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And on to Kodiak
With the rental car return taken care of, I made my way to the terminal in order to check in for my next flight. The line at the AS counters was pretty long, but the agent to the left of that bag drop sign offered to print boarding passes for those passengers who were traveling with just carry-on baggage. Check-in and security thus took just 25 minutes in total, and the TSA agent was actually friendly. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/lsncS5.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/6azWd7.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/FKtptn.jpg Once airside I even got to see the moose bull that had eluded me a few days earlier in the national park, albeit stuffed. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/cZKWpr.jpg Anchorage ANC- Kodiak ADQ Alaska Airlines AS 089 STD: 13:45 / ATD: 13:53 STA: 14:21 / ATA: 14:50 B737 N614AS Seat 7F Nothing to be seen outside. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/tIVM2D.jpg Service on this 45 minute flight was limited to a beverage round and before we knew it we had landed on rwy 26 in rainy Kodiak. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Wj3rDf.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Nnfwrz.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/BxylZn.jpg I quickly found a taxi for the 10 minute drive into town. My accommodation was right off the main square in downtown. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/ILxsBR.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Emw9pD.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/PYCZtX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Cgf9OH.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/kM8e1k.jpg Though the weather hadn’t improved at all yet, after checking in and leaving my things in the room I went to explore St. Paul Harbor, the nearby fishing port. Right in front of the harbormaster’s office is a memorial for the Kodiak fishermen that perished out at sea. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/rPnvxb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/WDmLsf.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/F6wugM.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/EaksU1.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/bMIjPs.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/vGkaNl.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/ZwJ2Gw.jpg A quick look out the window at dawn the next morning gave reason for hope regarding the weather. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/ey8AEF.jpg I needed to stock up on some supplies for the ferry trip and asked my host for directions to the closest supermarket. “It’s far”, she replied and promised to take me there later in the day, but as she then got busy with other things I looked it up on Gmaps and headed there on foot, thinking “What do I have two healthy legs and lots of time for?” On the way, the sun actually came out, however briefly. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/VbUuP4.jpg It was a nice 40 minute walk out and another 40 minutes back, but it didn’t seem to be that far. In fact, the supermarket appeared just as I was thinking that I must be about halfway there. Not only in Kodiak, but all over Alaska, reminders of the early Russian settlements are omnipresent, and many inhabitants still practice the Russian Orthodox faith. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/YT01Hb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/unRYeD.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/fRzLbr.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/6v4aea.jpg Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral, Kodiak Taxis here are mostly these massive pick-up trucks. Gasoline seems to be of no concern. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/KvYSz7.jpg From downtown I crossed the bridge over to Near Island and hiked through a forest to a point with views towards the town. My ferry, the M/V Tustumena, was moored at City Dock No.1 while a Seabourn cruise ship had docked for the day at City Dock No. 2 in the distance. I came across several of its passengers during my wanderings. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/zRsyLi.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/3dZdjo.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/mXxGba.jpg Further along was yet another fishing port, St. Hermans Bay Harbor. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/bTvxE2.jpg In fact, most everything in Kodiak revolves around the fishing and the seafood processing industries. There is an incessant stream of fishing boats unloading their catch at the processing plants and then an incessant stream of refrigerated containers being loaded onto freighters. A fishy smell also wafts through town at all times. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/I7Mnyj.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/8SCU4b.jpg As it was on the way, I dropped by City Dock No. 1 to inquire of the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) staff whether the ship would sail on time the next day. The disheartening reply was that at that point they didn’t even know if the ship would sail at all. There were some issues with the Coast Guard or other authority that needed to be ironed out and only once these were duly signed off they would be able to give an estimate. I was told to come back at 4 in the afternoon to get an update, as by then they should know. With some time on hand I went to the nearby Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which had excellent exhibits of the local fauna. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/v5Uh3w.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/TWElDG.