Fred & Ruth Matson's 1 day & overnight trip to Sandy Cove with Archie & Manda Chase, son Gene, and Archie's mother turned into a longer, cramped proposition when the "Iola" decided to beach herself in the middle of the night. But pioneers are quick to adapt! Click for Ruth's story.

Fred and Ruth Matson's first Gustavus boat, the "Iola" was built soon after arrival in 1930 in good friend Harry Hall's living room. The length of the hull and the room were both 28 '. 

To finish the cabin on the "Iola", Fred hauled the boat hull to the little one room Gustavus school house yard close to Salmon River Bridge, and set up shop practically on top of the playground. This was surprising as Fred was not overly fond of children (Ruth loved them), and was "pestered" to distraction with the children's hundred and one questions.

On the other hand, the location was at the center of the Gustavus, Alaska universe and as such became the social point of contact to observe, comment, offer advice and assistance (probably unwanted) on the progress or lack thereof of the project. Plus, the schoolhouse apartment (tiny as it was) was their home.

When all was neatly finished, the spic and span new, proud "Iola" had a little gas driven engine motor, "plenty of galley space", with "lots of cupboards" and a small sized range and a 2 burner gasoline stove.

"Our small boat was roomy and comfortable for a day's trip," said Ruth Matson, "But it was not built for more than two overnight travelers."

But, Archie Chase's mother, Nora, was visiting Gustavus and so wanted to see Glacier Bay that Fred and Ruth agreed to take "Grandma Chase", Archie, Gene (a teenager), and Manda along (6 in all!) on a trip to Sandy Cove to visit a small group of gold miners that both Fred and Archie knew. Yes, it would be crowded, but Ruth reported optimistically that as they were all good sailors, it bode fair to be good fun!

No one cared if there was only one comfortable bunk that dropped down by chains during the day to form a "daveno", a little fold-up table, 2 small wood chairs, and a little walk way of bare wood floors that would have to serve as beds at night. They all laughed, Ruth said, at the thought that they would probably get no sleep anyway. Anything could be endured and qualify as fun for one night at any rate.

From Ruth Matson's original manuscript of Happy Alaskans, We she writes, "When we loaded the boat, Archie and Manda brought boxes and boxes of food. All kinds of good things, there was cake, salads, sandwiches, loaves of bread and butter for more, there were meats, pickles, canned fruits. When I protested they were bringing too much, they replied they were doing no such thing. If we furnished the boat, gas, and oil and took them along on a fine trip, they were more than glad to bring plenty of food!"

So, off they went with great anticipation, fighting oncoming tides, chugging slowly away and at least by GHAA suspicions,  probably severely overloaded to boot! At one point Ruth reported that the tide was running at them like a "mill-race" and they could not gain on it.

"Fred set the little Buda motor at full speed ahead and it screamed and howled and whined, and yet we didn't gain an inch." They wisely turned around, and "crawled" back to shelter and waited for the tide to turn.

Reaching Sandy Cove the little group of adventurers were awed at the utter beauty of the beach, the grand hillsides "lush and green" with beautiful flowers, mineral studded rocks, and only the sounds of nature to accompany it all.

The day was gorgeous, and Fred put the "Iola" on the beach at high tide to do a little maintenance caulking. To support his little ship in an upright postition (to facilitate meals, etc.) Fred found some sturdy blocks and propped her tight. The idea was that when he floated the "Iola" off the beach, the blocks would shift and be on their way. But, of course, nothing went quite as planned.

(Ruth observed that had there been any one in the beach area that day to see their group of 6 good sized adults file one after another up the ramp and into the little boat cabin for lunch call, it would have been a grand mystery as to where on earth they were being put.)

The 6 Gustavus revelers were thrilled to accept an invitation to dinner extended by the miners which included an inspection of a cave with what was later reported as some of the most beautiful and unusual rock formation shot thru with peacock blues and bright and shiny minerals that they had ever seen.

