Running for Dutch Harbor
September 5th, 2008 by Walt "The Skipper" JonesWe are now just between Nunivak Island (known for its reindeer herds – though we won’t see any with the fog and cloud cover) and Cape Vancouver in the Etolin Strait. We have Southeast wind about 15 knots turning to Northwest tonight. It is forecasted to be lousy through next Wednesday. We are going to “run” for Dutch Harbor and try and stay in front of the worst – at least during the night. All are doing fine. Pat made another loaf of his now-famous bread – cracked wheat and rosemary – delicious!
10 PM update: It’s still daylight. Seas are rough (59 deg 35′ N, 165 deg 19′ W).
September 6th, 2008 at 6:39 am
The number one way to tell the boat is now devoid of women: Captain’s log, stardate 25347.495 — Bearing 164º in seas 3-5 feet. Winds South-by-Southwest, variable at 15-20 kts. We’re fine. Ate bread. — As for “running to Dutch,” Dad, for your next boat I have two words for you: “Planing Hull” (that was not an offer to buy the gas). Just yanking your chain (as usual). Happy birthday Pat. Ok… off to BSF, but I HAD to feed my Geraldine addiction before leaving.
September 6th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Happy Birthday Pat! My present to you is a Geraldine sized glass bowl so you can continue to turn out your artisan breads! Isn’t it nice, at 61, to have found your calling? 🙂 You all didn’t need to see the reindeer since we saw that one in Nome live in the back of a pick up truck. (Mark at the laundromat told us this reindeer was found as a faun and was raised with puppies, so he thinks he is a dog but sports a big rack of antlers. We didn’t get a picture but it was quite a sight!)
September 6th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Glad to know that you are finally nearing “civilization”, or whatever they call Dutch Harbor. Take some time there to tour the area and observe some of the historical sites from WWII. Happy Birthday, Pat!! Tom G.
September 6th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Happy Birthday! I made a brief call to the crew (9/6, 10:30 a.m.) to wish Pat a happy birthday and for his birthday Walt let him sleep in for half an hour and had coffee ready when he got up! They are literally “running for Dutch Harbor,” because they’re in open water and Dutch Harbor is as close as any other point of land at this time! God bless and be safe, Kathy
September 8th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Ed,
Glad you are a having a great time! What an adventure … wish I was there; sometimes civilization is highly over rated while living on the edge brings exhilaration! … on the other hand I have a history of getting very (can there be a superlative for being sea sick??? ) sea sick. Perhaps Backpacking is a better fit for me … oh well … hope you’re having a wonderful adventure!!
Ron