STREAM WATCH SWEET BIRCH SYRUP RUGGED OUTERWEAR The Magazine of Life on the Last Frontier
FISHING Alaska
SHIPWRECK! Dire straits and dive sites
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Tips for a successful outing
ALEUTIANS:
Deep-sea plants and creatures hang in the balance
KlondikeFever Retracing the most popular gold rush route
TRAILMIX 3 epic hikes near Anchorage
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With bountiful freshwater rivers, streams and lakes, Alaska’s Interior and Arctic provide ample opportunities for fishing enthusiasts. Easily accessible options offer the chance to catch Arctic grayling, rainbow trout, salmon, pike and more. Summer or winter, wet your next line in Fairbanks. Call 1-800-327-5774 for your free Fairbanks Visitors Guide. Explore your Alaskan fishing vacation at explorefairbanks.com.
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04.19 V OLUME 85, NUMBER 3
FEATURES
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Rivers of Inspiration
Chelsea Jones’ art honors Alaskan waters Paintings by Chelsea Jones
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Gone Fishin’ 8 tips for a successful outing By Tom Reale
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In Dire Straits Alaska’s shipwreck and dive site legacy By Michael Engelhard
Heather Montgomery with a king salmon she caught on the Kenai River. GREG DANIELS/ AccentAlaska.com
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DEPARTMENTS The Cache 22 Fresh Fish Seafood company aims to provide freshest salmon possible
QUOTED
“Giants mingle with midgets—thumb-size lumpsuckers with 30-foot octopi, eightstory dragon kelp, and sunflower stars three feet in diameter.”
24 Solving Mysteries on Facebook Alaskans find answers to ocean curiosities through online community 25 Silent Power Juneau man designs fully electric boat 26 Swimming with Sharks Diving lodge in Prince William Sound caters a unique experience
~ ALEUTIAN LIFE AQUATIC MICHAEL ENGELHARD P. 44
Discover 30 Sense of Place
Finding a Place on the River: Fly fishing the Brooks
32 Rambles
Fanged Fur: Alaska’s uneasy relationship with sea otters
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ANCHORAGE
34 Try This
3 Epic Hikes Near Anchorage
38 Out There
What We Are All About: A trip to fish camp yields more than just salmon
40 Sportsman
Stream Watch: 25-year-old program keeps rivers healthy
42 Gear
PLUS: 6 My View North 10 Feast 12 Alaska Exposed 16 On the Edge 44 Natural Alaska 48 History 79 Interview 80 This Alaskan Life
On the Cover: The photographer caught this 23-inch “leopard” rainbow trout using an Orvis 5-weight rod and reel throwing a pink streamer on a small tributary of the Upper Nushagak River in western Alaska. ~Krissie Mason/krissiemason.com
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BROOKS RIVER
TOP: SCOTT BANKS; BOTTOM: WILL RICE
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Red Beeman in disguise while dipnetting in the Kenai River.
A Bad Day of Fishing Beats a good day of work?
brother sold the family’s commercial salmon fishing business of nearly 60 years to friends who’d also setnetted on the same Cook Inlet beach for decades. My dad had spent every summer since before statehood catching salmon by gillnet, my mom and brother nearly as long, and I throughout my youth. It was the end of an era, and although letting it go felt bittersweet, we knew it was time. But where would we get our annual supply of salmon? Our freezers and jars had always been well-stocked, but now we’d either have to buy fish or join the ranks of sporting anglers and catch them one by one. Since the number of individual fish I’ve caught on a hook wouldn’t fill a 50-quart cooler—a couple of grayling, one sculpin, a handful of Dolly Varden, one small halibut, a flounder (yuck), and a lone salmon (why use a pole when I had 35-fathom nets?)—I knew I wouldn’t be stocking my larder via 10-pound test. I had over the years, of course, seen dipnetters amassed along the Kenai River mouth during the mid-summer sockeye run but had always quietly rejoiced that I didn’t have to stand waist-deep in that silty, cold flow waiting for a red to swim by. Last spring, though, the pieces fell into place as friends listened to me lament. One gave me her old dipnet, an unwieldy five-foot-wide aluminum hoop and 15-foot handle. I bought chest waders and a fishing license, fillet knives and waterproof gloves. I studied regulations for the Kenai personal use fishery—I
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could catch my limit of 25 salmon plus proxy fish for my octogenarian parents. “I’ll go with you,” Dad announced when I shared my plans with him and Mom. Although resigned to his new retirement reality, my 87-year-old father sounded eager to try this most iconic of Alaskan activities. Besides, he and I had toiled together seamlessly in the setnet skiff all those seasons, knowing the routine well enough to anticipate each other’s every move, so it was apropos for us to venture to the river last July with the car stuffed full of gear, empty coolers, and high expectations. “Well, damn,” Dad said as we left town. “I forgot to bring a facemask.” I frowned, confused. “In case any of the old commercial fishermen see me!” We laughed at the faux shame. Our good friends helped us claim a spot on the sand and showed us proper technique and etiquette. It was simple, really: bundle up (it was cool and rainy), tip your dipnet up on its side perpendicular to your body, and slide it into the river. Walk in as fast and far as you can, almost up to your armpits, so your net extends more than the person’s three feet away. Stand patiently, chatting with your neighbors, until you think you feel a bump, which might be a salmon, or not, but how will you know until you back out? If you’re lucky, you’ll be bonking fish
on the head and filling your coolers in a jiffy. After eight hours of standing in the Kenai River shivering, walking briskly around on the beach periodically to warm up (unsuccessfully), and with only four reds and one humpy to our names, Dad and I surrendered and drove the four hours home. The next morning, my boyfriend, who’d experienced dipnetting in prior years and happily switched to buying fresh salmon directly from a commercial fisherman, helped us fillet our meager catch along with his purchased bounty. When I realized the ease and affordability of his method, I was hooked and ordered my own shipment. Luckily for our readers who love to sport fish or who fancy a good waterbased adventure, we share in this issue the best practices for finding a fishing charter or guide, keeping our streambanks and fish habitat healthy, hiking and floating a gold rush route, mysterious Aleutian corals, and diving old shipwrecks. As for a bad day of fishing beating a good day of work? Only if it’s sunny. Susan Sommer Editor editor@alaskamagazine.com
COURTESY SUSAN SOMMER
L
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A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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STAFF Q&A The Magazine of Life on the Last Frontier
What is your favorite kind of fish to catch, and why?
I love jigging for rockfish because as soon as those bad boys are on my hook, I start dreaming of all the delicious tacos I’ll be making. Alexander DEEDY
I’m a lousy fisherman and barter for most of my fish, but, far and away, there’s nothing I like eating better than wild troll-caught king salmon.
The tug is the drug. I’m up for whatever puts a bend in my fly rod!
Susan Sommer
SENIOR EDITOR
Michelle Theall
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Melissa Bradley
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Melissa BRADLEY
GEAR EDITOR CONTRIBUTING EDITOR HUMOR COLUMNIST DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER
Michelle THEALL
DIRECTOR OF PUBLISHING SERVICES SPECIAL PROJECTS PRODUCT MANAGER DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING
Steven MERRITT
Steven Merritt Alexander Deedy Bjorn Dihle Nick Jans Susan Dunsmore Seth Fields Karen Fralick David L. Ranta Mickey Kibler Donald Horton
ALASKA ADVERTISING SALES
Alaska magazine, 301 Arctic Slope Ave., Suite 300, Anchorage, Alaska 99518 melissa.bradley@alaskamagazine.com
Coho salmon on a fly rod. While chinook and sockeye taste better and steelhead are unmatched in their color, a broad-shouldered silver stripping line on a late August day is special.
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ProCirc: 3191 Coral Way, Suite 510, Miami, FL Kolin Rankin, Consumer Marketing Director, ProCirc Mike Bernardin, Circulation Coordinator, ProCirc Retailers: To carry Alaska, call (646) 307-7768
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Reds, because standing waist deep in the Kenai with a giant net in your hands requires no skill.
Product Information and Back Issues:
Susan DUNSMORE
Seth FIELDS
706-823-3526
W W W. A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E .CO M
A publication of Morris Communications Company, LLC 735 Broad St., Augusta, GA 30901 PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION
That’s an easy one. Totally, steelhead—especially big bright ones in shallow tidal southeast Alaska streams. No fish I know jumps higher, smashes your lure harder (when they decide to), or is more challenging. Not to mention crazy beautiful.
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John Lunn
EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
I rarely catch anything, but I sure love halibut fish and chips!
Arctic grayling or rainbow trout, simply for nostalgia’s sake. Some of my favorite fishing memories were made casting lines for those fish as a kid. Bjorn DIHLE
GROUP PUBLISHER
Nick JANS
Donna Kessler Patty Tiberg Scott Ferguson
Morris Communications Company, LLC CHAIRMAN William S. Morris III PRESIDENT AND CEO William S. Morris IV Alaska, ISSN 0002-4562, is published monthly except for combined July/August and December/January issues by MCC Magazines, LLC, a division of Morris Communications Company, LLC. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 301 Arctic Slope Ave., Suite 300, Anchorage, Alaska 99518. Not responsible for the return of unsolicited submissions. Known office of publication: 735 Broad St., Augusta, Ga. 30901. U.S. subscription rates: $24 for one year; $46 for two years. Canada and Mexico add $20 per year (U.S. Funds only). Outside North America add $40 per year (U.S. Funds only). Our trademarks registered in the U.S. Patent Office and in Canada: “Alaska,” “Alaska Sportsman,” “Life on the Last Frontier,” “From Ketchikan to Barrow,” “End of the Trail,” “The Guide Post,” “Main Trails & Bypaths,” “Alaska-Yukon Magazine.” Periodicals postage paid at Augusta, Ga., and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Alaska, PO Box 433237, Palm Coast, FL 32143-9616. In Canada, periodicals postage paid at Winnipeg, Manitoba; second-class registration number 9771, GST No. 125701896. Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 279730. © 2019 Alaska magazine. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Volume 85, Number 3.
A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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This month at
alaskamagazine.com
Log on and explore life on the Last Frontier.
Give us your best shot!
Share your best photos with us on Facebook and Instagram and in our annual photo contest for a chance to be featured on our social media or here. Crystal Thomas took the photo above off the Glenn Highway near Chickaloon. Tracy Lynn Marsh captured the harbor in Kodiak.
Enter the Alaska magazine annual photo contest! See our website for details. FIND US ONLINE
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/AlaskaMagazine TWITTER: twitter.com/AlaskaMagazine INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/AlaskaMagazine APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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Suckers for Sap Birch trees sweeten Alaskan springtime BY MICHAEL ENGELHARD
Birch syrup made in interior Alaska.
one of northern North America’s most widespread and beloved trees: Betula papyrifera, the “paper birch” or “canoe birch.” Rising, the tree’s clear, colorless sap delivers nutrients when days grow longer, jumpstarting the annual greening. For centuries, Europeans tapped birches for their slightly sweet tonic, which is still sold bottled in Russia and now, the United States. The healthy cocktail contains enzymes, amino acids, minerals, proteins, vitamins (C and B), and sugars. It enriches craft beers, vodkas, and homemade vinegars. Concentrated, it yields reddish syrup with notes of berry, citrus, chocolate, and coffee that is delicious on waffles or pancakes and in ice cream, cookies, and glazes. No wonder tapping again is as popular as it was during homesteading days. First, a two-inch-deep hole is drilled on the tree’s sunny side, in April, before it leafs out. Early sap is the best quality, highest in sugar content. Taps for funneling sap into collecting buckets or plastic jugs are sold online or can be made the traditional way by hollowing out sections of elder stems. A single tree provides from less than a gallon to 10 gallons per day. The runoff is filtered through cheesecloth or linen to remove any impurities. Unless frozen or refrigerated, it starts to ferment and tastes more acidic after a couple of days. At that stage, some aficionados add sugar and yeast and then store the concoction in corked bottles to age as “birch champagne.” About 80 gallons of paper birch water will boil down into one gallon of syrup, twice the ratio of maple. Build an outdoor evaporator—a wood-burning 55-gallon drum topped by a cooking vessel—or simply boil on your stovetop, if you like saunas and don’t feel like cutting a cord of wood. Stir often while the contents thicken, to prevent burning. It takes roughly 12 hours to simmer 25 gallons of sap into one quart of syrup. Alternatively, buy birch syrup already bottled and labeled. Talkeetna’s Alaska Wild Harvest, deep inside the boreal forest
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Birch Sesame Teriyaki Sauce INGREDIENTS: 6 tbs soy sauce 2 tbs birch syrup 2 tbs toasted sesame oil 2 large cloves minced garlic 3 green onions, chopped 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp chopped fresh ginger White wine, water, lemon or
lime juice to thin to desired consistency DIRECTIONS: Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Spread generously onto chicken or fish. Great on salmon and black cod also. Recipe courtesy alaskabirchsyrup.com.
belt, prides itself on sustainability and on being the world’s largest producer. Using a tube-and-vacuum system and a reverse-osmosis machine to save fuel and time, they rotate their crop stands of 11,000 birches, tapping each tree only once. New technology has made inroads at their Kahiltna Birchworks operation, but the founding couple’s homesteader culture and lingo survive. “Sapsuckers” still tend buckets tied to some trees before pipelining the liquid gold downslope to the sugar shack, where “sugarshackers” cook and refine it.
THOM MACE/COURTESY KAHILTNA BIRCHWORKS
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Flavored birch sap made in Alaska and certified organic.
