islands
bordered on the Bering Straits and were much closer to Mother Russia than to
mainland Alaska. You can note the onion-shaped dome on their church and
the cemetery on the hill in the photo below.
Kobacoff Bay was a series of weathered and beaten
houses, some no bigger than a shack. One House had a small store in the front
part of their house with necessities like toothpaste and soap and a couple of
other things. The villagers were of the Russian Orthodox Religion, since
these
islands
bordered on the Bering Straits and were much closer to Mother Russia than to
mainland Alaska. You can note the onion-shaped dome on their church and
the cemetery on the hill in the photo below.
These photos were taken near the end of the first cruise when the weather was breaking. There is still some slight snow in the hills behind the church.
This is a photo of the U.S. Government's Goodwill Representative with his
sack of outgoing mail as he weaves his way around the huge Alaskan King Crab
traps on the pier. It was getting near departure
time
and the crew was returning in groups. Lipan sat there waiting for us,
peering over the tops of the crab traps anxiously looking for sailors lagging
behind. All her main engines were running and the 90 mile trek back will
typically be a roller coaster.
Below we are pulling out of Kobacoff Harbor in Atka. The hills
on the other side of the harbor have more snow in some sections. Typical
of the Aleutians near the end of the winter season. The harbor water is
already getting choppy as we approach the channel and the ride back, although
short, will be "discomforting". It was every time.
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