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/uiOlcE.jpg Later that afternoon I went again to the AMHS office to learn that the ship would actually sail the next day, but not at 1:00 p.m. as scheduled. The new departure time was around 12 hours later, at 1:30 a.m. Before the trip to Unalaska the ship first had to go to Homer – the starting point of the route – and then return to Kodiak. I was told to show up at the office by 11:30 the next evening. Now I had to discuss options with the inn’s landlady. Official check-out time is noon and she had reservations for all rooms for the following night. I was offered to stay in one of the other rooms until the party that had reserved it arrived at around 6 p.m., and to wait in the common areas for the remainder of the time. The next morning dawned with rain again and would remain like that all day. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/AQzKPn.jpg Although the city dock was only a few hundred yards away, the innkeeper offered to take me there after closing the restaurant for the night, an offer I gladly accepted. Just as I arrived at the AMHS office, the ship was docking after its journey from Homer. Only a few more hours to wait! At 11:30 the purser handed me my boarding pass and up I went the gangway of M/V Tustumena. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/e4FBti.jpg |
The sea passage Kodiak-Unalaska
The route from Kodiak all the way to Unalaska is only served once a month during the summer period, from May to September. This one being the last trip of the season you may understand how all previous and following flights and accommodations hinged on this sailing, with no room for temper tantrum hiccups. M/V Tustumena was built in 1964 and since then underwent several modifications. They say that she is set to be decommissioned as soon as a replacement ship is built, but I’m afraid that may take some more years. The crew were all extremely friendly, from the officers to the purser, from the waiting staff to the janitor and the operations staff on the car deck. The ship has 6 four-berth and 17 two-berth cabins plus 1 wheelchair-accessible two-berth cabin. The cabins have no en-suite facilities; these are communal. It’s a state ferry and not a luxury cruise ship after all. Though there are cabins for up to 60 passengers, the ship is designed to carry 160 passengers. Many don’t need a stateroom for a short trip from one port to the next and several passengers set up camp in different areas of the ship, which is explicitly permitted. On the first leg we were only 28 passengers in total, but I’ve read that on busier trips there is a mad dash by those without a cabin to claim the best “camping sites”. I had booked an outer two-berth cabin on the bridge deck, and the shared facilities were on the same deck within the area reserved for stateroom passengers. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/E8KmHP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/cLfxdu.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/XoLiOE.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/EWKH0G.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/lRiYRw.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/ssflzT.jpg All common areas and especially the bathrooms were kept squeaky clean throughout the whole trip. Once on board and in the cabin I hit the hay right away. There would be enough time to explore the ship the next morning. I didn’t even notice when we sailed from Kodiak. At dawn the weather looked quite promising, though – the rainbow reveals it – the next shower is never too far away. Just as announced on the screen the previous evening, by 9 a.m. we were arriving at Old Harbor. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/74OG62.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ruiIJP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/BHZBtK.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/WFGpuP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/55E9Pt.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/2oTnDi.jpg After this first stop was a good time to further explore the ship. The solarium deck, right by the funnel, is a popular place for passengers without a cabin to set up camp. The area is protected from the wind and is fitted with heating coils to keep people warm. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/RQNvUG.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/nhbFGe.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/RzYEyx.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ctjC0C.jpg Up front on the promenade deck is the forward lounge – the main passenger lounge – and on the starboard side, on the way to the dining room, there is another smaller side lounge. Off the forward lounge is also a small play area for kids. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/mV1WnH.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/uY73oL.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/RrQg5r.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/9Yb3gA.jpg Vehicles have their space down below on the main deck, with a big turntable to aid with loading and unloading. One party came all the way from Maine, some road trip! https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/yvt1WC.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/HKZRej.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/H2NNR1.jpg We left Old Harbor right on schedule at 10 a.m. for one of the longer segments of the trip. Next stop would be Chignik, from 1:30 to 2:30 a.m. that night. The weather was gorgeous, so all passengers were enjoying it while it lasted. Once we got out of the bay to the open sea, the waves got higher and the seas a bit rougher. At the end of the day we were treated to a gorgeous sunset. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/ynW8iD.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/6Shcuy.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/tDseS4.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/gLSYsX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/bZTFRL.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Ri6nqw.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/sPvMkF.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/G0dQGn.jpg Not exactly IFE, but in the front corners of the forward lounge there are monitors that allow passengers to follow the ship’s position and progress. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/U9OiGk.