Since Being Home from Our Alaska Adventure

Now that we have been home for a while, we often are amazed at how perilous our trip really was. We are just so grateful to have had an adventure, and that we made it home safely. 

To our shock, and horror, we heard the news that in June 2010, Lonnie, our helicopter pilot was killed in a fatal helicopter accident. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009480/Fatal-helicopter-crash-caused-battle-bull-ensnared-choppers-landing-skid.html

Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies go out to Lonnie's family and friends. He touched many lives, and was well liked by everyone. Umnak will never be the same. 

On a happier note, Julian Olivas, another Helicopter Pilot and Ranch Hand from Umnak, and an amazing Photographer, is making a book of some of his images and experiences on Umnak Island. I can't wait to see it in print.

See some of Julian's images here: http://julianolivas.blogspot.ca/

Departure Day-Friday, November 6th, 2009

It was still a bit stormy, but there were signs of the storm residing. The wind had calmed to a breezy 35-40 knots. Still quite windy, but better than it had been all week. 

At 5 AM, we couldn't sleep. We had packed most of our things, and now we wondered if we would be leaving today. Even Josh, the more common sense one of the two of us at that point, was very ready to leave, even if it was still quite windy.

We went to the ranch house at around 7AM, our nerves really frayed, wondering if we would get to leave that day, or if we'd be stuck on Umnak for who even new how long. 

Lonnie seemed to think that we would be alright to fly to Dutch Harbor, despite the winds, so we went back to the cabin, and finished packing. We had to leave several things behind, to try and decrease our weight. Rubber boots, some clothes, and a few of the small artifacts, and keepsakes we had contemplated bringing home, were left behind. 

With our luggage crammed tightly into the R44, which was only half filled with fuel to further decrease our weight, our family, together with Lonnie, stuffed ourselves into the helicopter, and took off. 

Our hearts were beating franticly. There was still enough of a wind to make the flight treacherous. The sea was still roiling. Every 5-10 miles there was a storm squall over the ocean. It was amazing beautiful, and completely terrifying at the same time. I would have loved to capture a few images from this flight, but I was far too scared, my camera was stuffed away somewhere, and there was not really any room to move one's arms anyway, as I had Brodie on my lap.

We finally made it to Dutch Harbor, after dodging several storm squalls. Josh and I felt so relieved, and happy to have completed the scariest part of the journey. We checked in at the tiny airport, and then went to have a snack at the restaurant. Josh and I hadn't had a beer for a whole month, and our nerves suggested we should have one. Wouldn't you know it, the first beer we go to enjoy after a whole month was skunky. How disappointing. 

Oh well. We enjoyed the rest of our snack, went to the airport, said our good-byes to Lonnie, and got ready to leave the Aleutian Islands.

The weather was continuing to improve, and our flight to Anchorage, and then on to Seattle was uneventful. 

We arrived in Calgary the next day, everybody unscathed, with a whole lot of stories and adventures to share. 

Our Last Week on Umnak-November 2-5, 2009

It stormed hard all week. As the week wore on we grew more and more apprehensive about our departure date of November 6th, and if we would even be able to leave. 

Josh, Art, and Ace worked hard all week, even through the storm, trying to complete as much of the building as they could. They finished all of the building's exterior, and covered it with tin siding. 

I felt more and more restless and agitated, as we were cooped up indoors, and I was feeling very anxious to leave the island, and return home. The winds howled at night up to 70 knots. The walls of our cabin shook and groaned in the wind. Sheets of ice and snow pelted the cabin. I found every night nearly impossible to sleep. The storm, and the cabin shuddering in it, was so loud. I was terrified that our weathered old cabin would fall down on top of us in the storm. I believed this wasn't too remote a possibility, considering all the other old army buildings around us had suffered this fate. So I lay there, my heart beating wildly, hoping each night that we'd make it to morning 

It was cold, too. Our little propane heater in our cabin could barely keep us warm. The wind came drafting through every crack, of which there are many. All three of us would go to be fully clothed, wearing toques. Three of us, sleeping in one bed was not going too well either. Josh and Brodie weren't sleeping well either, and everyone tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. And Brodie is a bed hog.

Our nerves were terribly frayed after a few days of this, and not knowing if we would even leave on Friday. I felt I could not stand to be there another minute. But obviously, we couldn't fly in the storm. We'd just have to wait and see. 

Helicopter Flight, Tour of Umnak-November 1st, 2009

As this would be our last Sunday on Umnak, Lonnie said he would give us a Helicopter Tour of the island. I had been hoping for the past weeks to have one more look at Okmok, the Caldera, and today would hopefully be my chance. 

  It was a cloudy day, and Okmok had clouds right on top of it. Lonnie wasn't sure we'd be able to fly into it, but he said there were other things we could look at.

  We flew over the waterfall that Brodie and I had hiked to earlier in the week.

  We flew over some left over ammunition from the war.

  We saw the place where scientists keep some equipment for monitoring the volcanic activity.

  We finally saw the cows, that they are ranching. Some of the cattle are really big. They have very long horns. They are a tough breed, and fend entirely for themselves.

  As we came around the north side of the caldera, we could see into it quite well. So Lonnie said we'd be able to fly in and take a look. 

  At the entrance to the caldera, there are two waterfalls, that are really nice to see. It used to be very green and lush around them, but since the eruption in 2008, everything is now black.

  When Okmok erupted, it blew out the north side of the crater, leaving a entrance in the rim. 

