SOCIAL NOTES
_ Homemaking —
Happening) About Tnwn
_ Gardening —
Of This and That
By BET1IA DlftREE
Last Saturday morning dawned
clear and cloudless with a promise
of good weather for the long
awaited trip around Kodiak Island
aboard the mailboat M/V Expan
sion. As we pulled away from the
City Dock the birds were singing
in the trees and shrubs on the
hillside, while wildflowers swayed
in a gentle breeze. While we sailed
down the coast past snow-capped
mountains and foothills of deep
green, we anticipated a weekend
of visiting island villages and tak
ing many pictures to add to our
collection. Sea parrots, with their
vivid orange beaks, skimmed over
the water and gulls lazily soared
by, occasionally coming to rest on
the water and riding the swells
easily.
All went well until mid after
noon when we neared Sitkalidak
Island . . . Then the vessel began
rolling too much for our comfort.
(We evidently failed to inherit the
seamanship of our grandfather),
so we crawled into our bunk and
hung tight . . .
Eventually the waters became
calm again, and we were on our
feet as we neared Old Harbor . . .
A lovely spot where the village is
built along the beach with a back
drop of great, jagged mountains
outlined against the evening sky.
A short stop in the harbor while
some of the villagers came aboard
to make purchases in the ship’s
store, then away again toward Ali
tak. When we arrived there at
4:30 Sunday morning the sky was
overcast, and no prospects of good
picture taking in the village. A
few minutes ashore, then we pro
ceeded along the coast toward Kar
luk. The sea became rougher, so
we again resumed a reclining posi
tion. The conditions were too bad
to call at Karluk, so we went on
to Port Bailey, with a brief stop
at San Juan Packing. We reached
Port Bailey late in the evening and
tied up at the dock until early
morning. Enroute to Ouzinkie the
waves became higher and higher,
while rain began falling.
Very happy we were when we
reached Ouzinkie and could go
ashore for a few minutes. We re
gret that our stop there was so
brief, and hope that we can return
sometime to spend at least a day
exploring the beaches and winding
paths we glimpsed through the
rainfall. From Ouzinkie to Kodiak
we really hung onto our bunk . . .
Even in the downpour, Kodiak
looked good to us as we came
ashore!
Despite the discomfort caused
by the rough weather, all the pas
sengers enjoyed the trip. Others
aboard were Mrs. Ruth Breekberg,
Miss Betty Ebbert and Mrs. Mela
nie Draper, who was accompanied
by her son and daughter, Stephen
and Roberta. Another passenger
aboard was “Pepper” Kukahiko,
ten year old son of Bill Kukahiko,
AV Winch Driver, who has been
working on the Expansion for 6
years. “Pepper,” who has sparkling
dark brown eyes, a winning smile
and quick wit, added much to the
enjoyment of the trip. We tried
to convince him that he should
stay in Kodiak with us, but he de
cided that his home in Seward was
much better . . .
Food was plentiful, and avail
able at all hours of the day or
night . . . We enjoyed the chats
in the dining room with crew mem
bers while we had a cup of tea
and a sandwich . . . Capt. Neils
Thomsen and all members of the
crew were friendly and helpful,
cheerfully answering the many
questions asked by the landlubbers
. . . Other crew members are Wal
ter Walch, Chief Engineer aboard
the past 2V2 years, and a retired
Naval officer with 30 years of serv
ice; George Levich, Chief Mate,
with 3 years service aboard the
Expansion; Axel Hvam, Mate, who
has been aboard 2 years. He has
been going to sea since he was a
younster in Denmark, and sailed
on the old sailing ships of years
ago. Then there is Joe Bone, lead
ing Seaman, who has been a ship
mate of iCapt. Thomsen the past 35
years. He has been on the Expan
sion the past 6 years, and also
sailed on the old-time ships before
steam.
William Kidsgaard, deckhand
and oiler, has been a crew member
the past year. He presented us with
some huge, unusual barnacles,
very lovely and of a type we had
never seen before, to add to our
marine collection. Albert Cushing,
oiler, has been aboard 20 months.
Cushing formerly lived in Unga,
but now makes his home in Sew
ard, as do most of the crew. Fred
Arnold, AB Seaman, was making
his second trip, and William
O’Brien, oiler, was making his
fourth. Also making his second
trip was John Wicksall, ordinary
seaman.
The hard working cook who pre
pared our good meals was Augus
tine (Gus) Tu, making his first
trip aboard the Expansion. Gus
left his native land, China, ten
years ago, going to Hong Kong. He
arrived in the United States 5
years ago. He has a sister living
in Los Angeles, but his parents, 4
brothers and 1 sister still live in
'piontcen. Record footer
and
Smart Nylon Woven Handbags
In White and Multicolored
Washable
Phone 2631
9-6 Weekdays
10-8 Friday
Red China. Gus told us that it was
much easier to leave Red China
ten years ago than it is at present.
John Osenga, a Kodiak resident,
also made the trip as a crew mem
ber. He was signed on as AB
Seaman, as a replacement for a
regular crew member.
Our sincere thanks to Capt.
