Här följer en intressant berättelse om en man som säger sig ha varit med när en rysk expedition nådde fram till Noas Ark 1917. Informationen kommer från Rex Geissler, utgivaren av boken "Explorers of Ararat".
Through correspondence on B.J.'s website http://www.noahsarksearch.com, the grandson of an alleged Russian expedition member contacted B.J. who forwarded the information. Over the past few months, I have been chatting with both the grandson, Joseph Way, and the grandfather, Joe Kulik, who reside in British Columbia, Canada.
In a phone interview to the care facility where he now lives, Joe Kulik stated that he was born on March 15, 1902 and is now 97-years-old. He said that at the beginning of World War I, his family fled Austria and moved to Russia in the Ukraine region. Kulik stated that as a 15-year-old in 1917, he was hired by a Russian Army Patrol expedition to feed the horses and the troops while the Russian troops searched for a boat on a mountain. The Russian expedition took him to the Russian border with Turkey where they went up a great mountain. Joe said that they left the horses behind at one point and went toward the top of the mountain where they saw a huge, long boat with a hole in the side of it. Kulik said that the boat had moss growing on the top of it. He said that nobody took a picture because no one had film at that time. He said that it was like a huge building or three times the size of a small house wide.
Kulik stated that he still had gold coins with the Czar on them. When the Bolshevik revolution started in Russia the following year, his family hid on their farm in the Ukraine. In 1921, his family fled the Communists in Russia to Poland where he was forced into the Polish Army between 1924 and 1929. In 1929, he migrated to Canada and Manitoba, then went to British Columbia in 1939 where he retired in 1967. Kulik speaks Austrian, Russian, Polish and English. His English is broken and he had difficulty understanding some of my questions on the phone.
Joe's wife is still alive though they are both in poor health and she in a Nursing Home/Hospital. Joe has terminal Lung Cancer with so much pain (allergic to morphine so can only take Tylenol) that he now has difficulty concentrating on anything, let alone a conversation. His grandson, Joseph Way, does not want to upset his grandfather at this point in his life and has asked that we do not pursue further interviews, etc.
Joe's granddaughter has a video tape from a couple years ago of him briefly discussing this part of his life. I encouraged the grandson to get the video from the granddaughter, which he did. The grandson is currently making a copy of the section and will send it to me shortly and I will update you with anything interesting from it.
Joe's granddaughter believes that from past discussions, Joe was 17 when he saw the boat on the mountain and that he may have been born in 1900 rather than 1902, making him currently 99 instead of 97 with his 100th birthday in one month.
It is quite interesting to find a living person who actually claims to have been a part of the much-maligned Russian expedition. It is also fascinating that Kulik claimed that the ark had moss growing on it just like George Hagopian claimed just 10-13 years earlier in the century. Note also the hole in the side of the boat which corresponds to the Armanaff photograph sketch.
Regards, Rex
Subject: Mt. Ararat opened to mountaineers officially...
From the Turkish Newspaper Sabah , dated 29th of October , 1999 (translated by a Turkish friend)
The first government climb up Mount Ararat this year, named the"Republic Climb" was done by a group including the goverment minister of sports, Fikret Unlu.The first minister to climb the mountain, Fikret Unlu, spent his first night in a camp at 4200m (13,800 feet). He said that Mount Ararat is totally free from terrorist danger. Several native and foreign personalities want to see Mt. Ararat and lots of mountaineeer groups from all around the world want to climb it. From now on abundant help will be provided to those who come to us with this kind of request. There was a huge operation for the safety of the minister on the mountain. The military force consisting of 45 miltary policemen followed the minister until he reached the camp at 4200m. The Republic Climb that consists of 3 persons from Bulgaria, 2 persons from Germany and Iran, 57 mountaineers from Turkey, will continue until 2nd of November.
ARK UPDATE: NEWS FROM THE FRONT (MT. ARARAT)--SUNDAY SEPT. 5,1999
Around 10am this morning I talked with researchers David Larsen and Paul Thomson (from N. Zealand) at the Ararat Hotel (Dogubayazit). The following is what they reported: Meltback on Ararat: The meltback on Ararat looks good--at least as good as it was last year at this time. The hot summer temperatures continue. Concerning climbing permits: There have been at least 4-5 people allowed to climb so far (south face) but it is very expensive--$2,000+ per person and they are given a military escort to keep track of them . It sounds like the military is in charge of this and havent included the Turkish Federation of climbers in it. I got the impression that $ was being passed around to various people in the military. They said the normal waiting time for the military to approve anyone was two weeks. It doesnt look very promising for an approved climb under these conditions for those that are in Dogubayazit. Other Researchers: Dick Bright was reported to be there for at least a week. It is not known if anything was accomplished. The latest word was that he had traveled back to Erzurum to meet with Bob Stuplich and Bob Cornuke. Dick is trying to get a visa for Iran to join Stuplich and Cornuke in a trip to the Iranian Mt. Ararat .
En bild tagen av Mt.Ararat 990881 från Armenien...
OTHER NEWS
There have been reports that Ararat has been opened for limited climbing for a little over a week. Four or five independent researchers are known to be already in Turkey or on their way. Please pray of the Lords protection and guidance for these researchers. Thank you for joing us in prayer. .
A VERY SPECIAL YEAR FOR MT ARARAT AND THE SEARCH FOR THE ARK
The summer of 97 was an excepionally warm summer in Eastern Turkey where Mt .Ararat is located. The meltback on the ice cap of Ararat was exceptional.
The summer of 98 was reported to be the hottest in eastern Turkey in 40-50 years. The exceptional meltback on Ararat continues.
1999
This year it has been reported that there was no winter in Armeania (on the north side of Ararat). This summer and the meltback on the mountain has the potential for being a record setter! It could be a "smooth" year with maximum meltback. This is reported to happen only once evey hundred years or so.
At this time, however, the hot summer temperatures are reported to be about one month behind-so the best meltback period will probably be the month of September. Perhaps the Lord is getting ready to reveal something special that has been burried in the ice cap of Ararat.
(Dessa nyheter kommer från ett nyhetsbrev som skickas ut av John McIntosh, en riktig veteran när det gäller sökandet efter Noas Ark).
