slipping into the pacific

Just a quick news flash.

The Aleutian Islands are off of our starboard.  In about a half hour, they will be off the port side, as well.  That will mean we have started transiting the gap between the islands.  When done, we will have moved from the Bering Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Out here in the middle of the sea, I have learned a greater respect for the explorers, such as Bering, who explored this area.  And, even more, from the Indians who crossed over from Siberia (whether by boat or foot -- there is still a huge debate over that), and set up life in a very harsh environment.

The islands are beautiful -- in a very primitive way.  But, if they were 50 degrees further south, they would be as lush as the Hawaiian Islands.

But, as the realtors tell us, location is everything.  They are not tropical.  They are snow-strewn, wind-ravaged pieces of rock.

So, double good news.  We got to see some new territory -- and both Roy and I are feeling far better.  Even though most of the ship sounds like a tuberculosis ward.