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/dfcGPH.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/7MGFt9.jpg At noon the next day, right on schedule, we arrived at Sand Point, another fishing port. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/4ou8Q8.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/5tTUp3.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ssRYxR.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/krn6n6.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Ss0iSy.jpg Two high school sports teams boarded here for a competition in King Cove, the following port of call, and all of a sudden the joint was jumping again. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Ka9hbb.jpg Once the vehicles for this port were rolled off and the ones joining us here were loaded, the car elevator was stowed again and the hatch cover closed. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/cQ3uio.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/9F02e8.jpg The meals on board were, how should I say, institutional. Lunch and dinner offerings were the same, consisting of burgers, sandwiches, salads and soups. For today’s lunch I had a tomato soup and a salad. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/kRgefX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/DW8yZx.jpg An update on the schedule: https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/KhOpUY.jpg En route to King Cove we got to see some whales, though too far away for a true wow factor. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/5zzYoh.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Oyvb0O.jpg We were also treated to nice views of Pavlof Volcano and Pavlof Sister on the Alaska Peninsula followed by interesting rock formations in the background. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/i79zx0.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/OZ0D5S.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/PYBFEB.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/H4HDIa.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/di51UN.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/1g1Dnc.jpg The way to King Cove led us through some narrow passages, and the weather started to deteriorate too. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/AAbaQ0.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/oSbixm.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/YRON4c.jpg As mentioned, the high school students left the ship here and passengers were also allowed to go ashore if they so wished. While checking out the fishing pots I was treated to the sight of a pair of bald eagles that landed atop a light post. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/zSTmNy.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Uxrltu.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/KZBUFB.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/egVpaM.jpg By the time we left King Cove it started to rain. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/RMuuO5.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/W89GcD.jpg As time went on the seas got rougher and the ship’s pitch motion increased. To me it was not unpleasant, but it certainly could be felt. As if it were a lullaby, the movement contributed to me falling asleep rather quickly (to the thought of “the hand that rocks the cradle” or the ‘70s song “Rock the Boat” by The Hues Corporation– I’m giving away my age here…). During the night and early morning, the ship had called at Cold Bay and False Pass, both stops going unnoticed. The next morning it was foggy and windy, and ten-foot waves were pounding against the hull. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/thyMU9.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/bluseG.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/xcfKMk.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/NzA37X.jpg With the boat rocking a lot, most of the passengers had retreated to their cabins or camping sites, leaving the forward lounge remarkably empty. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/AKb4B0.jpg Not at all prone to sea sickness I went for lunch (smoked salmon chowder and salad) hoping for the weather to improve. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/gfK6x7.jpg Fortunately, by 2 p.m. the fog actually started lifting, allowing for a silver lining on the horizon. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/GMT7JP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/0vGUH7.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/W2cthn.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/WUaVJU.jpg Approaching Akutan Island with its volcanic caldera clearly visible straight ahead. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/IM9nPK.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/mPqkaz.jpg The port of Akutan is right around the corner. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/BJzs5I.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/zLQf2J.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/2bCQHN.jpg The first ten houses of Akutan, the town’s church and also a small chapel. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/gXTGdb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Xkt8Ec.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/5Lgu5p.jpg At this port of call we were not only allowed but encouraged to go ashore, this time via the car ramp and not the gangway, as a group of native people in traditional costumes had assembled to offer a singing and dancing performance right on the pier. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/gc1Iwh.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/sTnCwX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/eBsoLm.jpg I wonder whether the sneakers were also part of the original attire. Time for the last leg of the trip, just three and a half more hours until Unalaska. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/i23WOs.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/7Y02Cw.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/0LBuko.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/rWhuJN.jpg Slowly approaching Dutch Harbor. