Thanksgiving just passed, and thoughts of gathering to share a big roast turkey with all the trimmings is on our minds.
An entertaining front page story in the Oct. 21, 1958 issue of The Cordova Times tells the tale of a logger attempting to share a big bird with a fellow logger at a nearby camp that went decidedly awry. That time of year the sun rises at 8:30 a.m. and sets at 6 p.m., so much of this adventure took place in pitch black, compounded by foul weather. And in this case the bird was a goose, rather than a turkey.
Titled “Rescue Local Logger After 2 Days In An Open Skiff,” it describes harrowing events that took place on Prince William Sound during mid-October 1958:
“Bill Russell, a logger at Juania Bay, set out on Tuesday last week from that bay to Shelter Bay, where he was going to deliver a nice roast goose to his friend Fluke. He didn’t arrive.
Somewhere in between his kicker failed. Russell, “Russ” as he is called, tried to row, but a brisk off-shore wind set him farther out. His anchor, which he tried next, failed to hold. The line was too short.
It was late, and as darkness fell, Russ considered his situation. He was used to the out-of-doors, and was dressed for it, but this was an open skiff without power. He sampled some of the goose, but realizing his situation, rationed himself. As it turned out he drifted for two days and two nights. He had to bail constantly to keep the small craft afloat. At one time he drifted far enough to see the lights of Cape Hinchenbrook, but luckily the tide turned and set him back in.
Another time, he heard breakers in the night and had to stop bailing and row to keep himself off what might be rocks or cliffs.
In the meantime, his partners missed him and went to Anderson Bay where the Orient was anchored. There they called the Coast Guard, and both the Orient and the Sedge started the search, the Sedge leaving Cordova Wednesday night. The weather was not favorable.
On Friday morning, the first break in the weather came, and Commissioner Todd Moon sent Cal Ward, Cordova Airlines pilot, out to join in the search. In the plane were also Fred Pettingill and Lew Cochran. When they spotted Russ where he was drifting near Naked Island, they saw that he was waving everything in the skiff at them: Oars, bailing bucket, even the goose. But realizing he was about to be rescued, Russ promptly ate the goose.
Because of poor landing conditions the plane flew to Fairmont Island, where Lyman Fletcher and Percy Conrad in Fletcher’s boat Pearl Ann went out and picked him up.
Russ, after a good meal and long nap, was little the worse for his ordeal.”
Although Thanksgiving was still weeks away, surely Russell was thankful to have had a big bird along on this Odyssey.
Note: Naked Island is roughly 20 nautical miles from Shelter Bay. Russell’s adventure took him right across Hinchenbrook Entrance, which has some of the strongest currents and biggest seas in Prince William Sound. It is now the main traffic lane for oil tankers entering and exiting the Sound to the Valdez Oil Terminal.
