Impresssions

Tomorrow I fly out, presuming PenAir (short for Peninsula Airlines, but locally called "When Air" because of it's erratic arrivals and departures) flies when it's supposed to. Today I thought I'd give you some brief observations and impressions which I have gathered about this place.


+ The tundra is absolutely wonderful at this time of year. It is thick with wild flowers, blooming heather and berry plants, and soft as a bed. George and I sat on a tundra knoll and fell over backwards, it was so soft. And it is beautiful. From a distance the peaks look emerald green, and up close they are a riot of wildflowers.


+ When the weather is nice here, you can't imagine why anyone would ever want to live anywhere else. (In that respect, it reminds us of the Puget Sound--only Unalaska has even fewer nice days!) Yesterday was super nice--68, 7 mph breeze, clear blue skies and sunshine. A day not to be forgotten.

+ There is only one paved road in Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. It runs from the airport in Dutch, across the "Bridge to the Other Side," through Unalaska and out to "the valley," which housed World War II Army Troops. All other roads are gravel.


+ The last several days it seems like our house is on the edge of a construction zone. They are hauling dump truck loads of rock out to the landfill--probably land to use for the fill, but it is certainly noisy!


+ Unmowed lawns here have at least two distinct summer seasons. When I came, they were absolutely full of dandelions. I didn't think too much about it. But the dandelions went to seed, and no more grew! Strange. Instead they have been replaced by equally riotous yellow tall buttercups!




+ Can't figure out why Marley likes the table on the sun porch so much. Sandee never climbs on a chair, much less the table, but Marley acts as if the sun porch was his own personal gym!


The hospitality of the people here has been wonderful. We've eaten in people's homes and watched Blu Ray movies with them, been given food--seafood and unique jelly, had help with exercising the dogs, and made to feel most welcome. It is hard to leave this place, which will always remain in memory.

Sandee Escapes!

First an update on the earthquake yesterday, which everyone was talking about today because, "It was a pretty big one for around here." It measured 6.28 and was located 6 miles deep about 17 miles SE of Mt. Cleveland. Mt. Cleveland is located on the second island to the west of here, and is considered an active volcano. People were amazed at how long it lasted, the strength of the quake, and the fact that it was absolutely noise-free. No Tsunami warning (which I'd forgotten to even consider in our ocean front house!) By tomorrow nobody will be talking about it.


Marley has been getting most of the press in this blog, but Sandee can also provide humor and excitement, so I'll give you a bit of information about him. He has some interesting habits, such as preferring to lay down when he eats.




He also does a wonderful trick. When he wants to come in, which is always, and he thinks someone might actually open the door, he jumps straight up in the air--all four paws--to a level of about 24 inches off the floor! Puts him looking almost eye level with me--and he always has a happy, hopeful expression on his face.

However, he is a master of opportunistic escape. He has seized the moment, when the gate is opened just a bit too wide, to dash out of the yard. The most recent example, however, was pretty funny.

We have a lawn mower (the two-legged 12-year-old male variety named Harley) who pushes a lawnmower (the noisy gas-driven kind) to cut the parsonage lawn. Harley came to cut the grass, and when he does the back yard we have to either take the dogs for a walk or lock them on the sun porch. This day Harley said he would only do the front, and would come back next week to do the back. So we left the house and went to the store.

Harley changed his mind and decided to mow the back yard. He calculated that he could ease the lawn mower through the gate by standing close to it, and the dogs would just get out of his way when he mowed.


Unfortunately, Sandee saw this as his big chance. Just as Harley and the lawnmower were coming though the gate, Sandee rushed the gate, scaled the lawnmower and knocked the lawn mower (Harley) flat! (Harley has not yet started to put on his teenage growth spurt, so he is not a very intimidating figure--shorter than I am by quite a bit.) Then Sandee was off to freedom.

He ran over by the church, a distance of about 3 blocks as the crow flies, or the dog runs. Harley pursued him, and when we returned from the store, we found Harley grasping Sandee by the collar and struggling with him about 2 blocks from home. It was unclear whether Sandee was leading Harley around, or whether Harley was leading Sandee home. George helped get Sandee home an in the back yard.


But the dog trials and tribulations were not over yet. The next morning, George walked the dogs as usual, and Marley did his usual stopping of and chasing after cars. The animal control people along during the walk came and said they'd gotten so many complaints, that Marley would have to be on a leash now if he was going to be walked on the road. Busted!!

