Last year I was unable to fly into Unalakleet because they had so much snow, this year, NONE. Unalakleet is on the NW coast of the Bering Sea, just under the community of Nome. It was a beautiful day as I flew in and the sun was setting over the community. It was in the high 20’s low 30’s while I was there and I enjoyed a quick walk to the beach and the ability to beach comb a bit! The Elders are worried about the continued warming of the region. There were locals that had just gone out on a seal hunt, not normal for this time of year.
If you want to know more about Unalakleet, check out my blogs from Jan. 2012 and 2013! Here are some pics! The photo of me is with Donald Masters, Donald originally from Unalakleet is a former student of mine (at UAS). He’d gone south for college but has moved back home~ and I got to see him, what a treat!
landing in Unalakleet! Sun starting to set about 4:30!
swinging around to the airport
Sunset on the day I left, this is a beautiful community.
drift wood on the beach, locals use it for fire wood
another view looking down the beach
long lost friends… last saw each other over 15 years ago! JOY
Opik and her scoop to help grab the crabs with! (photo courtsey of Opik Ahkinga) this photo was taken on Little Diomede but you can see how close Big Diomede is. Big is part of Russia! (photo courtesy of Opik Ahkinga) Little Diomede sits in the Bering Sea just off the coast of AK near Nome. This is Little Diomede (photo by Opik Ahkinga) There is one helicopter flight in/out of Little Diomede each week, there are no planes as there is no place for a runway. This is a remote community.(photo by Opik Ahkinga)
Happy Crabber Opik Ahkinga! So blessed to meet this woman! (photo courtesy of Opik Ahkinga) the hole made in the ice to get crab! (photo by Opik Ahkinga)
Opik spends much of her time helping her village become aware of humans environmental impact. She shared many stories of growing up there and how for years there were ‘disposable’ items such as water bottles. They had never seen such a thing, but once ‘western ways’ moved to Little Diomede there was a need to educate on how to remove unwanted material.
a days catch! (photo by Opik Ahkinga) one by one! (photo by Opik Ahkinga)
Another interesting discussion I had with Opik was her talking about subsistence living. She is a crabber. She crabs by digging a hole through the ice of the Bering Sea and dropping a line with bait. She prefers smelt, but any fish is acceptable. She drops down about 60-80 feet but can go down as deep as 100 feet. Opik talked about 2 main kinds of crab that she gets; Blue King which is very tasty, Blue King is fished where there is a rocky bottom. The other is Red King, not as good as good as Blue but still yummy. Red King is caught in more mucky bottom areas. In the winter these crab come ‘in’ to spawn where in the fall and summer they are further off shore.
And though Blue King is so sweet and tasty, the Spiny King is the best! Historically these Spiny Kings were found Japan and eastern Russia. The first time they were found in AK were off of Little Diomede in 2003. However, by 2010 they were really showing up in the waters around St. Lawrence Island and other communities in the Bering Sea.
Opik shared other interesting stories with me including the fact that she remembers going with her Grandpa to the international date line to trade with the Russians. Big Diomede is part of Russia, though it is just miles from Little Diomede and can been seen across the Bering Sea. The international date line separated them and they are less than 2 miles apart. Big Diomede is actually only a Russian military base. Both Big and Little Diomded ‘communities’ are on the west side of the islands. She shared that her father used to go to school on Big Diomede. Another story was that in 1952 her uncle (mom’s brother) went out to hunt and was found and taken by the Russians. He was kept captive for 50 days before he was released and sent home.
There is so much history in this part of our great state and so few know anything about it. I feel blessed to have met Opik and look forward to more conversations in the years ahead.
side note that made me smile; the mascot for Little Diomede; the “dateliners” isn’t that cute?
timistravels 