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Isle of Discovery

by Harlan J. Lassegard

250 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #05-1432; ISBN 1-4120-6521-6; US$19.05, C$21.91, EUR15.65, £10.95

A volcanic eruption produces earthquakes and tsunami waves that impact coastal communities. The new island formed prompts an international race to claim this area of strategic defense and commercial fishing.

About the Book

A volcanic eruption produces earthquakes and tsunami waves that impact coastal communities. The new island formed prompts an international race to claim this area of strategic defense and commercial fishing.

About the Author

In 19 years in Alaska, Harlan spent over 1,000 hours in an airplane and walked more than 1,000 miles carrying a backpack. He worked on the Alaska Peninsula, in Kotzebue on the Bering Sea, and on Barter Island in the Arctic Ocean.

Observing volcanic eruptions that made him choke, seeing the northern lights that made him duck, and living in a house that was damaged so severely by an earthquake he was evicted by the authorities, led him on the road to discover if there was a correlation. Indeed there was, and his findings were astonishing.

Excerpts

"I came as fast as I could. I slept with all the light switches up, but the booing in the bar next door when the power came back on would have awakened the dead."
A very typical reaction, I'm afraid," said Doc, "though they were probably withholding their true emotions. I'm sure every one of those bar patrons is familiar with frozen pipes." Doc pushed the power button on this photocopier, and began leafing through his files.
"Were the phones working at the motel?
"Negative."
"In that case, I need you to go fetch me a cop."
"A cop?"

As the first seismic sea wave spread out in a concentric ring from the epicenter, it made its first land contact with the most easterly of the Aleutian Islands. Scarce minutes separated the time interval before the second and third Aleutian Islands were hit. Because the sea waves spread out simultaneously towards every point on the compass, some of the scattered islands in the eastern Bering Sea were struck at almost the same moment in time, even though they were hundreds of miles away from each other.

"Another noteworthy recent occurrence, has been the agitated state of the local reindeer population. For several days now the herd of 400 has been skittish and boltng for no apparent reason. They've also been running higher up the mountain slopes than ever noticed before and herding together in a much tighter group. Robert Constovitch from over on Saint George noticed similar activities in their tiny herd."

"We interrupt our regularily scheduled broadcast for this message from the Emergency Broadcasting System: All ships underway in harbors proceed immmediately to deeper waters. This is not a test. I repeat, this is not a test. All ships underway in harbors proceed immediately to deeper waters. A massive tidal wave is bearing down on all Bering Sea coastal communities. Everyone close to sea level must leave immediately and proceed to higher ground. Do not go to your boats. Do not waste time gathering your possessions. Proceed immediately to higher ground."

One hundred yards in front of Henry Tocktoak, a huge pressure ridge shot up over ninety feet in the air. The sound of bursting ice was deafening. Huge blocks of ice flew, spiraled up and came crashing down on the unbroken ice. Cracks in the bay ice shot out like veins on a leaf, and every member of the village was immediately awakened.

During a time of crisis, the loss of communication is especially frustrating. Even the patience of the Alaska natives was pressed to the limit.

"Gentlemen, these lines represent missile trajectories from installations in the Soviet Union to their targets in the United States. As you can plainly see, the vast majority of all these missiles criss-cross at a focal point right here in the Bering Sea. The focal point is the goddamn 'Doughnut Hole'. It is of utmost importance for national security that we control that air space and sea space. Whoever controls that island controls the world, and you can bet your ass the Soviets know it."