So after some consideration, we are now walking both dogs on leashes. George seems to be able to manage Marley if he does not also have Sandee to contend with, and I can (barely) manage Sandee. We have to keep them way apart so they don't get the leashes tangled up--we looked like the keystone cops until we figured that one out! After I leave, George will walk the dogs sequentially. Since they're on leashes, we're also able to use a new walking route that has less traffic, which is somewhat helpful.


How could such appealing animals be so much trouble!!

Mount Ballyhoo

The small island (Amaknak) where Dutch Harbor is located can be divided into three sections. The southern quarter is a series of peaks with little to no population. The middle 15% is the commercial center of Dutch Harbor, and the rema . . . EARTHQUAKE!!

As I was sitting here typing about 10:00 pm, an earthquake just came rolling through Unalaska. No idea how strong it was, but definite rolling motion that lasted about a minute. I'll try to update you about this as soon as possible, but may not have any facts until tomorrow. Wow! Talk about an Aleutian Adventure!!!

Now, as I was saying--the remaining 60% is Mount Ballyhoo, pictured above. (This is the mountain that we see to our left as we look out on Iliuliuk Bay.) The mountain was allegedly named by author Jack London who was in Dutch Harbor on his way to the gold fields in Nome in the late 1800s. No one has been able to prove this, but it is accepted as a "common fact" by the population here. This mountain is interesting for several reasons.


First, there is a one-mile long natural spit which juts out into the Bay at the base of Ballyhoo, about in the middle of the mountain. The area confined by the spit and mountain are what was originally known as Dutch Harbor, and it is the scene of the Port of Dutch Harbor today. There are docks, a salvage company, container ship facilities, etc.


Second, this was one of the most heavily fortified of the areas around Dutch Harbor in World War II. It is one of the areas where WWII building debris is everywhere, particularly on the northern most end which guards the harbor.


And finally, it is the scene of the annual Ballyhoo run! This is no traditional road race. It is more in the spirit of the Mount Marathon Race in Seward, Alaska, on the Fourth of July up a mountain over 3000 feet tall. The Ballyhoo run goes straight up the south end of the mountain which is 1635 feet tall. People of all ages race--kids go up only 3/4 of the way then must return; adults go clear to the top. The winner today completed the run in approximately 24 minutes! It is probably a grade of about 35%. Amazing to watch. Our favorite 6 year old was in the front row to start the race!

We have enjoyed taking part in local events and interacting with people of the community. We are recognizing a surprising number of people now, and that makes it seem a bit more like we belong.

Unangen People (Aleuts)

The Native population of the Aleutian islands dates back by archaeological finds to about 9000 years ago. Since the glaciers receded about 10,000 years ago, this certainly makes them the indigenous people here.

For many years they lived in this harsh climate taking fish, seals, and otters from the sea, and having as neighbors the Eagles and Ravens. On some islands there are bears, but not on Unalaska, and it is on the Unalaskan natives that I'd like to focus.

In the late 1700s, the Russians came to the islands and instituted a very harsh oppressions of the native people. They were forced to hunt the fur bearing seals and sea otters, and the native population dramatically decreased due to their enslavement, mistreatment, murder and disease. When the Russian Orthodox Church became involved, conditions improved somewhat, but were still very bad.

When the United States bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867, they continued to utilize the Unangan to procure furs. Although the Unangan were now technically American Citizens, in practice they remained under foreign domination.

A huge change came to the islands with World War II. First there was a huge influx of soldiers and sailors, then Dutch Harbor was bombed in June 1942. Shortly two of the other Aleutian islands were captured by the Japanese, and it became clear that the US could not provide protection for the people living on the islands. So with only 24 hours notice, 880 Unangan were told to pack one suitcase and board a ship to be taken to safety. Strange--the Caucasian spouses of the Unangan were not allowed to go with their families. Were they not also endangered??

The Unangan were not told where they were being taken, because they had been snatched up so quickly that not even the ship crew knew where they were going. Those from Unalaska ended up for the short term on Sedanka Island to live temporarily in tents. From there they were shipped to an abandoned cannery near Ketchican nearly 2000 miles from their homes in the wet rain forests.

According to one survivor, "The overcrowded conditions were an abomination. There were 28 of us forced to live in one, designated 15' x 20' house. There existed no church, no school, no medical facility, no store, no community water or sewage system, no skiffs or dories, no fishing gear and no hunting rifles." The camps were dilapidated, dangerous and unhygienic, food was scarce, and they faced disease and deprivation. The people, used to treeless wide open mountain peaks, were severely demoralized by the closely growing large trees pressing in on all sides. They could not recognize plants needed for medicine to treat illnesses in this strange place. The refugee camps claimed one our of every 10 Unangans.

