Forget Oil

You're probably thinking that the title of this post has to do with my recent work on arctic oil exploration. It doesn't. I expect to be getting back to that discussion soon. No, I say 'Forget Oil' because of the old metaphor about 'Oil and Water'. The metaphor suggests that some things just don't go together. I say, forget oil...the saying should be "Water and Electricity".

Heat

Working up here you get used to extremes, and contrasts, and unusual juxtapositions. It goes from 24 daylight to 24 dark. Broken down shacks have brand new 4x4 pickups in the driveway. There are polar bears in the dumpster. Expecting the unexpected comes with the territory. But now and then things are out of place enough that you take notice. Why does the entire flight crew from Anchorage to Barrow, Alaska have Cuban accents? Oh right, because this is the Miami Heat’s private jet that we are using. I’m not sure how versed they are at landing on icy runways, but at least there’s plenty of legroom.

The locals are not too happy with the ice bullies

Ice Bullies

CHUTNEY Chapter 3: WORK

We actually didn’t get to see Nome for real.  Our ride (a Zodiac) picked us up at the dock and brought us ~1/4 mile offshore to our boat.  Norseman II is a former crab boat identical to the Northwestern from ‘The Deadliest Catch’, although there are some big differences.   Instead of a huge open deck, they’ve added an extended cabin with a 14 person dining table, flat screen TVs, couches and work stations for computers and scientific equipment.   It’s a really well designed setup for a research vessel.  There is still a fairly large deck with multiple winches, a crane, and a 15’ A-frame.  The ship’s crew are excellent seamen with diverse backgrounds of Navy, commercial fishing, and science (the captain has dual phd in Oceanography and Marine Ecology).  

We spent next day transferring and packing gear. Then we set sail North through the Bering Strait. This was a tricky call.  There was a storm rolling into the Chukchi about two days out.  Transiting north was going to put us there right as it came through.  But waiting in Nome for the storm to pass would mean losing good travel weather and being 4 days behind schedule.  So we headed north for 48 hours getting into the Chukchi just as the wind picked up to 35knts and the seas kicked up to 10’.   We found some shelter in the lee of Icy Cape, and point of land in the middle of nowhere along the arctic coast.  We tested and tweaked our gear while riding out the worst of the storm at anchor at Icy Cape.

The next day we headed out to our work site.  The wind had subsided somewhat but the waves were still around 8+ feet.  We attempted some work but it was pretty obvious that it would be unsafe and unproductive so it was called off.  We deployed some traps to capture amphipods for tissue samples.  But that didn’t take long.  It finally let up a bit and we got to work.  FAST.....

CHUTNEY Chapter 2: GOLD

There's No Place Like Nome.
I caught the first few nights of US Olympic Gold Rush Fever.  But on August 1 a charter flight took us to Nome and that was the last we saw of TV and reports from London.  But Nome is Gold.

The Wild Ranger and other gold boats in Nome's 'small boat harbor'

Our crew was growing along the way.  Groups from AK offices and universities joined us for the flight.  Nome is different.  The roads are dirt (mud really) and ATVs are the primary vehicle.  People drive them fast.  Our ship was anchored offshore so we went to the small boat harbor to wait for a ride.  The small boat harbor in Nome is mostly made up of gold panning boats.  The reality TV show Bering Sea Gold is shot here and one of the most colorful characters of the show (Captain Scott Meisterheim) was on the dock while we waited.  This is a crazy occupation.  They dive in the cold waters off of Nome basically getting dragged by their boat and using huge hoses to suck up bottom sediments from under rocks that they move.  Then they sift/pan the material looking for gold dust.  At $1,600/ounce there is the potential to make some real money.  But given the state of their boats, gear, ATVs, and trucks it’s hard to imagine that they really do that well.   Meisterheim had one of the nicer ATVs at the dock, but I’m guessing that was earned through the TV show more than gold panning.

 And that seems to be the thing about AK.  Natural resources are here – everywhere.  Gold, oil, fish, eveything.  And people are here to find them and take them.  Gold diggers, oil drillers, fishermen.  People talk about how much money they make…or will make…or could make.  It’s not clear though if the work or the extractions are truly profitable or sustainable.  The work is hard and the extractions destructive.  The ‘industries’ are often in conflict too.  Minerals versus fish, oil vs whales, money vs culture…maybe. Money may be the culture.  And it runs deep. The resources bring the industries and the industries bring the support industries: transportation, food, lodging, logistics, science.    Science is embedded it in all from exploration to extraction to monitoring and regulation. And the scientists are here for the same reasons as the gold diggers. But the prospect of money is also a sort of excuse – a rationalization – for these people.  The gold diggers aren’t really making that much money and neither are the fishermen or scientists.  The real attraction is the remoteness, the unique settings, the challenges, and the overall experience.

CHUTNEY Chapter 1: Coast to Coast

The persons, places, and activities contained within this account may or may not be loosely based on real experiences of the author and names may have been changed to disguise parties who care about such things.

July ended with splash.  July 30^th was a classic hot, humid New England summer evening.  I poured sweat in my shorts and flip flops while I packed fleece, down, and wool into my bag.  It was hard to focus and plan appropriately.  I scrounged through drawers and bags I hadn’t been in for months.  Fortunately I keep a ski bag packed 365 days a year.  I refuse to be the unprepared when a fluke August snowfall provides turns in the Whites, or TGR calls me in as a last minute replacement for Chile shoot.  There were lots of last minute things to do but one of them suddenly seemed the most critical.  So I hopped on my bike, rode down the street, and jumped in the ocean.  The tide was up to the wall so I walked straight into the water off the third step.  As expected it was instantly cooling and instantly calming. I went home cool and salty and the packing went easy.

Near Valdez

July 31^st and I was in Anchorage.  Snow lingered in the surrounding peaks and the heat lamps were on at the Millennium’s patio bar.  JH and I watched float planes land on Lake Hood while we slurped Alaskan IPAs.  They are always a treat but knowing that we were entering 10-30 days of “seahab” made them that much sweeter.  Months of stressful planning were culminating in the coming days.  But knowing that we were finally in motion put us in our comfort zone.  I knew it wasn’t going to get dark so I didn’t wait.  I pulled the shades and that was it for July.

Float On

I read it once, but I don't remember the actual stat.  Something about Anchorage airport having the highest concentration of seaplanes in the world.  I don't know if that's actually true...but there are a lot.  I will say that it's the only major airport I know of that has a huge lagoon associated with it for the seaplanes to land.  My hotel room looks over Lake Hood Seaplane Lagoon and they are coming and going non stop.  

Chukchi Sea Environmental Science Program

Arctic research. Follow the Norseman II ... CSESP - Maps

Bourbon street..

Enough said.

Water Infrequently

A drought really.

Oh sure, there have been some things to say in the past 15 months.  But I haven't really felt like it.  With empty shells and gimpy left arm my time on the bay was pretty limited.  I spent a lot of time wondering how I was going to flail my way through a one-armed BC winter.  But the problem solved itself with the warmest, driest winter I can remember.  So, yeah, haven't really felt like talking about it.

But then MD reminded me of some good old posts and we cracked up about "Fail".  The farm is gone.  The arm is back.  Other things are back (I'll get to that).   The summer looks ripe for Rexhame lounging, White Mountain exploring, and Arctic travels.  So Pour it On.

But again, it's not like nothing happened.  One of my favorite pics from the past few months, rainbow smelt in the Jones River.....