LASKA’S ANSWER TO MAPLE SYRUP FLOWS FROM
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THOM MACE/COURTESY KAHILTNA BIRCHWORKS
Where do you read Alaska?
My wife and I have visited Alaska twice in recent years and have been long-time readers of Alaska magazine. During a road trip across the Midwest, we drove through the town of Chester, Illinois, which is the birthplace of Elzie Crisler Segar. Mr. Segar was the newspaper cartoonist in New York City who, in 1929, introduced Popeye to his Thimble Theatre cartoon strip. Popeye became an instant superstar, and following Segar’s death, the town erected a statue of Popeye to honor the cartoonist. I was reading the most recent copy of Alaska magazine during the trip and my wife took this picture of me standing alongside the statue of Popeye. Eric Edelmann
I spent 20 years in Yakutat, Alaska, as a child commercial fishing on the nearby Italio River. My grandmother has gotten all of us kids a subscription to Alaska magazine every year for Christmas for the past 20 years. It makes me feel a little bit like I am still there. Here is a picture of me reading my Alaska magazine in the Private Cask Room at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin, Ireland. My husband and I were celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. Perhaps next year we will make it back to Yakutat. Angela I lived and worked in Fairbanks from 1958 to 1960 and have subscribed to Alaska magazine since 1964. My family has visited Alaska several times in recent years, where we enjoyed traveling around the state in an RV. In October 2018, I traveled with my wife, Robbie Wigginton, daughter Nancy Wigginton, and her husband, David Pacelli, on a Hurtigruten voyage along the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes and back. This photograph was taken in Kirkenes, in front of the WWII-era Andersgrotta bomb shelter. I am shown holding my Alaska magazine, next to my daughter. My wife took the photo.
We took our Alaska magazine on a trip to Switzerland. We have visited Alaska a number of times, most recently for the 2018 Iditarod race. Switzerland was a great place to visit, but we missed visiting and traveling about Alaska. We are looking forward to returning to Alaska to travel the state meeting the wonderful people. There is truly no place on earth to compare to Alaska! Bert & Kate Peacock
Our future travel aspirations include returning to Alaska to visit parts yet unseen. We are always captivated by the beauty of this great state. James Cooper Wigginton Decatur, AL
Connect with us! Send us pictures of where you read Alaska and submit letters to the editor at editor@alaskamagazine.com. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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ALASKA EXPOSED Peaceful River
Jeff Feczko, a fly-fishing guide from Sitka Alaska Outfitters, casts at the lower falls of Sawmill Creek. Focal length: 16 mm Shutter speed: 1/200 sec Aperture: f/11 ISO: 400 BLAINE HARRINGTON III /
blaineharrington.com
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APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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ALASKA EXPOSED Fishing Perfection Arctic grayling can live up to 32 years. Focal length: 100 mm Shutter speed: 1/500 sec Aperture: f/8 ISO: 400 JIM MCCANN /
jimmccannoutdoors.com
APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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ALASKA EXPOSED Gateway to Prince William Sound
Saltwater fishing charters leave from Whittier daily during summer. Focal length: 24 mm Shutter speed: 1/640 sec Aperture: f/2.8 ISO: 100 PATRICK J. ENDRES /
alaskaphotographics.com
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Gravity and Time
The braided Chilkat River drains into the ocean at Haines, situated at the northern end of the Inside Passage.
BY NICK JANS
I
T’S ONE OF THOSE PERFECT EARLY OCTOBER DAYS ON THE
Klehini River, 26 miles north of Haines—the cottonwoods glowing, the river blue-tinted, the highest peaks dusted with snow. Bald eagles perch on streamside trees. Within the next weeks, the throng will grow, several thousand arrayed along this mountain-framed drainage, down the Chilkat valley to the coast: the world’s largest assemblage of bald eagles. As I continue my drive from our homestead toward town, I pause at one of the highway pullouts to watch dozens of sport fishers, some with rods heeled over, and pass local subsistence gillnetters, bird watchers, and photographers. Gravel bars mark the meandering trails of bear, mink, and wolf. Everyone’s gathered for the same reason: the silver salmon are in—tens of thousands of fish pulsing inland up the Chilkat and its tributaries. Through late spring and summer come the kings, sockeye, and pinks; and as the silvers run their course, a late run of chum salmon will fill the river once more, providing a last great feast, and another spectacle. Though relatively short, the steep, glacier-fed Chilkat ranks as one of Alaska’s great river systems, its ecological engine driven by waves of sea-run fish—not only all five types of Pacific salmon, but hordes of hooligan, Dolly Varden char, and cutthroat trout. These species carry untold tons of ocean-grown biomass inland,
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feeding and fertilizing the entire valley. Chemical traces of fish can be found everywhere, from bears to giant old-growth spruce trees to human residents. Meanwhile, all these fish spawn, resulting in millions of young that head seaward to complete the cycle. Those that live to breeding age will return years later, following subtle scents imprinted from birth back to the same river, and sometimes even the same eddy where they were born. All seems well along the Chilkat—a scenic, rich drainage that captures the essence of Alaska. But an invisible axe hangs over this valley. On the upper Klehini, one of the river’s main tributaries, lies a massive mineral deposit known as the Palmer Prospect: a series of concentrated lodes featuring copper and zinc, with quantities of gold and silver folded in. The total lease area, skirting up to the Canadian border, totals more than 80,000 acres of mountain terrain. Constantine Metals, the Canadian corporation that in 2014 won the bid for development and promotion of the Palmer, bills it as a potential “world-class” series of deposits, and touts its strategic location in coastal southeast Alaska, perfectly positioned for efficient mining and transport to “hungry Asian smelting markets.” It’s a big-money deal ready to pop. A glowing 2018 resource estimate based on extensive core drilling has led Constantine to expand their efforts beyond the $20+ million they and their partners have already invested.
MICHELLE THEALL
Wealthy endeavors could poison the abundant riches of the Chilkat
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MICHELLE THEALL
A bald eagle makes a meal of a spawned-out salmon on the Chilkat in November. Thousands of eagles gather for the seasonal feast, but recent annual counts have diminished.
They’re obviously confident of the value of their strike, and of its successful permitting and development into a major metal producer with a decades-long lifespan. This seems like fabulous economic news for the small Alaska town of Haines, population roughly 2,500. High-paying jobs aren’t exactly plentiful, and extractive industries—commercial fishing, timber, and small-scale placer gold mining—have long been pillars of the local economy. In fact, the Palmer Prospect perches at the northern end of the historic Porcupine mining district, an area specifically zoned for this sort of enterprise. That positioning, too, seems perfect: tucked into the boonies along the British Columbia border, far enough out of town to minimize disruption to residents and tourist alike; yet plenty close enough to fuel a boom in the local economy and beyond. But there’s a huge catch. The Palmer is what’s known as a sulfide deposit—acidic rock that’s highly toxic to salmon and, once exposed to the elements, notoriously difficult to keep out of the water table. As little as six parts dissolved copper per billion parts water have been scientifically proven to cause reduced survival in salmon by blunting the intricate sense of smell that leads them home. There’s no doubt among fisheries biologists that high levels of acids and metals can lead to major salmon declines. If Palmer becomes a mine, gigantic piles of those milled tailings are an unavoidable byproduct. They’d be stacked hundreds of feet above sea level with nowhere to go but down, abutting near-vertical terrain where intense rains and deep snows are common—as well as landslides and avalanches. Glacier Creek drains the claim area like a sluicebox, rushing downhill into the Klehini, which in turn feeds the Chilkat. Throw in the fact that the area straddles an active earthquake zone, and the whole setup seems a recipe for ecological disaster. Of course, Constantine doesn’t want that to happen, and they’ve reassured the people of Haines that such a mine and salmon can coexist. State-of-the-art containment strategies will
keep that poisonous waste out of the watershed. But Constantine won’t have control over what comes next. They’ll sell the rights to a foreign-flagged corporation that will do the actual mining. The mining company will, of course, strive for environmental protection. But they, too, have no control over nature, the laws of physics, and human error. And for better or worse, in several decades they’ll be gone as well. But the enormous, toxic tailings piles and their decaying containment will remain essentially forever. Starting in 2019, Constantine plans to carve a mile-plus long tunnel into the side of a mountain at the core of the prospect, large enough to allow passage by trucks and equipment. For all intents and purposes, the mine—or at least one of its major access portals—will be built, under the guise of “exploration.” While Constantine has worked to build trust and support among the people of Haines, they’ve also worked in what seems to be a calculated manner to sidestep federal permitting and public commentary on this major step forward, by routing their access through state rather than federal land. They have yet to even make an official announcement to the people of Haines. One can’t help but consider the motives behind that strategy. Nationally and worldwide, there’s been a string of catastrophes resulting from much less complex and dangerously situated sulfide deposits than this. In every single case, the developers and miners assured the public they’d be able to contain toxic discharge, and they failed. In some cases, the damage was permanent. Could we have a world-class mine at our headwaters, with no threat to the salmon that drive the ecosystem and sustain us? Pretty to think so, but scientific fact and history tell us otherwise. It’s all a function of gravity and time. Nick Jans is a longtime contributing editor to Alaska and author of the national bestseller A Wolf Called Romeo, available from nickjans.com. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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“The Cache” is written and compiled by Assistant Editor Alexander Deedy.
Fish on the Fly
King salmon like this one in a tributary of the Yentna River are prized by anglers across Alaska. PATRICK J. ENDRES/ alaskaphotographics.com
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FRESH FISH
Seafood company aims to provide the freshest salmon possible PAT GLAAB AND BEN BLAKEY, two veterans of Alaska’s fishing industry, launched a company that they hope will provide consistent, high-quality fish to consumers and expand the market for Bristol Bay salmon. The linchpin of Northline Seafoods’ operation is an old logging barge that was converted into a mobile fish processor that’s essentially a giant, floating freezer. Blakey says the processor will be deployed in Bristol Bay during the 2019 season, where it can meet small fishing vessels on the water and buy salmon straight from their holds. Once
Northline Seafoods converted an old logging barge into a floating fish processor.
onboard, the salmon won’t be de-headed or gutted like most Bristol Bay catch, they’ll be sorted for quality and tossed whole into the super-low-temperature freezer. The idea is to stabilize the salmon as quickly as possible, then ship the whole fish to a plant where it can be filleted in a controlled environment closer to consumers. “We’re less about processing and more about maintaining the intrinsic value of the fish itself,” Blakey says.
In addition to buying salmon, Northline is going to give free ice to fishing vessels so fishermen will have a consistent and reliable supply during the hectic season. Fish kept on ice and frozen whole last longer than salmon processed in the typical fashion, Blakey says. He hopes that consistency and quality will open roads to new markets, which would be a boon for fishermen and people around the world who are craving fresh Alaskan salmon.
97 pounds, 4 ounces
Largest king salmon ever caught with rod and reel, landed on the Kenai River in May 1985.
$15.65
Market price per pound for Copper River king salmon on the opening day in 2018.
5 feet
Leg span of some red king crabs, which can weigh up to 24 pounds.
$12.8 billion
National economic output of Alaska’s seafood industry.
50 percent
Over half of the United States’ commercially harvested fish comes from Alaska.
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SEEKING SOCKEYE
Salmon runs unusual in 2018 IN WHAT THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME called “an unusual season,” red salmon either showed up later than normal or didn’t show up at all to many rivers and streams across southcentral Alaska in the summer of 2018. Reds are a popular commercial harvest as well as an important subsistence food for many
communities, and the lack of salmon left residents seeking assistance. A disaster was declared for the Chignik fishery, where less than 150 sockeye were harvested all season, and upper Cook Inlet fishermen also sought relief funding. The season did see higher than average harvest of sockeye in the Bristol Bay Area.
(TOP) COURTESY NORTHLINE SEAFOODS; (BOTTOM) COURTESY THOMAS QUINN, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
BY THE NUMBERS
A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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A Pyrosoma atlanticum, a free-floating colony made up of tiny organisms.
SOLVING MYSTERIES ON FACEBOOK
Alaskans find answers to ocean curiosities through online community WHEN FISHERMEN IN ALASKA ARE CURIOUS about the strange creatures caught in their net or crab pot, they can now turn to a popular Facebook group for answers. The group, called “Unusual Marine Life of Alaska: Report, Identify, and Learn,” lets inquisitive Alaskans post pictures in the group so that other members, some of whom are scientists, help identify the find. Karen Johnson, a lifelong commercial fisherman who lives in Sitka, started the group. Johnson said she was always fascinated by odd creatures she found in the sea, but she never went out of her way to figure out what the animals were. After she contacted a Fish and Game biologist in 2017 to confirm the identify of a pyrosome, Johnson had the idea to start a Facebook group that would help others access the same information. In a little over a year and a half, the group grew to nearly 3,000 members stretching from Ketchikan to the Aleutians. Not only do fishermen have access to answers, scientists now have
access to field observations for things like coastal monitoring and invasive species tracking. “Pages like Karen’s provide researchers an opportunity to increase the number of eyes in the field by an order of magnitude,” says Aaron Baldwin, a Fish and Game biologist. Occasionally, Johnson shares sample requests from scientists, like one researcher who was seeking medium and large squid samples from Alaskan waters. Johnson says she’s thrilled by the number of people who want to share their observations, knowledge, and information, and she hopes the group’s reach continues to expand. “There are so many changes happening so fast, I really think it’s more important than ever to keep observations coming in and documenting them,” she says.
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SILENT POWER
Bob Varness’ 25-foot electric catamaran, the Tongass Mist.
