Hurtigruten Expeditions is now cruising the far reaches of Alaska, including the astounding Aleutian Islands.
A veil of fog shrouded the smooth-stoned beach and the jagged rocks beyond.
Hundreds of polar bears once roamed the coast until hunters killed them long ago.
Credit:Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
Fortunately, the rare endemic McKay’s Bunting escaped notice.
If I needed a definition of the middle of nowhere, this was it.
The territory was sold to the United States along with Alaska in 1867.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
Today, only 8,000 people reside in the Aleutians; about half occupy remote villages scattered throughout the archipelago.
Its population of around 4,400 makes it the biggest city in the region.
I only saw five fishermen on the dock re-webbing their Kia-sized crab pots.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
The towns tranquility belied Unalaskas dark past.
In 1942, six months after Pearl Harbor, Japanese fighter planes bombed military installations in Dutch Harbor.
The attack earned the unfortunate distinction of being the only other assault on American soil in World War II.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
On display were archival images, personal mementos, and compelling firsthand accounts of the devastation and its aftermath.
More fortunate was the 130-year-old Russian Orthodox Holy Ascension of Our Lord Cathedral, which survived unscathed.
Over time, the protective shellac they applied oxidized, making them difficult to see.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
Working our way north, we moored near the village of Unga.
In staggered groups of about 60, we explored 20 or so structures in varying stages of collapse.
The crumbling settlement sat on a grassy promontory at the foot of a towering mountain.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
Three hundred people of Russian, Aleut, and Norwegian descent settled in Unga during its early 20th-century heyday.
But when the cod and mining industries collapsed, the population dwindled.
By the 1950s, the last residents had gone.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
Meanwhile, thousands of cheeky birds called short-tailed shearwaters floated on the waves, scavenging for leftovers.
Its reputation forLand of the Lostcliffs and abundant wildlife was soon validated.
A scruffy brown bear strolling along the waterline passed us, floating a few yards offshore.
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
The constant throughout the journey was Alaska’s enduring natural beauty.
Heading east toward Vancouver, I joined a small group kayaking on Icy Bay.
(I often watched via live stream from the comfort of my suite).
Susan Portnoy/Travel + Leisure
My favorite storyteller was Norma CharlieRunfola, a sweet and soft-spoken Yu’pik native.
She boarded the boat mid-journey, invited by Hurtigruten to travel with us as a guest.
She shared her life growing up with traditional parents and grandparents on Scammon Bay.
She gave four talks, all a wonderful hodgepodge of family photos, anecdotes, and native dances.
I tended to turn in early, preferring to relax in my spacious suite with a glass of wine.
Id pore over my photos or kick back with a movie from the vessels vast library.
Mornings were my favorite.
Normally a night owl, I woke at dawn, eager to see what world lay beyond my balcony.
