, peaceful stretch of land we showed you earlier is the home of one of the most advanced training sites of the United States Navy S.E.A.L.S.!!!  So - don't plan on sneaking up on us from the other side of Mill Bay!!!  This has been a spectacularly wonderful trip folks.  One made a little less perfect by the absence of Sherwood as we traveled - but - she was extremely busy attending some extraordinary events related to the accomplishments of her beautiful grand-daughters who you met during our visit to the Boykin Christmas Parade.  When we have a chance to get together and share photos we will try to update you on the "Third Traveler's" exploits in Wilmington, NC.  Notwithstanding the photos we will get from Sherwood, there are literally hundreds from this trip we might not be able to share with you right away.  We will try to come back with updates of the posts we have already made - and - to share some of the additional videos we have that show the spectacular beauty of Alaska.  You have earned a break for now, though, so we will take a break to collect our thoughts and to get ready for the next chapter in this adventure.  Until then ... See ya!!

Alaskan Beauty

The flurry of activity surrounding the graduation ceremonies finally subsided and gave us a chance to catch our breath.  It was time for our niece and her family - and us - to take a break and spend some time kickin' back and enjoying all that had taken place and all that surrounded us.  So we packed up some snacks and headed down to St. Paul Harbor for an excursion in the beautiful waters nearby.  Oh - before we go, take a look out the living room window.  Note the point of land at the top right side of the picture.  We'll come back and talk about it a little more shortly.  For now, though, we took the main road back into town and down to Shelikof Ramp at St. Paul Harbor where Matt's boat is docked.  The marina is absolutely chock-full of every kind of boat imaginable.  Many are pleasure craft but the vast majority earn their living in these waters!  Even before you get to the boats, though, you are in for a treat.  The harbor is owned by the people of Kodiak and they have not missed the opportunity to make sure we know all of the thought that has gone into the planning for the facility and the ongoing awareness of the importance of the marine environment here.  Signs describe the sea life in the harbor and tell about marine research that continues constantly - ensuring that the health of the waters and of the habitat that is home for some amazing creatures.  You could spend an hour just walking around and educating yourself on this wonderful place - but - we've got traveling to do!  So we loaded up and cast off for distant points.  Even before we got more than a few hundred yards away from our slip, though, we were treated to a rare and beautiful sight - a baby eagle in a nest among the craggy rocks of the jetty which protects the moorings.  I guess mom was a little late with lunch and the chick was trying to hurry her along.  It was a great beginning to our trip!!  As we continued Wesward across the harbor the distant snow-capped mountains gave me the impression that we were facing the mainland and that we were looking at the big peaks of the Alaska chain.  Well ... we weren't but they were impressive anyway.  In the center was the 2282 foot Kashevarof Mountain surrounded by a host of other icy peaks including Center Mountain and Raymond Peak.  The vessels we saw as we cruised slowly along reminded us of the countless seagoing folks who braved these waters centuries ago in search of new and exciting lands.  They certainly found them here!!  But in addition to the "big guys" we also saw many smaller craft - including a surprising number of kayaks.  Two we came across were quite interesting.  At first I thought they were just folks out for an afternoon 'paddle' but, as we observed the pair it became obvious that their interest in the objects that dotted the harbor was more than casual.  Soon we saw them inspecting floating buoys that mark the channels and the lights they held.  