April 25th
April 25th
Daily Flight Information:
The World Flight airplanes "Chicago", "Boston", & "New Orleans" will remain in Dutch Harbor until "Seattle" is repaired at Kanatak, Alaska and catches up with the team.
Maj. Martin (foreground) chops ice from a creek at Kanatak, Alaska. World Cruiser "Seattle" is in the background. (Photo courtesy of USAF Academy Library Special Collections)
"Seattle" Arrives at Chignik after Several Close Calls
Daily Report
by Maj. F.L. Martin Commanding
We arose at 3:00 a.m. this morning and found it calm. It was necessary to again break the ice and float it down the creek before we could move the plane. The housing of planks was removed and preparations made to leave on the high tide. The winds of the yesterday had affected the flow of the tides sufficiently so that it lacked one foot of being high enough to permit the plane being floated out to the bay. Work was then started on constructing the skids, fastening them securely the proper distance under the keel of the pontoons. When this was completed, they were fastened under the pontoons and with a Holt tractor furnished by the Standard Oil Company, the plane was dragged to the edge of the bay.
We didn't get "Seattle" to the bay until 10 o'clock this morning at low tide. A long line fastened to an anchor in the bay, used for dragging boats through the surf, was made fast to the plane in an effort to drag it into the water with the tractor. The anchor to which the line was fastened dragged before the plane was moved. We then placed a pole against the raft and with the tractor pushed the plane into the water. The wind had risen and was blowing with an estimated velocity of 30 miles per hour. The water had become very rough during those few minutes and it began to snow. We were now in the greatest danger of having our plane destroyed as it was impossible to return to the shore as the waves were breaking badly. It was extremely dangerous to attempt to put the raft under the pontoons and practically impossible to take off on account of the high seas. Weighing all these conditions carefully, with about one minute to make a decision, there seemed to be greater safety in attempting to take off.
It is believed that no seaplane has succeeded in leaving the water under more adverse circumstances. At 11:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. San Francisco time, we left the water to find ourselves in a sever snow storm. Visibility was extremely poor. After circling the village of Kanatak three times, doubtful as to whether it was possible to fly to Chignik under such conditions and realizing the danger of attempting to land on the rough sea, but believing that the storm might be local as it storms at Kanatak when but a short distance away they are having fair weather, I decided to leave for Chignik.
Daily Report
by Lt. LP Arnold "Chicago" Mechanic
We received word today the Major had finally managed to get away from Kanatak and is in Chignik. This was good news to everyone for he's only one flight away & soon perhaps we can be on our merry way again & thus reach the warmer climates that much quicker. I think we are all fed up on Alaskan weather.