Chapter Nineteen, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

Chapter Nineteen, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

CHAPTER NINETEEN THE REINDEER Our Zodiac rounded the end of a long gravel spit. I was relieved. I had not wanted to trudge through another interminable stretch of deep sucking stones. Not with our frail doctor in tow. The bay we entered was flat, round and large. The...
Chapter Twelve, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

Chapter Twelve, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

CHAPTER TWELVE Down to the Sea I awoke to find the fire burned out. Not even a plume of smoke came from the pile of ash. I sat up and rubbed my eyes and face. We had the Bic and my Stryker flint if re-ignition were necessary. If we remained atop the island plateau for...
Chapter Eleven, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

Chapter Eleven, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

CHAPTER ELEVEN The High Cliffs of Russia Dutch moved the bottle of Bacardi back to his lips, runnels of tears falling from his cheeks. I pried the half-empty bottle out of his clenched hand. I propped it back into a cleft between two nearby rocks. “Stop blubbering and...
Chapter Ten, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

Chapter Ten, Arch Patton: The Bering Sea

CHAPTER TEN The Isle of the Tsar of Russia The slow stuttering trip out of the current and into the island’s lee took less time than it seemed it should because of the back current. Dutch had held to a dogged steady pace, stroke after slow stroke, swimming out in...