Juneau man designs fully electric boat
THERE WERE SO MANY BOATS running whale watching tours in 2006, the year Bob Varness left the industry, that he remembers seeing a layer of smog lingering in the air each evening on Lynn Canal outside Juneau. The whale tours were a passionate side hustle for Varness, so when he retired from his 38-year career in the telecommunications business, he wanted to get back on the water, without the pollution. “I said wouldn’t it be cool to build an electric boat to take people out whale watching on,” Varness recalls, “sub-marine silent and environmentally friendly.” But when Varness shopped for a commercial vessel with an electric engine, he couldn’t find any. So he built one. Varness and his partners designed a boat he named the Tongass Rain: a 47-passenger electric catamaran that cruises at five knots for four
Aniak
hours on one charge, and still has 30 percent battery reserve. Before starting that full-size design, Varness bought a 25-foot catamaran hull in 2018 and rewired the craft to run on hydro-electric power. His proof-of-concept was a success, and he hopes to start offering commercial tours in 2019. For Varness, the story is larger than one tour operation. The design for the Tongass Rain can be scaled for vessels between 28 and 70 feet long, which he says works for most commercial boats in Alaska. Though
range and speed limitations don’t make electric engines the right fit for every purpose, Varness says he hopes boat owners start embracing the possibility of electric when it makes sense. “I think the future of electric boats is very bright,” he says. By the time his great grandchildren are watching whales breach in southeast Alaska, Varness hopes the rumble of gas engines and the exhaust they emit will be a tool of the past.
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>> Salmon sharks are found across the north Pacific; their grey and white coloring closely resembles that of great white sharks.
SWIMMING WITH SHARKS
Diving lodge in Prince William Sound caters a unique experience
Science First in the Central Arctic Ocean
Rotten ice in the Arctic.
AS ICE MELT LEAVES MORE OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN accessible for harvest, more than a dozen countries have signed an agreement to ban commercial fishing in the high Arctic for 16 years. More than 1.7 million square miles of ocean, roughly the size of the Mediterranean, are off limits under the agreement. The nations plan to conduct research that establishes baseline knowledge of the ecosystem before opening it to commercial fleets.
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(THIS PAGE) TOP: COURTESY BOONE HODGIN; BOTTOM: COURTESY NASA (OPPOSITE PAGE) COURTESY JOHN SIMEONE
A salmon shark in Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
BETWEEN MAY AND JULY EACH SUMMER, visitors to the remote Ravencroft Lodge in Prince William Sound have the chance to dive or snorkel with elusive salmon sharks. Boone Hodgin, who owns the lodge with his wife, Gina, began developing the idea in 2007 and spent years observing the sharks, learning their behavior, and figuring out a way to get people safely in the water with the apex predators. “There’s a whole array of what a person has to do in order to try and gain the trust of a very specific shark,” Hodgin says. Ravencroft was founded as a fishing lodge, but when Hodgin noticed he was seeing fewer and fewer sharks after years of a local sport fishery, he worried the sharks were disappearing, so he shifted to photography and diving tours. Salmon sharks are found across the north Pacific; their grey and white coloring closely resembles that of great white sharks. They feed on squid, herring, and sablefish, but during the summer, salmon sharks mainly eat salmon, and large aggregations of the sharks often coincide with salmon runs. Ken Goldman, a researcher and retired Fish and Game biologist, says there’s never been enough data for scientists to make a population estimate for salmon sharks in the north Pacific. In the mid 2000s, Goldman did collect information on salmon shark age ranges, pup numbers, and other demographic variables. “By all counts that we can look at, the overall large population in the north Pacific is fine,” he says. “But that does not mean that a local depletion could not occur.” For Hodgin, the tours are about giving people a unique experience and erasing any misconceptions that sharks are fierce, man-eating monsters. The first time he was in the water and came eye-to-eye with a salmon shark, Hodgin says he discovered there was intelligence behind those eyes. “When I first did it and I got in the water, [I realized] there’s way more going on with this animal than just a mouth with teeth,” Hodgin says. “And once people do that, it changes their life.”
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BUILDING BRIDGES
WHEN IT COMES TO ECOSYSTEMS, and especially salmon, there is a lot in common between Alaska and its neighbor across the Bering Sea, Kamchatka. But because of political and language barriers, much of the scientific knowledge and management practices between the two regions remains separate. A new initiative by the World Wildlife Fund and several universities is aiming to bridge that divide. For over a decade, professors from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Washington have been taking students to Bristol Bay during the height of salmon harvest. The students spend weeks acting as mock managers, performing fish counts, monitoring population health, and interacting with professionals in the field. For the past several years, several college students from Kamchatka have joined the summer workshops and learned alongside American students. John Simeone, who has been working with the WWF and the universities to coordinate the exchanges says it’s remarkable to watch students who speak different languages bond in the field. Not only do the Kamchatka students learn monitoring techniques, they were fascinated with how
Kamchatka State Technical University undergraduate student Elena Zhelezniakova (left) and UW graduate student Alex Lincoln (right) install bands on deceased salmon at Lake Aleknagik, in western Alaska.
much salmon permeated Alaskan culture with things like salmon leather wallets and the Salmonfest music festival. In the big picture, Simeone says there are multiple goals for the collaboration including sharing management techniques, instilling an international conservation ethic, and promoting scientific collaboration. “It’s the last remaining stronghold of salmon,” he says. “It really makes sense to have scientists talking to each other and doing joint research.” Margaret Williams, the managing director of the WWF’s Arctic Program, says she sees this as an early step in building long-term relationships between Americans and Russians that can not only bolster science and conservation, but further
connect two countries. “I think of the salmon work as being part of that bigger picture of keeping the fabric together for the future of our nations’ foreign relations,” Williams says.
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Summer Paradise
Channel Island is a tiny outcropping in Montague Strait in southwestern Prince William Sound. PATRICK J. ENDRES/ alaskaphotographics.com
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Brooks River flows from Brooks Lake, one of the prettiest settings in Bristol Bay.
SENSE OF PLACE
Finding a Place on the River
F
BY SCOTT BANKS
OR SEVERAL YEARS, MY FRIEND RICH TRIED TO COAX ME
into fishing the trout opener on the Brooks River in Katmai National Park, a storied western Alaska stream where ravenous rainbow trout wait for spawning sockeye salmon to return in June and brown bears line up at the falls like a New York deli during lunch hour. At first, I turned down his offer, intimidated by his posse, the “pros from Dover” who’d fished those waters with him for the past 25 years: too many stories and too much experience compared to the time I’d spent fly fishing. I was afraid I’d reveal myself as a sham. But it became an invitation too good to pass up, so my wife and I took a jet from Anchorage to the King Salmon airport and then a five-seater floatplane to Naknek Lake at Brooks camp, stuffed with our gear—and my apprehension. The Brooks runs three miles between Brooks and Naknek lakes. Fast water at the top, tricky to wade but not impossible, then flat bends and cut banks until it spreads into several braids and out into Naknek Lake. Eventually, the Naknek River drains into Kvichak Bay. My “I don’t fish, I don’t like to sleep on the ground, and I’m scared witless of bears” wife, and my friend’s wife, who also doesn’t fish, hit it off and had plenty to talk about over coffee and drinks at nearby Brooks Lodge during our four-day stay. Once my wife knew the bar stocked Hendrick’s gin, she was all in. At the campground, we shared cooking duties over the two-burner Coleman stove, digging into gumbo and Thai shrimp. Surrounded by an electric fence to deter the bears, the campground is like a reverse zoo where people are held captive while the bruins roam freely, strolling the lakeshore and the trails stitched around the lodge and cabins a short distance away. The posse
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talked about the days before the fence, when bears strolled through camp occasionally surprising people walking around a blind corner. Vigilant park rangers were staked out everywhere, hand-held radios on their hips like bear traffic controllers to prevent species interactions. The day we arrived, Rich handed me a fly box loaded with neat rows of nymphs, dries, and smolt patterns he’d tied while waiting out winter in Homer. Included was every fly I’d need to prospect the river’s runs and pocket water. He knew I needed the help. The river was low, the water clear, and the sports spaced enough that we had room to do our business. Luckily for me, you didn’t need a strong casting arm to hit the sweet spots. It was a bonus that there was ample room for back casts and few snags along the river bottom to hinder me and deplete my fly box before the end of the trip. Fly fishing is a lifestyle for the posse. They build up frequent flyer miles jetting to Belize, Christmas Island, and the Cook Islands; they fish it all—the salt, fresh water streams, and lakes. I, however, am a fly fishing dilettante. I talk the talk, but on the river, after pounding the water, my landing net remained unused. The flies I tied looked like elephantine first-grade art projects. The first day, Rich and I had hiked to the headwaters below Brooks Lake, one-and-a-half miles along a dirt road from the campground. As I cast, a few swirls sniffed around my fly, but nothing to bring to the net except frustration. My friend landed several on Copper John nymphs and a Thunder Creek. The next day after the water warmed, I found my groove using the smolt pattern first, hooking a rainbow that was “big for this river,” Rich said. My confidence grew. I invoked the “even a blind
WILL RICE
Fly fishing the Brooks
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WILL RICE
Waiting for the sockeyes to arrive, the bears graze on grass and forbs while the trout gorge on the just-hatched salmon fry.
pig can find an acorn sometimes” rule, but kept my mouth shut around the campfire that night. No need to set expectations as a fly fishing ringer, although I’m certain my friend knew the truth. He was more than polite as I sat on the riverbank trying to remember how to use my knot-tying tool to lengthen my leader. The next day, same results, great fishing with nymphs and smolt. Others caught trout with elk hair caddis when short hatches blew up in the afternoon and early evening. The water remained uncrowded with fishermen. We saw bears but none bothered us. We felt lucky to be there with just a river to explore. One evening, my wife and I strolled the lakeshore under the solstice midnight sun and chucked pumice stones into the water, stones formed by the world’s largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century at Novarupta in 1912. The blast filled the terrain with hot ash in what came to be called the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes just 30 miles away. For those who don’t fish, Brooks River is not only a bear-viewing dream but a birder’s paradise, too. Mergansers and their broods kept us entertained. The females modeled rusty crested heads and the chicks skittered behind. Greater yellowlegs warily waded the shallows at the river’s mouth, and we listened for white-crowned sparrows and chickadees. Early evenings, the posse huddled in the camp shelters, fly tying vises attached to a picnic table, bottles of rye, bourbon, or whiskey at their elbows. It didn’t seem to impair their fine motor skills. They had tied so many flies over the years, they barely looked down at the hooks clamped in their vises. Most nights, in our tent with sleeping bags tucked to our chins, the wind kicked up, brushing the shore with six-inch waves broadcasting a soothing soundtrack that invited deep, untroubled sleep. And if not that, an orchestra of wind in the cottonwood treetops did the trick—as if exhaustion wasn’t
enough of a sleep aid. At some point, I realized that my worry about what I looked like fishing was akin to an adolescent’s worry about what they looked like when dancing at their junior high mixer. These guys weren’t looking and if they were, they didn’t give a rat’s patootie about my style or technique. I think that knowledge loosened up my casting arm, adding another extra yard; it also kept my mind on the water and what swam beneath it—with my occasional glance for curious bears poking their heads through the grass on shore. I got to thinking about what makes a good fly fisher, or what a fly fisher is at all. Was it the high-end equipment, the money to travel to exotic streams, lakes, and saltwater? A fly box stuffed with everything you need? A sweet back cast and a line that unfurls like John Hancock’s signature? If not that, then what’s left are attitude and passion; those two attributes abolish any worries about skill and concentrate on the joy. On our last full day, we had the river to ourselves. Below the falls, me on one side, Rich casting on the other, I waded into the pocket water and hooked my last rainbow, 22 inches—we measured, and I felt I’d found a home on this river. It’s funny, we didn’t take a single picture of the fish we caught, but I don’t think I needed photos to remember the fish and the memories that came with catching them. That night I followed the posse’s conversation naming every bend, hole, and cut bank. I vowed to learn those names at some point because I knew I would come back, and my wife would want to come with me. The plane will be lighter, however, because I’ll be leaving my apprehension at home. Scott Banks is an Alaska-raised writer who lives in Anchorage and is always ready for adventure. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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RAMBLES
Fanged Fur
A group of sea otters rests in a bed of kelp in the Inian Islands outside of Glacier Bay National Park.
Alaska’s uneasy relationship with sea otters
BY EMILY MOUNT
O
Glacier Bay
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Their survival hinged upon a plentiful supply of sea otter meat and warm pelts. The following summer, the expedition managed to reach Kamchatka, igniting a manic craze for otter fur. Men and ships set sail for North America in pursuit of the “soft gold,” determined to make their fortune in the fur trade. Otter fur is among the thickest of any animal on the planet. Sink your fingers into the plush pelage and you’ll quickly understand why Russians, Chinese, and Europeans clamored for otter pelts. In a single square inch, an otter can produce over 900,000 hairs, fetching exorbitant figures for a single hide. Fur ships traded with or enslaved Native people for pelts, plunging the otter population into notable decline by the 1810s. Russia finally deemed Alaska
valueless and sold it to the United States for $7 million. In 1867, the New York World quipped, “Russia has sold us a sucked orange.” No otters. A sour deal. The otter hunt continued for the next 50 years until the population was virtually abolished. Prior to hunting, there were about 300,000 sea otters covering a range from northern Japan to Baja, California. By the early 1900s, there were probably less than 1,000 otters left alive. In an effort to save the remaining otters and heavily hunted fur seals, the United States, Britain, Russia, and Japan signed the 1911 Fur Seal Treaty. This exceptional agreement to protect fur-bearing mammals included sea otters and was the first international treaty to address wildlife conservation. Still,
EMILY MOUNT
n a stormy night in 1741, the Russian expedition ship St. Peter wrecked on a desolate island in the Bering Sea. Riddled by scurvy, the crew spent a miserable winter burying their dead and wondering how to escape.
