Crab dishes bring reminders of trip to Alaska
In May of 2016, I wrote a Country Chef column from the city of Kodiak, on Kodiak Island — about 400 miles from the Alaska mainland. I remarked that Kodiak is “a picturesque little town (reminiscent of Sandpoint) and peopled by lovers of the outdoors, fishermen, pioneer stock and ethnic residents.”
I was there visiting my son, Grant, his wife, Becky and their daughter, Jessica — during the annual Crab Festival — a great event held whether rain, snow or shine, when the crab boats gather at the docks laden with spiny-legged, succulent crabs. I wrote that … “Boat horns toot in cadence with the roar and cough of the huge sea lions which laze on the wharf, and seagulls add their plaintive cries to the bedlam of sound. It’s wonderful!” … And it was.
What I didn’t write about was the beautiful tradition of the “Blessing of the Fleet” — a treat that I’ll remember forever. In the morning of the last day of the festival, all the fishing boats of every ilk — from big commercial ships to small 3-4-man crafts — line up along the wharves and proceed on their way to open ocean for the new season’s fishing. At the end of the last, longest wharf, the Russian Orthodox priest, in full regalia stands with his wand of holy water and blesses each boat as they pass in procession.
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