Change Your Latitude
Dear Editor: Congratulations to all of the 2022 Change Your Latitude participants! This year we all experienced some of the most challenging conditions that our event has ever had. Lots of rain in the days before, significant snow melt from the mountains, a bit of wind to start the day, equaled for some cold sections of the race (high of 58° in the middle of the course and a low of 49° near the turn buoy).
Race organizers and the Baranof Barracudas Swim Club would like to express our gratitude to several generous Sitka businesses for their support. Thanks to Sitka Sound Science Center for coordinating with us to utilize their facilities and logistics planning around salmon cost recovery and swimmers not getting scooped up. North Pacific Seafoods for the salmon donation, feeding our swimmers and volunteers at our pre-race and safety meeting and banquet. To Chef Edith Johnson for stepping in at the last minute to grill the very tasty salmon. Thanks to the Sitka High School Swim Team for lifting and moving the heavy stuff. To Travel Sitka, LFS, Westcoast Workshop, and SEARHC for donating Sitka printed gear for our participants to wear and carry proudly here and back home. And to Fisherman’s Quay and the Calvin family for the donation of space, encouragement, logistics support, muscle, and constant energy.
A special thank you to all of our kayak volunteers including those from the Sitka Americorp crew. Our swimmers were yet again impressed and forever grateful to you being out there in the rain with them. Dr. Julian Naylor, as our dedicated medical support, tending to more cold swimmers than ever this year! Without those keen eyes out there on the water and on shore this swim would not exist.
Fifty-three swimmers jumped into Sitka Sound and every single one of them said they really want to come back! To everyone of the swimmers BBSC would like to thank you for your support of our swim club. We look forward to welcoming swimmers and their supporters back next year!
Kevin Knox, Race Director,
Head Coach
Baranof Barracudas Swim Club
SMC Improvements
Dear Editor:I live on Sawmill Creek Road where various companies are working together to improve the highway and the storm drainage system along this road. As it says on the project website, sawmillcrk.com, “The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, represented by proHNS LLC, in cooperation with Secon, Inc., is repaving and improving the south side of Sawmill Creek Road.” Other contractors that I’m aware of are Marble Construction and Chatham Electric. There have also been city employees out on the site.
I’m so impressed with the attitude of these people. They put up with me interrupting them to ask questions when I’m concerned about what’s happening in my front yard. I’ve been met with nothing but kindness and consideration from everyone I’ve been in contact with. They have bent over backwards to meet my needs and help this process go as smoothly as possible.
Having our lives disrupted, putting up with noisy equipment, and our property a mess, is definitely stressful but I know they are all doing the best they can to ease our burdens and provide an improved road, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes for many years to come. Be sure to give them a friendly wave and a smile when you pass by; it will surely be appreciated.
Mim McConnell, Sitka
