Page 215 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

SOUTHWEST ALASK A  213

The active Shishaldin Volcano, best viewed from the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
of Novarupta (see pp210–11). moved from the aban doned freight hauling base and the
The ferry arrives at Sand Point town of Belkofski, 12 miles headquarters of the famed
nine hours after leaving Chignik. (19 km) to the southeast. Flying Tigers squadron. Today,
Visitors should be wary of the its massive airport provides
unusually large num bers of bears an emergency landing site
0 King Cove that invade town, chas ing dogs, for trans-Pacific travel.
tipping over trash cans, and The main attraction is the
551 miles (887 km) SW of Kodiak.
Transport map C5. * 750. ~ g trying to break into buildings. beautiful 650-sq mile (1,700-sq
n 497-2340. ∑ cityofkingcove.com km) Izembek National Wildlife
Refuge, partly acces sible via
Founded in 1911, King Cove q Cold Bay and gravel roads from Cold Bay. The
developed around a salmon Izembek National refuge protects the habitat of
cannery belonging to the Pacific Wildlife Refuge bears, caribou, seals, sea lions,
American Fisheries. The first and whales. At the 150-sq mile
settlers in the village were 579 miles (930 km) SW of Kodiak. (390-sq km) brackish Izembek
Scandinavian, Aleut, and Anglo Transport map C5. * 100. ~ Lagoon, 10 miles (16 km) from
fishermen who either hauled g Izembek National Wildlife Cold Bay, vast beds of eelgrass
in the fish or worked in the pro- Refuge: n Izembek St, 532-2445. provide food for migrating birds.
cessing plant. The plant operated ∑ coldbayak.org ∑ fws.gov/ These include 98 percent of the
until 1976, when it was damaged refuge/izembek world’s pop ulation of Pacific
by fire and replaced by the Peter black brant, a small dark goose.
Pan Seafood Cannery. The small town of Cold Bay, Visitors can watch the wildlife
Today, half the residents are within view of the dramatic from the Grant Point viewing
of Native descent, while the 9,370-ft (2,850-m) Shishaldin hide at the lagoon.
rest are descended primarily Volcano, officially came into
from the early Scandinavian existence in August 1941 as
settlers. They continue to fish a covert US military base to
commercially or work for the ward off Japanese attacks. Its
cannery, which has grown into construction was classified and
one of Alaska’s most successful its military contractor, General
commercial oper ations. Locals William Buckner, assumed a
also engage in subsistence civilian name and claimed to
fishing and hunting for geese, have built a salmon cannery.
caribou, and ptarmigan. Even after Fort Randall was
Most visitors arrive on the constructed here in 1942, the
Alaska Marine Highway’s twice- Japanese failed to realize its
monthly ferry between Homer military significance. In 1945,
and Dutch Harbor/Unalaska, the US and Russia forged an
which stops long enough for a alliance and made Fort Randall
visit to the Russian Orthodox a training site for over 12,000
Church. The church’s bells and Russian troops. During the
interior icons were brought here Vietnam War in the 1960s, Cold Caribou grazing in Izembek National
in the 1980s by resi dents who Bay sprang back to life as a Wildlife Refuge

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