Touring Through Alaska: Next Stop Kodiak
Welcome back to our Touring Alaska blog series. We’ve been making our way through the state, learning about the many unique cities that make up the 49th state of the United States. Our next stop is Kodiak, AK.
KODIAK ALASKA
The city of Kodiak sits on Kodiak Island, which has a square mile radius of 3,760 miles and is 100 miles long. Kodiak Island is Alaska’s largest island and the second largest island in the United States and quite honestly, one of the most beautiful parts of Alaska!
Kodiak is affectionately known as Alaska’s Emerald Isle thanks to its lush, green surroundings. It offers many great outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, trail-riding and has many secluded campgrounds as well. Kodiak also happens to be one of the best places for whale watching. It is also home to the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge. While these attractions draw many visitors to the area, Kodiak is probably best known for its fishing; it is one of the country’s top three fishing ports, houses 650 boats, the state’s largest trawl, long-line and crab vessels and 12 shore-based processors. It also offers all five species of salmon as well as halibut, trout, rockfish, and cod.
HISTORY
In the early days, Kodiak was a struggling fishing port but WWII changed that when Kodiak became a major staging area for North Pacific Operations. At one point, the population exceeded 25,000 when Fort Abercrombie was built as a defense to protect the Naval base. Today, Kodiak is home to a little more than 6,000 residents and the Naval base serves as the home to the largest Coast Guard base in the country.
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
In addition to a wealth of wonderful outdoor activities, Kodiak is also home to some notable “indoor” activities. The Kodiak Military History Museum is a great place to visit and learn much more about Army and Navy operations during WWII. The Kodiak Crab festival is another local favorite for both residents and guests.
HOW ALASKA AIR FORWARDING SUPPORTS KODIAK
Since Kodiak is at the center of Alaska’s fishing industry, it is also home to the Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center. KSMSC was started in 1981 by the Alaska State Legislature to work closely with the fishing industry providing support in a variety of ways, such as:
- Implementing new harvesting technology
- Developing and implementing processing technology
- Quality control
- Providing research and support of collaborative ecosystems
Kodiak is integral to Alaska’s economy which has opened the door for Alaska Air Forwarding to serve and support this community in many ways over the years. We provide support for the numerous fishing vessels that launch from Kodiak. Our ability to quickly transport supplies to these vessels has allowed AAF to become an integral part of Kodiak’s fishing industry. Additionally, Alaska Air Forwarding also provides support for the seafood canneries that continually support the economy of Kodiak. Over the years, we’ve grown to love Kodiak and always welcome an opportunity to visit this beautiful coastal city in Alaska.
