Roll Over Play Dead

by Dan Milton

  After all the instrumentation was in place, they started the first pass on the mapped two mile course. They would lay out the bottom using the echo sounder they had on the boat. The runs were to be at several different speeds beginning with the slowest at around 4 knots. They would make a second pass at 8 knots and then the final pass at full throttle of 12 knots.

  All went well for the first two passes. On the third pass, at full throttle, they were approaching the mid-point of the run when an outboard came around a blind corner out of a small cove and cut right in front of them. Jeff, who was driving the boat, cut the throttle, shouted to Ernie and spun the wheel quickly, just missing the boat by inches. The outboard did not stop. There was a lone fisherman in the boat.

  As the forward momentum finally stopped, Ernie and Jeff looked back to see the buoy anchor cable wrapped around the towed sonar cable. Ernie said, “Looks like we have a mess on our hands. Even so, you did an excellent job missing that idiot in the outboard. He could have gotten himself killed.”

  “I’ll get my dive gear back on and get the mess straightened out.”

  “You have had enough time underwater today. I’ll dive. You handle the boat and the winch.”

  “Okay. Let me give you a hand with the dive gear.”

  Ernie went over the back of the boat and followed the towed sonar cable to the bottom. Mostly by feel, as the visibly was extremely limited, he began to untangle the mess. He found the sonar unit lying on the bottom. Fortunately, it was a sandy area, and as he felt the device from nose to fins, it felt as though there was no damage. Shortly thereafter he found the buoy anchor, but, to his distress, he could not find the sound recording instrument. He lifted the buoy anchor off the bottom letting him free the sonar cable from around the anchor cable. He surfaced and shouted to Jeff, “Haul the cable in slowly. It should be clear. I will stay and make sure everything comes up okay.”

  After getting the sonar unit on board and tied down, Jeff retrieved the rest of the equipment with Ernie’s help. Ernie climbed back on board and said, “Let’s wrap it up for the day. We can re-layout the course tomorrow morning and redo the high-speed run. Did you get a look at the person in the outboard?”

  “No. Everything happened too fast; my concern was not crashing into him.”

  “I noticed a small cove with a sloping gravel beach a short distance back. Let’s head there for the night.”

  Just before pulling onto the beach, they threw out an anchor to help them pull off the beach in the morning. Jeff asked, “You tired of eating out of cans?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Let’s scout around in the woods over there. We can probably find some ‘Fool Hens’ for dinner and some blueberries.”

  True enough, Jeff came back with a couple of ‘Fool Hens’ already plucked and cleaned—ready for the frying pan. Ernie was just as lucky finding a small grove of blueberry bushes that produced a lot of berries.

  Ernie asked, “How did they get the name ‘Fool Hen’?”

  “They are Spruce Grouse. They have the habit of letting people come as close as a few feet before flying away. Thus, the name ‘Fool hen’. That’s why, all I needed, was a stick to get them.”

  The hens were superb. The blueberries served over simulated johnnycakes made in the skillet out of Bisquick and water gave the meal the finishing touch. It made the day end on a high note after all the trouble they had.

  The next day, after a good night’s rest, they were able to rebuild the previous day’s course and make a high-speed run. Jeff & Ernie alternated diving to retrieve the sound recording equipment, as well as the buoys. They documented the results and packed up the recordings.

  They headed toward their second area and arrived early in the evening. They found a cove to pull into and decided to anchor out for the night. It would be canned food tonight for dinner.

  Just before dark a float plane flew low over their boat. They noticed it looked like one they had seen the previous day. Ernie enthusiastically said, “I hope it is the guy that almost rammed us yesterday. It would be nice to have a day without anyone bothering us so that we could get our work done.”

  Next day after laying out the three-mile course with markers every quarter mile, Ernie and Jeff took turns fastening the underwater recording devices to the buoy anchors. It was about noon by the time everything was in place.

  They grabbed something to eat and then proceeded to make the three runs, finishing off the last one at high speed. They reeled in the towed sonar and returned it to its packing crate. They closed and locked the container, hopefully, for the last time. They then returned to the start of the course and began the tedious job of retrieving all the recording equipment, buoys, and anchors. They stowed all the equipment, including their diving gear.

  The last task, they had to do, was to complete the documentation for the test runs within the second area and pack the recordings for shipment.

  They both felt that the day had gone exceptionally well and looked forward to getting back to Port Alsworth and returning the rented boat to ‘the Russian’. He had said that they should come to dinner at his place on completion of the research to celebrate a successful venture. Ernie and Jeff were looking forward to a good meal.

  Owen was to arrive late tomorrow morning to pick them up. They would have time in the morning to unload the boat and move all their gear down the beach close to where Owen would pull in the Widgeon.

  The celebration meal that night was superb. One of the locals came over and cooked some local specialties. They talked late into the night. They were invited to stay in one of the spare cabins usually kept for fishing and hunting guests.

  In the morning, they slipped out and walked down to the dock to begin the unloading process. They had previously placed everything in the shipping containers. They moved the load to the beach, cleaned the boat and then went to say thanks.

