Dutch Harbor

Position  N 53 d 52.197
              W 166 d 33.136

We arrived in Dutch Harbor yesterday at about 15:30.  It was a bit tricky figuring out where to go but room was made for us at the new fishing boat marina and we got tucked in nicely, the charges are much cheaper than in the other place.  We had a great meal last night at the Norwegian Rat Saloon.  Not to mention the great long hot shower before hand.

The customs guy who alerted us that being a Singapore boat we couldn't get the normal cruising permit was wonderful.  He has sorted us out with lots of copies of forms and a way to email back to him remotely.  And there will be no extra charges.  We think this is because Singapore has only recently had yacht registration and have not that many boats cruising the world.  Neat to know that we are a small minority, but like the driving license issue in Guam, it becomes a burden trying to fit into government descriptions of us.  Anyway hopefully someone somewhere in the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority will fill in the necessary paperwork and list us as a legitimate port sometime in the future!

But so far, everyone here has been great.  And the views in Dutch are just as stunning as Mark remembered from 32 years ago.  As we were coming in we had a huge pod of whales all around us cruising west.  We have been told they were humpbacks.  But we are still looking for our whale and bird books.   We did manage to get a few shots of whale bits on the camera but even with a point and shoot it is hard to  get them on camera.  They were just blowing and sounding no broaching so you either get a bit of fin, fluke or head in a shot.  Actually if they're broaching we don't want to be so close.

The other thing Mark remembered most about Dutch are the eagles.  They are still here and we have been able to get up close to some.  Last night we got some pictures of one in a dumpster and he was so interested in savaging that we got real close to him.

Dutch is not the end of the Aleutians but pretty close to the end so we feel our North Pacific crossing is pretty much out of the way.  Of course a large portion of that crossing was actually spent in the Bering Sea!  We are relieved and proud of ourselves and Sari Timur for getting us here.
 

an adult eagle dumpster diving

he is keeping watch while his big brother is dumpster diving

a juvenile trying to eat the antennae

One of the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in the Aleutians

Front of the church with the graveyard

side and back of the church

The Bishop's House, built for the bishop of that time but he was lost at sea and never stayed in the house

We were having drinks with the other cruisers when this eagle decided he wanted to join in the fun