Susan and I left for Anchorage on August 25, 2021. Flew United from EWR into ANC on a nonstop flight. We arrived, as did all our gear, ready for a 2 week adventure in the 49th state. We made our way to the Airport Courtyard Marriott, had a quick taco dinner, and went to bed. The next day we were up early for breakfast, the shuttle to the airport, and our 8:30am Alaska Airlines flight to ADQ, otherwise known as Kodiak. At the gate we meet our tour leader, as well as Daryl and Charlie, the other photographers on the tour.
The flight is uneventful, and we get to Kodiak, head off the plane, collect our bags, and with the others get the shuttle to the Best Western Kodiak Harbor.
Kodiak Harbor is a medium sized port, with a large proportion of commercial fishing vessels, as well as a container terminal and a few seafood processing plants. It’s perfectly fine, but not in and of itself a destination. After getting into our room, the group heads to https://harborsidecoffeekodiak.com/ to grab some coffee/tea/pastries. After a brief chat, Daryl, Susan and I decide to explore a bit, so we walk around the harbor wondering if we can find a charter boat to take us out for a brief tour. Daryl and I are already deep in conversation about the merits of various cameras when we pass by Captain John and his boat, ready for a willing group to host. Happily, Susan finally gets our attention, and points out John, and his lovingly restored boat (which he is seemingly still in the process of working on!) seems like the ideal vessel for our tour.
Out in the harbor we see plenty of puffins, some Arctic Terns on a buoy , harbor seals as well as some Stellar Sea Lions lazing on a dock. Sadly, no Black Oystercatchers are out, but we do see some bald eagles.
All in all a terrific start to the trip.
We meet up with the others and have dinner in a nearby restaurant, and eagerly await the trip to the lodge scheduled for the next day.