Kodiak - Marmot Island (Seward, Chase: homes, to live, dangerous) - Alaska (AK) - City-Data Forum

mhcharles · 09-24-2007, 03:49 PM

I am doing research on a cousin of my grandmother's, Charles Emswiler. His boat founder somewhere between Kodiak and Seward 16- 20 Sept 1930. Apparently part of the cargo he was carrying was found on Marmot Island. Can anyone tell me a little about the area, what weather is like during that time of year, seas, etc? I have looked on the web, but can find no photo's of Marmot Island. Does anyone know if any exist that I am missing. Any clues would be appreciated.

Glitch · 09-26-2007, 08:18 AM

Marmot Island is an unpopulated island in the Kodiak Archipelago, frequented by Stellar Sea Lions. The seas in the Gulf of Alaska can be very treacherous, subject to strong winds and severe storms. NOAA maintains a low-band weather station on Marmot Island.

Marmot Island

mhcharles · 09-26-2007, 09:06 AM

Marmot Island is an unpopulated island in the Kodiak Archipelago, frequented by Stellar Sea Lions. The seas in the Gulf of Alaska can be very treacherous, subject to strong winds and severe storms. NOAA maintains a low-band weather station on Marmot Island.

Marmot Island[/quote]

Thanks so much for the map and information. I would assume that most boats would have take the same route as the Seward-Kodiak Ferry shown on the map. I was hoping to be able to calculate when the boat actually foundered since we know that wreckage was found on Marmot Island by a native the next spring. Of course it would depend on the currents. Thanks again.

jsal70 · 10-14-2007, 06:43 AM

Marmot Island is an interesting place, I have been traveling by it for years. Because of the endangered sea lion situation it is a no transit zone. One can't get within 3 miles of
the island. It did have a population of wild pigs, but I don't know if they are still there. I was Salmon Fishing very close to the island this summer. And in the spring will be in the area... if you need photos. Its Halibut central by the way.

mhcharles · 10-18-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsal70

Marmot Island is an interesting place, I have been traveling by it for years. Because of the endangered sea lion situation it is a no transit zone. One can't get within 3 miles of
the island. It did have a population of wild pigs, but I don't know if they are still there. I was Salmon Fishing very close to the island this summer. And in the spring will be in the area... if you need photos. Its Halibut central by the way.

Thanks for the information. If you do happen to get some photos it would be great if you posted them on this board. I would like to get a feel for that part of the area and what the sea is like there, especially in September.

FRED OWEN · 07-29-2008, 06:04 PM

I had the good fortune to live on Marmot Island back in the early 40s. My Dad was a trapper during the Winter and a fisherman in the Summer. His partner was Bob Chamberlin, a man that came to Alaska in the gold rush days of 1898. We lived on the island year around for a while and then just in the summer times. I am not aware of any boats being lost on the island, except our own in the early 50s, however it would only suprise me if there wasn't any. The conditions are such that there is surf on the beaches most of the time. So any trace of a loss wouldn't stay around long. September and later in the year can be very stormey. There is no harbor on Marmot. However durring WW II the Army established a weather station on the East side. It was difficult to supply them at times and I think they had it pretty ruff. What was the name of the boat?..............I hope this helps you.

mhcharles · 07-30-2008, 06:44 AM

Fred,

Thank for your interesting reply. I'll add this to my file on Charles Emswiler. There was only one sighting of debris from the Chase and that was sited by members of one of the tribes who fished in the area. He was carrying canned clams, I think, and several crates washed ashore. There was never a determination of where the boat actually went down but it had to be close enough for things to wash up on the island. This was September of 1930, so by the 1950s all traces would have been gone probably. I get the feeling that he must have hit bad seas or bad weather or both.

Thanks again for the insight on the area.

Michael Charles

waitntogo · 12-23-2008, 01:33 AM

Hi everyone, I have recently found out information about my father, Weldon Cook who was a fisherman during the 70's and 80's on Kodiak Island, I was told he homesteaded land somewhere on the Island. I do have some photos given to me recently from a cousin. I was told lies about him to protect another person's lies, but now I want/need the truth. I had not seen my dad since I was 8 and when he called me when I was 21, I thought he was a "bad guy" so I did not go and see him. When I finally found where he was, he was already gone from this earth. What I am hoping to find is information on what kind of man he was and maybe someday take a trip and see for myself where he stayed. He died in Rockport, Texas, I think in 2004. Please write me at [EMAIL="waitntogo@hotmail.com"]waitntogo@hotmail.com[/EMAIL] if you have any info.
Thank You.
Char

DBMont · 01-21-2011, 05:23 PM

I spent a little time on Marmot Island in 1976 while catching and branding Stellar Sea lions with the ADF&G. We flew to the southern rookery beaches by helicopter. I also landed on the Island with friends in a small boat and hiked part of the island, including the site of an abandoned commercial fox farm that operated there in the 1930s or 40s. I never heard of anyone trying to homestead there. The island is dangerous to land a boat on due to no harbor and rough surf on the few gravel beaches. While hiking we saw rabbits, and I heard a local guide wanted to stock domestic cats on the island, hope he didn't. I worked for the fish and game and trapped on Afognak Island in the late 70's and never heard of Weldon Cook.

blueflames50 · 01-21-2011, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBMont

I spent a little time on Marmot Island in 1976 while catching and branding Stellar Sea lions with the ADF&G. We flew to the southern rookery beaches by helicopter. I also landed on the Island with friends in a small boat and hiked part of the island, including the site of an abandoned commercial fox farm that operated there in the 1930s or 40s. I never heard of anyone trying to homestead there. The island is dangerous to land a boat on due to no harbor and rough surf on the few gravel beaches. While hiking we saw rabbits, and I heard a local guide wanted to stock domestic cats on the island, hope he didn't. I worked for the fish and game and trapped on Afognak Island in the late 70's and never heard of Weldon Cook.

very old thread but you have peaked my interest.... why would this guy want to "stock" domestic cats on a remote island??? do you have any photo's to share?? I realize that you would have to scan and convert them as it was film back then but still would love to see what it looked like then!