They also took significant interest in the Stellar Sea Lion population hanging out on rocky promontories around the harbor.  Virtually everywhere we looked there was some new and fascinating sight.  Animals were quite prominent with Sea Otters, Seals, Sea Lions, Eagles, Seagulls, Hawks and countless others at every turn.  One of our favorites was a beautiful variation of a friend we have seen in other waters in the Northwest and also on the New England coast.  It was a Crested Puffin.  It was a bit bigger than the Puffins we had seen before and it sported a 'hair-do' that made it look like it had been hanging out with the 'surfer dudes' down in California!!  A very cool bird.  Oh - if you have ever watched a Puffin try to get airborne it is accomplished only with a mighty flailing of wings and splashing of feet!  That is because they are heavy!  Puffins have solid bones (as opposed to hollow ones in most birds) to help them submerge and chase down fish!!  Wow.  The topography of the shoreline varied dramatically from wide, sandy beaches to craggy cliffs and rugged columns rising from the surf.  The islands immediately offshore contained beautiful stands of Sitka Spruce and perfect places for an overnight camp-out or for a lazy afternoon picnic.  They also provided places where adventurous souls who wanted to avoid paying a mooring fee at the marina could tie their boat up at high tide and leave it high and dry a few hours later.   The weather was unbelievably mild and the skies a sparkling blue.  Combined with the sights and sounds of the bay they provided an idyllic setting for pondering the beauty of our planet and our good fortune in being able to experience it with wonderful people.  Linda took her turn at the helm and performed her navigational duties quite well.  We sailed along peacefully, taking time out for a picnic in one of the secluded coves on an island.  Even in our temporary resting-spot the view was simply spectacular.  You couldn't make this stuff up, folks.  As enchanting as our cruise was, the afternoon was moving along and we decided to go see if we could spot where the kids were hanging out.  We knew they had been talking about the possibility of going 'jet-skiing' with some friends so we set out to find them.  As we moved out of the cove we had stopped in for our lunch we moved past a section of high cliffs.  Looking up we spotted a beautiful and inspiring sight - two Bald Eagles perched together at the top of the rocks.  This symbol of our country never fails to make me feel good and they are an elegant and powerful representative.  With the 'spacious skies' along wth the 'purple mountain majesties' the presence of this majestic pair was perfect.  We soon approached the location of the home of the friends the kids were visiting and it wasn't long before we saw a lot of activity near the shore.  Within seconds the kids had also spotted us and they quickly headed out to take advantage of the wake behind our boat.  Now this was quite a treat, folks.  I mean, here we are  in Alaska for goodness sakes - and people are out on jet skis like it was Lake Wateree back home!  I'm not sure how they go about practicing to ride those things but, believe me, these kids were not novices on them.  We spent quite a while being dazzled by their skill and daring.  I'm talking about boys and girls!!!  These kids are downright intrepid.  But pretty soon we realized that we needed to get back home to begin preparing for dinner.  So we bid the kids goodbye and headed back to the marina.  Matt resumed the helm and the crew started getting the boat shipshape for mooring.  We did have to take a time out for an "Aunt-Niece" photo-op.  There's way too much stuff left to talk about to try to get it all into this post so we'll close for now so we can get it out to you.  We'll be back soon, though, so hang in there.  When we do get back we'll return to the mysterious comments we made at the beginning of this post about the point of land across Mill Bay from our niece's home.  It holds an interesting story and one that is rather fitting as we celebrate Memorial Day.  So, be sure to come on back so we can share it with you.  See ya.

Graduation Day - And More!!

