I took the clinic vehicle for a tour of our wind-swept island yesterday to become familiar with the 4 square mile rock that is home for the next few months. There are a few tucked away places to explore; but I think I've found them all.
I've been told that Shemya is one of two islands in the world where two bodies of water meet [the Pacific on our Southern shore and the Bering to the North]. The surrounding ocean is omnipresent on the island, and a bit overwhelming to think about. According to the satellite imagery, it is a straight 9,800 mile journey from here to Pine Island Glacier without touching land in-between. Our nearest human neighbors are in Adak, 400 miles to the East. On the Western skyline I can see Attu Island - the next landfall is the Russian Commander Islands, with mainland Russia another 100 miles beyond them.
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