Winter making you feel crabby?

Living in Alaska, especially in a remote place like Nome, means people commonly make use of the subsistence resources that the region has to offer. Now that we have lived here for more than a year, I was able to invest in crabbing myself. This is something that I was excitedly exposed to last year, but only on two occasions was I able to go out to help others check their pots. This past summer, upon cleaning out the church garage, Pastor Charley found two old crab pots wedged in the rafters. One was quickly nabbed by someone else. The second, however was up for grabs, so I claimed it. It's an old wooden framed crab pot with metal mesh walls and weights in the corners to help it sink. It didn't have all the necessary pieces required on a legal crab pot, so I had to upgrade it a bit.  The only piece that was required to make it a legal pot was a biodegradable escape hatch, in case the pot was lost and washed away. Pictured below, there is a zig zag line of white cotton string threaded through the mesh to keep it shut. Step two was collecting bait. Crab are typically baited with small white fish, called Tom Cod. Tom Cod are fished through holes in the ice and while they can be fried and eaten; they work the best as dog food or bait in my opinion. Not having an ice auger or giant chainsaw of my own, I've only had a few opportunities to fish for these and didn't catch many. After a week or two of checking the crab pot and replenishing the bait, I was out of those. Then came the collections of freezer burnt meats that senior center had discarded. Chicken scraps, pork chops, moose ribs, and anything else I could get my hands on. Some seem to work better than others, but there isn't much of a pattern to it yet.

There's Nome in the background. I'm about 1/2 mile out on the Bering Sea.

Check out my sweet ride

Zoey helping to uncover the hole

I had already worked it out with a friend that we would work together to have this crab pot. I would gather all the pieces to make it legal and usable, and he would use his snow mobile and sled to get us to and from the pot regularly. The last thing we needed was a way to cut through the ice. Thankfully another friend, whom I work with, mentioned his plan to go out and check his own pots, so he offered to cut a hole for us in exchange for my help with his. The picture above shows our pot, about 1/2 mile off the coast of the east side of town. The ice averages about 24" thick, however many people have come across spots that were much thicker, making a crab pot difficult to put in. We used a chainsaw for this hole. The last few weeks have been cold. Really cold. It was hitting in the low ranges of -20º regularly for about two weeks and has been intermittenly that way for a while now. Thankfully, we have had a few days of warm and sunny here and there to break up the difficult weather.

This really cold weather is obviously a necessary part of crabbing. It needs to be cold enough to freeze the ocean before you can go drive on it, but it has been extremely cold. Cold enough that our hole has been frozen shut nearly every time I've gone out to check it, which is about every three days or so. It's the most labor intensive hobby that I've had. It is, however, rewarding and delicious!

Catching

This wasn't even the coldest!

Greg and I snow machining while Zoey runs along

The ambulance delivered presents with Santa(s).

Snowshoeing!

Winter time is a great time to catch up on sleep, catch king crabs, and catch colds!  Although I've gotten sick more times than I'd like to admit for this winter, I've been having a wonderful time.  Greg and I have tried snowshoeing for the first time. I got to go cross country skiing multiple times, one which was 6 miles to a cabin that we got to camp out in with some friends.  Greg set a crab pot this winter and we've been getting to enjoy some very delicious Alaskan King Crabs.  It's also been nice being able to share our catches with others as so many have done for us. We've also had the opportunity to continue dog sledding with friends- I even got to mush last time!  The Christmas party that we had for Boys and Girls Club was so much more successful than I expected; we ended up having 60 youth!! The youth loved their presents and had a great time.  Greg has been snow machining a few times and I drove for the first time this winter. Even though this is our second winter in Nome, we've gotten to have so many more new experiences!  We even got to experience temperatures in the negative twenties for a few weeks. Once it hits the negatives, though, it all starts to feel pretty similar.  It felt like a heat wave when it jumped back up to the teens!

The B&G kiddos at the Christmas Party

I go back and forth between how much I enjoy working at Boys and Girls club and how frustrating it can be.  I have really bonded with the youth and care about them very much. The youth have opened up to me quite a bit, but I struggle with how to support and teach them.  Without a behavioral health background, I often feel like I'm not equipped to help with their conflicts and problems, but I try. The simple daily challenges we face are just the surface of deep rooted problems. It sometimes feels like no matter what I say or demonstrate, the youth just don't get it.  I pray and hope that through the time they have gotten to know me, eventually something beneficial will finally sink in and help them through whatever turmoil they may face.  This reminds me very much of a conversation I had when working at Bethany Birches Camp about planting seeds. We can plant the seeds, but we may not be around to see it grow into something beautiful.  No matter how challenging these youth are and how good they can be at trying patience, I see youth who have so much potential and possibilities for a bright life and that makes it worth it.

These girls brighten my day.