OK Gang, we're here at the 11th hour and graduation is coming up fast at Kodiak High School.  You would think that there would be some hectic activity leading up to the big event and, to some degree, you would be right.  But this is Kodiak, Alaska folks and they will likely do things a bit different than "the average bear."  (Pun definitely intended.)  Most of this post will have to do with things related to the graduation ceremonies so if we don't get in as much local "color" as we should, I'm sorry.  But at the same time, I can assure you that what we saw over the course of the day has a lot to say about the caliber of the young people who live in Kodiak and attend the high school there.  The day started out, interestingly enough, with a "car-wash" as a fund-raiser for the baseball team.  Now, think about this ... Kodiak is an island (a big one - but, an island nonetheless) with a population of around 6,200 about one third of whom are under the age of 18.  The only ways to get here are by water and by air and that means that when the kids who participate in sports on Kodiak want to compete with kids from another city in Alaska one of the teams has to either fly or come in by boat! Do not be misled, however;  the competitive spirit is huge here and Kodiak High holds state records in numerous sports.  So how does that competition work?  Well, the teams from KHS travel to other cities in the state by either airplane or ferry and - they often pay the transportation costs to enable kids from other places to fly to Kodiak!!! Thus, a vigorous booster club and lots of fund-raisers like the carwash!  But, of course with even good things, enough is enough and when it was time for our great nephew to finish his shift and join in the graduation preparations the coach (tough though he might be) was no match for our indomitable niece.  There was the usual bustling about - picking up things to be worn at graduation, arranging for tickets that allowed the best seating arrangement and assigning designated "photo taker" duties.  During the whole day we were absolutely amazed at the serenity and calmness of the whole bunch!  But, almost before you could blink twice, it was time.  We headed out for the school on a spectacularly beautiful day and arrived along with what appeared to be at least half the population of the island.  The school is very attractive but, even so, it is receiving a face-lift and expansion for next year.  It was a blur of faces and activity for us - Regan and her family seemed to know just about every person in attendance and we were really honored to meet Principal Phil Johnson and hear his comments about the kids.  While we were pleased to hear his remarks we quickly saw evidence of what he really meant.  Just inside the front door, in a large, glass case was an entire display devoted to our great niece's achievements - including cross-country, basketball, equestrian sports as well as a full range of academic successes.  And then it was into the auditorium and a sea of photographic activity.  There were cameras of every conceivable description - iPhones, iPads, digital still cameras, digital video cameras, Go-Pros and everything in between.  Amazing.  Right on time the familiar notes of Pomp and Circumstance, played by the KHS band, filled the auditorium and we were off!  Leading the way was our great-niece and her fellow valedictorian (of which there were 19) carrying the class flower, a "Sun Flower"!!  Without belaboring things, the ceremony was excellent with all 19 valedictorians getting to express one thought - in 14 words (for 2014).   Then, we were surprised when the principal announced a special treat. and a band-stand rose magically into view.  A band made up of 2014 graduates quickly assembled and played "Wheels" by the Foo Fighters. (L-R Masato, Aaron, Joe, Ritchie) It was absolutely fantastic!!!  Turns out the kids had asked that, in addition to their Class Song ("It's Time" by One Republic), "Wheels" be added to signify their flight into the future and the faculty went all out to make it possible for them to have it played. Things went smoothly with Class President Courtney Ibabao presenting the Senior Class.  When diplomas were presented by Ms. Katie Oliver, School Board President, Mr. Johnson made sure that following each presentation every student had a few seconds - alone - at the center of the stage receiving the applause of the crowd. Cool!! With all the official "i-s" dotted and "t-s" crossed the graduates left the auditorium to the tunes of "It's Time" and made their way to a great reception in the "student commons".  There we found yet another surprise and tribute to these kids.  The families of all the graduates had created a photo wall that extended the length of the huge room and had photos from every stage of their lives.  Remarkable!!  The reception was, expectedly, very crowded - and loud!! - but it was as warm and welcoming as any event you could attend.  The kids introduced us to many of their friends and we were again impressed with their poise and politeness.  The parents were equally engaging and it was a lot of fun being in the middle of this happy event.  I know this has been a bit of an indulgence, folks, and I know there was some bragging involved.  But - it was necessary.  We have another gorgeous great niece graduating from high school in Washington state and we are really sad to have to miss that event but we will try to celebrate with her if we can.  (We found that the Wenatchee and Cheney folks were able to watch an internet "streaming video" of the Kodiak graduation live!!! Wow!)  Her accomplishments are equally terrific and I wish we could recap those for you as well.  But - we'll stick to the schedule here and finish up this wonderful event.  All too soon the next chapter will begin so we will savor this one for now.  Come on back, though, we're heading out into Kodiak Harbor next.  See ya.