  As they were bidding their goodbyes, they heard the Widgeon fly over, circle and land on the lake. By the time they had walked down the path to the beach, Owen had pulled the plane up on the gravel.

  It took about an hour to load up the plane. As Owen climbed into the pilot’s seat, Ernie and Jeff strapped themselves in their seats. After the engines had warmed up, Owen signaled ‘The Russian’ to push the plane off the beach. Owen then taxied into the lake, pushed the throttles forward and took off for Hat Island.

  On their flight to Hat Island, Ernie told Owen about the near miss they had with the outboard. He mentioned how there seemed to be some connection to a float plane that had arrived in Lake Clark a short time after they arrived and then left a the day before they did. Ernie said, “Maybe it is all just a coincidence!”

  Owen said, “You know, I hate coincidences!”

  Ernie and Jeff chimed in, “So do I.”

  They touched down just outside the small cove at their base camp. Owen taxied the plane into the cove toward their anchored boat. They pulled alongside the vessel’s small skiff. Ernie got into the skiff and said, “Owen, it has been a real pleasure working with you. I hope to be able to come back again next year for more research.”

  “I will see you at the Lodge in Iliamna. I have to pick up some charter people flying in on the same DC-3 on which you’ll be leaving.”

  Jeff said, “Owen and I will unload the plane into the Lodge’s van when we get to Iliamna in about an hour. You and I will transfer the equipment into the DC-3 in the morning.”

  Ernie said, “Okay. I’ll finish cleaning up the boat and check to make sure we haven’t left anything at the camp site. I will stop by Porcupine Island to wish the Research Team goodbye and drop off any food we have left. I will see you at the Lodge later this evening.”

  Back on the boat, Ernie contacted Major Bowman by radio and asked him to contact Commander Carothers and give him the following message: RESEARCH COMPLETED. HEADING HOME. EQUIPMENT DIRECT. STOPPING IN FAIRBANKS. Major Bowman replied that he would send the message as soon as he could get a secure line.

  A
short time after Commander Carothers received the news; he radioed the Lodge at Iliamna with a message for Peter Lewis. It stated: START PHASE TWO.

  The lodge owner placed the note under the door of Lewis’ separate cabin. When Lewis returned to his room later that evening, he read it and knew that he had one more thing to do before the DC-3 departed in the morning.

  Ernie started the boat and headed for Porcupine Island. On arrival, he anchored the boat in the cove and rode the skiff into the beach. The Research Team supervisor met him on the beach. Ernie said, “We’ve completed all our work and will be heading to Anchorage tomorrow. We have gathered a lot of data for you that will need some analysis. I will be happy to work with you during the fall and winter months on the data. I will be reachable at the University. Also, we have a few boxes of food left and thought you might be able to use it. There are four boxes in the skiff. Just have your guys unload it. Jeff and I thank you. We enjoyed working with you this summer. Hope we can do it again sometime.”

  “I hope so too. Drop by the Marine Biology Center at the University any time.”

  With that, Ernie took the skiff back to his boat and headed toward Iliamna.

  On arrival in Iliamna, Ernie cleaned up the boat and then packed up his personal gear. He walked to the Lodge to meet with the owner and settle the rental. Jeff had already arranged for rooms for them for the night. He took notice of the Van parked beside the Lodge loaded with all their equipment. Walking over to it, he made sure the doors and windows were shut and locked.

  He joined Owen and Jeff in the lodge dining room for a farewell dinner. It was nice to have a good meal. They discussed the success of their work and said that they hoped to return again next year. The Lodge owner, overhearing their conversation said, “Both of you are welcome anytime.”

  “Thanks.”

  It was late. Everyone decided to call it a night and headed to their rooms.

  After it was fully dark, and everyone was asleep in the lodge, Lewis left the cabin and found his way to the van parked next to the lodge. He had swiped the extra key from the hook behind the registration desk, so there was no problem quietly opening the back door to the van. Using a small penlight, he found the crate containing the sonar unit. He carefully unscrewed the screws that held the lid on the box. After the lid was off, he positioned the unit to gain access to the chamber containing the sonar electronics. After unscrewing the hex screws from the compartment door, he opened the waterproof compartment. He then removed the power and data cables from the electronics. After about ten minutes, he managed to pull each of the boards free from their slots. He placed them in separate static free carrying cases. He then attached the compartment door and rotated the unit back to its original position in the shipping container. He then screwed the screws that held the container lid in place and left everything as it was when he had arrived. He extinguished the penlight and quietly shut the van door and locked it. He would return the spare key early tomorrow morning.

  The last part of the plan was for Lewis to fly to Anchorage with the electronic boards. He was to meet with and personally turn them over to the Naval Attaché from the Russian Embassy in Washington. The final step in the plan was to send the electronic boards via diplomatic pouch to the Fleet Headquarters in Vladivostok.

  Next morning, after the DC-3 arrived and disembarked the passengers, and the mail and cargo unloaded and placed in the front of the van, Jeff and Ernie loaded all their gear into the plane’s cargo area. They said their goodbyes to Owen and then climbed aboard the DC-3. The pilot climbed in and started the engines. He turned around to Jeff and Ernie and said, “Best fasten your seatbelts we’re starting our roll.”