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EMILY MOUNT
A sea otter devours a basket star.
sea otters hovered on the brink of extinction. Fortunately for otters, reproduction is a year-round sport practiced at frequent intervals. Consequently, the newly protected population bounced back. A group of otters spotted in the 1930s off the California coast gained a great deal of publicity, but the next time otters hit national news was in 1965. Amchitka, a lonely Aleutian island home to over 1,000 otters, was slated for multiple underground nuclear tests. Public outcry forced the government to remove hundreds of otters. Between 1965 and 1972, Amchitka otters were released from Alaska to Oregon to repopulate their original territory. Over 400 were deposited in southeast Alaska, some near the mouth of Glacier Bay National Park. When otters were first spotted in the park, researchers sprang into action, diving underwater to compare the ecosystem before and after otter colonization. The pre-otter environment, lacking its apex predator, boasted an abnormal volume of massive sea urchins, crabs, and mollusks—a veritable otter buffet. What happens when a top predator returns from a two-century hiatus? Complete revamping of the marine ecosystem. A 100-pound male might consume 25 pounds of shellfish daily, a figure multiplied by thousands of otters over decades, resulting in a dramatic shift in Glacier Bay’s ecology. Prey species shrank in size and quantity and researchers saw kelp, a staple of the sea urchin diet, rebound. Kelp forests create habitat, structure, and biodiversity, so by doing what they do best—eating—otters reshaped the underwater landscape. Perry Williams, assistant professor of quantitative ecology at University of Nevada, Reno, joined the otter study in 2016. He and his colleagues fly over the park, shoot thousands of aerial photos to count otters, and use mathematical models and statistics to estimate the population and distribution. Their results have been astounding. Between 1993 and 2012, Glacier Bay’s otter population exploded at a rate of 21 percent annually, effectively doubling every few years. Though growth has slowed in recent years, and in some parts of Alaska otters are declining, the park’s population holds steady. Today, Williams estimates the park has 6,000-12,000 otters. Why so many? He points to Glacier Bay as one of the largest intact ecosystems in North America and the fact sea otters are federally protected, rela-
Between 1993 and 2012, Glacier Bay’s otter population exploded at a rate of 21 percent annually, effectively doubling every few years. Though growth has slowed in recent years, and in some parts of Alaska otters are declining, the park’s population holds steady. tively undisturbed, and at the top of the food pyramid. If you’re a tourist, this story is charming, complete with fuzzy cuteness personified. If you’re a commercial fisherman whose livelihood is based on crab, urchins, sea cucumbers, and abalone, you’ve got a very different perspective. Otters and fishermen catch the same species, putting them at loggerheads over a shared resource, which had burgeoned in the otters’ absence. Alaska lawmakers have requested Congress slacken otter protection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, allowing culling and possibly a bounty to help fisheries rebound. For now, however, Alaska’s sea otters continue to expand in many areas, restructuring their ecosystem with each meal. This is a story not only about otters, but also about mankind. Humans hunted otters almost to extinction, yet ultimately protected and reintroduced the species. The sea otter is symbolic of mankind’s uneasy relationship to top predators and a chapter in an ongoing story of Alaska’s changing ecosystems.
Emily Mount is a naturalist, writer, and photographer. She previously worked as a ranger at Glacier Bay National Park.
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South Suicide Peak rises above Rabbit Lake. Wild lupine bloom in the foreground.
TRY THIS
3 Epic Hikes Near Anchorage
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BY SCOTT BANKS
HETHER YOU LIVE IN ANCHORAGE OR ARE VISITING THE CITY WITH TIME
allotted for outdoor adventures, you’ll find a variety of day or overnight backpacking trips in Chugach State Park, less than an hour’s drive away. With some route tweaking, you can elevate those excursions from awesome to epic. Either way, you’ll be happy you took the time to explore the area’s mountain playground.
Williwaw Lakes >> 5.9 miles one way This gradually ascending hike leads to a stunning series of lakes strung like rosary beads along a u-shaped, glacially sculpted valley. Level tent sites abound surrounding the lakes, all with views of the 5,445-foot Mount Williwaw, which towers over the end of the valley. If you hike to the last lake, a 500-foot climb up the north side lands you at Walrus Lake, above and out of sight of other campers. The last time I camped there, I thought I heard artillery exploding miles away until I realized I was hearing my own heartbeat. The moss was so pillow-soft and deep, I walked around the campsite in my socks. Most campers return home the way they came, but if you have the energy, climb the pass beyond Walrus Lake and walk down Long Lake Valley that drains the North Fork of Campbell Creek. It connects with the Near Point Trail.
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Be Prepared • Wildlife encounters are always possible in this area, including brown and black bears, and moose. Give them plenty of room. • Always check the weather forecast before you go. Mountain weather can change quickly. • Bring a gas cook stove, as open fires are prohibited in Chugach State Park. • A parking fee is required at each trailhead, where a kiosk posted with information and maps will get you hiking in the right direction. • The Alaska Department of Natural Resources publishes one- and two-page guides with trail descriptions, park rules, and a map at dnr.alaska.gov. Questions? Contact Chugach State Park at 907-345-5014.
SCOTT BANKS
Go for the day or camp overnight
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A large boulder field separates Eagle Lake, seen here, and Symphony Lake. Symphony is stocked with grayling.
Note: There are two approaches to Williwaw Lakes. For the most leisurely, hike the Middle Fork Loop Trail from the Glen Alps parking lot. (dnr.alaska.gov/ parks/maps/wolverinewilliwawguide.pdf)
of a young bull moose with an imposing rack. Sheep kept a wary eye out as they grazed in the upper reaches of the surrounding mountains. (dnr.alaska.gov/ parks/maps/southforkvalleytrail.pdf)
Eagle and Symphony Lakes >> 6 miles one way
Rabbit Lake to McHugh Creek >> 4.4 miles one way
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(to Rabbit Lake)
Nestled in an alpine valley above Anchorage, Rabbit Lake makes an ideal day trip. The trail follows an old roadbed through alder patches and over a few shallow creeks. It opens up for vistas of Rabbit Creek Valley with a stunning view of the Suicide Peaks. Explore the area or dare to take a swim—but be forewarned, the water is brain-numbingly cold. Many local day hikers turn around here and head back home for a soft bed. For the epic version of this hike, though, spend the night, and in the morning, continue along the trail that skirts Rabbit Lake and veers west past McHugh Lake, 6.4 miles down the McHugh Creek drainage. It’ll take you to sea level at a different trailhead. On my last trip, I counted 54 sheep, all within easy photo distance. (dnr.alaska.gov/parks/ maps/mchughrabbitlakeguide.pdf) Scott Banks is an Anchorage-based freelance writer and regular contributor to the Anchorage Daily News. He’s been hiking the area for about 50 years.
Recommended reading •Hiking Alaska: A Guide to Alaska’s Greatest Hiking Adventures, by Mollie Foster •Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska: Anchorage Area, Kenai Peninsula, Mat-Su Valley, by Lisa Maloney •55 Ways to the Wilderness in Southcentral Alaska, by Helen D. Nienhueser •Best Hikes Anchorage: The Greatest Views, Wildlife, and Forest Strolls, by John Tyson • Walk About Guide to Alaska: The Front Range and the Anchorage Bowl, by Shawn Lyons
SUSAN SOMMER
This hike can be done in a day—but why rush when you can pitch your tent and fish for grayling in Symphony Lake? Wildlife sightings include moose, bear, and ptarmigan, and in the fall, the alpine slopes endlessly delight blueberry pickers. The trail begins with a short uphill, dips down to river level, and then gradually ascends to Eagle and Symphony lakes. A mile-wide boulder field between the lakes challenges even experienced hikers—trekking poles are handy for balance. Flat camping spots are scarce beside the lakeshores but the surrounding peaks contribute to a spectacular setting. For the mountain-goat backpacker, a challenging alternative lies three miles from the trailhead past the bridge over the south fork of Eagle River, where a side trail to the left climbs into Hanging Valley. Two miles in past a tarn, you mount a short rise to the shores of Hanging Valley Lake. Here, surrounded by 2,000-foot black-rocked ramparts, the camping spots are abundant, and you’ll likely be the sole occupant. My last trip there, I interrupted the reverie A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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OUT THERE
What We Are All About
The author’s son, Jakob, and her husband, Steve, stand beside salmon strips drying in the sun and wind.
A trip to fish camp yields more than just salmon
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N OUR SOCIETY, CERTAIN INVITATIONS COME WITH AN AIR OF SINCERITY
and others do not. “Let’s do it again sometime” or “I’ll give you a call and we can discuss it further” are common responses we have all heard among friends. However, in rural Alaska, those type of empty promises do not hold water. So, when my childhood friend Rachel Aaberg invites our family to join them at fish camp in Ekuk during the summer, not only do I feel honored to be a part of their family tradition, but I also know that the invitation is heartfelt and sincere. Rachel and I have been friends for over 40 years. We met in 1978 in the village of Pedro Bay, near Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. My mother had been hired as the new K-8 teacher and principal. Under the 1975 “Molly Hootch law,” which required communities to have schools if a certain number of students lived there, the Pedro Bay school re-opened with our arrival. We moved into the one-room schoolhouse with attached living quarters after a local Native man shot the bear that had been living there. Adventures like that were common for me growing up in rural villages, so years later, when Rachel invited my family to fish camp to work as commercial hands, I did not hesitate at the chance to add the experience to my own children’s already rich repertoire of Alaskan adventures. Landing in Dillingham (331 air miles from Anchorage) in early July, we meet the pilot flying us to Ekuk, a small village at the edge of Bristol Bay, and load up our gear and totes. Our totes are full of food items that will soon be replaced Jadelyn Murray and Ileah Aaberg pick fish from the net.
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(THIS PAGE) JACQUELYN CRACE-MURRAY (OPPOSITE PAGE) LEFT: JACQUELYN CRACE-MURRAY; RIGHT: JAKOB MURRAY
BY DR. JACQUELYN “AYAGIAQ” CRACE-MURRAY
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(THIS PAGE) JACQUELYN CRACE-MURRAY (OPPOSITE PAGE) LEFT: JACQUELYN CRACE-MURRAY; RIGHT: JAKOB MURRAY
LEFT: Delivering fish to the Ekuk Cannery. BELOW: Setnetting in Bristol Bay off Ekuk Beach.
with salmon. As a child, I remember setnet fishing in Igushik (not far from Ekuk), fishing on the Kuskokwim River, working on the cannery “slime line” in Bethel, and working on a tender for my dad’s fish processing company on the Yukon River. They are all fond memories that stem from spending long hours outdoors, hard work, cultivating friendships, time with family, and not least of all, bountiful salmon. I know this trip will be the same, and it keeps me smiling as we land, meet Rachel, load the truck, and drive three miles up the beach to their camp site. Rachel’s family has been fishing in Ekuk since about 1950. Her father, Ron Aaberg, is originally from Dillingham and grew up fishing the area. His father, Elleph Aaberg, fished Bristol Bay on a double-ender sailboat and was one of the first setnetters on Ekuk Beach. Rachel’s late mother, Elaine Trefon-Aaberg, was a Native Athabascan originally from the village of Nondalton. They lived in Pedro Bay and raised their family there, fishing in Ekuk in the summers. Rachel’s older brother, Aaron Aaberg, and younger sister, Ileah Aaberg, own and work four setnet sites along with their own families. As any salty fisherman knows, one site is a lot of work, so you can imagine what working four sites entails. At the height of the salmon run, one can expect working around the clock to include: setting nets, waiting on tides, hauling in and picking nets, loading fish into truck beds, icing the fish, delivering the fish to the cannery, unloading fish, cleaning out truck beds, repairing nets as needed, re-setting nets, and so on. A decent tide can yield five truckloads, equating to about 400 fish or 2,500 pounds (with slush water) per load. The work then continues with cutting, salting, hanging, drying, and smoking the fish you are keeping for subsistence purposes. The cycle is also compounded by the need to constantly monitor any additional “openings” or “closures” via the VHF
radio. Depending on the fish escapement numbers and the salmon count, officials at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) make adjustments to the fishing season. Furthermore, fishermen are also at the mercy of the processors and canneries when it comes to price per pound as well as sudden unexpected closures that are most often caused by reaching capacity. All in all, it takes grit, patience, and determination to succeed as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Grit is one of my favorite Alaskan character traits; it tends to surface when you are on your second or third day of no sleep and facing a net of 200-plus fish to pick and deliver. The only thing that keeps you going is knowing that the steambath back at camp is ready and waiting. Luckily, the long daylight hours also help keep you going; but, more than that, it is knowing that it is a way of life that has been handed down from generation to generation. Embracing that knowledge feeds your spirit and energizes your efforts. The Yup’ik people have a saying in Yugtun: “Neqsuryaraq unguvamtenun ilautnguuq.” It translates to, “Fishing is our livelihood/way of life (while we are alive).” Although our time at fish camp is short, we are blessed with the task of transporting over 300 pounds of fresh sockeye and king salmon fillets and roe back home to Wasilla. As we say our goodbyes, I know that Rachel and her family will continue fishing the entire season (till the end of July or early August if ADF&G allows late openings), and we will return home to finish processing our fish and fill our freezer for the winter months ahead. My favorite part of the trip home is when I look at my kids seated in the rows behind me. They are sun-kissed and happy, and they fall asleep before the plane even takes off. I lean over to the passenger sitting next to my husband and ask her to please excuse the fish smell on our clothes that seems to have gotten stronger the longer we sit in a warm space. Our row mate gives me a gentle smile and says, “It’s ok. It’s what we are all about.” Chin’an (“thank you” in the Dena’ina Athabascan language), Rachel (and family), for the open invitation to fish camp, and for allowing us to work alongside you. Let’s do it again next summer. I will call so we can discuss it further. As you know, it holds water. Dr. Jacquelyn “Ayagiaq” Crace-Murray grew up in villages in southwestern Alaska. She holds a doctorate in applied linguistics from UAF and lives in Wasilla with her family. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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SPORTSMAN
Stream Watch
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Where there are fish, there are bears. Knowing how to stay safe in bear country sometimes means avoiding an area altogether until the threat is gone. The Stream Watch program helps educate river users about safety as well as helping to keep the rivers healthy.
