SOUTHEAST ALASKA---EDNA BAY INFORMATION
           
     Southeast Alaska (SE AK or southeast) extends from Alaska's southern
border with Canada at Dixon Entrance to northwest of Glacier Bay National
Park.  My guess is it is roughly 200-250 miles S to N.  It is made up of
thousands of islands.  The largest island is Prince of Wales (POW), the
3rd largest island in U.S. possession next to Hawaii's big island and 
Alaska's Kodiak Island.  This is a boater's paradise, although there are
some big waterways that can get mighty rough, there are uncountable places
quite safe for small boats---IF!!?, and it is a gigantic IF, you learn how
to read a chart, tide books, and know a good deal about boating navigation
and safety.  This country can kill you quickly and without any remorse.
We love it.
                            
     Just to the northwest of PoW Island in SE AK you will find Kosciusko
Island.  On some maps the small community of Edna Bay is shown; if it is
not shown on your map it is in the small bay also called Edna Bay.
Fifteen to maybe twenty houses are scattered all around the bay. We live
on the NW side of the bay.  Access is by boat or plane only unless you
can walk on water.

     We looked around SE AK for six years before we found paradise and a
parcel of land (almost 2 acres) that we could buy.  In 1997 we put
everything we could pack into a truck, loaded it on a barge in Seattle
where it was shipped to Thorne Bay, Ak. on POW Island.  We drove it to
Naukati on the west side of POW where an old Navy LST named the "Sea
Truck" brought it to Edna Bay---the last 20 miles took three (3) hours.  

     In June our neighbors, Pat & Heather, built a rock road and rock pad
and sawed all the lumber on their sawmill.  Our son-in-law, Jim, and
grandson, Cole, helped us start the house.  In the 24 days of actual work
we roofed it on the 31st of August.  Jim and Cole then went back to Idaho
and a couple of months later we went back to America also.

     We came back in 1998 with another pickup and trailer fully loaded.
So loaded, in fact, that we blew a new tire on the trailer trying to get
it off the "Sea Truck" on a rocky beach.  By the end of May we had the
house "livable" in camping-out style.  We didn't have enough room on any
vehicle to bring much furniture, just the necessaries.  We've built what
we thought we could.  Peggy did buy a good mattress and now we also have
a pretty good sleeper sofa.  She uses propane for cooking and for hot
water (instant-on).  At first we used a solar shower in the greenhouse;
now we're first class with a real shower in the bath room where there is
also an electric toilet, a washing machine and a propane dryer that we
never use.  All who live here in some comfort must generate their own
electricity and otherwise be fairly independent.  We also have a battery
bank, inverter, solar panel and we are investigating wind power which we
hope would save a lot of diesel fuel.  If the main generator dies we have
a smaller gas generator, and for its backup we have kerosene lamps.

     Our longest days (June) are about 19 hours---sunup to sundown then
more hours of twilight.  In winter our shortest days (December) are about
7 hours.       

     In the air view picture you can see most of the buildings we've
built.  We tell people we have a path rather than a bath so you can't see
"it" (4x4) out behind the house.  You can see the greenhouse (18x24), 500
gallon diesel storage, generator house (11x12), utility storage (9x12),
woodshed (20x20), and out back is a water catchment storage tank (about
1000 gallons) and another small shack for storage. Just in back of the
utility shed is a small chicken yard and house (6x8) where "The Rev" and
his 12 hens reside.  We named the hens after several women of Edna Bay,
some of whom think it is funny while others are not so sure they
appreciate the honor.  Lee (our preacher), and Doris moved here not long
ago and we're finding out if they have a sense of humor.  I told Lee that
the rooster is not necessarily named after him, but the rooster's favorite
hen is Doris.  Yes, they do have a good sense of humor.

     Since August, 2001 when the chickens were 5 months old and started
laying Peggy has gotten well over 1000 eggs and has sold most of them.
We could sell a lot more.  One hen gave unmistakable hints that she wanted
to be a mother so we let her sit on six eggs. Only two of the eggs hatched
and we gave the hen and chicks to a neighbor girl.  We got the hen back
when the chicks were "weaned".  I can't seem to find out where Peggy keeps
the egg money and there is an old joke about that, but I can't remember it.
If you remember it I'd really appreciate your e-mail.
  

  (They put the "BACK" and "HOME" buttons up there so you can go do something useful
  anytime you wish.  Why didn't they put a "HAWAII" or "FISHING" button up there?)