The Real Alaska



Homes at Meyers Chuck



Homes at Meyers Chuck




Meyers Chuck

 

Took on some fuel and filled the water tank for our July 2^nd departure from Ketchikan after a night of howling wind and pouring rain.  Clarence Strait brought 4-6 foot seas and a cruise speed of 10.8 to 11.7 knots due to following wind and current.  In the open waters of Clarence Strait, we had a pleasant surprise from a large Grey Whale that breached very near our boat, a real treat.  At 16:40 we reached the quaint village of Meyers Chuck on Alaska’s Cleveland Peninsula.  A pre-requisite of self-sufficiency is required to live in an outpost like Meyers Chuck.  Residents  receive their groceries through the mail and supplement the supply with indoor and outdoor gardens.  Wood burning stoves provide the only source of heat, and water is supplied through a main pipeline.  One resident has their own sawmill of sorts for building supplies and repairs.  For phone service, telephone wires are connected to a box on the outside of the homes where calls are relayed via radio; Internet service is received through satellite communication.  The village has a mailbox drop and a small post office that's open one day a week (Zip Code 99903); Post Master Cassy gave us a ride in her skiff across the bay for a tour of the post office.  Cassy has lived at Meyers Chuck for 50 years; she and her husband are the only year-round residents.  We also visited the cute gift shop located in the woods which houses a collection of books and unique gifts created by local artists and craftsmen.  A hike through the woods brought us to a very large spider web strung between several trees - man-made art, expertly done.



Cassy and her Skiff



Meyers Chuck Post Office



Gift Shop at Meyers Chuck






Resident's Saw Mill Shop



Resident's Spider Web Art in the Forest