Blasts in the Past?

Redout volcano with vapor and clouds as viewed from the Kenai Spur Highway on June 19, 2009

Photo by Ed Marker

According to the Alaska Volcano Observatory, Mount Redoubt seems to be settling down. We last heard from the volcano three months ago during its last major eruption. In the meantime its lava dome has grown to the size of 17 Louisiana Superdomes. Local volcanologists warn, however, that the dome could fail at any time causing another major eruption.

images of Afognak

local-vores and summer scenes

a bumblebee at work in the tree by the front stairs

Rebel fishing for some of Bruce's lunch

Since my return from Dig Afognak, I have been trying to prepare and eat more of our local Kodiak flora. On Thursday I picked some fiddleheads from the yard, which I sauteed with butter, olive oil, garlic, shallots, tomatoes and white wine. I served them over pasta, and Bruce didn't complain.

Yesterday, before I started helping Bruce with the housepainting, I harvested some of our ripe rhubarb. As I write, a rhubarb-raspberry dish is baking in the oven.

While I was out of town, Bruce replanted the greenhouse. Much to our dismay the first crop bolted earlier in the summer.

This harvest is coming along nicely...we hope to taste some of it before we leave town!

Memories

Nope, the turbines above are not the result of KEA working overtime. Nor has wheat been planted on Pillar Mountain. This wind farm is located near Judith Gap, MT - one of the more memorable sights on our trip north to the future. It's hard to believe that 12 months ago Meghan was in the final countdown for the Colorado Bar Exam, Rebel was nursing a nasty infection in his foot and I was desperately attempting to find employment and housing in Kodiak. It's probably a good thing that last summer seems a distant memory. Denver was in the midst of an intense drought and temperatures regularly reached the uppper 90s throughout June and July. The memories that Meghan and I have created since our endeavor north, however, are quite vivid. Meghan often says that Kodiak is the most dramatic place we will ever live. To be sure, Kodiak's people and places will be very difficult to leave in August. We hope to return often. In the meantime, with the next month off of work, I am looking forward to squeezing every drop of experience out of Kodiak in July.

Wilcos to AUS

Australia's East Coast is known as the Gold Coast

The Wilcos, who have become fast friends since their recent relocation from "out on the chain" are leaving for a two-week trip Down Under. It sounds like they will fly to Sydney and drive north up the Gold Coast, looking for waves and avoiding killer koala. I, for one, am green with envy about their trip. In 2002, one year BM (before Meghan), I paid a visit to my friend Brett who was spending a semester abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney. We spent a few days driving north from Sydney as well. The most memorable stop on the trip was a two night stay at the Samurai Beach Bungalows. Samurai Beach, near Newcastle is home to the only legal nudist beach in Australia. Although we kept our clothes on (barely), Brett and I found lots of fun things to do while at the bungolows including a bike ride to the beach and day of sandboarding. Well actually, the sandboarding was more like an ordeal. We happened to choose one of the hottest, driest days of the Southern Hemisphere summer to attempt sandboarding. Before setting out we parked the car, cranked the AC and helped each other to apply what we thought was regular sunscreen. It was actually zinc and it did not spread well, needless to say we got a nice uneven burn after the excursion.

I guess you're supposed to sit on a sandboard.

We climbed the nearby dunes, very hot on the soles of our bare feet, and threw down our boards - ready to shred silica. Unlike Colorado powder, the sand was hot and firm - falls were not comfortable. After two hours of climbing, sliding and falling Brett and I bagged it. And all we had to show for our efforts was a lousy sunburn. Because the trip was a few years before the proliferation of digital cameras, I only have Kodak pictures of the Aussie adventures. Thus, the pictures here were found on interwebnet. Hopefully the Wilcos have a more comfortable time at Samurai Beach.

Samurai Beach

Shakers

The big blue box in the center of the map represents a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Southcentral AK yesterday at 11:28 a.m. The Anchorage Daily News reports that the region gets about one or two earthquakes this size each year. Ian, a friend who lives in Anchorage and works a graveyard shift sent me a text saying that the quake woke him up. Aside from rousing Ian, hanging lamp shades swung in Anchorage, though no damage was reported. Yesterday's quake originated on the Denali fault line, the same fault that produced a 7.9 magnitude quake in 2002.
About nine hours later two distinct quakes, a 5.5 and 5.4 shook the western Aluetian Islands.

