Snowboarding Ski Bowl, Unalaska - Dan

I remember when I came out to the islands to work.  It was a January and the island was covered with snow and the skies were that dark stormy gray you see across large bodies of water just before a big storm sets in.  It’s been a few years since I’ve seen good snow like this.  I don’t know the exact accumulation but it’s plenty enough to get out and really get in to some winter activities.  I like skiing and snowshoeing and have recently decided to try snowboarding. (thanks to the X Games).  On my last vacation I spent some time in Bend Oregon and a few days trying my hand up at Hoodoo snowboarding.  Besides the rain and the continuous shoulder and leg pain from wrecking I had a great time, enough of a great time to keep the board and bring it all the way back out here.

Snowboarding Ski Bowl, Unalaska - Reid

Until the past week and a half we have not really had enough snow to get out and do many winter sports, so the board sat in my loft under the bed until last Saturday when during a break in the storm I got Reid to go up Ski Bowl for a few runs.  It’s been snowing since then and today at lunch we made another run.

With any luck (and probably much to the aggravation of those not as welcoming with snow and winter as I) – I hope it stays for a while, a few weeks of good accumulation would really be nice.  The few of us winter sport and snow folks could really have a great time if the snow stays like this.  Right now the snow is perfect, it’s light and fluffy, not a lot of base but enough to keep going down the mountains, and I’m happy with it.

So… now all I have to do is learn to ride.

Ulanah in SE Alaska

Back in January Matt the owner and captain of the Ulanah a 45 foot Ketch sailboat posted an ad on craigslist looking for a crew to sail from Unalaska (Dutch Harbor) to Russia and then down to Japan.  I really didn’t have the time to offer myself for the entire trip but I was able to get a few weeks which would be long enough to sail down to Adak.  We got together last week and came up with a plan that looks like it will work out well for everyone.  I’ll sail for two weeks with him and his crew and when time permits we will get some diving in.  It will give me a chance to learn more about sailing and to see if I’d like to pursue my plan to buy a live aboard boat myself.  If all goes according to plan it looks like a departure date in the first week of June.  It should not take two weeks to get to Adak but by taking it slow it will give him and the crew time get sorted out and comfortable with everything – and it will be one heck of an adventure!

If Opportunity Knocks...

different scenarios – one being possible joining the crew for two weeks (or so) to Adak, then I could fly home while they continued on.

While the offer is tentative and technically unofficial I can’ t help but to share the news. Paul, one of our cooks at the hotel said it best. “Life is short, do it!” I called Matt (the Captain) and left him a message that said we should talk.

“If the opportunity is available, I’m in!”

I’ll keep you posted.

Warning - What Ever!

perfect age for the activities and adventures I like to do.  Saying that I’m 40 makes me feel like I should be slowing down, maybe trying to find easier activities.  I have slowed down the past few months, but that is because of gaining weight, not because I’m telling myself to take it easy.

So, I’ve decided to not slow down, or feel old.  I’ve decided to keep going.  I’m sure a day will come where my thoughts and actions start to slow – but that day isn’t here yet.

I turned 40 today and all I can think about is the next adventure, the next draw and spark of enthusiasm, the next logistic session, the next new crazy extreme sport that I can get in to.  Its a good feeling to think that way, and I suppose I should be thankful to be able to think that way.  Oh and I better get my drivers license renewed when the DMV resumes service again.

I had made arrangements to pickup Levi at the small boat harbor at 4 when he got off of work.  I knew the ice was in the bay but I didn’t know that it was solid in the harbor.  As I made my way from the ‘Goose Ramp’ (PenAir sometimes takes off and lands the Grumman Goose there) out and around to the Unalaska Small Boat Harbor, I had to break through the ice in order to get to the float.

I was worried that the ice would crack and chip away the gel coating on the boat, so I went about as slow as I could.  I left it in forward gear and idled through the ice until finally I made it and picked up Levi.

