Adak Island, May 2006

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In 2006, after dumping off our baby daughter at Glacier Bay for the summer, Cathy and I flew down the Aleutian Islands as far as we could. We got to Adak Island.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adak_Island

That is a pretty weird place. Around 60 people live there now. There used to be over 6000 people there, primarily in the Naval Air Base. Now there are hundreds of fairly new, empty houses.

Adak Island Housing Adak Island Housing Adak Island Housing

There are big buildings, mostly empty. There's even an empty McDonalds.

Adak Island McDonalds

The Navy pulled out of Adak Island in 1997, followed by a big clean up. The title to most of the land was transferred to the Aleut Corporation, and organization for Aleutian Indians, Eskimos, Native Americans, First Nations, Aleuts, or whatever the proper terminology is today.

We saw a lot of wildlife, and could drive around on a lot of good gravel roads to sightsee. It's an interesting place.


P1050749.jpg
On approach to Adak Airport
P1050754.jpg
Old McDonalds
P1050755.jpg
Signs from the Adak Naval Air Station
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P1050762.jpg
P1050767.jpg
Sea Otters

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P1050770.jpg
Takeoff

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P1050778.jpg
We were told that the caribou on Adak Island are the largest in Alaska.

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P1050780.jpg

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P1050782.jpg
Huh?

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P1050793.jpg
There is a geothermal spring here that makes a nice swimming hole.

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P1050794.jpg

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P1050800a.JPG
Rock Ptarmigan

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P1050812.jpg

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P1050816.jpg
An Old Loran Station

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P1050817.jpg
An Old Loran Station

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P1050822.jpg

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P1050823.jpg

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P1050824.jpg

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P1050828.jpg

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P1050830.jpg

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P1050834.jpg
One of the newer bunkers

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P1050837.jpg

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P1050838.jpg

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P1050839.jpg
Harlequin Ducks

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P1050839a.JPG
Harlequin Ducks

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P1050846.jpg

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P1050848a.JPG
Sea Otter

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P1050854.jpg

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P1050855a.JPG
Harlequin Ducks

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P1050857.jpg
One of the bunkers. Excellent echo.

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P1050861.jpg

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P1050871.jpg

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P1050890.jpg
The town of Adak

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P1050892.jpg
One of the old bunkers

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P1050899.jpg
Nice sedimentary patterns, maybe from nearby volcanoes.

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P1050909.jpg
Eagle in flight

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P1050912.jpg

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P1050932a.JPG
Rock Ptarmigan

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P1050935a.JPG
bird.

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P1050946.jpg

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P1050956.jpg

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P1050959.jpg
Lots of housing.

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P1050960.jpg
Lots of housing.

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P1050962.jpg
Lots of housing.

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P1050966.jpg
Lots of housing.

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P1050982.jpg
A young eagle on the beach.

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P1050991.jpg
Eagle on the beach.

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P1060011.jpg

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P1060042.jpg

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P1060045.jpg

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P1060069.jpg

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P1060080a.JPG
These ducks would dive whenever a large breaker came in.

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P1060086a.JPG

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P1060103.jpg
Young Eagles

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P1060109a.JPG
Young Eagles

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P1060110.jpg
Young Eagles

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P1060123a.JPG

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P1060137.jpg

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P1060148.jpg

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P1060151.jpg

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P1060155a.JPG
Harbor Seals

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P1060160.jpg
Takeoff!

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P1060161.jpg

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P1060179.jpg

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P1060193.jpg
The Next Aleutian West, Kanaga Island.

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P1060208.jpg
A recent radar or communications station.

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P1060210a.JPG
A nice rental car.

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P1060256a.JPG
The town of Adak.

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P1050749.jpg
On approach to Adak Airport
P1050754.jpg
Old McDonalds
P1050755.jpg
Signs from the Adak Naval Air Station
P1050759.jpg
P1050762.jpg
P1050767.jpg
Sea Otters

-map-
P1050770.jpg
Takeoff

-map-
P1050778.jpg
We were told that the caribou on Adak Island are the largest in Alaska.

-map-
P1050780.jpg


-map-
P1050782.jpg
Huh?

-map-
P1050793.jpg
There is a geothermal spring here that makes a nice swimming hole.

-map-
P1050794.jpg


-map-
P1050800a.JPG
Rock Ptarmigan

-map-
P1050812.jpg


-map-
P1050816.jpg
An Old Loran Station

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P1050817.jpg
An Old Loran Station

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P1050822.jpg


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P1050823.jpg


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P1050824.jpg


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P1050828.jpg


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P1050830.jpg


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P1050834.jpg
One of the newer bunkers

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P1050837.jpg


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P1050838.jpg


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P1050839.jpg
Harlequin Ducks

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P1050839a.JPG
Harlequin Ducks

-map-
P1050846.jpg


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P1050848a.JPG
Sea Otter

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P1050854.jpg


-map-
P1050855a.JPG
Harlequin Ducks

-map-
P1050857.jpg
One of the bunkers. Excellent echo.

-map-
P1050861.jpg


-map-
P1050871.jpg


-map-
P1050890.jpg
The town of Adak

-map-
P1050892.jpg
One of the old bunkers

-map-
P1050899.jpg
Nice sedimentary patterns, maybe from nearby volcanoes.

-map-
P1050909.jpg
Eagle in flight

-map-
P1050912.jpg


-map-
P1050932a.JPG
Rock Ptarmigan

-map-
P1050935a.JPG
bird.

-map-
P1050946.jpg


-map-
P1050956.jpg


-map-
P1050959.jpg
Lots of housing.

-map-
P1050960.jpg
Lots of housing.

-map-
P1050962.jpg
Lots of housing.

-map-
P1050966.jpg
Lots of housing.

-map-
P1050982.jpg
A young eagle on the beach.

-map-
P1050991.jpg
Eagle on the beach.

-map-
P1060011.jpg


-map-
P1060042.jpg


-map-
P1060045.jpg


-map-
P1060069.jpg


-map-
P1060080a.JPG
These ducks would dive whenever a large breaker came in.

-map-
P1060086a.JPG


-map-
P1060103.jpg
Young Eagles

-map-
P1060109a.JPG
Young Eagles

-map-
P1060110.jpg
Young Eagles

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P1060123a.JPG


-map-
P1060137.jpg


-map-
P1060148.jpg


-map-
P1060151.jpg


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P1060155a.JPG
Harbor Seals

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P1060160.jpg
Takeoff!

-map-
P1060161.jpg


-map-
P1060179.jpg


-map-
P1060193.jpg
The Next Aleutian West, Kanaga Island.

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P1060208.jpg
A recent radar or communications station.

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P1060210a.JPG
A nice rental car.

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P1060256a.JPG
The town of Adak.

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