Thomsen and the crew for a trip
that was enjoyable despite the
miserable weather. We regret only
that we had so little time in the
ports of call . . .
Leslie Selig is now at Uyak Bay,
where he has been fishing the past
two weeks. He expects to go to
Bristol Bay later in the season.
Thanks to Leslie, we have a few
more specimens of marine life for
our collection . . .
Clarence Selig, Jr., arrived home
on the direct flight Tuesday from
Seattle for an indefinite stay with
his family. Clarence has been em
ployed in the Supply Dept., Chil
dren’s Hospital, in San Francisco
the past 20 months. He tells us he
enjoyed living in San Francisco,
but is happy to visit Kodiak again.
Mnn Knudsen
Married To
Charles Hower, Jr.
Marriage vows were exchanged
by Miss JoAnn Jean Knudsen and
Mr. Charles Oliver Hower, Jr. in
Seattle June 12. The ceremony,
which was held at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Janies L. Huston,
was followed by a garden recep
tion.
Mrs. Hower, the daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Knudsen of
Kodiak, wore a French import
ballerina length gown of batiste
with hand embroidery bordering
the portrait neckline and repeated
on the full tunic skirt. Her illusian
veil fell from a small cap of seed
pearl flowerettes. She carried a
bridal bouquet of white Elf rose
buds and stephanotis.
Mrs. Fred Collins, matron of
honor, chose a pale green silk
organza gown with a matching pic
ture hat, and carried a nosegay of
pale yellow carnations.
Dr. Bruce Kennedy acted as best
man for the groom, who is the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Oliver
Hower of Tahawas, New York.
Emil Knudsen, Jr., brother of the
bride, served as usher.
The parents of both Mr. and Mrs.
Hower were in attendance at the
wedding. The bride is a graduate
of Whitman College, where she
affiliated with Delta Delta Delta
sorority. She has been teaching in
the Bellevue, Washington public
school the past two years
The groom is also a graduate of
Whitman College and affiliated
with Tau Kappa Epsilon and Phi
Beta Kappa. He is attending the
University of Washington where
he is studying for his Doctorate
degree in chemistry.
The young couple will be at
home at 2023 Roanoke Street in
Seattle following a short wedding
trip .
GAIL NORRIS RETURNS
TO OREGON
V
Mrs. Gail Norris and two chil
dren returned to their home in
Portland, Oregon last Friday.
They had been visiting Mrs. Nor
ris’ mother, Catherine Lowe, for
the past two weeks .
CARD OF THANKS
We wish to say goodbye to all
our friends upon leaving Kodiak.
Thank you for making our three
years here so pleasant.
(s) Tom and Katy Reedy
and family
Jake Blanc, Trapper, Likes People
And At 72, Has Great Zest For Living
By Miriam J. Angell
Out near Ohiniak there is a
beautiful small cove, really a part
of Kalsin Bay, where the tides
wash black volcanic sands close by
a green meadow filled with lupin.
On a rise just above the meadow
stands the home of Jake Blanc,
one time prospector and gold
miner, former dock manager for
the Kodiak longshoremen, present
ly trapper, carpenter and gardener.
One clear, brilliant blue day we
were warmly welcomed to Jake’s
cabin, a neat two room home he
built himself. The cabin has a fine
and which today is a collector’s
item. We wondered what he hunt
ed with the twenty-two. “Well now,
I dont’ really hunt much with that
one but when rabbits charge me
I just have to shoot in self de
fense. No, I’ve never shot a bear
with the Winchester. Once on
upper Russian Lake I was sitting
on a log when seven big brown
bear walked by. That was too many
to shoot so I just sat there and
let them go.”
Jake showed us, with pardonable
pride, his garden at the back of
the house. He pointed to the
JAKE BLANC
stove and other furnishings for
comfort and in one room hang
about thirty prime beaver pelts.
“You know, these are a better
grade than the ones around here
because I got them on the other
side of the island where not so
many people are trapping and the
beaver are more plentiful. They
have got so plentiful that the game
people raised the limit this year
to forty. I got my forty in March
when the fur was at its best.”
Across on another wall hang
Jake’s twenty-two and two larger
caliber guns. One is a very old
Winchester he bought two years
ago for less than twenty dollars
mounds of potatoes, beds of horse
radish, radishes, beans and cauli
flower. Inside the plot, fenced to
keep out those fierce rabbits, he
has replaced the volcanic dust with
good soil and chemicals which once
produced a potato in excess of two
pounds. “Look over here — this
elderberry bush is the finest and
biggest I have ever seen and when
it blooms it’s one of the prettiest.
Over here is my new wood shed
I’m building so it will be closer
to the house, and there is my
smoke house. I smoke all my own
salmon. People say I have the best
smoked salmon around Kodiak
(Continued on Page 11)
Anna’s Apparel
(Formerly Mar Lou’s)
CLEARANCE
. - .
June 15 through July 2
GIVE YOUR BUDGET A REST—Vacation time values on
Dresses, Sportswear
Lilli Ann Suits and Coats
Phone 2452
Open Weekdays 10 a m. to 6 p.m.
Friday—Open until 8 p.m.