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/ZEG7vT.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/lYkHmw.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/UFxMLv.jpg We docked remarkably on schedule at Dutch Harbor and the time came to disembark. Several of my fellow passengers stayed aboard, as they were continuing all the way back to Kodiak. I and another passenger went looking for a taxi to take us into town, but there were none. We then asked a van driver who had just dropped off some passengers if he could give us a ride to the Grand Aleutian Hotel, to which he replied: “That’s us!” So by a lucky coincidence we got the hotel shuttle to take us where we needed to go. Thanks for the ride, “Trusty Tusty”. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/LZ4Bu2.jpg There are only two hotels worth mentioning in Dutch Harbor, and both are run by UniSea, the same seafood processing company that practically runs the whole town. Though pricier, I chose the Grand Aleutian over the other property as the reviews on that one were not stellar, mainly because it is located right next to the processing plant (high seafood smell component, noise) and has a bar close by (more noise). Check-in at that hour was immediately and painless, and soon I had my room for the next two nights. The lobby and the room. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/auLnsV.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/kuTdZA.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/RX7Pqd.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/xwir3J.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ZBjzJP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/mpk3LK.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/65W7Sv.jpg |
An incredible effort so far. Just amazing photography. We have a ferry that runs between Tasmania and Melbourne daily and those bunk rooms remind of that ferry. Never been sicker in my life! :)
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A day and a half in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor
A view of the hotel in daylight. It is a very dominant structure. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/qqaiUD.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/UrERQU.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/o70TVK.jpg The next morning I went to explore the town. Just like in Kodiak: What do I have time and two healthy legs for? As it was a Sunday, unfortunately both the Museum of the Aleutians and the Museum adjacent to the Aleutian Islands WW II National Monument were closed. The latter even opens just by appointment. My urban wanderings took me first through the seafood processing plant’s headquarters and industrial buildings in Dutch Harbor and then across the “Bridge to the Other Side” to the town of Unalaska. And remember: The next rain shower is never too far away. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ndfSeE.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/QzdHvn.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/81k1xX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/2oy9CZ.jpg Crossing the Isaalux footbridge I was treated to a natural spectacle that occurs every year. Salmon were returning to their birthplace to spawn and then die, providing a feast for the seagulls. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/1OMiLu.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/cemhAe.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/2qFSJf.jpg Not far from this bridge is the Holy Ascension of our Lord Russian Orthodox Church. Being a Sunday I hoped it would be open, but no. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Rg7Un0.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/l6UU9A.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/GfUBmL.jpg Back on the Dutch Harbor side I took a wander up Mt. Ballyhoo behind the airport. On the way there I passed the site where a Penair Saab 2000 came to rest after overrunning the runway a few years ago. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Uell2S.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/0pDu9P.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/JjS4SL.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/5arWqj.jpg A few berries for sustenance, but keeping the fingers off those mushrooms. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/kKyXwg.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/4OtWXy.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/6oiUGH.jpg The regions’ processed catch (red king, golden king, and opilio crabs, cod, halibut, pollock) is shipped out by the containerload. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/cCSeBm.jpg Closer to the hotel again, a panorama sight from Strawberry Hill. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Eub8gs.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/8aWvVy.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/jhC3nV.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/GeoI0O.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/xOmuu7.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/udo6j4.jpg In Margaret Bay, right behind the hotel, I spotted one of four resident sea otters. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/iU6xeI.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/RdlmUI.jpg They say that when in Rome, do as the Romans do; when in Dutch Harbor, eat king crab! First with drawn butter as an appetizer, followed by an entrée of creamy, garlicky, yummy crab & artichoke chowder. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/KpF077.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/RiTE6D.jpg |
The following day it was time to travel back to Anchorage. I had originally booked this flight with RAVN Alaska, but 3 weeks before my trip started I received an email from them notifying that service had been suspended. The fare was reimbursed very quickly, but that still left me to scramble for an alternative on short notice. Fortunately it was no problem to find space on one of Aleutian Airways’ flights that same day, and for less than what RAVN had charged.
