We have spent the last couple of days and nights checking out Adak. From Chapel Cove we moved eastward to Hidden Harbor, a totally protected anchorage on the south side of the island. You travel up a long narrow fjord until you get to the end passing scores of puffins feeding and diving under the water as you get near. Once at the end you take a hard left into a cove with a waterfall at the end. The vista is one of tall hills or mountain ridges, some snow capped. We spotted Caribou grazing on the hillsides, seemingly unconcerned with us. I could have spent days there exploring the many small coves that exist along the shore and climbing through the deep grass, moss and wild flowers that cover the hills. Alas, a quite favorable wind pattern appeared and we decided to take advantage of relatively rare northwest winds to make a break for Dutch Harbor. But, before we did we wanted to check out Sweeper Cove, the only settlement between Dutch Harbor and Attu at the end of the Aleutian Island Chain. As we dropped our sails, I hailed the Harbor Master on VHF looking for his guidance on where we could moor. Since we were only staying overnight, he permitted us to moor to a fuel barge that was already at one of the eighteen foot high piers in the cove. We asked if we could refuel first and he arranged that. Sweeper Cove was an important US Navy and communications center during the Cold War and at one time it housed twenty thousand personell and even had a McDonalds. It had a high school and complete medical facilities. The Navy vacated in the early 90's, but all of the housing, streets, playgrounds are still there. It is eerie. You walk past homes where the furniture is still sitting where it was last used, undisturbed, as if waiting for the owner to return. There are now sixty full time residents, a grocery store that does not open until 6 PM, at least one restaurant (reportedly two) and a liquor store. The Mexican restaurant near the docks was doing a once a year business satisfying the crew of the Coastguard cutter Sherman on its way to duty along the US economic zone with Russia. We decided to skip Mexican at $18 for a deep fried burrito but the sailors did not seem to mind. They have sixty days of shipboard fare ahead of them. So, this morning we are threading our way amongst several islands to get access to a clear run across the Bering Sea to Unalaska and Dutch Harbor. (Cruiser Notes: The details related to anchorages on Adak are well covered by SY Sunstone (2011) and SY Fine Tolerance (2003). We used the GPS coordinates provided by Fine Tolerance to anchor in Chapel Cove in pitch black and the GPS coordinates provided by Sunstone for Hidden Harbor. Sweeper Cove had limited mooring options and we were very grateful for the opportunity to moor alongside the barge. The "small boat harbor" is a long walk from town and is located southwest of the fuel dock. Obtaining fuel was a little difficult as the pier is not made for small boats but ships. So, actually securing your yacht requires that a crew member gets to the ladder and clambers up and you throw your lines vertically upwards. Meanwhile it is likely that your yacht is rubbing up against piles. The fuel hose was lowered 15 ft or so to the deck and the tanks filled. Care is required since the fuel hose has not automatic shut off. John could not get back aboard so he met me at the barge. We survived.xxx --



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