Sand Dollar Beach At Eye Level

Could be bison, could be cow. As interesting as bison are to us Easterners, the story of the cows here is even more so. During World War II, the military constructed facilities here in Sand Point to repair and refuel amphibious aircraft patrolling the Aleutians. Of course, the most famous Aleutian involvement in that war took place at Dutch Harbor/Unalaska (we fly through there next week, so look for pictures), but altogether, the islands' strategic value was and remains their ability to control Pacific Great Circle routes. In regard to this control, General Billy Mitchell told Congress in 1935, "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska will hold the world. I think it is the most important strategic place in the world." In that case, we're glad Governor Palin is at the helm (and we're not kidding, for you jokers who watch too much television. Most all of Alaska agrees--for one, they kind of have a thing about their guns around here, as you can imagine). Anyway, the government shipped some cattle out here to feed the soldiers and their families stationed in the islands during that time, and when it was all over, they slaughtered them all. Almost. Some good old sneaky Indians snagged a couple of them beforehand and took them over to Unga, the island nearest us (the largest of the Shumagin Islands, which as of the 2000 census had a permanent population of one), to feed themselves. People still go over to Unga for "cow hunting." We just wish we were here in the forties to see one of those natives paddling his cow-laden kayak across the strait from here to Unga. Moo.

These tiny icicles were quickly formed when sea spray splashed the rocks at high tide.

A frozen waterfall (must be an astounding thing, to watch water cascade over the face of a rocky cliff and flow across the beach and into the ocean), was iridescent blue in places. Reminiscent of the frozen world of Narnia's White Witch, who, with her magic, covered the land in perpetual ice and snow, making it "always winter and never Christmas," it seemed as if it had been made thus in an instant.