After sleeping in and having leisurely breakfast I checked out and took the hotel’s shuttle to the airport at 9:30. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/cQcIwZ.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/zi5NZX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/MDigIx.jpg Check-in went smoothly, though we were advised that the incoming flight would be late due to strong headwinds. As there is no room for hand luggage in the cabin, I checked my carry-on. Baggage here in DUT is not handled on carts, but on a contraption that resembles the bucket of a wheel loader and is carried by a forklift. It was reassuring to see that my bag would not be left behind. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/yMzupW.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/cEgC67.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/NKuDqs.jpg I spent the time having a look at some of the photographs on the wall in the holding pen and watching the traffic outside on the ramp. Aside from the ships, lots of cargo is flown in every day. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Yvm7cN.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/S5Vx7t.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/TaksBK.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/5789ty.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/rtWujr.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/zN9UME.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/lDzJta.jpg Eventually Aleutian’s inbound flight from ANC arrived as well. The cheat line reminds me somewhat of British Caledonian and the tail logo resembles Air France’s from back in the ‘60s. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/mEq8tD.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/cLqUBw.jpg Dutch Harbor DUT - Anchorage ANC Sterling Airways dba Aleutian Airways VC 1102 STD: 11:30 / ATD: 12:05 STA: 13:45 / ATA: 14:20 SB20 N25UE Seat 15F Boarding was called at 11:40 (no TSA at this airport) and I soon found my seat on this full flight. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Le053K.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/pqKU5R.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/cUBNQS.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Q1aRkI.jpg Taxiing to the active runway we passed two aircraft that didn’t make it, the Penair Saab from 2017 among them. To me they looked a bit like roadkill on the side of the runway. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/HxWP6t.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/B3UT7N.jpg After take-off and a sharp left turn to the north, this promontory was the last sight of land – or anything – for most of the flight’s duration. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/aebGHb.jpg The cabin felt stuffy at first, but as the flight progressed it got cooler. A very cheerful flight attendant first offered coffee and later, on a second service round, snacks and beverages. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/jJwB7V.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/4AWdqH.jpg First sight of land again, with some glaciers (Katmai National Preserve?) first and Kalgin Island in the Cook Inlet later. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/hUVIhC.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/gKm0WI.jpg Touch down on ANC’s runway 15 at 14:16. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/JiMgWq.jpg Our bags were already on the conveyor by the time we reached baggage claim and from there I called the hotel I was staying at for the next 2 nights – the Alex Hotel close to the airport – to send the shuttle to pick me up. The building has a triangular shape at one end and my assigned room was located precisely at that pointy end. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Ii70YO.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/lS1yIG.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/804hCX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/3u9WC5.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/q12i8G.jpg The following day I had to take care of some administrative work, buy a CityPass and make some reservations for the destination after next, and do some laundry again. In the afternoon I went on a wander around nearby Lake Hood. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/xw3ELw.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Frb4Qb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/28qDA1.jpg Fall foliage was starting to show here and there too. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/aXErJy.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/AvlTEL.jpg |
Pushing north
