Gone Walkabout: Alaskan Adventure

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Alaskan Adventure - Akutan

After a few days of sometimes stormy travel, we reached Akutan on Easter Sunday. The weather was still strong, with 50 knot winds whipping down from the mountain. Capt Joe made a few attempts to dock but gave up and headed to the middle of the harbor to wait for the weather to settle down.

Stormy weather

Akutan town is home to about 75 Native Alaskans and to the Trident shore plant, which employs about 1000 people. Homes, shops and the plant are nestled along a strip of rocky beach with the hinge point a large church and recreation facility built by Trident founder Chuck Bundrant. There is also a seaplane port where the Grumman Goose planes land in the harbor and taxi thru the water up onto the beach. Himself has spent a lot of time here and was eager to show me around.

Trident shore plant

Akutan town

After several hours of waiting, the gangplank was put into place and the mass exodus occurred. Everyone was ready to have a little time to shop, call home and just walk around. Including me!

Walking the gangplank!

Our first stop was at the “Trident Store” where we picked up some snacks, milk for my hot tea and a beautiful art print of Akutan harbor & the Trident plant. I looked over the Trident logo clothing but decided I was happy with what I had picked up in the ship’s store.

Shopping

Not wanting to be carrying the stuff around, Himself ran back to the ship to leave our bags in his room. While he was gone I shot some photos of the gulls, docked ships and watched opilio crab being offloaded. When he got back, we wandered down to the end of the dock and back.

Snow crab being delivered for processing.

Since it was Easter, we didn’t get to do anything in Akutan town…everything was closed. Besides homes, town consists of a general store, a medical clinic, a café, post office and a Russian Orthodox church. The land is so boggy during melt that a boardwalk has been put in for both pedestrian and ATV travel.

Russian Orthodox church

After going from one end to the other, we went down to the beach at the seaplane ramp. The beach is a rocky one, with stones from the gently puffing volcano Mt Akutan. After spending a bit of time there picking out treasures for my rock garden and gifts for those who enjoy such. Then we made our way back to the Indy, happily tired from the walking and fresh air.