I Made It...

Well.. at 7:30 PM on Sunday, August 1st after 16+ hours of travel, I finally arrived at the Tom Madsen Airport in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. I arrived, but my luggage did not fair so well. During our layover in Anchorage, they announced that Pen Air would be "dumping 1500 lbs of luggage" in order to make weight. And no, my esteemed friends and colleagues... that 1500 lbs was not all my doing..

That being said.. I was thankful for my preparedness in packing my carry-on. So, the inconvenience was really not much of one in the end. The next evening I hitched a ride back to the airport to find my luggage waiting for me amidst dozens of other bags with armed guards. Well, not really.... Actually a very nice lady just smiled as us as we retrieved my bags and left the airport.

So on my first day in Unalaska I did what you would expect.. I became acquainted with the local foxes and eagles.. Apparently, the eagles may be my only foe here in my hiking adventures. New Jersey has a bear problem and apparently Unalaska has a bald eagle problem.. A recent article in the local paper, The Dutch Harbor Fisherman explains more about the now well-publicized recent eagle attacks.

The foxes have their own story here in Unalaska. While indigenous to some of the most eastern Aleutian Islands, these mammals are considered an invasive species here on Unalaska. Both Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes ) were intentionally brought to the island for fox farming. The first documented introduction was from the Russians as far back as the mid-1700's. The expansion of fox farming throughout the Aleutians climaxed in the early decades of the 1900's. Some of you movie nostalgia buffs may remember the iconic pictures of actors such as Bette Davis and Joan Crawford adorning their fox fur stoles in movies and on the red carpet.

The brunt of the impact of the fox introduction came squarely on the islands' seabird population. Since Unalaska (as are many of the other Aleutian Island) is essentially treeless, the foxes foraged on the unprotected eggs of many of these now endangered species. In addition, rats (yes I said rats) were also introduced to the islands as a means for food for the foxes in winter months when the bird eggs were not available. As you can imagine, the rats too have taken their toll on the seabird population. I guess it all makes sense now why the eagles have started attacking humans.. I suppose it's simply environmental justice.... Till later..