Captions: The Stories Behind the Photos

An Island Way of Life

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By Kirsten Swann

Story Created: Feb 11, 2013 at 8:18 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Feb 11, 2013 at 8:18 AM AKDT

Presented by Snapped

Sonny Vinberg’s Kodiak memories run deep.

He recalls growing up in a fishing family, skating on Potato Patch Lake, combing the beaches and exploring the island community’s abundant natural playgrounds. He remembers the violent shaking and wailing sirens that rocked the island on March 27, 1964, and taking shelter from the impending tsunami at the high school with the rest of the town.

He remembers moving away from the island as a young child when his stepfather, a Navy man, was transferred to NAS Whidbey Island, and he remembers returning briefly after high school graduation to work a summer job at Uganik Bay Cannery.

Nearly 40 years later, he finally returned to his island home for good.

Kodiak hadn’t really changed much.

Vinberg said he captures the familiar scenes around him with his iPhone, his P&S Nikon and his Nikon D70. He snaps the mountains rising up from the water, the family fishing boats heading out to sea and the dramatic ‘blue hours’ before sunrise and after sunset. He watches for wildlife roaming the island, the natural splendor and the tiny details of Alaska life abundant on Kodiak: the floatplanes, the XtraTufs and the perennial damp.

From his office window he can see Mt. Barometer and the familiar expanse of Chiniak Bay, and he said he loves photographing the island’s channels, harbors and old architecture. Some things are different: There are more roads, more buildings and more people than when he first left in third grade. But the important things remain unchanged.

“Practically everyone says hello, and it's still a great place for families and kids to grow up in.”
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