Duties

Mehgan tending to the greenhouse greens

Last weekend Meghan and I began our summer duties. Above, Meghan tends to the vegetables in the greenhouse - while I powerwashed the house to prepare for painting. Everyone in town seems to know that we have a daunting task ahead of us painting the house before August. Alas, we hope that the weather cooperates. So far, the weather has been too nice to work as we have been hiking, biking, kayaking and surfing when the sun shines.
Tomorrow Meghan leaves for summer camp. She is chaperoning at Dig Afognak on Afognak Island from Saturday through Wednesday. "A haven for cultural exploration," the program offers a series of cultural immersion programs to explore Alutiiq culture and history. Meghan will participate in the Iluani Camp, interacting with Native Elders and area youth. She starts packing tonight. Perhaps part of the house will be a different color when she returns, perhaps.

"I thought you said crossing the streams was very bad, Egon."

Barrels of Fun

Racecardrivernumerouno inquiring about the sets.

To add to the excitement of Saturday's big event. I received a wetsuit in the mail just in time for a Monday evening session at Pasagshak (apologies to all lifelong surfers for my attempt at spouting the sport's jargon). Racecardriverzeropointfive (an alias) and his lovely life partner That Lady, along with Racecardrivernumerouno and his little brother Stokes swung by to pick me up on the way out the road for looksee at the waves. Collectively known as the Wilcos, the family makes the pilgrimage out to Pasagshak for surfing and beaching quite often. Needless to say I was definitely stoked to catch a ride (in the car).

A NoPac Barrel

The drive to Pasagshak alone is reason enough to make the trip. Along the way beautiful blue bays, lush green mountains and crystal clear streams offer a stunning glimpse at the rest of the island. Mornings and evenings are the most spectactular when the topography shapes shadows that enhance its grandeur.

Almost up...

We arrived at surf beach, just past Pasagshak, to find a few surfers enjoying a bonfire. As we walked to the beach we could see gray whale spouts in water past the breaking waves. Bald eagles and black-legged kittiwakes traversed the sky above. We jumped on to our boards and paddled out to the first break. As we sat waiting for the waves to set up the whales, swimming close, began to surface, jump and spyhop. The waves offered several chances for good rides, but my inexperience showed as I failed to successfully stand and ride a break. In the meantime, Racecardriverzeropointfive caught several waves and rode to shore. Although I didn't quite hang ten, I am determined to get back out to the beach and catch a ride. I would like to thank That Lady for taking pictures and keeping an eye out for sea creatures from shore.

A Swirling Proposal

On a COASST survey Saturday afternoon Meghan and I were the only humans on Spruce Cape beach. The beach is ringed with black rocks that make walking anywhere but the sandy surface a bit challenging. As I conducted the survey, walking down the length of the beach in an S pattern (like skiing) looking for birds, I pretended to find beach objects and put them in my pocket. Meghan sat with Rebel on the rocks near a tide pool. The sun was bright and warm. Offshore, fishing skiffs skimmed across the horizon, gulls squawked and dove to the sea. On the return leg of the survey I began to carefully prepare the contents of my pocket to show Meghan, four pieces of sea glass and a gold ring. I reached Meghan and knelt beside her, balancing on watery rocks.
“Hi Meggie,” my heart pounded “I found some cool stuff on the beach.” I held out my palm holding the precious pieces.
“Let’s see. Oh wow, beach glass. Wow a ring. We should return this, someone is probably looking for it, but cool beach glass.”
My heart stopped, “Meghan, maybe it could be your ring.”
“Oh no, it won’t fit me. It's too small. Someone is definitely missing it.”
“Meghan, I'm pretty sure no one will be looking for it. I think you should have it.”
Meghan’s expression then changed. “Bruce…”
“What do you think? Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Bruce.”
Meghan was completely surprised. After sitting together and enjoying the moment we walked out to the tide line on the rocks while peeking into tide pools. Anemones, chitons and crabs revealed their shapes and seemed to congratulate us as we hopped, rock to rock.