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ROM ITS SOURCE AT LOWER RUSSIAN
Lake to its confluence with the much larger Kenai River near Cooper Landing, the Russian River is only about five miles long, maybe 50 yards across at its widest spot, and easily wadeable for most of its length. Twice each summer the Russian is home to two large runs of sockeye salmon, Alaska’s most popular and eagerly sought sport fish. It’s within a two-hour drive of the towns of Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, Seward, and Anchorage and is known to visitors from all over the world. The river, however, was starting to deteriorate due to the popularity of this fishery. Steady foot traffic from the nearby campground to the river mouth broke down the river bank. Chunks of sod fell into the river, streamside vegetation was destroyed, and the river began to get wider and shallower. In the early ‘90s, managers at the Seward Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service met with several state and federal agencies to work on solutions to the river’s problems. They also issued a notice for interested members of the public to attend the meetings, to offer input, and to volunteer to patrol the river during the summer as part of the Stream Watch program.
BY TOM REALE
In 2019, the program celebrates its 25th anniversary of service by government employees and citizen volunteers. Since inception, this cadre of dedicated folks has erected and maintained fencing, installed walkways and river access stairways, picked up an astonishing amount of trash, and helped to educate and inform river users about how to tread lightly. Every spring, members of the Alaska Youth Restoration Corps put in long hours installing plastic fencing to protect the vegetation, then in the fall take it down again. Funding comes from grants from the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game, Alaska Geographic, Alaska Recreation Management, ConocoPhillips, McLaughlin Youth Center, Alaska Parks and Recreation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Youth Restoration Corps, as well as donations from local businesses. The result of all of this dedication and hard work has been a very noticeable restoration of the quality of streamside vegetation and of the trail that parallels the river. Wooden walkways and rubber matting protect ground where once anglers had to wade through a muddy, sloppy trail. Stairways down to the river from the
TOM REALE
25-year-old program keeps rivers healthy
Securing fencing along the riverbank is an annual task for Stream Watch volunteers.
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campground replaced the old system of railroad ties embedded in dirt, and the campground itself has been upgraded. The river looks better than it has in years. Tyler Gagat, who was the upper river Stream Watch coordinator on the Russian, met a fisherman who hadn’t been back to the river in many years. “He had hesitated to return to the Russian, fearful of how bad it might look after 20-plus years of heavy use, only to be pleasantly surprised at the restorations, thriving plant life along the river, and work that had gone into maintaining the river.” However, it hasn’t all been sweetness and light. A recurrent problem has been the disposal of the thousands of carcasses that inevitably accumulate during the salmon runs. Returning dead salmon flesh to the river is a natural and necessary process. The decaying flesh fertilizes the riparian vegetation and feeds insects, fish, and, inevitably, bears. In the first years of the program, black bears were occasionally sighted along the river, but rarely became problems. Eventually however, the in-river accumulations of salmon carcasses began to attract the larger and often more aggressive brown bears. As generations of cubs learned about the easy pickings at the river and grew up to teach their cubs about it, conflicts between bears and humans increased. Stream Watch tried in-river cleaning stations for a few years, but the stations attracted bears and had to be removed. Another problem has been people bringing coolers and backpacks to the river and leaving them unattended. To a hungry, curious bear, these items are irresistible. Confrontations between bears and anglers increased over the years, and have led to at least one serious mauling in 2003 when a fisherman was
The natural lifecycle of an Alaskan river includes spawned out salmon carcasses.
badly injured and blinded. Volunteers now help to educate the public about best practices in bear country, and the Forest Service has instituted fines for leaving bear attractants out. Hopes are that these ideas will continue to reduce the negative interactions between humans and our furry neighbors. Every year, more Stream Watch volunteers are recruited, and the project has been extended to include large sections of the lower Kenai River near Soldotna. Every year, protection for the river, its inhabitants, and the surrounding environment improves. The Russian River will continue to provide safe and sustainable populations of fish and wildlife, as well as thousands of hours of recreation for residents and visitors alike. Besides volunteering with Stream Watch for the last 24 years, Tom Reale has also contributed time to the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game as a hunter education instructor and to the Iditarod Trail Committee as a dog handler.
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TOM REALE
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Dept AK049B
19 N. Columbia St., Ste 1, Port Jefferson, NY 11777 APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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GEAR
Extreme Weather? Bring it!
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Outerwear for Alaska BY BJORN DIHLE When I’m not wandering around my house in my underwear practicing dirty dancing moves (something most of us Alaskans do to whittle away the winter), I’m out in the wilderness in extreme life-or-death conditions. My ability to move like Patrick Swayze keeps me alive in dangerous situations, such as being attacked by reality television producers—these days they’re more common than grizzlies here. However, dealing with the state’s wild and crazy weather takes some of the best, most durable outerwear on the market. Last fall and winter I tested five products that will stand up to what Alaska has to offer during all seasons.
First Lite SEAK Stormtight Rain Jacket
The first time I tested the SEAK Stormtight was during a typical wet and windy southeast Alaska fall day. As wet clumps of snow fell like bombs from spruce boughs, I wandered the dark woods hoping to find a Sitka blacktail buck. Toward dusk, I gradually became aware something was wrong. It took a few moments before I realized the only unusual thing was that I was warm and dry despite being out all day in a cold typhoon. Simple, durable, and weighing only a pound and a half, this is a great rain jacket for hunters or anyone who spends time in weather. I was happy with the SEAK Stormtight’s performance in nasty conditions, ranging from blizzards in the high country to the wet fury of the ocean. $350; firstlite.com
Patagonia Micro Puff Storm Jacket
This great winter jacket is ideal for wet and cold. The Storm works as an alternative to the popular, but discontinued, DAS Parka, as it utilizes down-like PlumaFill synthetic insulation and has a waterproof shell. It’s a sublime mountain jacket whether you’re stuck at a belay station while ice climbing, shredding big mountain powder, or searching for a lost part of yourself while mountaineering. The Storm’s hood is compatible with helmets; it also has an elastic snow skirt; and its zippers are designed for belaying. I tested it in many kinds of terrible weather and was impressed with its warmth, even in heavy rain. For its weight—just over a pound—and its packability, it’s surprisingly warm. I will be using the Micro Puff Storm on all but deep cold adventures. $499; patagonia.com
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Filson Mackinaw Jac-Shirt
This jacket shirt is both practical and fashionable— I’ve never worn a more complimented item of clothing. Made with 100-percent Mackinaw wool, the Jac-Shirt is breathable, wind-resistant, and rain-repellent. It’s durable, comfortable and warm, too, perfect for anything from cold wanders in the woods, to working in the elements, to formal dinner parties. This is the sort of jacket that will last for decades, maybe even generations. I’ll be wearing mine on late season deer hunts and to fancy affairs for years to come. $275; filson.com
Sitka Gear Stormfront Rain Pants
I wore these for a month straight during an autumn deluge in southeast Alaska. They were great for hunting, hiking, and sitting in snow and puddles while contemplating how it was possible to have a dry butt in such soggy conditions. I also found the Stormfronts great to wear shopping—whenever I did, tough looking men and women would grunt and ask if I had any luck hunting that day. It didn’t matter if I just got out of a yoga class or spent the entire day surfing Netflix; I could always feel better about myself by impressing the stranger with lies about big bucks, hanging off mountains, and being charged by bears. The pants have full-length side zippers, strategically placed pockets, and are constructed tough enough to take days of brutal bushwhacking. If you’re looking for a durable, versatile set of rain pants that can double for snowy adventures, I recommend the Stormfronts. $549.00; sitkagear.com
Spyder Eiger GTX Shell Jacket
There’s much to love about this snazzy, serious mountain jacket. It’s good for everything from rainy day beach walks to Mt. Everest. Weatherproof and ultra-lightweight, the GTX takes up zero space in your backpack but offers maximum protection from the hellspawned-fury Mother Nature can dish out in the mountains. Designed to fit a helmet, the GTX also has a removable powder skirt and underarm ventilation system with watertight zippers. Whether you’re a serious disciple of the mountains or take a more casual approach to your recreation, be sure to check out the GTX. $600; spyder.com APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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Deep-sea plants and creatures hang in the balance
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HEN THINKING ABOUT ALASKA LANDSCAPES,
“garden” is not a word that readily comes to mind. Most outsiders imagine its seas to be equally cold, stormy, and stark. Yet to Reid Brewer, a trained scientific diver, educator, and invertebrate taxonomist who worked on a nearshore assessment of the Aleutians, the islands’ Neptunian abundance and variety rival those of tropical atolls. The fog-shrouded, crystalline abyss that Bering’s naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller probed nearly 300 years ago teems with life forms ranging from sponges and comb jellies to arthropods, mollusks, lampshells, sea urchins, bryozoans, and, of course, fish. At depths between 60 and 1,000 feet, southwestern Alaska’s appendage also harbors the world’s most diverse cold-water coral communities, featuring soft corals, sea whips and sea pens, branching gorgonian corals, stony or cup corals, fanlike hydrocorals, and black corals. Here, slower growing, light-independent, and loosely spaced “coral gardens” rather than heliotropic reefs provide habitat for subarctic fish and invertebrate species. In hundreds of dives aided by modern technology, University of Alaska Fairbanks marine biologists between 2004 and 2007 conducted the first extensive aquatic inventory of the 1,200-mile
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BY MICHAEL ENGELHARD
archipelago. They found the region’s nutrient-rich upwellings and scant muddying river sediment promoting fantastic assemblages. The lead scientist, Dr. Stephen Jewett, sinking through blue-green gulfs with visibility up to 100 feet, marveled at “a small forest of kelp that reached to the sea surface, and a menagerie of brilliantly colored plants and animals.” Visiting 50 locales in a mothership and by back-rolling off of Zodiacs, the divers discovered over 1,000 species, dozens of them new to science. Many occur nowhere else or, separated by vast trenches, thrive only near one single island. Jewett considers the Aleutians to be North America’s best diving destination. Even at low depths, Aleutian sea-bottom fauna resembles aliens in psychedelic garb, creatures from a fever dream or from James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar. Thousands of brittle stars reach out from crevices in the rocky floor encrusted by pink coralline algae. Feeling for prey, crimson anemones sway retractable arms in the current. Hairy tritons tend spiralshaped egg clutches while pods of young king crabs pile up as thorny, red-and-white thickets. Low tides bare nipple-carpets of yellow sea sac. Lion’s mane jellyfish pulsate through space, sheltering fingerlings amid stinging tentacles. Giants mingle
REID BREWER
Aleutian Life Aquatic
A giant Pacific octopus hides in kelp.
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A sea urchin “forest.”
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open only in small, discrete sectors. Control sites allow researchers to monitor this ecosystem’s health and to gauge additional threats, such as invasive species or contaminants. As in tropical regions, climate change impacts these fragile communities. “Bleaching”—the expulsion of symbiotic algae from coral tissue as seas warm, which by stressing colonies contributes to their dying—is not the problem, because deepwater corals lack photosynthetic algae. Increased ocean acidity from rampant fossil fuel use, however, weakens coral structures and their plankton food and slows coral growth everywhere. Due to the chemistry and shifting nature of north Pacific currents, Aleutian species might even be more at risk than their equatorial counterparts. Coldwater corals require a special type of skeletonbuilding calcium carbonate, but flows bearing this dissolved mineral soon won’t run deep enough to supply some growing beds. We stand to lose fish and invertebrates hitched to corals, and Alaskans could lose their livelihoods and subsistence foods. Despite our fancy tools and snowballing knowledge, oceans remain among the planet’s least explored realms. Their importance, like their mystique, is undeniable. “It was truly amazing to dive some places that no one had ever been and will likely never go again,” Reid Brewer sums up his Aleutian adventure. Michael Engelhard is the author of Ice Bear: The Cultural History of an Arctic Icon and of American Wild: Explorations from the Grand Canyon to the Arctic Ocean. He only has snorkeled, on winter getaways in Hawaii.
