Voyage of the Good Ship Westward

The two weeks since Teresa & the Nyborgs arrived onboard have brought Westward 750 miles northeast, along the eastern shore of the Alaska Peninsula, to the town of Kodiak on Kodiak Island.

Our travel along this ultra-rugged coast, where gray skies gradually gave way to blue, included stops in the Shumagain Islands, at Kupreanof Harbor, stunning Port Wrangell & Geographic Harbor, and Kukak Bay on the mainland side before crossing Shelikof Strait to the western side of Kodiak Island for a wonderful visit with Jeanne Shepard, year-round resident of Uganik Bay.  From Uganik, we thread our way70 miles to Kodiak town, transiting deep fjords, narrow channels & boiling tides. 

The scenery all the way has been spectacular; rugged, snow-capped peaks plunging steeply into deep bays rich with stunning geology & life of all varieties—–whales, bears, otter, eagles, foxes, gulls, salmon, wildflowers.  We’ve enjoyed an abundance of fresh halibut from these rich waters; a fish for dinner has been near-assured, with just a little effort, at each of our anchorages.  But shellfish are diminished in the bays, reportedly a consequence of revived & healthy otter populations.

An overnight here in Kodiak and we’ll be on our way again, further north to the Kenai Peninsula & Prince William Sound and more good company, good food & wine, good traveling aboard

Westward

Once the Adak Naval Air Station, steeped in cold-war mystery, Sweeper Cove has infrastructure for the population of 10,000 that once manned this base. But it is now home to little more that 100 permanent residents (plus assorted transients—-fishing, hunting & contract). Needless to say, in this harsh environment, the community is getting a little behind on maintenance (and suffering profoundly from the vandalism of disaffected youth) but there is no shortage of hospitality; we enjoyed our 24-hour respite at Sweeper Cove.

Sheltered anchorage among the islands east of Adak is sparce, with nothing suitable for us in the weather that followed our Adka departure and passage through the Adreanof Islands group:

We traveled eastward for 350 miles to Umnak & Unalaska islands of the Fox Island group, only to again have the elements again cast aside our plans. Eruption of volcanic Mt. Okmok on Umnak Island put our intended harbors, in its lee, under a blanket of ash that would have played havoc with the inner workings of the treasured Atlas engine upon which we depend. At Unalaska, after passing a grim reminder of what a moments carelessness can cause in these unforgiving waters, we took a run the length of fjord-like Pumicestone Bay, steep-sided for its narrow 7 mile length, only to find clouds of Okmok’s settled ash at the head of the bay, stirred up by whistling winds and covering once-white snowfields at higher elevations:

At day’s-end (13th) we found clean, calm & lovely anchorage in Cannery Cove, off Makushin Bay on Unalaska Island, where we watched eagles, seals, and foxes work the tide & shore-line while a pod of Humpback whales cavorted in this remote and sheltered harbor. Today (14th) we enjoyed a fine day (temp 65) and gave Westward a thorough cleaning—-fitting attendance to the vessel that has served us so well & comfortably over the 2,400 miles since this crew signed aboard in Muroran, Japan.

We’ll sail tonight from Cannery Cove, 60 miles to Westward Seafoods, at Captain’s Bay in Dutch Harbor; not a homecoming M.V. Westward, but somewhat a homecoming for this old “cod-father” who’s involvement with the plant goes back to it’s inception in the late-‘80′s.We’ll be sorry to see this crew depart from Dutch Harbor, they have been good company and able hands; they, together with favorable weather, have made this a most pleasant passage over waters that can be most contrary at any time of year. But we’ve an able gang arriving to replace them for our journey up the Alaska Peninsula to Prince William Sound. Best off all, the replacement crew includes Teresa!

All’s well aboard

Westward

The remarkable Bay of Islands is sheltered from the ravages of the North Pacific & Bering Sea by a group of protective islands—-passage thought which required transit of channels named “Hell’s Gate” & “The Race”.  Slack water made these transits speedy & uneventful and brought us four-square with nature thriving in this lonely shelter at the western edge of America—-eagles, caribou, otter, mussels, Puffin, muskeg & waist-deep grasses . . . . . . even a 70 lb halibut which found it’s way to table for a dinner on the back deck, blessed by sunshine.   Mixed with all these marks of natures work was man-kind’s unkind foot-print—-wartime & recent scientific remnants.

