Just flew in a Cessna 208 from Kenai to Anchorage. Only took 30 minutes. That would be a four hour trip by car.
While we were boarding, there was a C-17 in the pattern flying transitions, (a Touch & Go that comes come close, but does not touch the runway).
This classic, along with a C-46...
One guy used to. He hit 65 and decided that Florida was a lot easier to handle in the winter.
In the 70's, there was a couple that lived out there year round. She wrote two books about it. I've talked to a few people who knew them.
https://bonnieroseward.wordpress.com/tag/winds-of-skilak/
Here are some other cabins on the island.
This one is owned by the friend with whom I came up the ALCAN last week.
The flooring in this one came out of an old dance hall in Fairbanks.
This is one of the first log cabins built on the island in the 70's. I stayed in the red roofed guest...
Made it to my BIL & SIL's house in Sterling, AK. They have a little guest cabin that I will stay in tonight.
Here is the boat that we crossed in. It has a Honda 135 hp motor.
Last view of the cabin with everything buttoned down. In a few weeks, we have family coming to stay in it. Yes, I...
Yes. I'm a Tech and can hear the repeater out of Soldotna. I mostly monitor because the talknets are older folks talking about what they had for supper, or their latest doctor visit. I call it the "mashed potato net".
I designed the 12 volt electrical system on my Renergy Solar to be able to...
Yes, they sell trex and it is mostly used in town. The joists have to be 12" on center to build with it. It is also a lot more expensive. Out in the sticks, less materials and cheap is the way to go.
As far as outlasting everything, I'm not sure? BIL has a trex deck in town. The bazillion...
I had a Red "shoot me first" passport during my time in. Also had a regular blue U.S. passport. Carried both on trips. If we got hijacked, the red one, and my military ID were going to be stuffed down the side of the seat cushion in the aircraft.
Took this picture from my deck a few years ago. It is normal to have 3-4 moose on the island. This is the first year I have not seen any.
We do get the occasional black bear once every 10 years or so. They usually swim over from the mainland, snoop around for a few days, then swim back.
This...
I've been up here in the winter a couple of times. Lows were around 20 below zero. Highs in the zero to 5 above range. Sun came up at 9am, but never got above the treeline. Was dark by 4pm. Snow depth was always 1-2 feet on the ground.
This time of year, sunrise is at 5am. Sundown at 11pm. It...
Finished the shiplap in the upstairs bedroom.
View off the upper deck.
We are 40 miles West of Seward. On the other side of the mountains is the Harding Ice Field. One of the glaciers empties into Skilak Lake.
The fishing regulations up here are more complicated than filling out an IRS 1040 Long Form in Sanskit. The fines up here are also pretty steep. I figure I will head down to Homer and go halibut fishing through a charter. Let them deal with the Fish & Game Karens.
Spent all day yesterday installing shiplap on our bedroom walls. Will post pictures when it is done.
Also took a few minutes to do laundry. I use a simple washtub and "Breathing Washer".
Used 15 gallons of rainwater for the wash and rinse cycles.
The drying cycle takes a few hours if the...
https://alaskawatchman.com/2024/05/23/denali-national-park-bridge-crew-ordered-to-stop-flying-american-flags/
Just like everywhere else, there are conflicts up here between liberals and conservatives. Even on the island, we have a self-appointed enviromental watchdog that raises cain over ATV...
On Caribou Island on Skilak Lake. It was originally homesteaded in the 1930's by a Norwegien named Andy Andersen. He sold the island in the early 1960's to a land development company. They subdivided the island into lots.
Ninty percent of the lots are either swamp or steep hillside forest. The...