Volume IX, Number 2 Fall 2004
In this issue:
- Summer Activities
- Work Days, 2004
- Eagle Island Adventure Tours
- Greenland Revisited (by Capt. Donald M. Taub, ISCG Ret.)
- New Docent Program (President's message)
- Warbler Downpour (Bird study report)
- Progress on Documentary Film
It was another great summer on Eagle Island , even though the weather did not cooperate. We had almost 6,000 visitors this year.
This summer was the first year we had Docents (volunteer guides) in the museum, which allowed staff to perform more maintenance work. Due to the weather constantly pounding the museum, there is always plenty of work that needs to be done.
This year's trail work day did not go as planned, mostly because the large chipper was not on the Island . However, there was still a lot of good work done that day with the small chipper. The compass rose on the front porch was repainted and many upstairs windows were re-glazed. On next years trail day, I hope we can rework our trail around the area where the Osprey chose to build their new nest so that visitors can walk the "loop".
The new trail and garden signs were very popular with our visitors. They also really liked the new display showing the evolution of the Peary House, as well as the surrounding islands orientation board. Our visitors and the staff want to thank the Friends of Peary's Eagle Island members for all their hard work and support they give to us.
Jeanie Dorrington, Park Manager
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members of the Peary family rededicating the house on
its 100th birthday, July 4,
2004 |
Archive Day: Thanks to our dedicated band of "Archivists" and in spite of a delayed start due to very heavy fog, much was accomplished. There is still more to be done so we have scheduled Archive Day 2005 for Wednesday, June 15 th . Details and a request for volunteers will be forthcoming in the spring.
Volunteer (Trail) Day : As Jeanie's report indicates 2004 was not our best year for trail work. Corrective action has been taken and both chippers are now on the Island . We have scheduled Trail Day for Saturday, July 9 th (July 10 th is rain date). A connecting trail around the new nesting area will be created so visitors will not become targets of adult birds protecting their chicks. We will be looking for 20 volunteers for trail work in the spring.
Worthy of special mention in 2004 is the work done by Morgan Blair, Mac and Connie Henry's grand daughter. She did a masterful job of finishing the fine artwork on the north porch compass rose. It's now in sharp focus and looks beautiful. Thanks Morgan and thanks to all of our hardworking volunteers.
Docent (Volunteer guides): Our 2004 trial program was a great success. All the Docents enjoyed their "tour" and are enthusiastic about doing it next year. We plan to expand the program in 2005 to cover both Saturday and Sunday in July and August. We need to add to our core group of 8 and will be seeking 12 more volunteers for next summer. We hope all our readers will be considering this important function over the winter. Please let us know if you might be available.
Harry Rich
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Some of the 20 volunteers
at lunch on Trail Day, July 9, 2004 |
A huge thank you to Ed and Peg Stafford for making our Eagle Island Adventure, held the summer of 2004, such a big success. We filled Tom Ring's "Atlantic Seal" seven times with eager folks looking forward to Ed's personalized stories about his 21 years growing up on Eagle Island and a detailed tour of this unique 100 year old home.
Thank you also to everyone involved who made this a happy successful time.
In addition to the seven "Adventures", there were four private conducted tour parties that visited the island, including Bill Green of "Bill Green's Maine" on WCSH Channel 6, Jason Smith of Young Peoples Fox TV, the Kane Lodge Foundation and Dave Chipman of Harpswell TV.
A very busy and successful summer, in spite of the weather.