The day had now come to venture way north, to Utqiaġvik/Barrow. Around noon I checked out and took the hotel shuttle to the airport terminal, which was not very busy at this hour. Something that caught my attention was that an oil company has scheduled flights up north as well. Upon enquiring with the check-in agent though I learned that these are only for company staff and not open to the general public. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/VlgF97.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/fsNqfq.jpg Check-in went smoothly, at security there was no one else in line and I got again a very friendly TSA agent. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/tOiM6Y.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/z13Nmw.jpg Anchorage ANC – Utqiaġvik BAR Alaska Airlines AS 051 STD: 14:30 / ATD: 15:09 STA: 16:43 / ATA: 16:59 B738 N546AS Seat 26F Boarding started 15 minutes past the scheduled departure as the aircraft had come in late from the previous flight. In the 10 rearmost rows there were only 5 passengers, so I moved from 26F to 28F, which was better aligned with the window. In the take-off lineup we had freight jumbos ahead and behind us, evidencing ANC’s important role as a cargo hub. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/156LMb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/sfozlt.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/fnQew7.jpg Mid-flight the cabin crew did a service round offering pretzels and beverages https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/56FXcH.jpg At some point traffic crossed our path (or we crossed theirs), but otherwise there wasn’t much to see apart from a solid cloud carpet until our final approach. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/FcnENd.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/z6x1wd.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/zCelJp.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/w5v73B.jpg Welcome to Utqiaġvik / Barrow, local temperature: 39ºF / 4ºC https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/2XXAJF.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/qPgUMd.jpg Years ago AS used to have two flights a day to Barrow, so that one could fly up in the morning and return to Anchorage in the afternoon. Now there’s only one daily flight, making an overnight in BAR necessary. Though there is a bigger hotel near the coast on the other side of town, my choice of accommodation fell on the King Eider Inn, a mere 50-60 meters from the Alaska Airlines terminal, mostly for the convenience. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/VJsqaP.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/dKoz1A.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/m665kx.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/vCny5e.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/13SdDY.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/biWRtk.jpg The view from the room though… https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/F2FnU4.jpg Once settled in, I went to explore the town a bit. The former name Barrow was restored to the original Utqiaġvik in the native Iñupiak language following a referendum approved by residents in 2016. On my wanderings through town I couldn’t help but think that Einstein’s theory of relativity was once again being proven: while I, a child of the tropics, had four layers of clothing and would otherwise have felt relatively cold, some youths were wearing just shorts and a T-shirt, probably feeling relatively warm on a balmy end-of-summer evening. The town’s main landmark is a whalebone arch placed near the coastline. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/AxWHfZ.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/VV9poW.jpg Up close and personal with the Arctic Ocean, and a stroll along the beach. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/RKJskE.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/iyUfMD.jpg A taxi stand near the “other” hotel. In New York yellow cabs, in Bangkok pink Corollas, in Kodiak sturdy pick-up trucks, in Barrow SUV’s. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/VGekoN.jpg Unfortunately sights like the one out my hotel window were recurrent throughout town; with very few exceptions, everything gave the impression of being run-down and dilapidated. Maybe the people here have other priorities than to keep their lots straightened up. My landlord explained that if people tidied up their sites they would have to pay higher property taxes, but that reasoning only sounds halfway plausible to me. Being prepared to try whale or walrus meat or blubber or other local specialties, I asked my landlord whether these could be had anywhere. Unfortunately, local culture forbids selling such foods, so they are not available in restaurants. If a whale or a walrus is caught, the prey is shared among the community, but not sold. Thus I ended my city tour with a pizza large enough to guarantee the next day’s breakfast as well. |
Flying above the tundra
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ulS9Cz.jpg At daybreak the weather looked promising. I was told to be at the airline’s offices at 7:30 a.m. for the 9:00 a.m. departure, so after breakfast I walked over to the Wright/NAC shed a couple hundred meters from the inn. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/J3J2o3.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/92kRBJ.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/PIr1yw.jpg Upon check-in both myself and my backpack had to be weighed and since I was flying round-trip it was determined that my daypack should better stay at BAR in order to allow other passengers with a proper destination to take more baggage, or the airline to take more cargo. It was only a few pounds, but in these remote regions every available pound counts. Passengers were told to take a seat and wait for the pilot to call out the flight once the plane was ready for boarding. Check-in and “gate”/waiting area. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/DtZkuI.jpg Utqiaġvik/Barrow BAR – Atqasuk ATK – Ulġuniq/Wainwright AIN Wright Air Service 8V 651 STD: 09:00 / 09:35 ATD: 09:06 / 09:40 STA: 09:20 / 09:55 ATA: 09:25 / 10:10 C208B N143WA Seat 3rd row, right window https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/3ixtjx.jpg As promised, around the scheduled departure time the pilot came in and asked passengers for Atqasuk and Wainwright to board. It was – again – a full flight with all 9 seats occupied. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/Fb5kCV.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/vswe70.jpg Initially we flew at 2.500 ft above a solid fog layer but later the fog in that area dissipated somewhat, permitting views of the tundra below. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/ZIwCDW.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/KDkkTZ.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/E9acYu.jpg After a short 20-minute hop we landed on Atqasuk’s muddy runway 7 and a quick exchange of passengers and cargo ensued. Continuing passengers were asked to stay on board. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/9HNG5M.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Lvfszj.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/0wk4sl.jpg Soon enough we were airborne again towards Ulġuniq/Wainwright. Initially some landscape could still be seen below, but a few minutes into the flight we were totally engulfed by the fog. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/44YFBS.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/HcNvh9.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/IChf4c.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/oElzUA.jpg Most passengers disembarked at Wainwright though a few others boarded here too for the segment back to Barrow. AIN in all its glory. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/PDAgEQ.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/zHeOcN.jpg While the arriving passengers had already left the plane and the new passengers hadn’t boarded yet, I asked the pilot if it would be ok if I sat up front. After some pondering permission was granted and I was as happy as can be. Ulġuniq/Wainwright AIN – Utqiaġvik/Barrow BAR Wright Air Service 8V 650 STD / ATD: 10:10 / 10:27 STA / ATA: 10:40 / 10:59 C208B N143WA Seat: front office, copilot seat On take-off, a snow fox crossed the runway but fortunately we were already airborne by then and I barely saw it. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/eHzwkX.jpg The pilot was very nice and you could sense that he loved his job. In fact, he said more than once that his was the best job in the world. I like it when people are so passionate about their work. Enroute the weather deteriorated rapidly and an instrument flight plan had to be filed for the approach to Barrow. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/X2uU5D.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/egLbwx.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/RjqOQV.jpg Don’t be fooled by the sight of the coastline; we needed to head into the murk beyond that. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/KxdFoP.jpg The weather was close to or at minimums by the time we were on final for BAR’s runway 8 and for what seemed an eternity nothing could be seen outside. The pilot asked me to tap his shoulder if I saw the runway lights, but obviously his experienced eye caught them first. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/aZEouU.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/aCGjLh.jpg After our arrival the plane was quickly being loaded for its next flight. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/cfZRex.jpg Once back in Barrow I returned to the nearby inn and prepared for check-out at 11. After that I hung out in the lobby reading and enjoying a cup of coffee or two, as the weather wasn’t too conducive to any outdoor activities. Sorry, eightblack, for this new slip into the netherworld of small airplanes, and twice at that in the same report. I can’t even promise that it won’t happen again. There is no road leading from “civilization” to Barrow, so I asked the landlord how the town gets their supplies. Alaska Airlines sends a cargo plane up from Anchorage at least once a day, and Northern Air Cargo/NAC and Everts Air Cargo also send planes several times a week. These flights bring in mostly perishables and urgently needed supplies. For everything else people place their orders – from sewing needles to cars - online and once a year the orders are shipped on a large barge to Prudhoe Bay, from where a smaller barge takes them to Barrow. On arrival the day before I asked the airline staff at what time passengers were supposed to show up for check-in and was told that check-in opened at 1:00 p.m., so at that time I took the short walk from the inn to the Alaska terminal. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/YTnzmU.jpg Check-in went smoothly, though the security check was a bit slow, which I attribute to space constraints. After the TSA check, passengers are led to a tent/holding pen with wood benches along the sides, located on the ramp between the building and the plane. