Holy Resurrection Cathedral, Kodiak

Many Alaskan visitors are surprised to see so many distinctive onion-domed churches in Alaska, particularly in remote locations along the coast. But Russian missionaries were traveling through out Alaska's Native communities as early as the 1700s. The Orthodox Church in America had its beginnings on Kodiak Island.

Floatplane to Shuyak

I didn't fly the plane; that was left to a young pilot, who, like everyone in Alaska, had an interesting life story. Though he's flown such luminaries as Tiger Woods (on an Alaskan fishing trip) in the past, his goal is to become a pilot for bible translators traveling the South Pacific.

Alaskan jellyfish

Our concerns on take off were, one, that we get enough altitude soon enough to avoid the two rocky outcroppings at the mouth of the floatplane basin and two, that we not fall in the water and get stung by jellyfish. It was summer, but I was still surprised to see a jellyfish pulsing through water this cold, this far north.

Over Shuyak Island

Chapter 9 takes place on Shuyak. This photo was taken from the co-pilot seat of the weekly mail plane.

Mt. Barometer Trail

Shortly after arriving on Kodiak, I asked around for recommendations for a short dayhike. Everyone recommended Mt. Barometer. Steep, but short, and rewarding views. I parked my car at the side of the road and started hiking. Kodiak is home to the largest concentration of the largest bears on the planet. Kodiak Bears, or grizzlies. There are more here than in the entire lower 48. I was thinking about bears as I started hiking -- about 100 yards in, I came across these remains, small bits of bone and fur. Very, very small bits.

Mt. Barometer, below the peak

The hike was, as promised, steep. To take this photo, I aimed straight at the horizon, hoping to give a sense of the angle of the climb.

Mt. Barometer, near the top

Kodiak, wet and mountainous, resembles Hawaii crossed with Switzerland. The flowers were beautiful, but when I crouched to take this shot, I almost tumbled off the peak.

Mt. Barometer, the top

It wasn't until the day Ieft that I learned where the mountain had got its name. Our plane couldn't land because the fog was so dense. A seasoned passenger told me to watch Mt. Barometer, which begins just beyond the end of the runway. By observing how much of the mountain is obscured by fog, locals can tell whether or not planes will be able to land.

Mt. Barometer memorial

After I got back down -- having spotted four people, but not one bear -- I went back to the person who recommended the hike. A great day hike, I said, but steep. "Oh sure," she said, "a couple people die up there every year." I later found out that wasn't precisely true, but I found plenty of evidence in all the memorials on the peak.

Devil's Club

On another hike, I came across this plant. I'd read about; spiky and sturdy, it was once considered to be a natural cure for insanity. Course of treatment: 1) shave patient's head 2) cut down plant stalk 3) beat patient about head until cured.

Grass skirt gyroscope

On my flight from Anchorage to Kodiak, I met the very helpful Olivia Terry, who works for Island Air, Kodiak's very own airline. No roads link the islands various communities; the only way back and forth is either by boat...or Island Air.

Father Ioasaph, the Church of the Three Saints

I flew to Old Harbor, a community on Kodiak's southern coast, surrounded by the Kodiak wildlife refuge. After we landed, I hiked through town to the end of the road, where I found Three Saints Bay, Three Saints Church, its graveyard, and Father Ioasaph, who kindly showed me around before heading back through town on his motorcycle.

Three Saints Bay

Looking across to Sitkalidak Island.

Three Saints Church

...with the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge in the distance.

Three Saints graveyard

Though the graveyard was unkempt, I found it beautiful, and somehow, very moving.

VPSO Mark Haglin

Many small Alaskan villages are served by a very unique kind of public servant -- the village public safety officer. Officer Haglin, for example, handles police, fire and EMT duties. And several bedrooms in his apartment suite doubled as the town's public library. I loved his truck, but he was getting a new Explorer shipped to him (by sea).

Crusty Old Joe

Back in Kodiak, Crusty Old Joe is the local WWII history expert. He led the charge to conserve many of Kodiak's WWII fortifications; this bunker now serves as a museum.

Kodiak's Finest

One of Kodiak's exemplary citizens (and the grandson of the people I stayed with).