  Inside Okmok there are several volcanic cones, lakes, streams, lakes inside volcanos, and now, at this time of year, lots of snow. It's 6 miles wide, with a large rim around the outside. It's very amazing, and very dangerous. I read on the internet that Okmok has an eruption approximately every 10 years. It erupted in 2008, in 1997, and in the 1960's. I'm not sure what other times in between then. 

  After we explored the inside of Okmok, we flew along the beach, and spotted a glass float, so Lonnie set down so we could take it for a souvenir. 

  We saw more reindeer, the Weeping Wall (a cliff face of many waterfalls), and several other waterfalls. 

  Lonnie then flew us across the Pass, to Unalaska Island, where we went and looked at the wild horses again. We chased them around with the helicopter for quite awhile, looking at them, and photographing them. They sure are a sight. Their wild beauty captures the imagination. 

  We flew back to Umnak, and stopped at a small island to see the seals.

  As we flew back to the ranch we had another look at all the buildings now left to crumble by he Army. Their base on Umnak was quite large. A few thousand soldiers lived there during the war. They built many, many buildings. Mess Halls, barber shops, theaters, pool halls, aircraft hangers, houses, munitions stores, and quanset huts for storing supplies and ammunition. Quite an operation the Army had here. There isn't much left now. Everything is weathered and collapsing. The cabin we sleep in, and the Ranch House are some of the few remaining structures.

Hike to a Waterfall, October 28th, 2009

More nice weather this week, so we went for another hike to get some fresh air. I had been told there was a waterfall within hiking distance, so Brodie and I set out to see if we could get to it. I decided to hike along the stream bed for a change of pace. 

  It was a bit harder hiking in spots, as we were used to hiking along the road. The sound of the rushing stream was relaxing. In some places there was a lot of army junk left over. Old pipes, pieces of metal, and the remains of old power lines. I felt a bit nervous as we hiked, as I hoped we would not accidentally stumble over any unexploded ammunition.

  After hiking a few miles, I said to myself as I came to another bend in the stream, "If the waterfall is not around this bend, then we will turn back." We went around the bend, and there it was. 

  It was very nice to see, worth the hike. Waterfalls, and moving water,  are some of my favorite things to photograph. I made a few images. I could have stayed for quite awhile, but Brodie was not having much fun. I'm not sure if it scared him, or what, but he didn't want us to be there, so we hiked back. 

  The light turned to nice evening light as we walked back, giving nice color to the landscape. We could see Unalaska Island very well, and Mt. Mucushion. 

Hike and Fishing Trip-Sunday, October 25th, 2009

As Sunday was a decent day, and it was everyone's day off, another Fishing Trip was planned. This time out on the Ocean for Halibut.

I really wanted to go fishing too, but I refused to take Brodie out in a open boat on the open sea. So Brodie and I stayed behind. 

Josh went, and caught a Halibut, and another kind of fish. Everyone had a good time, but it was very cold, and the water was quite rough, so I was glad I didn't go after all.

After Brodie had his nap, we went for a walk to the beach. It seemed nice when we started out, but as we hiked it got pretty windy. 

We saw a fox on the hike. Brodie liked that. There are lots of foxes on this island, brought here by the Russians. There are no other predators for the foxes. I think they would have a hard living though, as there are no mice or rats, and I don't think there are rabbits. So they have to catch birds, which can be hard to catch.

Brodie and I walked along the beach. I collected a few volcanic rocks. The wind was really strong, and cold. The waves were pretty big as they crashed on the beach. We kept our distance.

Although I had dressed Brodie warmly, he became very cold. The temperature was above freezing, but the wind really robs body heat. So as we hiked back to the ranch, he cried pretty much the whole way. And it's a three mile hike. I felt bad, like a terrible mother. 

We finally made it, and not a moment too soon, because it started raining just then. I cuddled him and warmed him up in the cabin. 

Then we went to the ranch house, and feasted on halibut, the catch of the day. It was delicious!

Hike, Snow Day- October 24th, 2009

We had a week of bad weather. Lots of wind, rain, and snow. The spell of nasty weather broke by the weekend though. 

Saturday was a nice day, and the fresh snow on the ground put everyone in a playful mood. I let Brodie play outside for a few hours.  There are some swings in the Helicopter Hanger, that you can use when the Helicopters are out, so we had a swing ride.

Later in the afternoon we went for a hike, and took in some of the scenery with the coating of new snow.

Progress on the Building Project, October 21, 2009

Now they are building the rafters/trusses, and lifting them into place. And the nice spell of weather has broke, very nasty out today. I hope they will be OK as they put the last trusses up, the roof will be slippery with all this rain. 

Helicopters at Ft. Glenn

From October 2009

Helicopters are used to do many things here at the Bering Pacific Ranch. They are the main mode of transportation, and are used as a work vehicle. 

They often transport the ranch hands to the worksite, where the fence is being built. They carry tools and supplies, and go to town for groceries. Helicopters are even used to herd cattle and sheep on the ranch. And sometimes they are used for recreation. 

A lot of Helicopter Pilots are here, and Pilots in training.

The Helicopters are both Robinsons, an R22, and a R44.

I'd Better Finish This Story

I haven't posted to this Blog in quite some time. But before I move on to new stories and events, I really must finish the story of our Trip to Alaska. There had been quite a bit of interest in this story, and it's always bothered my that I didn't finish telling it. So using my notes from the journal I kept while we were there, and my memories of course, I will finish telling the tale, before moving on to other subjects with my Blog.
Thanks everyone for your interest, comments, and compliments. The funny thing is, after writing this blog in 2009, when I got home, I got a job as a Blogger that lasted a few years. I guess they thought I had a knack for it.
Happy reading!