One beautiful day in Kodiak and Spruce Island!

Happy feast day everyone for The Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for many; however, here in Kodiak, they are on the old calendar. I awoke this morning a bit early due to I had breakfast set-up. Then off to chapel for morning prayers. Breakfast was great as all meals have been, so thank you to all cooks, esp. Matushka Kelly and Daniela! The day was getting warmer with an abundant amount of sunshine. We couldn't have asked for a better day for the boat ride to and from Spruce Island. We all got there safely in two trips, thanks to Fr. Innocent and the skipper Nick. I was one on the second crew so when I got there, most of the kelp had been cleared from the beach for a clear and safe pathway for the pilgrimage this weekend. Fr. Gregory calls lunch time in about 10 minutes so I feel like I didn't accomplish much. We ate our sandwiches from Subway, tuna for me. Then shortly after, a few of us, including myslef, took the pathway walk up to the church to clean. For me it was the most fascinating steps I will ever take since St. Herman was here doing his ministry for the Orthodox Faith in America! So along the way up and back I am singing the tropar to St. Herman. The church was beautiful with the shroud of St. Herman. Along the path, there is also a well in which we got to drink. The trees on Spruce Island are like "fuzzy animals" and this is because of a volcano leaving many ashes so the moss grows and grows on the limbs. So I collected rocks for each of my family members as "a piece of the island". When we got back we all went out for a seafood dinner. I had the house fish which was Alaskan Whitefish. I enjoyed the fresh; however, fried fish. Walk a block and we are at Holy Resurrection Cathedral for Akafist service to St. Herman. After service, Fr. Gregory asked who would like to see bear. I said me of course! Some friends of his offered to take him and two others, so Alex (Sasha) and I volunteered to go, so Hazel and her husband took us on this amazing ride on Kodiak Island. I didn't see a bear, but I did see gorgeous views and a lot of jumping salmon in and out of the water. This was one Beautiful Day In Alaska! Praise be to God for such a glorious day. Tomorrow morning we go to the airport to greet His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Benjamin, locum tenans of the diocese of Alaska. The pilgrimage officially begins at 5:00 with an Akafist Service.

Christina