Barbara Tucker
The legacy of Robert E. Peary in Greenland continued long after the discovery of the North Pole in 1909. Prior to and during Peary's 18 year era there from 1891 to 1909, northern Greenland was an unclaimed "no-mans land". Explorer Otto Sverdrup had claimed the northeastern islands of Canada 's high arctic for Norway . Peary followed in 1909 by claiming northern Greenland for the United States by right of its explorers being there since 1853. The United States later relinquished this claim in conjunction with its purchase of the US Virgin Islands from Denmark . Peary had cautioned against this in that Greenland was deemed to be the strategic Northeastern frontier of the North American continent just as Alaska was in the Northwest. He was also an early advocate of the future role of aviation and for command of the air. In 1916 he was the chairman of the National Aerial Coast Patrol Commission that heavily promoted the use of aviation for military purposes as well as civilian. His Greenland born daughter, Marie Ahnighito Peary Stafford, later in 1940 took up his call for United States ' defense of Greenland and US military bases, which was to have a major impact on the outcome of World War II.
In 1932 Peary's daughter Marie led a small expedition that built the tall Peary Monument made from native stone, high on the tip of Cape York on the West Coast of Greenland. Her two sons, Edward and Peary, aboard Capt. Bob Bartlett's Schooner "Effie M. Morrissey" accompanied her. Capt. Bartlett was Admiral Peary's skipper on the " Roosevelt " in 1908-09. This monument prominently marks the entry of the " American Way " (because this was the most common route to the north) with the large white letter "P" on two sides: P for Peary and P for the Pole. Peary's Polar Eskimo friends assisted with much of the construction. Capt. Bartlett made many visits to the Thule district starting in 1910 and lasting through 1945. Robert E. Peary Jr. visited Thule twice, once in 1926, and again as a civil engineer in the construction of Thule Air Force Base in 1952-53. Peary's North Pole tenderfoot, Cdr. Donald B, MacMillan, returned with his own surveying expedition of 1913-17, then with the first attempt to fly to the North Pole from Etah by Cdr. R. E. Bird in 1925, followed by many more trips after World War II with his schooner the "Bowdoin". Peary's grandson, Cdr. Edward Peary Stafford, returned to Thule as a naval aviator in 1952 and 1953, and privately in the 1980's and again in 1994. Thus the Peary connections with the Thule area have continued to this day.
On April 9, 1940 Germany occupied Denmark and suddenly Greenland was cut off from its vital necessities. ( Greenland had long been a closed colonial trading partner of Denmark ). Within a few days a commission was formed which in effect became Greenland 's government-in-exile during 1940-42. Its primary task was dealing with the economic affairs, material needs, and welfare of all the population of Greenland . Marie Peary Stafford became one of its original nine members. She lobbied for USA 's assistance, and U S military bases. The United States was neutral then, but had vital interests there. On May 3, 1940 the resident councils in Greenland made a formal and urgent request to the United States . On May 7, 1940 the first U S Coast Guard ships got "sailing orders", including establishing a U S Consulate at Godthaab, Greenland in what became a multiple mission; military, economic, and humanitarian.
The mainstay of Greenland 's economic exports was the Cryolite mine at Ivigtut in southwest Greenland . Cryolite was a mineral that was then necessary to the production of Aluminum. This mine provided approximately 90% of USA 's needs (Some 300,000 aircraft were constructed in the United States during 1939-1945, largely thanks to this mine). USA 's military planners also foresaw the potential need for airbases to support the Trans-Atlantic ferrying of U S aircraft to Britain as Peary had preached in 1916. US Coast Guard's initial tasks included protection of the Cryolite mine, searching for potential sites for airbases and related facilities, and delivering supplies to the scattered Eskimo villages in what became known as the Greenland patrol of 1940-45. The United States had declared that Greenland was a part of the Western Hemisphere and invoked the "Monroe Doctrine" for belligerents on both sides to stay out of Greenland . Peary's Capt. Bob Bartlett joined with his schooner as a civilian contractor during this period. Cdr. Donald MacMillan with his schooner the Bowdoin, assisted the US Coast Guard's surveying work in 1941-42. By spring of 1941, the initial main sites were selected and given the code names Bluies West and Bluies East. Construction of the main airbase Bluies West 1 at Narsarssuag at the southerly tip of Greenland began in July 1941. The main ship base was at Ivigtut (Bluies West 7). The first alternate airbase was at Sondrestrom Fiord (Bluies West 8) located in the middle of the West Coast of Greenland. Thule was Bluies West 6 located in the north end of the West Coast. Angmagssalik on the East Coast was Bluies East 2. There were to be 14 Bluie sites eventually, many being aids to navigation (Loran) and Weather stations. Thus the main airbase was near completion by the time the United States entered World War II. Thousands of aircraft were ferried to Britain via these fuel stops starting in early 1942.
