First Akhiok Visit of 2011-2012 School Year.

Went to Akhiok for my first visit today.   Although cloudy the flight down was perfect.  I went with two other wonderful ladies and we were able to charter a flight down. 

Akhiok lies to the west of Kodiak.  It's at the end of Kodiak Island.  It has some amazing views, the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other.  It does not have many trees and what trees it does have are short and stubby.  After working with the new teachers down here, we decided to go for a walk.   One of the local women pointed out that there was indeed a bear traveling around to the west.  We chose to go east:)

 While walking down the road we ran across some sea urchin shells.   Akhiok is one of the only places on the island to get these delicacies. After draining the salt water out,  you break them open and eat the bright orange eggs inside.  They has a sweet, yeasty flavor and are quite good.  I've included a picture from an earlier trip so you can see the yummy parts.  We could tell from the amount of shells that someone had obviously had a feast!

We went down the road towards the Russian Church and took pictures of the Church and graveyard.

As overrun as the graveyard was, it has a quiet beauty.  A sense of serenity.  The fireweed and pushki add to the sense of endless time.  The church itself stands on a small hill a little above the town proper.  Built in the Russian design, it provides the villagers with comfort and joy during celebrations and funerals alike.

On one side of the church is a sod house.  Students built this in remembrance of what was once the housing norm.

As we continued walking down the road which circled back to the road leading to the school, I must admit we grew a bit nervous.  Knowing that I was  in the general vicinity of where a bear could be (even though it is the main street of the village and we were surrounded by houses on all sides) made me keep my eyes peeled.  We were about halfway down the street when we heard a sudden continuous growl.   I jumped to the side of the road as did one of my walking companions (seems I'm not the only nervous one!) .  Turns out that when you are not expecting it....an air compressor starting up can sound like a bear growling at first(I am assuming here as I have never heard a bear growl and hope to never be in the vicinity when one decides to start up!) .  Laughing at our nervousness we continued to chat and to talk when in the distance I spotted a head rising above the fireweed..  "Bear" I said quietly.  Where my companions asked.   I pointed and they were a bit surprised I had seen him as he was a distance away and blended in with the dark green and browns of the dying vegetation.  "Snakes and bears I said....I can spot them way before they are going to spot me! "  Fear, it appears, sharpens my eyesight significantly.  My photos of the bear were only magnified 12 percent - I need a better camera.  My friend Mary's are much better so I'll include them here.  They are magnified and make it look as if we were closer than we were .  Trust me I'm not getting close without a car nearby!

After a brief discussion, two of us decided to continue on as the bear was out of the way.  We walked maybe 10 feet -and then decided that perhaps that was not the smartest thing to do as he was far away and we couldn't tell which direction he was going.  We walked back to the school .  We could see the bear from the front porch of the school while watching the children play on the playground.  Bears are a way of life here and as long as they don't bother the people and aren't close -- the people leave them alone.  

We went inside for about an hour and were working when we received a phone call from one of the villagers telling us not to go outside as a bear was heading TOWARDS the school.   We did what any sensible visitor would do ---grabbed our cameras and ran for the front door.  Standing on the porch with one foot in and one foot out we searched but couldn't see the bear.  We did however see people mobilizing in trucks keeping an eye on the bear.  Soon they were headed our way and so was the bear!  Once we saw the men in the trucks with guns we decided that a close up really wasn't worth it and that we would go inside.  We received two more phone calls and a visit from the VPSO (Village Public Safety Officer) who informed us the bear was just passing through and was on the other side of the school heading to wherever bears head.  We asked if it was the little one we had seen earlier - it wasn't. 

We are safely inside the school, bedding down for the night.  What an adventure we have had on this trip!  I am truly blessed to be able to have these experiences.   Good Night all!