Then came "The Plan". In the middle of the night, with the tide high, and everybody in their houdini positions to get some sleep, Fred got out in his skiff and towed the boat to deep waters, threw the anchor, and went back to bed.

Several hours later Ruth woke to Fred's "She's aground, sure as heck!". Scrambling to get outside to see what was the matter, everyone awoke to Fred's ferocious roar of laughter that reportedly echoed around and around the Glacier Bay mountain tops piercing the night and nature's peace.

Fred instructed everyone (peering wide-eyed around every corner and from every angle) to go back to bed. "By golly, the old girl didn't want to go on yet," he shouted. So, obligingly, of course, neither would they.

What happened that night that would keep the crowded group of 6 within inches of each other for an extra holiday of another day and night together?

Reading from the original manuscript of Happy Alaskans, We Fred summed it up like this. "Little old Iola likes her propping block and this place to stop so well that she won't give it up. She's just swung herself back on the anchor line till she's up on the beach again and she's carried the propping block that we had her propped on this morning with her, and she's just sat down on it again! She won't tip, so everything is fine!"

Well, just like out of the storybooks, everyone reportedly shouted "Hurray, Hurray!", happy for the gift of an extra day in beautiful Glacier Bay, Alaska. And though the little group of happy Alaskans did not think of it at the time, another page of Gustavus, Alaska history had just been given its assignment.

GHAA Note: The small group of gold miners that Matsons & Chases visited in Sandy Cove were a band of Tlinget Indians who owned the Wolf Creek Mining Company out of Hoonah, Alaska and worked the Sandy Cove location from the mid 1930's to the early 1940's. Though the group of Tlingets likely numbered less than 20, they reportedly had a bunk and cookhouse, blacksmith & compressor buildings, cable trains, and a working "tunnel" that exceeded 100 feet. Both Fred Matson and Archie Chase knew some of these Tlinget miners from their supply runs and business conducted in Hoonah, across Icy Straits from Gustavus, Alaska.

Fred & Ruth Matson's 1 day & overnight trip to Sandy Cove with Archie & Manda Chase, son Gene, and Archie's mother turned into a longer, cramped proposition when the "Iola" decided to beach herself in the middle of the night. But pioneers are quick to adapt! Click for Ruth's story.

Fred and Ruth Matson's first Gustavus boat, the "Iola" was built soon after arrival in 1930 in good friend Harry Hall's living room. The length of the hull and the room were both 28 '. 

To finish the cabin on the "Iola", Fred hauled the boat hull to the little one room Gustavus school house yard close to Salmon River Bridge, and set up shop practically on top of the playground. This was surprising as Fred was not overly fond of children (Ruth loved them), and was "pestered" to distraction with the children's hundred and one questions.

On the other hand, the location was at the center of the Gustavus, Alaska universe and as such became the social point of contact to observe, comment, offer advice and assistance (probably unwanted) on the progress or lack thereof of the project. Plus, the schoolhouse apartment (tiny as it was) was their home.

When all was neatly finished, the spic and span new, proud "Iola" had a little gas driven engine motor, "plenty of galley space", with "lots of cupboards" and a small sized range and a 2 burner gasoline stove.

"Our small boat was roomy and comfortable for a day's trip," said Ruth Matson, "But it was not built for more than two overnight travelers."

But, Archie Chase's mother, Nora, was visiting Gustavus and so wanted to see Glacier Bay that Fred and Ruth agreed to take "Grandma Chase", Archie, Gene (a teenager), and Manda along (6 in all!) on a trip to Sandy Cove to visit a small group of gold miners that both Fred and Archie knew. Yes, it would be crowded, but Ruth reported optimistically that as they were all good sailors, it bode fair to be good fun!

No one cared if there was only one comfortable bunk that dropped down by chains during the day to form a "daveno", a little fold-up table, 2 small wood chairs, and a little walk way of bare wood floors that would have to serve as beds at night. They all laughed, Ruth said, at the thought that they would probably get no sleep anyway. Anything could be endured and qualify as fun for one night at any rate.

