Adventures of Oz

06/02/2024

A small glimpse into Port Lions Alaska.

29/01/2024

It's been a cold week here in Alaska. The sea otters have to bust through the ice to come up for air!

23/01/2024

Port Lions Causeway companions wait for an opportunity to pick something off the sea floor at low tide. The tides in Alaska are something else. I will try to share a Timelapse of the waters entering and receding beneath this causeway this week. Stay tuned.

22/01/2024

Hope your Sunday was full of rest from the previous week’s toils, troubles, and challenges. Take a breath today and have this day filled with gratitude for the recharge the weekend provided.

19/01/2024

Nothing like stacking hillsides over mountains. Afognak and Raspberry Island beyond. These hills are special to us, they are our introduction to Alaska. For all the transplant residents out there; what captured your heart when you laid eyes on these lands?

18/01/2024

Would you like to get to know Alaska more intimately? The Alaska Marine Highway System extends across 3,500 miles of rugged Alaskan coastline and stops at over 30 communities. We are Tustamena regulars and love being able to get around this state with our truck, pups, and belongings. Come visit Alaska and explore the far reaches with Alaska’s ferry.

15/01/2024

Snow day has the birds waiting for an opening in the snow squalls. Whatever your plans are for this upcoming year we hope they are filled with a sense of adventure. If you haven’t been, add Alaska to your resolution list and see the magic of this place for yourself. If you have any questions on how to make Alaska a reality, shoot us a message, we would love to help you plan your Alaska adventure.

14/01/2024

This sea duck scored when someone came up with the name of Surf Scoter. The black and white patches on its head also earned the nickname of “old skunk head”. There is so much wildlife in the straights right now and these birds zip alongside the boat often. Other interesting facts ⬇️⬇️⬇️

1. Surf scoters are “molt migrants”. After nesting they fly to a safe area where they can molt their flight feathers, rendering them flightless.

2. Breed on freshwater lakes, but spend most of their lives in saltwater environments.

3. The oldest recorded Surf Scoter was 19 years and 7 months old.

13/01/2024

Have you ever seen Kodiak from the ocean before sunrise?

We made good time this morning with tides and winds in our favor and got to see Kodiak in a light we haven’t before. This is what a cozy island town should look and feel during the winter Season. Kodiak, you nailed it today.

21/12/2023

Steep and rugged country around these parts, but these Roosevelt Elk seem to effortlessly thrive on these remote Alaskan islands.

18/12/2023

So many whales in Raspberry straight chasing 100’ deep schools of herring. Alaska teeming with life.

14/12/2023

Tis the season for warm red blankets.

11/12/2023

When that winter sun comes out you run to it and soak it in. Sunrise in Seward Alaska accenting the sublimating waters of Resurrection Bay.

07/12/2023

We can’t wait for winter to grab hold of Seward. Our little town is right on the waters of Resurrection Bay, an 18 by 5-mile fjord on the Kenai Peninsula. We are 18 miles from the Gulf of Alaska. Being that close to the open ocean grants us a milder winter than expected from Alaska. Growing up in Minnesota, our winters were far more harsh than what we experience here. The last week has been switching from rain to sleet, to occasional snow. Winter has yet to commit to blanketing us with its “marhmellowie” goodness. Soon these mountains will be bursting at the seams with snow.

05/12/2023

The mountains eagerly await winter. The only thing that keeps them together. Mt Alice got a fresh coat today and as temperatures drop the veil will thicken.

30/11/2023

Some of our Alaska daydreaming grazes into the realm of owning horses. I say that with hesitancy, you don’t really own a horse. You befriend one, and you partner up for the long haul. Any animal really, you create the environment where you are home, you are family, you are the pack and the herd. Wouldn’t that be something? Getting to know these Alaskan lands more intimately on horseback.

25/11/2023

Evening strolls through Kodiak.

22/11/2023

I know I’ve said it before, but I love these lands (and waters). It feels like I’ve lived everywhere. It feels like I’ve had several lifetimes in my first (hopefully) third of life. There were moments when home was found in the community of people that surrounded me. All that transpired and all the friendships that formed added so much joy to my life, but the environment never gave me as much joy as the people did. Here and now the people and the lands fill my heart with happiness. I go to sleep with the excitement of what the next day brings and wake far too early from the boiling-over excitement of it. Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this place. You led me to calm waters.

20/11/2023

Kodiak Island at sunrise this morning. What an amazing day, It's hard to imagine it will be blowing 40-50 tomorrow in these waters.

19/11/2023

We gave it our best shot, 39.2 miles, 13,217’ of elevation gain, 39 bull elk spotted, and 0 cow elk. We had 3 cow elk tags and did not find our elk. We are calling it as we need to head out to the next Alaskan adventure. What an amazing time tromping around these hills. So much beautiful country seen. Our freezers might not be as full but our hearts definitely are.

18/11/2023

Did you know we document this Alaskan adventure on YouTube? Check out our channel to see more of Alaska.

We sure did a lot of work as the work highlight reel reflected, but we had plenty of Alaskan play in between. Fishing, hunting, hiking, skiing, flying, volun...

14/11/2023

More of getting to know these islands intimately. We look at topo maps, and we fly over the valleys, mountains, and ridges. Now we lean into our every step to reach the alpine and boot around the wind scorn ridges to see it all from the ground.

13/11/2023

Great day scouting for Roosevelt Elk on Raspberry Island.

11/11/2023

Looking out to Muskomee Bay and Afognak beyond. Our warm days on Raspberry Island are coming to an end. The cold brings with it a more arduous remote living. Things need to be winterized and or protected from freezing. Check firewood stock, heating oil, and all other fuels that run the various things that make survival a more pleasant process. Like we say around here, “Alaska sure is beautiful when it’s not trying to kill ya”.

21/10/2023

Afognak Island on a sunny autumn evening.