When the Unalaskans were sent home in the spring of 1945--the last of the Unangan to return--they found little remained of their villages, homes or personal belongings. Homes had been looted and vandalized, ransacked or neglected; furniture stolen, plywood pried from walls to line foxholes. What was intact had often been ruined by exposure to the elements.

The Unalaskans at least were allowed to return. For the people from four of the villages there was no return home. The government would not allow it because of the small population and total absence of supporting infrastructure that had been present when they left.

While in the camps, the Unangan had been made to feel ashamed of speaking their native language and clinging to their usual ways. When they returned, they did not resume speaking their native language or practicing their traditional ways.


Today the schools are trying to help the children recover the language while there are still a few native speakers still alive. Sharon Svarny-Livingston teaches the medicinal use of plants which she has been able to learn about from the elders. (She also gave us the tour of the Russian Orthodox Church.)



Her mother, Gert Svarney, is a master carver and basket weaver who is now 80. She was 12 when she was relocated from Unalaska, and has vivid memories of leaving, and of returning to find things in such disarray. She still helps pull in the fish nets.


Sharon's Daughter, Laurissa, is learning to weave baskets. She has obtained traditional face tattoos like those pictured in early drawings from the 1800s and has her nose pierced as well, although she does not wear the long traditional nose beads. She works at the Ounalashka Corporation.

There are other families of Unangans here, and many have married "outsiders." Many have left--dispersed to Anchorage, Seattle and beyond. The struggle to maintain culture remains. The Unangan population is now only 7% of the population in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. If you see a person of color here, now they are more likely to be Philippine, the largest minority.



The Unangan families still set their nets at the end of Iliuliut Bay, and catch red salmon as seen in the hand of the nearest fisher. Some days are better fishing than others, and they share with whoever is there helping.

We often hear about the relocation of the Japanese from the west coast during World War II. We don't hear about the Native peoples of the Aleutian Islands--Aleuts (Unangans) who suffered perhaps more because they lost not only their freedom, but their culture.

World War II in Dutch harbor

Many of us are unaware or have forgotten that part of World War II was fought in Alaska on the Aleutian Islands. The Japanese actually captured Attu, the furthest most western island, and imprisoned the native peoples In Japan. They also captured Kiska Island, and imprisoned the members of the U.S. Aerological Detail stationed there--a group of about 12 men.

But just before these events, the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor. These bombing attacks on June 3 and 4, 1942 coincided with the Japanese attack on Midway. They apparently hoped to draw the southern Pacific fleet north to Alaska, but that did not occur, and was one of the major turning points in the war.

Japan sent bombers and Zeros which left over 100 civilians and servicemen dead and wounded. Barracks, fuel tanks, and other structures were set afire, including the ship "The Northwestern" which had been retired as a passenger ship and was being used as a fuel plant. It now lies scuttled in Captain's Bay. (Yes, the Northwestern crab boat which is owned by Sig Hansen on the Deadliest Catch is named for this ship.)

One Japanese Zero was shot down over Akutan (the island where Dutch Harbor is located) and proved very valuable in determining what it's strengths and vulnerabilities were. The Navy and Army personnel here on that day were equipped with World War I guns and supplies, and were no match for the ultra fast Zeros.

After this attack, a huge influx of military personnel were sent to Dutch Harbor and Unalaska. The Navy stayed in Dutch, and the Army moved out to Unalaska, and at one point 40,000 men were stationed here. The built all kinds of fortifications, barracks, gun emplacements, mess halls, communications buildings, dormitories, etc. both in the lower elevations and in the peaks surrounding the area. The assumption was that the Japanese would try to take the Aleutians as a prelude to seizing land in North America, but it never happened.


Today all of these military structures heavily dot the landscape. Many are in use today, having been re-built, re-sided, or adapted to modern use. The old submarine dry dock is now a dry dock to repair smaller fishing vessels, for example. But especially in the hills and peaks, the structures have simply collapsed with the weather and time. The boards just lay, not even rotting, looking like some giant hand or huge wind (more likely) had pushed them over.


The area belongs to the Native Corporation (like Tribes in the lower 48), and is a National Historic Area, which means nothing can be removed, so the remains do just that--remain! On Ballyhoo, the major peak near Dutch Harbor( which I'll write more about in another blog), the last of the buildings standing collapsed just this year! Other buildings, such as the Aleutian World War II Visitor Center, are carefully renovated and immaculately kept structures. (It was the Aerology Building which monitored and predicted harsh Aleutian weather.)