She said YES!

Details coming soon...

Earth, Wind and Pillar

The progress of the Pillar Mountain Wind Project is unfolding before our eyes. The first of its kind in Alaska, the Project is owned by Kodiak Electric Association (KEA) and Tetratech is installing the turbines . The photos below show the process of moving the three 1.5 megawatt turbines from sea level to the top of Pillar Mountain. Construction was on hold for about five days until visibility improved this weekend. We finally saw a completed turbine yesterday during an evening paddle. Thanks to KEA for the photos.

Offload pillars, machinehead and blades from barge

Transport pieces through town on custom trailers

Haul pieces up Pillar Mountain's 13% grade


Construct turbines while the sun shines

Turbine #4, ready for it to blow (Photo by Raymond Fletcher)

Burma Road Ride

A ride on the "real" Burma Road looks more suited to someone like Lance Armstrong

On Sunday after cleaning out the last remnants of our old apartment I took a bicycle ride from town to Bells Flats - our new neighborhood. Named for a man with the last name Bell who ran a dairy in the area a while back, the "Flats" is about 8 miles out of town. One can either drive the paved road from town to the Flats or, at about the halfway point split off to take Burma Road. No, not the 700-mile road linking Burma (a.k.a. Myanmar) to China, rather an old jeep trail leading from the site of the old Kodiak Navy Base (now the Coast Guard Base) to Bells Flats. While both trails are described as mountainous and rocky, the Kodiak Burma Road is much shorter (3 - 4 miles) and has fewer switchbacks. Both roads, however, were used during WWII. The Asian Burma Road, built by 200,000 Chinese, was used by the British to transport material to China; while the Kodiak version was used to store, demolish and dispose ordnance material. On a bicycle, Burma Road offers beautiful views of Barometer, Cope and Old Womans peaks. I felt lucky to only encounter a couple of hikers and no bear on the ride. Although I did see an older mountain goat kill sprawled out under a tree near the trail.

To reach Bells Flats, behind Old Womans Mtn., follow Burma Road or the paved road on the left.

Kodiak Gothic

After a long week and weekend, we are out of our tiny, dark city apartment and we are settling into our summer digs, way out in 'the countryside.' The boys are particularly excited.

Rebel is enjoying all the sunshine.

There are lots of toys for Bruce, including a trampoline, musical instruments, a Wii, a stereo with surround sound, bio-diesel and assorted power tools.

The owners of this fantastic house are life-long adventurers and their beautiful home reflects their wonderful spirit. I picked our dinner salad from the garden last night! We are looking forward to a great summer of exploring Bell's Flats from our base camp at the Bear Den.


This is our view from the kitchen sink...


...and from the dining room. Yes, that tiny splash of blue is the water.

I have achieved my winter-long dream of living 'on the water' in Kodiak.

Whales vs. Tankers

Photo by Chuck Babbit

A murky report this morning from Prince William Sound, site of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, suggests that an oil tanker sailing to the oil terminal in Valdez struck a humpback whale. The report in today's Anchorage Daily News, however, does not make clear whether the impact of the strike actually killed the whale. KTUU reports that during the entire 30 year history of oil tankers transiting the Sound no one has ever seen a ship hit a whale. It's possible that the whale could have been dead at the time of impact or that the whale was in a sleep-like state at the surface, unaware of the oncoming ship. Marine mammals such as whales and dolphins sleep by resting one hemisphere of their brain while keeping the other active to maintain buoyancy (Listen to Radio Lab's fascinating podcast about animal sleep). Crewmembers of the tanker, named the Kodiak, most likely never saw the whale. Questions remain: Are tankers killing whales? Is the North Pacific humpback whale population experiencing a boom? Are whales not getting enough sleep? We'll have to wait and see - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is on the case.

Oil tanker with escort

meanwhile, back on the farm...

Mom is putting in the garden...

...and Boomer is helping.

The latest addition to the menagerie......bees!

Apiarists getting down.