The Germans were also active on Greenland 's East Coast starting in 1940. Northwestern Europe 's weather largely originates over Greenland . A vital element of Germany 's preparations to invade England , initially planned to take place in September 1940, was the establishment of these weather stations on the East Coast of Greenland. These were vital to Germany 's ability to predict the right sea and air conditions for their planned amphibious invasion by more than 2000 vessels carrying the first 13 of 40 army divisions. These weather stations were eliminated in August 1940; and the Germans were "arrested as illegal immigrants". The invasion date was reset three times to no avail primarily due to the weather, and Hitler canceled the operation and instead invaded USSR . ( Germany annually persisted in establishing weather stations on the East Coast of Greenland and annually the US Coast Guard dealt with them to the end of the war).
Thus Peary and his daughter Marie "Ahnighito" had small but timely continuing roles in Greenland that had a relatively unknown effect on the course of World War II history as well as family connections with the Polar Eskimos over a span of more than 100 years. Earlier, I have addressed Peary's role in reversing the "Little Ice Age", the on-going slide into extinction of the world's most northerly aboriginal people's, whose history may have gone back 4,000 years. They were most instrumental in his success in being the world's first to reach the North Pole, akin to the United State 's Astronauts later landing on the moon. But was USA 's NASA first to the moon? The Polar Eskimo's own legendary Shaman, Angakok Qitdlarssuag claimed to have already made trips to the moon. Coincidentally, a direct descendant of the Great Qitdlag is today a Peary.
Capt. Donald M. Taub, USGG Ret.
Capt. Taub served as commanding officer of the northernmost weather (Loran) station near Thule , Greenland in 1953-54. While there and on many return trips he became very familiar with the resident Inuit Eskimos and is considered an expert on their genealogy and culture.
Someone at our last board meeting (it was only a few weeks ago and, I admit, I don't remember who it was) mentioned that they didn't care much for the term "Docent". As I recall, there was some discussion about using the words "Volunteer Guide" in place of Docent. Now that I think of it, I guess both terms fit pretty well. The Friends are a Volunteer organization and we're asking a few people to volunteer some of their time to benefit the island. Still, I think the word Docent has a literate flavor to it. Not that we're heavy into culture, mind. It's just that with all the rich history Eagle Island holds, Docent just seems to fit.
This past summer saw the beginnings of the first Docent Program on Eagle Island . Led by Harry Rich, six special people spent a day on Eagle Island fulfilling the role of Docent. The feedback we got from visitors to the island was very positive; all seemed to appreciate the fact that there was someone to guide them here or there; to answer questions or simply to point out where the restroom was. Just as important, the Docents gave Jeannie the time to tend to business on the float where she's often needed.
We're going to continue the Docent Program next summer. Visitors to the island will be able to identify the Docents by looking for a yellow polo shirt with the Friends logo embroidered on the left pocket. What we need (in case you were wondering why I chose that catchy title for this message, here it is) are Docents. As a volunteer organization, we're very good at asking for things, especially time. The Friends are hoping to find at least twelve more people to spend one or two days on the island this summer. We'll provide transportation and, of course, the yellow shirt. We'll ask for those who volunteer simply to learn about the Admiral and his island and then to share that special knowledge with those who choose to make Eagle Island a stop on their vacation or day off.