REID BREWER
with midgets—thumb-size lumpsuckers with 30-foot octopi, eight-story dragon kelp, and sunflower stars three feet in diameter. The organisms’ common names, intriguing by themselves, suggest things far from common. Breadcrumb sponge. Puppet margarite snail. Wolf-eel. Arctic cookie star. Red Irish lord. Oval-anchored stalked jelly. Some of these denizens filter-feed. Others shape-shift, camouflage, spar, socialize, float filled with gas, drill holes into others, or exude slime as a defense. Fishing gear had long brought up nondescript coral fragments, but before 2002 nobody suspected multiform fields of magnificence in this dark deep. Then National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists braved claustrophobia and the unknown in a cutting-edge orange submarine. The 15-foot Delta, “jeep of research subs,” carries one pilot plus one scientistobserver and enough oxygen to spend three days submersed. Submariners go deeper than scuba divers can; they don’t get wet or freeze while taking notes, footage, or photographs. A mechanical arm with a scoop lets them sample their surroundings. “I’d never been in such a small place before,” says Alberto Linder, who studied deepwater corals for his Ph.D. “It was very nice and quiet, and I wished the dive would have been longer.” NOAA still bags novel species on routine collecting trips, using remotely operated vehicles also. The coral gardens’ rockfish—some of which live more than 100 years—struck Stephen Jewett as “sentinels guarding this treasured environment.” The Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, in fact, protects large parts of this unique evolutionary mosaic. Since 2006, over 95 percent of the refuge was closed to trawling, which breaks up or scars coral and sponge beds. Bottom fisheries stayed A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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Klondike Fever
The author and Fen descend into Canada after reaching the summit of the Chilkoot Pass. At left is the Canadian ranger station.
Retracing the most popular 1897-98 gold rush route BY MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
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the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Back in July of 1897, that same newspaper article set off a stampede to the Yukon. I put down my computer. “That’s it! I’m going to the Klondike!” I told my partner, Bjorn. “Come with me or lose me forever.” “MC,” he said, “the Klondike Gold Rush ended almost 120 years ago.” “Start getting our sacks of flour and boxes of bacon together. I’ll find money for the Mounties.” It was the spring of 2017, and I was deep into research for a Klondike-based novel I was writing. My plan was to hike the 33-mile Chilkoot Trail and then paddle 550 miles to Dawson City, just as tens of thousands of stampeders had. Bjorn’s a sucker for adventure and pork products, and I knew he’d be scrounging us that bacon before long. Though the news didn’t reach the wider world until almost a year later, the Klondike Gold Rush began in August of 1896, when George Carmack (or, many believe, his Tagish brother-in-
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law, Keish “Skookum Jim” Mason) found gold on the Tr’ondëk (Klondike) River in Canada’s Yukon territory. An estimated more than 100,000 people of all backgrounds—black, white, Chinese, Japanese, Australian, American, women, and men—flooded north. Most knew nothing about the landscape they were heading into or the peoples who inhabited it. On the Dyea flats, where tens of thousands started a journey over the Chilkoot Pass, men in knee-deep ocean sobbed as the incoming tide soaked and ruined goods they’d used their life savings to purchase. Others died in avalanches, drowned, or froze. Many turned back. Those who made it, though, either stayed or went back to their families and homes in the Lower 48 with stories they’d tell for the rest of their lives.
The Trail In early June, after a night out in Skagway, Bjorn and I hit the trail with our pocket-sized golden retriever, Fen, trudging 13 hungover, sweaty, eye-stinging miles across planked swamps and
BJORN DIHLE
“
OLD! GOLD! GOLD! GOLD!!” SCREAMED THE HEADLINE OF
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Fen and the author celebrate reaching Bennett Lake, the end of the Chilkoot Trail—and the start of a 550-mile paddle to Dawson.
glacial-silt creeks, past old landslides and broken wagon wheels to Sheep Camp. As we cooked, Fen collapsed at our feet, too tired to beg. Bjorn’s at his cheeriest when others—usually me—are at their most physically exhausted. “Can you smell the gold?” he asked, chomping on half-hydrated, freeze-dried chili. “We’ll be over the pass tomorrow!” The next day we hiked up into sheer, rocky mountains and expansive snowfields. At the Scales, a basin just before Chilkoot Pass, thousands of stampeders had eyed the 1,000-foot climb and decided they didn’t really need to carry their gold scales anymore. Or their iron stove. Or their granite buckets. Among other things, we found horse bones (horses were notoriously poorly treated, dying by the hundreds on the nearby White Pass trail from Skagway), an old leather shoe, broken bits of crockery, and a rusted stove. Once over the pass, we were treated to a wild, snowy expanse of mountains sloping toward the interior. The last day on the trail, at Bennett Lake, we wandered over 120-year-old broken glass and through the remains of a short-lived city where, in 1898, stampeders had waited for the ice to break.
The S.S. Evelyn is a steamboat abandoned long ago on Hootalinqua Island (also known as Shipyard Island). Steamers were once central to travel on the Yukon River.
BJORN DIHLE
The Float We paddled our inflatable canoe across the 40 miles of Bennett and Tagish lakes as quickly as we could, mindful that the mild weather was atypical. At Marsh Lake, we camped along a beach, guarding our faces from the blowing sand, the modern-day homes of Yukon residents visible on the far shore. In calmer moments on the water, we could look down and see moose footprints enlarged to gigantic proportions by the rippling of the current. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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The river picked up near the infamous Miles Canyon, though a hydropower dam and long-ago blasting have turned the raging rapids into a spinning paddle through swallow-carved canyon walls. Above us, tourists peered down from a footbridge. In Whitehorse, we stocked up at the store, shoved food in our backpacks (there are no bear lockers for food storage at the Robert Service Campground), put our backpacks in the vestibule, and went to sleep. We woke up in the dim midnight light to rustling. When we unzipped the tent, my backpack was halfway across the tent site and a red fox was staring at us with a bag of Indian trail mix in its mouth. “Hey!” Bjorn yelled. “Get out of here!” The fox trotted a few steps, then turned and looked back, longingly, at Fen’s food. Fen, still snoozing, opened an eye and approximated a growl. Finally, the fox trotted off through the trees, leaving me with a hole it had chewed in the bottom of my backpack to remember it by. Humans may have tamed most of the rapids stampeders wrote home about in 1898, but the lakes still hold a challenge. Our second day on Lake LaBerge, shortly after Whitehorse, we battled four-foot waves in wind and stinging rain. Afterward came a gorgeous, narrow stretch called the Thirty Mile, with high banks good for camping, a quick current, gravel bars filled with wild chives, arctic grayling shimmering beneath the surface of
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the water (and crackling in our frying pan at night), and a young bull moose that crashed through the shallow water just as we approached. At the confluence of the Teslin River, we stopped at the former settlement of Hootalinqua. Just past it an old, hauled out, abandoned steamship appeared in the forest of a river island, improbably intact. The river widened as we neared Carmacks. A short while later, we met Sandy Craig, Bjorn’s old fishing boat captain, at the Coal Mine Campground. That night, just after we had finished eating the steaks Sandy had brought for dinner, the wind picked up and her tent began doing cartwheels toward the quickly flowing river. Bjorn took off after it as fast as I’ve ever seen him run. Sandy and I were slower to react and arrived just as Bjorn, waist-deep in the ice-cold water, managed to snag it. “Sure would have been a long trip all sleeping in the same two-man tent,” he said as he fixed a couple of broken poles. In the following days we floated through the rock formation that creates Five Finger Rapids, and the Yukon began to branch even more. We stuck to the left as we neared the mouth of the Pelly River and Fort Selkirk, where southeast Alaska’s Chilkat Tlingit burned the Hudson’s Bay Trading Company Post in 1852—it threatened their trade monopoly with those now known as the Selkirk First Nation. The area later grew into a settlement with churches, an army barracks, and many First
MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
Bjorn Dihle paddles past a massive wall of hoodoos—wind-carved bluffs—along the Yukon River.
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From left, Sandy Craig, Fen, and Bjorn Dihle relax beside the Yukon River after a day of paddling.
river. I spent an evening at a historically questionable dance hall flush with tourists, visited the fascinating Dawson City Museum and the Dänojà Zho Cultural Center, and we made a trip to George Carmack’s claim, which started it all. The hardest part of the whole journey was leaving the river and going home. Back in the late 1890s, many stampeders paddled out along the river all the way to the Bering Sea, some ending up in Nome, where they hoped to strike gold. One of these days, Bjorn and I, too, will follow the river to its end. Maybe then we’ll get over our Klondike fever, but I doubt it. Floating Yukon rivers isn’t something of which I’d ever truly want to be cured. Mary Catharine Martin is revising her novel, Amelia and the Argonauts, which follows a young woman as she travels north to search for her sister, who has disappeared under mysterious circumstances in Dawson during the Klondike gold rush. Martin lives in Juneau with Bjorn and their child.
MARY CATHARINE MARTIN
Nations residents. We stopped there to wander through numerous restored, well-kept buildings; one had newspapers from 1902 plastering an upstairs bedroom as wallpaper. One night shortly after, we camped on a gravel beach backed by an eddy and were woken by moose after moose—a cow, alone, just outside Sandy’s tent; a cow and calf, sloshing through the eddy and munching on willow leaves. The next morning, Bjorn and I watched a lone bull moose swim across the Yukon and clamber out in river so shallow it appeared to be walking on water. A few days after that, I forgot my bear spray while walking into the woods for my morning constitutional. Shortly after I returned to camp, Sandy called out “Bear!” A cinnamon-colored black bear emerged from exactly where I had gone into the woods, following my trail across the gravel bar with its head lowered and its shoulders squared. Bjorn leashed Fen, grabbed a bear spray, and called out a warning. The bear kept coming, making direct eye contact, and Sandy and I began throwing our gear in the boats in case we had to make a quick exit. At 50 yards away, after some deliberation, the bear began walking parallel to the shore, away from us. “Whew,” Bjorn said. “I think someone camping alone would have been in trouble with that bear.” Closer to Dawson, we dodged snags near the confluence with the White River. Dall sheep peered down at us from a steep mountainside as the Yukon River grew wider. From the river, the first sure sign you’re nearing Dawson is the same as it was 120 years ago: Moosehide Slide, a huge scar on the mountain above the Klondike River’s entry into the Yukon. We slowed as we recognized it, paddling reluctantly the rest of the way. In Dawson, we found a spot in the campground across the
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Introduction by Michelle Theall
Rivers of Inspiration Chelsea Jones’ art honors Alaskan waters
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rtist Chelsea Jones’ connection to Alaska’s waters runs deeper than Kachemak Bay, a glacier-fed body of water she crossed numerous times from childhood until present day. “I started deckhanding on the Stormbird, which goes between Homer and Halibut Cove, at the age of 13 and received my 100-ton captain’s license at the age of 18,” Jones (formerly Horn) says. “My dad and I rebuilt a Hamm Haul together and started up Bay Roamers Water Taxi together. I also worked the pilot boat for a couple years out of Homer.” Viewers of Jones’ work will notice the influence of water, and along with it: fishing. “My mom taught me how to fish and clean salmon when I was about three years old,” Jones explains. “I’ve always enjoyed the various ways that we fish for salmon: river, snagging, dipnetting, trolling, etc. I was an avid rower as a child and would often wake up early in the mornings, grab a fishing pole, and row around Halibut Cove. I enjoy teaching my children these things.” Jones primarily paints with acrylics, imbuing the canvas with bold colors, lines, and movement. She laments the cost of high-quality materials, admitting that the expenses sometimes restrict her from being more creative. Asked to explain her process, Jones says she becomes fairly obsessed when she’s working. “Often when I start a painting, I can’t think about anything else until it’s finished; some take 200-plus hours,” she admits. “I rarely paint from photos, other than to reference a bow line or boat shape. I like to use memory and feelings to capture movement, light, texture, playfulness, and good vibes.” Beyond the waters of Alaska, other artists have inspired and influenced her work. “I used to share my sketches with Diana Tillion when I was young, and she would encourage me. Alex Combs also was an inspiring artist who would
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Sunflowers: I enjoy bright colors and like to paint sunflowers during the dark winter months as a reminder that summer is on its way. I have created many sunflower paintings, and they continue to change and evolve.
say, ‘paint or be creative every day.’ I really love the work of Annette Bellamy, the colors of Sydney Bishop, and style of Marian Beck.” Her hard work and dedication to her craft have earned her numerous showings, with
originals sold that will never be reproduced. You can see some of Jones’ paintings at the Kenai River Brewery, Halibut Cove Experience Gallery, KBay Café, and online at chelseajonesart.com.
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Paintings and captions by Chelsea Jones
Upstream: I have a deep love for China Poot Bay, its beauty and the joys of fishing there. This painting represents China Poot Creek.
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Kenai River Dipnetting: I choose this fishing location about every other summer for subsistence fishing for my family, and I have to say, it is a blast. There may be large crowds there, but there has been so much respect on these banks by other dipnetters. A lot of families enjoy this location, and it seems that we are all looking out for each other’s children on these banks.
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>> Viewers of Jones’ work will notice the influence
of water, and along with it: fishing.
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>> Jones primarily paints with acrylics, imbuing the canvas with bold colors, lines, and movement.
Glacier Lake: This image represents Grewingk Glacier Lake, which is one of my favorite playgrounds, and it is right in my backyard (Halibut Cove). I enjoy hiking there with my family during the summer months. When I worked as a water taxi operator for Bay Roamers Water Taxi, I often recommended this favorite destination. I spent a winter creating this piece; I would come and go from it for months until it finally felt finished. I feel that my style has changed a lot since this one was created.Â
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Rosies: This is a personal favorite. I often see my boys or my nephews rowing around Rosie’s Bite in Halibut Cove. When I started out with this painting, I had no idea where it was headed but couldn’t stop playing with it until it was finished. Rowing in the protected waters of Halibut Cove is a sacred thing that I was able to enjoy growing up; today, my children and other children enjoy it, too. I have a strong urge to continue to keep these waters protected for our children by supporting good boating etiquette and encouraging minimal float plane traffic.
