Port Clarence, Alaska, July 5th: Salmon, salmon, salmon …
- Vicou the Sea Gypsy
- Sep 3, 2018
- 2 min read
The Bering Sea, an almost mythical body of water narrowing into the straight, a thin stretch of violent Neptune territory, renown for chewing boats like a chubby kid chews pancakes and bacon strips for breakfast … it was flat, and when I say flat, I mean flat with many exaggerated a's as you read it. I sense disbelief, or mild amusement on your behalf: you know me, I am probably showing off and describing a 25 knot sea with 30-foot swells as flat. Well then, see for yourself:
So it was a really quiet, uneventful crossing to Port Clarence, with awesome sunrises, captured by the awesome and talented Ayack Wanderer, one of our watch leaders and on-board photographers.
Teller and Brevig Mission are the two Inuit communities of Port Clarence, one on each side of the bay, each with an airstrip, a school, a post office and a local grocery and general goods store. They lead a simple life, relatively close to their traditional lifestyle; they hunt in winter to eat in summer, and fish in summer to eat in winter, sometimes quite far away from the community. The animals they hunt and fish are salmon, Arctic char, herring as far as the fish are concerned, and seal, muskox, caribou, elk and whale (mostly bowhead whales) as far as mammals are concerned.
The locals are some of the most welcoming people I've encountered, always ready to share meat and fish with us. From their point of view, we must look quite insane to voluntarily renounce meat and fish whilst crossing the Arctic by boat … from their point of view only, of course.
Regardless, their impressively efficient fishing techniques, as well as their use of the ulu, are fascinating to observe and partake in. The ulu as per the photo below, is a crescent shape knife traditionally used in the entire American Arctic circle as a gutting knife, skinning knife and cooking utensil.
After a nine-day break in the settlement, some gifts from a local construction crew to thank our on-board osteopath fro her treatments, a France-Belgium semi-final and an exciting fishing trip for some of the crew, it was time to leave for the Chukchi Sea and the serious stuff: heading towards the icy waters past Point Barrow.
Yours covered in salmon jerky,
Vicou the Sea Gypsy
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