I know of few more special places than Eagle Island . Perhaps it's being in the place the Admiral considered home. Or, perhaps it's the family history. After last July 4, I understand why the Peary family considers the island so special: it's their home, too. I hope that there are many among those reading this edition of the "Eagle Island Journal" that will consider giving their time to learning to be a Docent on Eagle Island . If my often-hectic schedule will allow, I certainly will. In doing so, I believe I'll gain far more than I'll give. I expect you all will, too.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support.
Bob York
We continued our bird study in 2004, thanks to Ted Allen, John Berry, Cathie Dauphin, Will Broussard, Maurice Dauphin, Michael Dauphin, Peter Doucette, Libby Hyatt, Barrett Lawson, Heidi Seitz, Luke Seitz, Elliot Wright, and Jeanie Dorrington. On our three trips to the Island in May, June, and July, we saw 54 species of birds.
Weather played more of a role than in the past, delaying both the May and July trips. An exciting surprise was on May 16, when we were soaked by a heavy rainstorm. The rain also hit a migrating flock of songbirds, forcing them down on Eagle Island . In about 75 years of birding, I've never seen such a concentration of Warblers. Every tree was alive with them. We saw 17 species of Warblers, including six which we had not seen there in the preceding 5 years. Other species new to our island list, which were probably migrating with the Warblers, were Eastern Kingbird, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin, Swanson's Thrush, Swamp Sparrow, and Baltimore Oriole. A great part of the fun of this trip was seeing the excitement and birding skills of our two ten -year olds, Peter and Luke.
Another weather effect was the demonstration of Maurice's skill in using his GPS to hit the island right on the nose in a pea-soup fog. The fog also brought ten to twenty Wilson 's Petrels within sight of the boat, but none close enough to see from the island.
We counted 45 Eider nests within 1.5 meters of the paths in May. The trails total 1213 meters in length, including the Raspberry trail. Assuming 60,000 square meters for the area suitable for nesting habitat, the extrapolated population is 745 pairs of birds, the highest count in the six years of our study.
Ospreys which formerly nested near the north end of the island, nested successfully near the eastern shore at the southern end this year. The nesting population of Great Blue Herons appears to be at least 3 pairs.
Since Maurice and his boat will be unavailable for at least two trips next year, I suggest that we give the birds and ourselves a rest until 2006.
C. F. Huntington
Friends of Peary's Eagle Island have embarked upon an ambitious program to produce a documentary film about Admiral Peary, his achievements, and his beloved Eagle Island . Smith Atwood Video Services Inc. a full service film production company of Portland, Maine is under contract to handle all production aspects under direction of John Davis, the Friends Vice President for Education and author of the script "Admiral Robert E. Peary: The Man and His Island". This script is providing general guidelines for the nature and content of the program.
The final narrated program will run about 35 to 40 minutes. Portions of this program will be extracted and used to create a 10 minute short program for a user activated monitor on Eagle Island . The Friends have emphasized that this is not a commercial venture as the main program will be employed principally at presentation lectures, informational meetings. It will also be available at no cost to interested groups, schools, and institutions as an educational tool.
Work began in June 2004 with initial reworking of the existing script. In July the first shoot, including an interview with Robert E. Peary III, took place on Eagle Island . In August and September there were additional shooting sessions on Eagle Island, including a taped interview with Ed Stafford, grandson of the Admiral, plus a day devoted to taping views of the Island from a helicopter.
Friends of Peary's Eagle Island have received several generous grants to help fund the production and to date have realized a little more than half the total amount needed to complete the project. The project is scheduled for completion in June or July of 2005, and hopes are high that the intervening months will realize the gifts and grants necessary to allow a timely completion.
John Davis
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Published by the Friends of Peary's Eagle Island , P. O. Box 70 , Bailey Island , ME 04003 Bob York, President; David Stuntz, Treasurer; Connie Henry, Secretary; Harry Rich, VP Projects; John Davis, VP Education;Ned Dewey, VP Fund Raising; Jim Davis, Journal Editor: Barbara Tucker, Tour Director; Chuck Huntington, Bird Study; John Davis, Marine Study; Oliver Brown, President Emeritus. |