There are a few people here who still remember World War II, but as everywhere, this generation is rapidly disappearing. There is a strong attempt here to keep that history alive, and you only need to keep your eyes open to take in a wealth of information.

Industrial Tour

Today I'll take you along on our tour of the Alyeska Fish Processing Plant, seen above. It is the oldest processing plant in Dutch Harbor, and the third largest. It pays best (over $10/hr., when minimum wage is $7+), so has very little worker turnover, and is not unionized.

We get to wear tall rubber boots so we can wade through the 4" deep disinfectant pools throughout the plant. You must also wear those really cute little blue mesh net hair covers that look like bowl covers. Our tour guide is a PhD in Marine Biology from Oregon who is also the local scout leader and mows the church lawn! Ready now?

The Pollock are brought to the plant in the holds of ships which contain 31 degree sea water to keep the fish cold. They are sucked from the hold of the ship with a giant vacuum tube, water and all. A machine actually cuts off the heads and tails, guts them, fillets them then sends them on to another small machine that takes off the skin. All automated.

The fish fillets then pass over a light table, as seen above, where they are inspected for any pieces of bones or impurities. If the defect is minor, they may be fixed by a specialist at another light table. The fillets are washed and packaged in one of two ways. Some are placed, not touching each other, alternating between layers of blue plastic in boxes which are then frozen. (Picture above) Many more are sent into a quick freezing machine that has air of -4 degrees which moves at 100 mph. It flash freezes the fillets, which emerge and are quickly dipped in a water bath. This gives them a glossy ice coating which prevents them dehydrating during shipping. They are then packed loose in pallet-sized boxes and shipped.

The fillets are the most valuable, but there is a lot of fish that isn't suitable for a fillet. This is ground extremely fine, washed twice, "wrung out" with a big press, and emerges as fish protein. It is what is used to make artificial crab, among other products. It is mixed with sugar and a bit of TSP so that the cells of the fish won't pop during freezing, then is packaged in plastic bags, placed in metal pans, and frozen by huge extremely cold pressure plates which the pans and fish go through. The surimi, as it is called, emerges stone hard, is boxed, and shipped.

Everything is used. The roe sacks are saved and sorted by color and size into as many as 26 grades. This is done by photographic computers. The skin is saved and run through a special machine (invented and patented by our guide--see picture) which turns it into collagen for pharmaceutical purposes. (Last year the plant made $5 million as a result of utilizing fish skins!) The bones are ground up for bone meal which is used for fertilizer.

The fish oil is extracted from the heads, tails, guts, etc. and the factory burns it as fuel because it is cheaper and less polluting than diesel and makes them more energy independent. The rest of the muck is processed into fish meal, which is totally odorless, and is used in aqua farming in Japan to feed to the eels.

Nothing else is left! Pollock is the life blood of the fishing industry in Dutch Harbor, in spite of the more glamorous crab season. Pollock pays the bills. The seasons run during January and February then again from June through August. Alyeska also processes crab and cod in season in different parts of the plant.

Hope you enjoyed our tour today. Remember the next time you eat fish how many people it took to get it from the sea to your table.

The Quintessential Symbol of Unalaska

The oldest, most prominent, and most architecturally unusual building in Unalaska is the Russian Orthodox Church, which we toured today. Our guide was the daughter of the area's nationally recognized, preeminent Unangan artist, Gert Svarny, who is now 80 years old. (More about Gert in an other blog.)

When the Russians came in the late 1700s to enlist the native people to hunt sea otters for their fur, they introduced them not only to barbaric cruelty, but also to the Russian Orthodox faith. The Native people saw this as very spiritually powerful, and a small chapel was built in 1808. The people requested that a priest be assigned to them in 1824, and the chapel was re-built in 1826.

When World War II came to the Aleutian Islands all of the native peoples were re-located to other parts of Alaska. (More about that in another blog.) They were concerned about the church treasures, so took the chandelier and the big icons down, packaged them and buried them! The small items they took with them to have a church where they were going.

The ravages of weather took their toll, and the icons are in terrible shape today. (At one point they were covered with cooking oil, as recommended to stop moisture damage. At another time they were advised to shellac them, which resulted in the canvas being stretched, and a strong yellow haze obscuring them.) One by one, as they can afford, the icons are being beautifully restored, but it is a long and costly process.

This tiny congregation, almost exclusively Unangan, is now served by a priest who comes in once a month for services, and the lay people manage the rest of the time. When a member dies, the able members of the church come together to prepare the body, place it in the coffin, and prepare the service. This is truly a frontier, and that is how things are done on the frontier. Our guide had been involved with yesterday's funeral and said, "It's hard, but you just can't refuse."