(54 deg 41.5′ N, 163 deg 05.5W)  We are underway; Shane is driving and we are seeing incredible scenery on Unimak Island. In clear view we see Shishaldin volcano, a snow-covered peak 9372′ above sea level with steam coming out of the top just in front of us. Next to that is a twin peak mountain 8135′ high call Isanotski Peaks, locally known as “Rugged Jack” (must be the American name.) We feel privileged to see these as the U.S. Coast Pilot tells us that they are cloud covered most of the time. The water is emerald green when shallow and dark blue when deep. Because it has been windy white froth has been whipped up on the water. Fortunately, so far the wind has been on our quarter or behind us.

In the past two days we have seen an incredible number of birds including hundreds of Puffins. Puffins are great and so funny to watch. They are skitterish and “run away”, walking on water while looking back at you. Because their beaks are orange and so are their feet, combined with a straight wing, it is sometimes hard to tell which way they are going. They don’t really fly much but with the aid of a head wind, they can.

Ed solo’d today (VFR) and did a really good job. There is a lot to learn (and constantly look at) to effectively run the boat. He is “earning” his bunk!

9:30 PM We are now safely at anchor in East Anchor Cove on the Ikatan Peninsula. We had a good day, but it is still a long run to Kodiak. Please pray for calm seas and a favorable current.

[Show as slideshow]

[Show as slideshow]

8/9 6:30 AM We have the 1st real rain of the trip. Perhaps that is a welcome to SE AK. We have a welder coming this AM to fix the wet exhaust leak we have lived with from nearly the beginning of the trip. Then we will refuel, send Pat to the airport for a CityTeam Board meeting next week (plus he is very eager to see Kathy, “the wife of his life” -7 weeks is a very long time) and be on our way east. We won’t get very far today but we do hope to get through the pass to the other side of the Aleutians.

8/9 midnight We had the wet exhaust welded – another fix! They did the TIG welding in the boat. We refueled at North Pacific Fuel and departed Dutch Harbor at 1:40 PM. We went trough Akutan Pass. This pass is smaller than the Unimak Pass but we wanted out of the wind and waves; it worked. We are at a beautiful anchorage in Seredka Bay on Akun Island. Tomorrow we will head east crossing the Unimak Pass opening but not going through it. Dutch Harbor is a very busy port. They claim more seafood volume than any port in America & I believe it. We watched a processing boat come in; the fish were unloaded already boxed. The Aleutians are drop dead gorgeous when the fog allows you to see.

[Show as slideshow]

I just spoke to both Charlotte who had spoken to Walt, and Kathy who had spoken to Pat. They are all now safely in Dutch Harbor in a boat slip, having arrived sometime around midnight last night. They are tied up at a marina boat slip and slept soundly until about 9:00 am having crossed through the roughest waters of the trip, 20 plus foot seas. Pat will be heading for home on a red eye flight tomorrow from Dutch Harbor and will arrive home Wednesday morning. I know how tired they must be because when the seas are so rough, even when your shift is over, sleep can be really hard to get when you are being tossed about. We can rejoice in their safe keeping under God’s protection once again. How good it was to hear from both gals that they were there and safe.

In Walt’s own words:

Water water everywhere and no place to go. The Bering Sea kept its reputation and poured it on us for the past 3 & a half days non stop. We saw winds of 20 to 30 kt. and seas from 10 to 15 feet. This was no way to introduce Ed to cruising or for Pat to finish his. Pat didn’t feel well either but seems perkier now at the dock. All of us are dog tired & will sleep well tonight tied to a new floating dock at Dutch Harbor. I may have said it before but the defrost system failed yesterday so that is on one more thing to be repaired. That turned out to not be a huge problem because the air temperature was warm – at least compared to what we had been seeing.  We broke one glass that lept out from its storage location to sudden destruction. We will stay here tomorrow to refuel & patch things together. Pat will fly home from here on Tuesday and the three of us will proceed to Kodiak Island where we will say goodbye to Ed and Hello to Rebecca Robertson, Shane’s wife, and son Scott & granddaughter Raime. The group will move Geraldine to Sitka where she will live for the winter. By the way the Aleutian islands are spectacular – mountainous with snow still remaining. Ed spotted a Humpback whale which surfaced about 100 feet from the boat. We hope to see more.

[Show as slideshow]

(57 deg 19′ N, 165 deg 50′ W) Water water everywhere. Since joining the crew of the Geraldine in Nome, we have been traveling south 24/7 with almost no land in site. The seas have ranged from minor waves at best all the way up or down (depending upon your view of waves) to 9-10 foot swells with whitecaps which we are now experiencing in the Bering Sea (so if my writing is choppy you will understand). Currently we are headed south to Dutch Harbor with an expected arrival time of 8-9 PM, Dutch Harbor time, on Sunday. Having a chance to join this adventure has been a blessing and fitting in with the other crew members extremely easy. Hopefully after we pass through these sloppy seas and begin traveling up the south side of the Aleutian Islands we will have calmer waters and some scenery. Not that I don’t mind being on water all day in the middle of what seems like nowhere, but some scenery and calmer waters would be nice.

The boat has just about every conceivable device for keeping in touch with other boats; determining the water depth; communicating with weather personnel, Coast Guard, and friends. I am beginning to get the hang of it all: what all the gauges and dials do and mean, where the necessities are located and especially how to operate them, not to be concerned when I am in a bunk and gravity seems to disappear as the boat suddenly drops down from the top of a wave, and living several days without a shower and when you do get one being limited to three gallons of water (fortunately we are all in the same boat).

Having a great time, wish you were here.

[Show as slideshow]