by Michael Downey
My most enduring image of Rev. Moon in Alaska is him sitting cross-legged, back straight on the engine cover of an open boat. No matter what the weather or sea conditions he always sat staring out to sea, unchanging. When I remember him on the ocean, I remember his unchanging posture, completely in control of his mind and body in the midst of the constantly changing marine environment. I greatly admired this persona of self-control because I myself always struggled to control my mind and body.
Although he has passed away, Sun Myung Moon has left an enduring legacy on Kodiak Island. His unique concept of blending church and ocean life and the training of young people on the ocean remain as the core of the Ocean Church and Ocean Challenge programs. Young people from around the world still gather at North Garden each summer to challenge themselves, the ocean and to meet God.