NOTE: The next Episode (245) really surprised me and I would like to share it with you.
I felt my stories were cluttering up some of your emails so decided to prune my BCC list.
Take off the people who never responded in any way…felt I was bothering them. What
a response! Dozens sent notes of alarm. Did not want to be cut off as they were
reading my stories as a kind of isolation therapy. Surprised me as most of them
would never have been pruned anyway. Touching. Needs a special Episode.
I will send their messages only using first names of course. End result makes
me feel like a prince. So I will continue a story every day. Takes a lot of time
but knowing most of you read the stories is a big push factor.
alan
EPISODE 244 YUKON DIARY ESCAPE TO JUNEAU , ALASKA
alan skeoch
Feb.2921
THURSDAY SEPT. 13,1962
Woke up in Skagway. Last night I figured how to get out of town. That issue troubled
me for I was travelling by the seat of my pants. Chasing rainbows. How would I get
to Juneau, the landlocked capital city of Alaska. There are two alternatives. Either I
book a small float plane or I try to find a water taxi. Not really a choice. Water taxi
would be cheapest. So I booked passage on the Blue Star Taxi … room on the launch
for five or six passengers. And the captain provided donuts and coffee.
His water taxi would get me to Haines…across the fjord.
I think that is my ferry to Junceau…the S.S. Chilkoot in the distance. The wrecks in the foreground got most of my attention.
My water taxi in the distance. The Spot is being rebuilt obviously…charming little fishing boat.
The S.S. Chilkoot…Alaskan state ferry from Haines to Juneau in 1962…small
enough to get close to the glaciers.
We powered our way across to Haines, an old military base that was once important when
fear of a Japanese invasion was real. After Pearl Harbour The Japanese were sending incendiary balloons
across the Pacific Ocean to set the west coast of North America ablaze. A few actually arrived.
The Japanese also made a feint attack up the Aleutian Chain of Islands. Haines became important.
As did Skagway for moving equipment to build the Alaska Highway.
Haines was a Nice clean looking place.
I was Enjoying my trip. Historic events had happened here.
The mountains towered over us. At Haines I was able to board the S.S. ChilKoot, a
larger ferry bound for Juneau. Six hour trip sitting on deck or in a small compartment . Very few
passengers…maybe 5 or 6. Several porpoises wanted to play tag with our ferry…bobbing
and diving….sneaking side to side.
Had time to finish reading To Kill a Mocking Bird. The book deserved all the praise
it was getting. When we reached Juneau we were greeted by a ferocious rainstorm.
A Tlinget (First Nations) family and I stood on the pier … confused as to our next
step. The city of Juneau was high above us. Night time. Then one of the ferry crewmen offered
us a lift up into town.
Signed in to the Northlander Hotel at 11 p.m. Dead tired from doing nothing. Travel
is tiring. Still went out and walked around the rainy streets. Juneau is a weird place….a
city built where no city should be built….in what seems a long deep ravine running from
the Pacific Ocean to the Coastal mountains. If shaken by an earthquake it seemed to
me that the whole city would slide into the sea. Stopped at a drug store for a hot dog
and root beer. Cost surprising $1.70. Crawled to bed.
NOTE:
I could see Douglas Island across the channel from Juneau but I realized I would
never get there. Time was running out. The great gold mine was gone anyway.,
Well not exactly gone. The mine had 45 miles of passageways criss crossing
beneath Douglas Island and out under the ocean. Forty five miles! Now a water
filled grave for the horses left below when that unusual high tide pushed up the
Channel. Water is heavy. A sudden influx of an extra few hundred thousand
gallons was enough to break into a weakened fault in a subterranean passage
triggering a race with death stalking the 300 miners scrambling to get up the shaft.
No room or time for the horses.
My Yukon boss, Dr. Norman Paterson, even sent pictures he once took in
Skagway. His shot of the interior of a brothel is particularly interesting as
you will see.
All that remains of the Treadwell Gold Mine on Douglas Island, Alaska
The rest of the mine is still here…under the ocean filled with water.
THIS was the Treadwell kitchen for single men. Lots of food made
in pots as big as garbage pails.
NEXT STORY
I did not sleep well.