A Red-billed Oyster Catcher with her well camoflauged chick below:

Post continues. . .

Our primary quest at Tanaga was the source of the name for “Hot Springs Bay”—-at the east end of the island.  This lovely anchorage, with overlooking volcanoes & a trappers cabin, showed no evidence of a spa, but a skiff-ride along the southern shore revealed a steaming beach which, on closer inspection, was fed by an extended seepage of 122 deg. water—-but, alas for these onsen-deprived shipmates, there was barely sufficient warm accumulation at the tide-line to soak your toes!

Post continues. . .

Kushiro Departure & At-Sea:

Kiska:

Arrival at Gertrude Bay,  Kiska – 8 days 12 hours, 1460 miles from Kushiro, 1000 gal. diesel burned

S.S. Borneo Maru,  Bombed & beached August 1942:

Roiling tides between Aleutian Islands, so frequently encountered here:

Remnants – Japanese triple-expansion steam engine (likely Westward’s vintage):

Kiska Volcano:

Springtime in the Aleutians:

Amchitka:

Officer’s Club?

Airfield from Amchitka’s nuclear age:

WWII fighter airfield:

Amchitka tired:

Post continued. . .

Safely arrived Adak at 0800h/10th, in time for lunch ashore at the local diner . . . . After obtaining temporary inward clearance (by phone to Homeland Security & Customs) to go ashore.  We depart a.m. 11th for Dutch Harbor (where ETA 15th) via “port or ports” (in the Aleutians read “cove or coves”) enroute.

Lots to tell, many pictures to share but that probably must wait for Dutch Harbor where time & internet access more available. 

Westward

0400/7th

A fine night for our passage to Tanga Island (ETA 1500h) from Amchitka—where “The Great Aleutians Stag Cruise” participants enjoyed, to varying degrees, the Amchitka Death March!—6 hours/10 miles of “booney-stomping” over sand & tundra to explore  minimal remnants of WWII and more recent nuclear test activities.  But for a newer T-pier & two (closed) airfields, their are barely races of either; Tanga has been left to driftwood, derelict fishing-gear, seagulls & eagles.  Amchitka is another far, far place . . . . way the back o’ beyond.  Marley again distinguished himself for his boundless energy, curiosity & appetite.

All’s well onboard
Westward 

Advanced clocks four hours to Aleutian daylight time (Seattle -2 hrs) resulting Kiska arrival daybreak/5th.

8 days 12h/ 1460 mi/1000gal.  0700h Entered Gertrude Cove for drive-by around sunken BorneoMaru before proceeding Kiska Hrbr where diminishing williwaws finally permitted afternoon landing for beach-walk to Japanese-dug caves, crumbling shipwrecks & quonsets on desolate, tree-less, wind-swept country  Saw every kind of weather, including the rare blue (but excepting snow, which covers Kiska volcano & highlands).

A grand day, enjoyed by all but especially Marley—who swam & ran and never stopped.  Chicken on the barby (air 46, windchill 26 sea 42.8).

Now underway overnight for Constantine Hrbr on Amchitka for a similar Sunday before 20hr run to Tanga—where have hopes of a hot-springs Monday eve before 6hr midnight sail to intriguing Bay of Islands @ Adak’s west-end.  Forecasts favorable to our pursuits into next week, but we’re not in Polynesia anymore.

All’s well on board
Westward

2nd July noon position: 48 58′N/162 48′E (250 miles southeast of Kamchatka) with 580 miles remaining to Kiska, our 1st Aleutian port (where ETA 4th evening).

We’re enjoying fine weather enroute—-moderate winds (abeam & astern) with some clear skies & bright sun and only occasional fog.

Standing three hour watches (with nine hours off), A-1 machinery, and rotating galley duty, we’re well-rested, well-fed, and counting our blessings.

All’s well onboard
Westward