From Ruth Matson's original manuscript of Happy Alaskans, We she writes, "When we loaded the boat, Archie and Manda brought boxes and boxes of food. All kinds of good things, there was cake, salads, sandwiches, loaves of bread and butter for more, there were meats, pickles, canned fruits. When I protested they were bringing too much, they replied they were doing no such thing. If we furnished the boat, gas, and oil and took them along on a fine trip, they were more than glad to bring plenty of food!"

So, off they went with great anticipation, fighting oncoming tides, chugging slowly away and at least by GHAA suspicions,  probably severely overloaded to boot! At one point Ruth reported that the tide was running at them like a "mill-race" and they could not gain on it.

"Fred set the little Buda motor at full speed ahead and it screamed and howled and whined, and yet we didn't gain an inch." They wisely turned around, and "crawled" back to shelter and waited for the tide to turn.

Reaching Sandy Cove the little group of adventurers were awed at the utter beauty of the beach, the grand hillsides "lush and green" with beautiful flowers, mineral studded rocks, and only the sounds of nature to accompany it all.

The day was gorgeous, and Fred put the "Iola" on the beach at high tide to do a little maintenance caulking. To support his little ship in an upright postition (to facilitate meals, etc.) Fred found some sturdy blocks and propped her tight. The idea was that when he floated the "Iola" off the beach, the blocks would shift and be on their way. But, of course, nothing went quite as planned.

(Ruth observed that had there been any one in the beach area that day to see their group of 6 good sized adults file one after another up the ramp and into the little boat cabin for lunch call, it would have been a grand mystery as to where on earth they were being put.)

The 6 Gustavus revelers were thrilled to accept an invitation to dinner extended by the miners which included an inspection of a cave with what was later reported as some of the most beautiful and unusual rock formation shot thru with peacock blues and bright and shiny minerals that they had ever seen.

Then came "The Plan". In the middle of the night, with the tide high, and everybody in their houdini positions to get some sleep, Fred got out in his skiff and towed the boat to deep waters, threw the anchor, and went back to bed.

Several hours later Ruth woke to Fred's "She's aground, sure as heck!". Scrambling to get outside to see what was the matter, everyone awoke to Fred's ferocious roar of laughter that reportedly echoed around and around the Glacier Bay mountain tops piercing the night and nature's peace.

Fred instructed everyone (peering wide-eyed around every corner and from every angle) to go back to bed. "By golly, the old girl didn't want to go on yet," he shouted. So, obligingly, of course, neither would they.

What happened that night that would keep the crowded group of 6 within inches of each other for an extra holiday of another day and night together?

Reading from the original manuscript of Happy Alaskans, We Fred summed it up like this. "Little old Iola likes her propping block and this place to stop so well that she won't give it up. She's just swung herself back on the anchor line till she's up on the beach again and she's carried the propping block that we had her propped on this morning with her, and she's just sat down on it again! She won't tip, so everything is fine!"

Well, just like out of the storybooks, everyone reportedly shouted "Hurray, Hurray!", happy for the gift of an extra day in beautiful Glacier Bay, Alaska. And though the little group of happy Alaskans did not think of it at the time, another page of Gustavus, Alaska history had just been given its assignment.

GHAA Note: The small group of gold miners that Matsons & Chases visited in Sandy Cove were a band of Tlinget Indians who owned the Wolf Creek Mining Company out of Hoonah, Alaska and worked the Sandy Cove location from the mid 1930's to the early 1940's. Though the group of Tlingets likely numbered less than 20, they reportedly had a bunk and cookhouse, blacksmith & compressor buildings, cable trains, and a working "tunnel" that exceeded 100 feet. Both Fred Matson and Archie Chase knew some of these Tlinget miners from their supply runs and business conducted in Hoonah, across Icy Straits from Gustavus, Alaska.