Seining at Sunset: I support our local commercial fishermen. When I started out on this painting, I had no idea where it was headed. My close friend from Halibut Cove owns a seiner called the Douglas River. This is the boat represented in this image. I enjoyed playing with color, light, and texture while trying to capture the sunset within the full net of salmon.
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Anglers fly fish near King Salmon in southwestern Alaska. JEFF SCHULTZ/SCHULTZPHOTO.COM
Gone Fishin’ By Tom Reale
8 tips for a successful outing
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Salmon the size of a first-grader. Halibut as big as barn doors. Fifty-fish-a-day trout adventures. These types of images—whether accurate or not—draw anglers to Alaska’s many waterways. When planning a fishing trip in Alaska, you have to first come to grips with the size of the state and the variety of fisheries available. Even if you limit your options to the fjords and streams of the southeast panhandle or the salt water and rivers of southcentral Alaska where most visitors congregate, there’s still an enormous number of options from which to choose. In salt water, the primary quarry is halibut, but depending on when and where you plan to visit, you can also pursue salmon, ling cod, rockfish, and even sharks if you’re so inclined. Freshwater fishers tend to concentrate on salmon, as well as rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and grayling.
1. Do Your Research
How do you choose from this wealth of riches, and how do you plan for a successful trip? Three words: research, research, research. It seems tiresome to contemplate, but to make good decisions on how best to spend your money, you need a firm idea of the options on where and when to fish. Start by reviewing the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) website: adfg.alaska.gov. The sport fishing page offers a wealth of information about licensing, salmon run timing, harvest data, and regulations. Check out the area or areas you
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plan to visit and do a deep dive into the species that live there and whether or not your vacation timing will work. Salmon runs are relatively unchanged from year to year, but seasonal variations occur. Remember that nothing in nature is carved in stone. Every year, I see newspaper articles that start with something like, “Fisheries biologists are surprised to learn…,” so build flexibility into your itinerary if possible. Online regulations for southeast, southcentral, southwest, and northern Alaska provide detailed information on the species available, seasons, bag limits, tackle restrictions, fishable waters, and more. Wading through it all can be daunting, but it’s your responsibility to know where you are, what you’re fishing for, and what the applicable laws are for that area. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, and fish and game laws are strictly enforced. Next, start reading online chat rooms, websites, and Facebook groups. You’re not going to score any secrets on the best honey holes in the area, but you’ll probably receive pointers on where there’s a chance to hook into something legal, as well as ideas for flies and tackle to use. Speaking of legal, saying that Alaska fishing is different from what you’re used to is a pretty safe bet, no matter where you’re from, and in many instances it’s really different. Tackle, methods, and bait and lures in some fisheries are unique, and unless you’re well-versed in the minutiae of local fishing, your chances of success are less than terrific. If you’re new to fishing in Alaska, you’re most likely going to need professional help in the form of a charter boat or guide.
(THIIS PAGE) STEVE BLY/ACCENTALASKA.COM (OPPOSITE PAGE) TOP: GREG DANIELS/ACCENTALASKA.COM; BOTTOM: TOM REALE
Tim Nelson shows off a lake trout he caught and released at Nuyakuk Lake, the deepest lake within Wood-Tikchik State Park.
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Fishing charters out of Homer offer the opportunity to catch halibut, salmon, rockfish, and more from the cold Cook Inlet waters.
SALTWATER CHARTERS
(THIIS PAGE) STEVE BLY/ACCENTALASKA.COM (OPPOSITE PAGE) TOP: GREG DANIELS/ACCENTALASKA.COM; BOTTOM: TOM REALE
2. Ask Questions
If your goal is to haul in a cooler full of saltwater fish to take home, the usual process is to book a charter. Most companies supply the boat, tackle, and bait, and you bring appropriate clothing, food, and drink. However, there are exceptions to every rule, so be sure to clarify ahead of time what exactly you’re supposed to bring and what the boat will supply. Before committing to a trip, ask questions—how big is the boat and how many people will be on board? Some outfits have six-pac boats—skipper and six passengers, while others will take 12 or even 20 people on a trip. Some will supply hot drinks or bottled water, but your lunch is usually your responsibility. Ask about their cancelation policy, because every so often, conditions just aren’t acceptable for venturing offshore. Whether or not you’ll get another chance to go out depends on your schedule, the availability of seats on subsequent days, and whether or not the conditions get better. If you’re looking for variety in your ocean catch, most outfits offer combo trips, but going after multiple species can be a double-edged sword with time spent on one species taking precedence over another. Ask about this process, and be prepared for a variety of scenarios.
Author Tom Reale displays the 126-pound halibut he caught near Seward.
3. Follow Directions
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Alaska offers many fly fishing opportunities.
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(THIS PAGE) CHUCK MAAS/ACCENTALASKA.COM (OPPOSITE PAGE) JIM MCCANN
Two fishermen react casually while two juvenile brown bears approach the south bank of the Upper Kenai River near the Russian River Ferry. The mother bear is just visible in the woods behind. Bears routinely forage the banks of this highly popular fishery for easy pickings of salmon on stringers or for human food left unattended. Bear/human interaction is problematic and often leads to habituation, with negative results for the bear.
will check your license, and you’ll board the boat and meet your fishing companions for the day. Once you reach the fishing grounds, the skipper or mate will instruct you on how to fish for whatever you’re after. Pay attention—chances are this type of fishing is going to be radically different from what you’re used to, and one of the pet peeves of charter boat operators is clients who don’t follow instructions. For example, when fishing for halibut, most outfits use circle hooks. The technique for success is to let the fish take the bait for a while, and you just start reeling. This is where your typical walleye fisherman from the Midwest will grab the rod and give it a yank, which will pull the bait out of the fish’s mouth, and usually earn you a rebuke from the skipper. This is one instance where novices actually have a bit of an advantage over people with more experience. Kristen Labrecque, owner of Saltwater Excursions in Whittier, says, “When someone has been fishing all their lives, they have a lifetime of bad habits to break. If you haven’t fished halibut, you’re not an experienced fisherman.” When you’re trying to bring up a heavy fishing weight and a big, flat-sided fish from a couple of hundred feet below the surface, you’re in for a struggle. It’s been compared to trying to
use a fishing rod to lift a refrigerator to the surface, and while it’s not quite that bad, it can be a challenge for even a physically fit adult.
4. Dress for Success
Most saltwater trips are full days, so be prepared to spend all day at sea. Dress appropriately; this means good rain gear, waterproof footwear, layers of wool and/or synthetic clothing (leave your cotton hoodies and denim jeans behind), a warm hat, gloves, long underwear—you get the picture. Dress for the worst and hope you don’t need it. Labrecque has had women show up for trips in heels—never comfortable attire for an outdoor Alaskan adventure.
5. Prevent Seasickness
If you’re susceptible to seasickness, take precautions before you leave port. Most over-the-counter medications offer instructions on when to take them, and if you can get a prescription for scopolamine patches, they’re best applied the night before your trip. There are few experiences more miserable than spending the day hanging over the rail and losing everything you’ve eaten for the past week. Time seems to stand still, and there’s just no way to relieve those symptoms short of getting back on dry land. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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Know Before You Go n Halibut regulations are established by the International Pacific Halibut Commission at alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/ fisheries/sport-halibut. Check for the latest bag limits and regulations before you book, as they change frequently based on the previous year’s take. n Salmon fisheries, especially for kings, are dynamic. Subscribe to sport fishing updates at public.govdelivery. com/accounts/AKDFG/subscriber/new to stay abreast of changes. Also available here: emergency orders and news releases. n A comprehensive website for local outdoors information is alaskaoutdoorssupersite.com. n Licenses are available from sporting goods, grocery, department, and hardware stores, or you can print them online from the ADF&G website. As a nonresident, you can buy tags for 1, 3, 7, or 14 days, or for the entire season. King stamps are extra; get one if you’re going halibut fishing and there’s even a remote chance for hooking a chinook.
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A Dolly Varden swims in the Bristol Bay region. Alaska has two forms of Dolly Varden—southern form and northern form. The northern form can reach up to 27 pounds. PATRICK CLAYTON/ENGBRETSON UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY
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6. Care for Your Catch
After the trip, most charter outfits will do the filleting for you, but it’s not always included in the price (another thing to ask about beforehand). The usual drill is that the skipper and/or mate will fillet your catch for you. After that it’s up to you to have it packaged and sent home. Most port cities have processors near the docks that will cut your fish to order and vacuum pack it for freezing, and some will flash-freeze it for you on the spot. Most hotels have facilities for freezing and keeping your fish until you head home. Once that is done, the next problem to solve is getting it home for less than the price of a small car. FedEx and UPS offer next-day frozen-fish shipping to the Lower 48, but it’s spendy. Their Alaskan locations have freezer facilities and sell frozen-food shipping boxes, so if you don’t have an alternative, that’s one solution. Another tactic is to have the fish frozen, pack it in a hard-sided cooler, and transport it home as baggage. Depending on your airline and their fees, this can either be a bargain or a sizeable expense. The method I use most often is to freeze the fish, wrap it in clothing for insulation, and check it on the plane as baggage (box up the clothes that have been displaced by fish and mail
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them home for a lot less than it costs to send frozen food overnight). Packed like this, fish will stay frozen for quite a while, but if your bag gets waylaid someplace, you could lose it. Are ya feeling lucky?
FRESHWATER GUIDES 7. Know Thyself
Finding a guide for freshwater fishing is very different than picking a saltwater charter. It’s a much more personal experience, and there are more details involved. You have to narrow down your choice of quarry, since Alaska has at least 16 species swimming in freshwater lakes and streams. Ask yourself when exactly do you want to fish. In addition to the timing of the various salmon runs, every fish species has ebbs and flows in availability and peak seasons. If you have your heart set on a trophy rainbow, a cooler full of sockeye, or a 50-fish day casting for Arctic grayling, time of year and precise locations are going to make all the difference. Once you have an idea of when, where, and for which species you want to fish, start searching for guides. Here again, local
JIM LAVRAKAS/ALASKASTOCK.COM
FISHING
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A sport fishing vessel trolls for king salmon in Cook Inlet with Mt. Augustine, one of the region’s four active volcanoes, looming in the distance.
websites and Facebook can point you towards some likely choices.
JIM LAVRAKAS/ALASKASTOCK.COM
8. Get Real
This is a mutual vetting process. Andy Couch, owner of Fishtale River Guides in Palmer, says, “Asking the right questions is how a guest can determine if the guided trip or service is appropriate for what that individual guest or group is looking for.” Ask about locations to be fished, retaining or releasing fish, pricing, gear provided or required, cancelation policy, etc. As you work through your list, you’ll get a feel for the guide and how he or she works. At the same time, the guide will be checking you out. Do you sound like a knowledgeable angler, what are your priorities, and how focused are you on results as opposed to having a pleasant and exciting fishing experience?
When guides are talking to potential clients, the primary consideration, by far, is how reasonable are your expectations? Dan Hardy, owner of D-Ray Personal Guide Service in Anchorage, says, “I hope I can catch unrealistic ideas in a client before they go out with me. Fishing is not always catching, and I try to temper enthusiasm with reality and logic.” If you’re fortunate enough to do some fishing on your Alaskan vacation, everything should fall in line if you do your research, dress appropriately, and keep your expectations reasonable. Good luck, and see you on the water. Since moving to Alaska in 1984, Tom Reale and his wife, Elaine, have fished, hunted, backpacked, camped, hiked, and crosscountry skied at every opportunity.
n A Word About Tipping Attitudes among guides range from “tips are a nice addition but certainly not required,” up to an expectation of 10-15 percent of your total trip price. One guide mentioned that there’s almost an inverse relationship between the work a guide puts in and the tips that he or she garners—someone who works really hard on a day when the fish just aren’t biting will often get less than one who happens to be out when the fish are attacking every fly or lure like there’s no tomorrow. Alaska’s fishing season is quite short, and if your guide works hard for you and shows you a good time on the water, tips are never a bad idea.
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Loss of a yawl from the Lapérouse Expedition vessel Astrolabe in Lituya Bay, 1786. COURTESY BARRY LAWRENCE RUDERMAN ANTIQUE MAPS
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In Dire Straits
Alaska’s shipwreck and dive site legacy By Michael Engelhard
APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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The bulk cargo ship Selendang Ayu ran aground at Unalaska Island in 2004 after engine failure. COURTESY NOAA/COAST GUARD
T
he jigsaw of Alaska’s coastline weaves and bends 6,640 miles point to point, exceeding all other U.S. seashores combined.
