In the Wake of the Frontier

In 1954, Ruth Vincent was a young teacher and Alaska was not yet a state when her biologist husband, Bob, decided to conduct research on rugged, isolated Afognak Island. As they left Oregon for the unknown, both Ruth and Bob eagerly anticipated their pioneer adventure. Hours later, the two stood on the remote island with nothing but a short-wave radio and bush pilots as their connections to the outside world. Dressed in heels, Ruth reveals how she was ushered into her tiny new home that had looked so tidy from the air, but in reality was filled with junk. While learning to live within primitive conditions, Ruth shares how, amid stunning Alaskan scenery and idyllic peacefulness, she faced Kodiak brown bears, confronted loneliness, and welcomed critters as pets. As months turned into years, Ruth made do by brushing her teeth in the river, enhancing her meals with puffin eggs, and looking forward to mail deliveries by bush pilots. Through it all, Ruth provides insight into the importance of having a positive attitude as she and Bob learned to trust each other and their faith to find creative solutions to all their challenges. In the Wake of the Frontier vividly portrays one couple’s three-year adventure on an Alaskan island during the 1950s as they unearthed valuable lessons and made incredible memories.