We went out with the fire department on Saturday April 3rd to stand by a 3-4 hour snowmachine race that went from Kotzebue through 3 of our villages before returning. We went out about 6 miles on the sound to set up a standby station in case of emergency. We had the department Argo-a land and sea machine and two search and rescue snowmachines with their basket sled equipped with a litter and all our emergency gear. Overhead there were a number of small planes two of which contained EMT's. They airlifted one patient with an open fracture of the lower leg which fortunately turned out to be the only injury in the over 50 racers. These machines race at over 100 mph and are designed for this. A few racers did wipe out, although how none were seriously injured, I do not know. We brought an ice auger and fished unsuccessfully to pass time. However the ice turned out to be from four and a half to six feet thick. This is an accurate measurement as the auger will only go down six feet and in one hole the engine was sitting on the ice when it broke through! We only had about two feet of water under the ice to fish in. The day though was in the single digits with the sun shining down and no wind-a glorious day.
We have been out and about after work doing a bit more fishing. The fish though are still to far out right now to reach without a 45 minute to one hour ride by snowmachine. Still, we are going out and having fun.
The temps have been above freezing for about five days now. We rode across the sound to camp Saturday 4/10/04 and did some fishing and hunting, both without success. We did have a good time though and when I stop and look around, I am continually amazed at where we are and the intense beauty of it all.
Easter Sunday we kind of took it easy. The temps for the last week have been above freezing and the roads and tundra are clearing of ice so we did a ride on the 4 wheelers to see if we could get on the beach. We could not get there yet but we enjoyed the ride. While out we did see three finishers of the Kobuk 440 dog sled race that started on Thursday.
Happy Easter!
For problems or questions regarding this web contact
carlo@samsicles.net
Last updated:
08/29/05
/100_2497.JPG "Arriving at the fire hall.")
/100_2129.JPG "Patty getting ready to ride.")
/100_2132.JPG "On the trail out on the sound following the willow branches.")
/100_2134.JPG "Setting up for the race.")
/100_2135.JPG "Patty in front of the basket sled loaded with a litter and emergency equipment.")
/100_2137.JPG "Cathy and John, the only diehard Saints fan in the Arctic! (He's from Fairbanks.)")
/100_2241.JPG "Even in the Arctic! Getting fuel from a snowmachine to run the auger.")
/100_2242.JPG "Starting a hole.")
/100_2243.JPG "Still going and no water yet!")
/100_2245.JPG "This is all we caught. They call them bullheads and we do not eat them. The hole is visible on the left.")
/100_2247.JPG "I caught one! Note: I am not wearing a hat as it was warm. However there is ice in my mustache!")
/100_2250.JPG "Patty fishes as Cathy looks on. The mountains are visible in the background.")
/100_2251.JPG "Our machine with our sled, the auger visible and John and Karen fishing in the background.")
/100_2252.JPG "John fishing-note the illusion of cliffs in the background.")
/100_2420.JPG "Taking a break an soaking up the rays.")
/100_2471.JPG "He's from Fairbanks, what can I say?")
/100_2472.JPG "The plane landed to exchange information.")
/100_2492.JPG "He wiped out on this machine taking out the windshield. There are cracks in the cowling but the rider is walking without any problem.")
/100B2204.JPG "The angles of mercy. (Or crazy folk)")
/100B2265.JPG "The planes shawdowed the machines on start and coming in to the finish. The machines were fast enough that the planes could fly with them.")
/100B2291.JPG "Now that's low!")
/100B2372.JPG "Buzzing us.")
/100B2435.JPG "Karen fishes as two planes come by shadowing the finishers of the race.")
/100_2500.JPG "We had a BBQ Sunday with moose roast and moose ribs. We boiled the ribs and froze the broth-moose juice.")
/100_2501.JPG "Fishing out on the sound.")
/100_2502.JPG "Patty taking a break, sitting on our sled with the auger beside her.")
/100_2503.JPG "Even the family dogs came out on this beautiful evening. (No, their not our dogs.)")
/100_2504.JPG "Cathy on her way across the sound.")
/100_2506.JPG "Looking across to Pipe Spit. Note the appearace of the snow on top of the ice. It takes on a spongy texture and look when the temps warm up.")
/100_2507.JPG "The camp on the north shore.")
/100_2509.JPG "Patty in the camp next to a musk ox hide.")
/100_2511.JPG "Inside the camp.")
/100_2513.JPG "The north shore.")
/100_2515.JPG "Cathy and her machine cool off in the warm spring weather-40 degrees.")
/100_2516.JPG "Note the hood bending from the heat as Patty gives backseat driver advice.")
/100_2517.JPG "Darned fool!")
/100_2518.JPG "There is a pressure ridge behind Cathy although it is not visible. This is when the ice breaks and heaves up.")
/100_2519.JPG "Two dogsledders neck and neck coming into the finish line.")
/100_2520.JPG "The winner crosses the finish line.")
/100_2522.JPG "The frozen sound and the beach from a place just a couple of days ago we could not get to.")
/100_2523.JPG "Patty with her mud splatterd snow pants.")
/100_2524.JPG "Easter Sunday making a carrot cake.")