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Farallon survivors watch unloading from the wreck at Iliamna Bay in January of 1910.
romantic. The plight of Shinsho-maru and her tars and of a Russian band of fellow castaways typifies many tales of maritime woe. After wallowing mastless for more than seven months through the North Pacific, Shinsho-maru, blown off-course in 1783, stranded on Amchitka, one of the Aleutians’ Rat Islands. During a violent storm near Japan, another ship had crashed into the junk and damaged her rudder. The drifters dropped anchor at Amchitka before making landfall in a small boat. Aleut men who were hunting wild geese invited the Japanese into their sod hut
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With islands included, that number more than quintuples to 33,904 miles—almost three times the distance from the North Pole to the South Pole. Add ice, fog and snow, long nights, epic storms, rogue currents, and reefs, and it’s no surprise that over the centuries thousands of ships foundered in these waters. According to Captain Warren Good, a retired skipper and co-author of the doorstopper encyclopedia Alaska Shipwrecks 1750-2015, other factors help explain the exorbitant toll. Boom-industries such as the fur trade, exploration, whaling, or fossil fuel extraction swelled the losses from capsizing, collisions, allisions (nautical for “run-ins with a stationary, built object”), fires, and explosions on board. Sleep deprivation, drugs, alcohol, and incomplete or outdated charts compound human errors. The image of Exxon Valdez—under-crewed, her radar in disrepair—cracked open like eggshell on Bligh Reef still haunts Alaskans’ memories. While the ecological impact proved horrific and ruined fishermen killed themselves in the spill’s aftermath, it was not Prince William Sound’s worst catastrophe, at least not in terms of human lives. That bleak record was set in 1799, when a storm swamped 60 hide-covered, wooden-frame Native bidarkas near Hinchinbrook Entrance, drowning 200 souls. Symbols of hope dashed to bits, of men facing merciless nature, shipwrecks were a popular subject of Romantic landscape paintings. The reality, however, was and is anything but A L A S K A M A G A Z I N E . C O M APRIL 2019
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where they fed them. Russian fur hunters, promyshlenniki from yet another vessel wrecked there, soon joined the survivors. Camped onshore, these Russians awoke to Shinsho-maru breaking her fetters and getting punctured by blunt underwater fangs before washing up on that coast. They stayed on the island for over three years, using planks from their ship and the junk to engineer an escape. In 1787, the promyshlenniki and remaining Japanese journeyed six weeks to Kamchatka, Siberia, powered by an otter-skin sail. After an audience with Catherine the Great in St. Petersburg, Captain Daikokuya Kodayu returned home with one comrade, 11 years after they’d first embarked. Two others, converting to Christianity, settled in Irkutsk. Of Kodayu’s original crew, 11 had died. Not content to simply read about shipwrecks or thumb through yellowing photos and charts, some people tingle head to toe at the thought of barnacled hulls rotting in their wet graves. One, the Alaska-born shipwreck researcher and technical scuba diver Steve Lloyd, has led expeditions throughout the state, including six dives to locate and survey the U.S. Army transport bark Torrent, which vanished in Cook Inlet in 1868. A fan of risky, aquatic realms, he also visits submerged airplanes, abandoned mines, and flooded caves. Lloyd got hooked on marine disasters by reading Robinson Crusoe as a kid. After devouring accounts of actual survivors, he tried to analyze their predicaments. What had happened to cast these poor wretches adrift on the open ocean? he wondered. How did their boat or ship come to grief ? The answers, he realized, lay in the wrecks themselves, hidden by the very waters that had claimed them. To solve those riddles, he learned to dive, using specialized gear and techniques to safely explore the frightful abyss. Many wrecks rest at depths beyond the skills of recreational divers and through entrapment or jagged edges can hurt or kill careless or unlucky aquanauts. Lloyd recalls his first descents to SS State California, a passenger vessel sunk in 1913 in southeast Alaska: “It was deep, and dark, and ice-cold, and terrifying, and thrilling all at once,” he says. Long desiring to discover an uncharted wreck, Lloyd so far has tracked down four. He has also laid hands on the remains of SS Princess Sophia, Alaska’s worst maritime disaster. Despite steamers rushing to her rescue, roughly 350 people died in a blizzard on Lynn Canal’s Vanderbilt Reef in 1918. There were no survivors, except for one passenger’s dog. A hasty letter containing a will, found on a corpse afterward, gave heartrending testimony:
ew “We struck a rock last night, which thr out in many from their berths. Women rushed e too their night attire, some were crying, som ung out weak to move, but the lifeboats were sw [it] in all readiness but owing to the storm was no would be madness to launch until there lights hope for the ship…We are expecting the to go out at any minute, also the fires.”
The Japanese cargo ship Kano Maru ran aground at Kiska Island after being bombed during the 1942 battle for the Aleutians.
Far luckier were 38 men who’d entrusted their lives to the wooden passenger liner Farallon in 1910 only to become marooned one mile from shore when she smashed into Cook Inlet’s Black Reef the day before Russian Christmas. Evacuated to an island close by, they endured a month in minus 40-degree temperatures. Six even made an attempt to row across Shelikof Strait to Kodiak Island to get help. Having braved pounding surf and Iliamna Bay’s ice-trammeled beaches, all lived off provisions scavenged from the wreck, sheltered, though just barely, by sails, mattresses, and tarpaulins. Raw bacon and frozen bread, melted snow, and driftwood fires kept them alive. An amateur photographer and shipboard mail clerk captured the ordeal in black-andwhite scenes so stark they raise goose bumps. Economic gain rather than lust for adventure or a yen for history drives some modern quests to reach Alaskan shipwrecks. In 2012, two Washington companies in a months-long endeavor clawed an 85-pound treasure chest from the severed bow of SS Islander, a luxury steamer that had carried stampeders from Skagway to Victoria, British Columbia. Hitting a rock or an iceberg in the early morning hours, she sank within 20 minutes in Stephens Passage near Juneau, taking at least 40 passengers with her to the bottom. The companies put the hoard up for auction after winning a court battle over salvage rights; the unrefined placer gold from six vintage leather pokes inside the box was expected to fetch $4 million. About a dozen identical boxes were among the original cargo, and part of the gold had been retrieved already in 1934. Of course, the expenses of gargantuan salvage efforts absorbed much of the profits. The latest dredging’s historical by-catch—more than 1,000 artifacts, among them textiles, clothing, a tool kit, and costume jewelry— went to the Alaska State Museum in Juneau. Alaska’s saltwater dead linger painfully beyond the mementos preserved. In 2018, Juneau residents and descendants of one Princess Sophia victim marked the tragedy’s centenary with a 10,000-pound granite slab they dedicated at nearby Eagle Beach. In Petersburg and Cordova, bronze plaques and flowers placed portside by families equally tally hardship: lives forfeited and lives wrested from the sea. There too, Lost with all hands is a common refrain. Michael Engelhard’s only claim to seafaring fame is a short stint cooking on Auklet, a Cordova-based charter vessel. He was seasick much of the time, and the mandatory survival suit drill, even while conducted on deck, gave him shivers. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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Fish On!
Anglers fish at sunrise near the mouth of the Kenai River.
Kenai Peninsula playground is an angler’s paradise
F
IVE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING IS TYPICALLY TOO EARLY FOR ME TO BE AWAKE, BUT WHEN I look out the window of our cabin and onto the rich waters of the Kenai River just a few steps away, I get a jolt of energy that wakes me up better than any shot of caffeine. There are king salmon swimming up that stream as I watch, and it’s time for fishing. I’ve come to the Kenai Peninsula time and again over the years. I’ve taken romantic getaways to witnessed glaciers calve giant hunks of ice into the sea. Every trip to this place could be the trip of a lifetime, but there’s one thing that keeps drawing me back: fish. By six I’m thigh-deep in current. I watch as my line drifts down the river past me, and after experimenting with weights and lures yesterday, I feel confident in every cast. I reel in, pull my arm back, and cast again. I’m ready for that bite, anticipating its arrival, senses on fire. No luck. I pull back and cast again. The bite will come, I’m sure of it. But I’m happy even when it doesn’t. I love the feel of the water past my feet, the chatter of my friends on either side, and the chance of a freezer full of fillets. I’d wake up early for this any day.
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Coho (silver) salmon caught on a fly.
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Have a conversation with Melissa today about your marketing. melissa.bradley@alaskamagazine.com
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Jim Harmon (center) fishes the Naknek River with longtime friends and SeaShare donors Greg Obeso (left) and Tom Enlow (right).
Fish Food
Nonprofit gets high-quality seafood to the people who need it most SeaShare was founded in 1994 when Bristol Bay fishermen got the idea to take bycatch, which was required to be thrown back into the ocean, and instead donate it to foodbanks. The nonprofit has since grown into a national organization that has distributed over 220 million servings of seafood across the country. SeaShare no longer relies on bycatch; over 90 percent of donations are purposefully caught, marketable seafood. Jim Harmon started managing fishing boats in the Bering Sea in 1989 and joined SeaShare in 2001, where he now serves as the nonprofit’s executive director. ~as told to and edited by Alexander Deedy Does most of the donated seafood still come from Alaska? We do receive a lot of fish from Alaska. That’s where 55 percent of domestic seafood comes from, so I’d say over half of the two million pounds per year that we distribute comes from Alaska. Most of that is in primary form, so it has to be reprocessed into items foodbanks can utilize, but the majority of other items we receive across the country are finished, retail-ready items that don’t require additional processing.
COURTESY JIM HARMON
Can you give me some examples of the most common seafood SeaShare receives? We have several projects that we work on year in and year out. So, we get a large donation of frozen pollack from the at-sea processors every year. We get a lot of canned salmon from the salmon warehouses down here in Seattle. We get headed-and-gutted salmon and halibut. And then we get a lot of miscellaneous items from inventory across the country—cod, sablefish, tuna, whitefish portions, a lot of breaded fish stick-type items. Why are you passionate about this? Why is it important to get seafood to people who need it? Everybody associated with SeaShare appreciates the value of seafood. It can do a lot to help people. I think on a family level the nutritional benefits of eating fish can have the greatest impact of those struggling with hunger. On a foodbank level, the seafood we donate can supplement the high calorie, low value items typically found on foodbank shelves. On a national level I think improved nutrition kind of lifts all ships. It strengthens people so they can learn, so they can work, and so they can earn. A lot of our societal problems can’t be solved until people are fed well and can work.
Jim Harmon (right) in 2014 with SeaShare volunteers and C130 crew in Kotzebue.
Through the Terry Shaff Memorial Fund, SeaShare is sending more donated seafood to western Alaskan communities; tell me more about that process and its impact on Alaskan villages. Seafood has dietary and cultural significance for rural Alaskans but donating frozen food in western Alaska is difficult because of high transportation costs and limited storage capacity. SeaShare has been working to develop distribution networks in hub villages so that we can ship seafood in by barge rather than air freight. Then local partners can distribute to outlying villages according to need and the local freight opportunities. So what we’ve done is recruited local and regional seafood donors, foodbank and local tribal representatives, and financial partners. We’ve sent containers to Dillingham, Bethel, and St. Paul to help store more frozen food and we’ve even recruited the U.S. Coast Guard to fly fish from Kodiak to Nome and Kotzebue each summer. Our seafood is now reaching 34 rural communities in western Alaska every year and we hope to do even more this year. What goals do you have for SeaShare moving forward? I think our goal is always to feed more seafood to more people. We want to remain an efficient resource for our seafood partners, and we want to provide the expertise and the logistical help so that more seafood reaches more foodbanks. I think that seafood is kind of shifting—more and more seafood is coming from aquaculture, so I think in the future as we grow, that’s going to be a key area for us to try and grow into. APRIL 2019 A L A S K A
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This Alaskan Life
Alaska gardening, step 1: Find the garden.
Alaska: No Easy Row to Hoe
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BY SUSAN DUNSMORE
LASKA IS A HARD PLACE TO LIVE. DON’T GET ME WRONG, I
love it here. Maybe I love it because of how difficult it is. (Naw, that’s stupid, it has nothing to do with that.) I think we’re second to Australia in terms of things that if they don’t kill you will seriously wreck your day. Winter is beautiful but definitely colder than necessary to shock the garlic in the garden into dormancy. Summer is stunning but it’s like living inside a shaken snow globe of mosquitoes. On top of all that, we try to do things that are particularly difficult, given our environment. Take the fact that I have three packages of bees showing up in the middle of April. In the rest of the country, April is a fine time to start out fresh with bees. Pollen is literally growing on trees, the sun has thawed the ground so things like flowers are popping up for forage, bee wings can do things like fly, not just vibrate for warmth. In Alaska? We’ve got nothing like that going on. The ground is still frozen under three inches of mud. It’s 30 degrees and snowing. My bees show up and look at me like I am the biggest jerk in the world for hauling them up here and they are kind of right about that. At least it’s too cold for them to sting me. Since there will be nothing available for them to eat for two months, I made the Costco run before they arrived. Two hundred pounds of sugar should sustain them until the first flower emerges to prove to the other ones that it’s way too early for that kind of thing when it gets zapped by a late frost. While trying to steer that load to the cash registers, a total stranger passed me and said, low and conspiratorially, “Glad to see you got the still running again.” While other beekeepers are waxing
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poetic about the beauty of fields of flowers and the hum of bees flitting from blossom to blossom, I’ll be hauling 50-pound buckets of sloshing sugar water up a rickety ladder to the roof, wearing XTRATUFs and a down jacket. It is an activity that makes one wonder about their life choices. Planting a garden is another thing we insist on doing that is, well, different here, to be polite about it. Most Outside gardeners use a spade-type shovel for the first turning of their gardens in the spring. Alaskans use a snow shovel to find the thing and hasten the melting process. Once it’s melted to the consistancy of a 7-11 Slurpee, I can go all crazy planting carrots, cabbage, and onions, the sorts of things that would make my Eastern European ancestors proud of my practicality, but make me yearn for a garden that can produce fruit. Recently I’ve seen gardens in Alaska with a token artichoke, which requires more attention than a newborn. And a neighbor planted corn in her greenhouse that produced a cob and two kernels. It looked like something you see if you mistype one letter on a website search and end up in internet territory that you would not have access to if you knew how to set the parental control parameters. I suppose I could take up internet poker, or Sudoku, but I don’t live here because it’s easy, I live here because I’m too stubborn to live anywhere else. And because slapping at mosquitoes while shoveling snow off the garden is as close as I’m ever going to get to successful multitasking. Susan can juggle, too, which is kind of like multitasking.
SUSAN DUNSMORE
And that’s how we like it
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