The Aleutian Islands are truly a world apart, a chain of volcanic peaks rearing out of the icy Bering Sea a thousand miles from the coast of Alaska's mainland. Surrounded by some of the coldest, stormiest ocean on Earth, lashed by williwaws or shrouded in a blanket of fog, they are remote, forbidding, challenging -- and breathtakingly beautiful on the rare occasions when the sun burns through the gray sky to reveal them in all their solitary splendor. To veteran paddlers like Jon Bowermaster and his companions, the ...
Read More
The Aleutian Islands are truly a world apart, a chain of volcanic peaks rearing out of the icy Bering Sea a thousand miles from the coast of Alaska's mainland. Surrounded by some of the coldest, stormiest ocean on Earth, lashed by williwaws or shrouded in a blanket of fog, they are remote, forbidding, challenging -- and breathtakingly beautiful on the rare occasions when the sun burns through the gray sky to reveal them in all their solitary splendor. To veteran paddlers like Jon Bowermaster and his companions, the Aleutians hold a special allure, for these jagged shores and unforgiving riptides are the home waters of the kayak. Their destination is the mythical cradle of the Aleut people, a group known as the Islands of four Mountains at the heart of this all-but-unknown archipelago. Trusting only their skill, their strength, and the seaworthiness of their fragile two-man craft, the four adventurers spent a month on these windswept, mysterious outposts of North America, risking their lives every time they launched their boats. Even a minor mishap could be deadly: a man in the water could hope to survive half an hour at most, and a team that missed landfall in the fog might be swept away by fierce currents into the trackless North Pacific. The nearest rescuers were 150 miles away -- if the radio worked, If the weather was good, if...if...if. But if the stakes were high, so were the rewards. Bowermaster vividly evokes the adrenaline thrill of facing nature at her harshest, the stunning view of the sunlit Islands from the summit of an active volcano, and the deep, mystical power of the place Itself, an ancient stepping-stone between worlds, where humans have Hued for fluethousand years but whose only inhabitants now are the mummified bodies of prehistoric Aleuts. By the time the four are picked up, they have discovered much -about the islands, about the ocean, about themselves. A deft blend of adventure, exploration, and history, "Birthplace of the Winds" is an engrossing chronicle of man against the elements, a struggle at once timeless and utterly immediate, played out before a majestic, merciless backdrop.
Read Less
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $3.28, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Reno rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reno, NV, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $3.28, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $3.28, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Baltimore rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Halethorpe, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $5.00, good condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $5.31, very good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic Society.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very Good. Very Good condition. Very Good dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $5.31, good condition, Sold by Wonder Book - Member ABAA/ILAB rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic Society.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $6.94, very good condition, Sold by UHR Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hollis Center, ME, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds: Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $8.44, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2001 by National Geographic.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds. Storming Alaska's Islands of to cart. $9.00, very good condition, Sold by Bingo Used Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Vancouver, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by National Geographic.
Add this copy of Birthplace of the Winds; Adventuring in Alaska's to cart. $9.95, like new condition, Sold by Artis Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Calumet, MI, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by National Geographic.