  They both complied. After reaching altitude they took a long look out the window at Lake Iliamna, and they each said quietly, “I’ll be back.”

  On arrival in Anchorage, they oversaw the transfer of their gear to the US Navy plane waiting in the cargo area. It would be flown directly to Seattle and then transported by truck to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Once accomplished, they headed back to the main terminal and changed their direct tickets to Seattle for open-ended ones that stopped in Fairbanks and then on to Seattle.

  The Journal

  Ernie called the State Historian in Fairbanks from the Anchorage airport. After introducing himself, he requested an appointment tomorrow morning late. She said, “That would be okay. My schedule is open until 2:00pm. What could I help you with?”

  Ernie said, “About 15 years ago on Lake Iliamna, in the late fall, there was a boating accident during a storm. It took the life of a Captain by the name of Boyd and a young Russian boy. The young boy had kept a journal. Someone discovered it on the Captain’s body after the ice melted in the spring. We understand that they forwarded the journal to your office. The person sending it to you felt it might have historical significance for the Lake Iliamna region. I would like if possible, to read the journal and photocopy portions of it.”

  The Historian continued, “Right off hand I don’t know where the journal might be. We get a lot of material sent in every week. There are stacks of it that we have yet to process. Our annual budget is minuscule. Though, we do keep a record of the material we receive and what the disposition of that material is. I will review the history and try and locate the journal before you arrive.”

  “Thank you. We should be there by 11:00am.”

  The taxi took them to the Alaska Historical Society building and let them off. They entered and let the reception desk know that they had an appointment with the State Historian. The receptionist said, “Welcome. May I have your names?”

  Ernie answered, “My name is Ernie Donald, and this is Jeff Roberts.”

  “Please have a seat. I will let her know you are here.”

  The State Historian came out of her office to greet Ernie and Jeff. She was middle aged yet a very fit woman with a look of someone who has spent a great deal of time outdoors. She said, “Come into my office so we can talk.”

  As they made themselves comfortable, she said, “We had a hard time finding the journal. It was in the log dated some 15 years ago, but there was no notation on its disposition. My staff looked through the various Lake Iliamna archives with no success. This morning I was speaking to one of my colleagues about the missing journal. He mentioned that someone was doing research on the impact of the war on Alaska concentrating on the ferrying of lend-lease planes by women pilots. That person had a translated copy of the journal and had compiled notes from it. The original document, which I am still trying to locate, was written in Russian. The person doing the research said he could spare it for a few days but would like to get it back after that to continue his work.”

  Ernie said, “That would be great. We should only need it for a few hours.”

  “There is a special room that researchers use. Follow me, and I will get you setup there. One of my staff will bring you the journal. Take as much time as you need. If you have pages to copy, let the desk know which pages and they will copy them for you. There will be a slight charge for the copying. Also, since it is an archived document we will need your signature that the copied information will be used for research only and not for commercial purposes.”

  Ernie said, “That’s fine.”

  They entered a quiet room similar to what one would find in any public library. Shortly thereafter, they were handed the journal. They first made a quick scan of the contents. Then they started a detailed reading page by page. They stopped when there was a question, and they discussed possible answers. Usually, the answer was found a few pages later. After an hour of reading, they reached the last entries in the journal; made mid-morning the day Captain Boyd and the young boy left for Kokhanok.

  As they read and re-read those last few pages, they began to feel what the Captain and the young boy had gone through. They felt the fear, the hope, the fear, the hope. Each time they read those pages they lived vicariously through the experience.

  The last few pages mentioned tha
t they were still an hour out... The engine died... A clogged fuel line... The Captain repaired the fuel line... Got the engine restarted... Lost two hours in the process... Felt the brunt of the storm... The Captain put out the sea anchor to provide some stability... Then nothing… The journal just stopped abruptly.

  Many questions came to mind. How did the end come? Were they swamped? Did they hit something? We know how the Captain ended up, but what about the boy? Many questions—but no answers.

  They had all the pages copied since the young boy left Vladivostok hoping something in those pages might provide a clue.

  What they knew for sure was that this young boy was remarkable and brave. That what he had gone through was almost too much to ask for someone his age. They knew that the young boy had helped the Captain get past the loss of his son and his wife. That he had helped him understand that there were people that needed and depended on him.

  Before Ernie and Jeff left for the Fairbanks airport, they stopped by the Historian’s office to return the journal and thank her for her help. She asked, “Was the journal helpful?”

  Ernie responded, “It helped us a lot to understand the situation, but it did not provide an answer to what happened to the missing young boy. It is still a mystery.”

  “If I can be of any further help in your effort please call me here at the Historical Society at any time.”

  The taxi they had called pulled up, and they headed to the airport to catch their flight back to Seattle. On the way to the airport, Jeff said, “The mystery of the young boy will have to remain a mystery, at least for the time being!”

  Navy Intelligence

  “It is a ‘Captain’s Eyes Only’ message sir, please sign here,” said the Communications Officer.