Burton Island (AGB 1) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE INSIDE PASSAGE In July the BURTON ISLAND and the NORTHWIND stopped at Victoria, British Columbia to pick up the Canadian scientists who were scheduled to take part in the expedition. However, all of this was on a higher policy level than the ave- rage crew member cared about. Victoria to them meant only one thing, and that was Canadian hospitality. The scenic dif- ferences between San Diego and Victoria were extreme enough to convince everyone that the cruise had really started. After we had passed through Seymour Narrows, even the navigator enjoyed the beauty of the famed Inside Passage. For more than six hundred miles the ship threaded her way through the islands from Victoria to Brady Glacier. The purpose of taking this longer and slower route to Kodiak is to maintain as much comfort as possible before entering the Gulf of Alaska, renowned for being perpetually stormy. The Underwater Demolition Team attached to the ship usually utilized this interlude to keep themselves in conditiong the rest of the ship were making their preparations too. There was still time for some attempted salmon fishing though. The waters we were cruising in are some of the richest salmon areas in the world, and July is a good time for fishing. Both the BURTON ISLAND and the NORTHWIND slowed to several knots to allow trolling off the fantail for anyone who thought they could catch anything. Despite repeated and determined efforts no salmon were hauled up on the BURTON ISLAND deck. The two helicopters took two parties over to a nearby island to try their luck at the mouth of a river. On the return trip the second helicopter, carrying Dr. Gobar, Commander Dale, and the pilot Lt. Walloch, ran out of gas. By using autogyration the pilot rendered the descent harmless, but the landing on the rough waters was a different story. The rotor blade and the tail assembly crashed together destroying both. None of the occupants of the helicopter suffered the slightest injury. Emergency c'May Day procedures had been previously worked out, and therefore the ensuing rescue was smooth. The loss of a helicopter was the most serious result of the crash, the flight crew on board did not have the necessary equip- ment to effect repairs. However, a new helicopter was flown to Nome where it was later assembled by the flight crew. Needless to add, all the fish that this second fishing party alledgedly caught were lost in the crash.

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NY RMU Us f 2 x The navigator at work. :gag Helmsman Quartermaster at the flag hoist. Looking att from the bridge. UDT rounding into shape. Q

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FLIGHT DECK OPERATIONS Ag ., ' 4- if ' .r I .kxi1,. Nbcwx -504 1' 4- X 9 W '