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/2XXAJF.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/5Qsc2j.jpg Utqiaġvik/Barrow BAR – Anchorage ANC Alaska Airlines AS 050 STD / ATD: 17:20 / 17:26 STA / ATA: 19:09 / 19:13 B38M N805K Seat: 30A Boarding took forever as this was again a full flight. Among the passengers were also the local high school boys’ and girls’ football teams on their way to a state tournament in Homer. As the temperature was around the freezing point, the plane had to be de-iced before departure. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/0RLvym.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/E11grU.jpg Snack service. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/5WLVZ3.jpg During most of the flight there was a solid cloud layer below but closer to Anchorage there were a few breaks in the clouds allowing nice views. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/nntEq0.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/WO7t3a.jpg At first I had no plans to rent a car again for just one day, but then I remembered that check-out time at the hotel was at 11:00 a.m. and my flight would not depart until midnight. Without a car I would be stuck either at the hotel reception or at the airport for way too long, so I opted to take a rental car for 24 hours. A nice sunset from my room back at the Alex Hotel. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/81x8gT.jpg After settling in I went for dinner at a nearby restaurant that had caught my attention during my previous stay a couple of days ago, ‘Chopped and Chowdered‘. To start, a sampler of three chowders (clam, salmon, and sea harvest: lobster, scallops, clams, shrimp, salmon & halibut) followed by a main of salmon with a red cabbage & mango salad. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/piPZCU.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Hmma4U.jpg |
What a great report so far. Loving the photos from Alaska, and looks like an awesome trip. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Wow, this is definitely off the beaten track, and incredibly interesting! Thanks for sharing your trip with us - must have been a great experience :tu:
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Amazing trip, thank you! I saw some places I didn't even know existed, such as Unalaska. Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Trekkfugl
(Post 36640425)
The port of Akutan is right around the corner.
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/BJzs5I.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/zLQf2J.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/2bCQHN.jpg The first ten houses of Akutan, the town’s church and also a small chapel. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/gXTGdb.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/Xkt8Ec.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/5Lgu5p.jpg At this port of call we were not only allowed but encouraged to go ashore, this time via the car ramp and not the gangway, as a group of native people in traditional costumes had assembled to offer a singing and dancing performance right on the pier. https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/gc1Iwh.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/sTnCwX.jpg https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/eBsoLm.jpg I wonder whether the sneakers were also part of the original attire. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a8f61637dd.jpg The picture was taken at a major whaling station located in Akutan where a number of local were employed as well as workers from elsewhere. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8abba917e1.jpg Here's the church ca. 1979, when I was a frequent visitor to Akutan, working for the local Aleut corporation and the City of Akutan. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...feb89725bc.jpg |
Originally Posted by 757
(Post 36644087)
What a great report so far. Loving the photos from Alaska, and looks like an awesome trip. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Originally Posted by SKT-DK
(Post 36644287)
Wow, this is definitely off the beaten track, and incredibly interesting! Thanks for sharing your trip with us - must have been a great experience :tu:
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Originally Posted by 13901
(Post 36644448)
Amazing trip, thank you! I saw some places I didn't even know existed, such as Unalaska. Thanks!
I still remember vividly your report of the trip to Kashgar and Xinjiang of a fwew years ago, one of the most amazing TR's I've read on here! |
Originally Posted by Gardyloo
(Post 36645573)
The original attire was made of seal gut, as shown in this picture from ca. 1910.
The picture was taken at a major whaling station located in Akutan where a number of local were employed as well as workers from elsewhere. Here's the church ca. 1979, when I was a frequent visitor to Akutan, working for the local Aleut corporation and the City of Akutan. These men seem to have a huge job to look forward to. Back then the church was a free-standing building, now it is surrounded by other buildings and - unfortunately - also some waste lying around, similar to what I saw in Barrow. |
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