I took Levi  on a two hour tour around the island then headed back.  After I had pulled the boat out of the water I was happy to discover that no damage (that I could see) had occurred from the ice.

Pyramid Peak, Unalaska Island.

So, while the image is odd shaped and not stitched together very well, it is a view that you will not see very often.  Only a handful of people climb Pyramid each year and only a few of us climb it in winter.

To the left of the image is the head of Captains Bay, to the right is Constantine Point and the Bering Sea.  Unalaska Valley is in the lower right, Ballyhoo and Dutch Harbor are in the middle right.  Now, for those really interested.  Makushin Volcano is directly across and slightly to the left from the the tip of Pyramid.  If you zoom in you can see plumes of steam coming from the volcano.

For other images of the hike, you can visit the Hiking Album under the Hobbies menu link above, or you can go directly there by following this link.

Send In A Postcard & Win A Trip

This years contest is pretty easy. Just send a postcard with your full name and a random six character alpha numeric code on it to the address below. Please only one card per person / entry.

Another Free Trip
c/o Dan Young
PO Box 921557
Dutch Harbor, Alaska 99692

I’ll take cards postmarked through March 14th 2010. The winning card will be selected  later that week at random from all the cards received and posted here on danslife.net All you have to do after that is check to see if your card is the one posted, and if it is, email me the code you wrote on it. (obviously I’m not going to show the code online )

Glenn Says Send 'Em In!

So, just like last year the rules are simple. I’ll fly you from Seattle to Dutch Harbor (and back) on Alaska Airline miles. You send me the dates, I see if I can get a ticket and if it works out great. If not we keep trying dates until we get you out here. Last years winner ended up flying out here in August and stayed a week and a half.

Why the code? That and the postmark location is how I’m going to verify that you are the person who sent me the card. I think its safer than asking you to include email or phone information on the post card. You can include that information if you like, but I’m happy with the random code.

Thanks and have fun!

Dan

Udamak Cove

Almost all of you know I’m an adventurer.  Some of you know my last adventure of trekking across the island didn’t quite go as planned.  Even less of you know I was rescued by the Coast Guard on that adventure and even less of you know that the pilot of the helicopter that hoisted Dakota and I up and flew us home is an amazing Uke player.
Shannon and I exchange sarcastic e-mails now and then but at the end of the day her and her crew did a fantastic job and I’ll forever remember them.

Shannon Jamming

The image above was taken almost exactly above the point where they hoisted me up in Udamak Cove and the other is at a Open Mic night at the Cape Cheerful Lounge in the Grand Aleutian Hotel.  She has joined us several times on stage and again is an amazing musician.  Hopefully I won’t need to call upon her assistance this June when I try the trek again.

Shannon has a great collection of images online.  Please visit her Shutter Fly site and say hello.

Unalaska Panaoramic - Click for larger image

Unalaska Panoramic - Click for larger image

For larger (almost too big) versions of all the panoramic photographs I’ve taken, visit the Other category in the photo gallery.  The panoramic images are in the gallery for unsorted and other random images.

Unisea Fleet

I think tonight went really well.  The whole band was there (I think I was late though)  Everyone sounded great.  The vocals from Shawna, Wendy and Sharron were excellent, both Jim on drums and Chris on guitar sounded real good.  I had a great time again and I think I played well.  I was caught off guard playing some songs we hadn’t practiced for almost a year though.  Lots of applause’s after the songs, people dancing and yeah I got to sing again.

Ok, moving on…

I can’t say enough about the weather this weekend, I had some obligations to attend though (and not to mention my truck is in the shop) or I’d have some photos of being out on the water.  I did manage to get some quick hikes in and of course I took the camera.  Here are two taken this afternoon.  The image to the left is of the docks at Unisea Inc.  The boats shown are mostly Cod & Pollock boats.  Some of them pull double duty also fishing for crab.  The image below is looking northwest towards Broad Bay, with Devilfish Point to the left and just above it is the entrance to Nateekin Bay.

Bay & Pack