Transitioning into the Holidays

Having a change in staffing at Nome Community Center and a background in planning events, I was once again in charge of the Community Thanksgiving Meal this year.  I kept it fairly similar to last year, but was able to tweak numbers to avoid too many leftovers.  We handed out about 250 meals again this year!  All were welcomed to the event and we encourage people to come have a sit down meal and converse with others. The chairs were all filled for the first hour and half, which was so wonderful! Then we had another large hand out of food towards the end for those who wanted to take their meals with them, especially to loved ones who were unable to attend. I was quite pleased with the turn out and how smooth things ran, but I was sure tired by the end of the event. After traveling twice in November, planning the community meal, and still maintaining my regular responsibilities, it was nice to have a three day weekend.  I made sure to keep those three days wide open for a chance to rest and rejuvenate.  Greg and I got to join friends for a refreshingly cold walk with our dogs in the rising sun, which was about 11am. We also used the time to get in touch with
our artsy side to make ornaments and other decorations for fun.  Greg put up our pallet board Christmas tree that he made last year and we decorated it. I also spent some time at the pottery studio working on some pottery pieces.  With my schedule changes this year, I was finally able to sign up for a community class and it has been so much fun.  I'm learning a lot, getting to know more people, and will hopefully have some pottery pieces worth keeping! Greg and I are still actively involved with the ambulance department.  We've been assisting the EMT 1 class and are helping our new recruits learn the ropes.

As the temperature continues to drop, Greg and I continue to find new and exciting things to do in Nome. We finally went ice skating for the first time since we've been here.  Greg is hoping to set his own crab pot this year, too (I'm sure there will be a blog post on it at some point!). It is definitely colder this winter here in Nome.  Some days if my skin isn't covered, it burns.  I have to be really careful about my choice of layers based on how long I plan to be outside.  It's not unusual to see people with face masks and hoods on here.  There are still some kids that don't wear coats or gloves, though, and it just blows my mind.

Now I am getting ready for the Boys & Girls Club Christmas party and many other events I will be attending over this month.  Greg and I also plan to deliver presents with Santa on the ambulance Christmas Eve.  The sun may not shine very long in Nome, but the events and our schedules continue to be busy!

We enjoyed a hike out of town with the rising sun and friends.

Conference here, Conference there, and another Conference!

Greg and I had the privilege of joining the Alaska United Methodist Church Workers retreat in October.  We were able to make connections to people of all different backgrounds all over Alaska. It was amazing to compare our communities and share stories. Alaska is so vast and unique.  Even though we all live in the same state, our climates and geography are so different from one another. Even though the community sizes may vary, the weather drastically different, and the dynamics unique, we all share similar struggles and joys and just love for others. We also enjoyed relaxing and rejuvenating with the theme of Sabbath for the retreat.  It was a much needed step back from our busy life to breathe and enjoy the nature setting of Birchwood Camp in Chugiak.  Not only did we get to enjoy meeting new people and spending time focusing on Sabbath and God, we also got to meet the new Bishop, Elaine Stanovsky.

I was also able to attend two Conferences in November for the second time.  The first was for the Alaska Afterschool Network conference, which I attended as the representative for Nome Boys & Girls Club.  I was able to regain some energy for our programs and I acquired some new ideas and resources.  I also continued to build relationships with other afterschool programs in the region. This was a very jam-packed conference, so it was tiring, but well worth it. I loved being able to hear about all the different ways that people are engaging youth and providing opportunities and empowerment.

The second conference I attended was as a chaperone for two high school ladies.  Lead On is a conference for high school youth who want to be leaders in their community. It is amazing to see the transformation that happen with these youth in just the short amount of time during the conference. Youth become empowered and are able to express themselves wholeheartedly. These individuals want to make a difference and Lead On gives them tools and opportunities to help make that happen.  We heard quite a few success stories while we were there from other Lead On attenders from over the years. The two ladies that I chaperoned thought about what they see in our community, both positive and negative, and what they would like to see in our community.  They decided to focus on positive outlook and attitude this year by leading a positive campaign and making a video.  Youth in our community often struggle with positive attitude and hope for the future. There is often a feeling of being "stuck" and isolated, especially in rural Alaska, which is one of the highest suicide rates in the country. I'm excited to support these two as they embrace this goal.  They were lots of fun to chaperone on our trip and I look forward to continuing that relationship throughout the year.

The Silver Salmon Award Goes To...

We did not watch the Olympics. This year, our free time was almost completely diverted to fishing. We have just completed our first full year here in Nome, becoming eligible for subsistence fishing and hunting. While The hunting might become a possibility in the future, fishing seemed like the better first step.

In my humble opinion, Silver salmon are the best to fish for. There are several types of fish including 5 types of salmon commonly seen in Alaska: Pink salmon, Silver salmon, Chum Salmon, King Salmon, and Red Salmon. The differences between them make them each a unique prize of the river.

Pinks or "humpys" are the most numerous. They are, however the least wanted. They are a bit smaller and are more fatty than some other types. They come up stream early in the summer and will bite almost any hook. They are the "practice fish" while you wait for the Silvers. Many people catch these for food themselves because it is possible to catch enough to feed a family for much of the year, however, some people catch them primarily for sport or dog food. Not a bad idea considering how much dogwood it takes to feed a team of sled dogs.


Chum salmon or "dog salmon" aren't ones that I have seen much and therefore don't know that much about. They are a decent sized fish that seemed to taste okay once grilled. I think they aren't in high numbers in the river.

King Salmon and the Red Salmon both are very desirable fish, as they have a very tasty meat and have a lot of it. Kings are usually the largest of the salmon types and reds are, in certain locations, in huge numbers. The problem with fishing for Kings or "Chinooks" and
Red's or "Sockeye salmon" is that they just don't bite a hook. To catch them you need a net. Dip netting is very popular, but can leave you with any where from 4 fish after a day, to 450 fish. You have to be able to deal with that many at a time.

Silvers or "Coho salmon" are the ones to fish for. They can get pretty large (I caught one about 22" last year) and are not nearly as common as the Pinks. They are a little pickier about the lures they go after and once they bite, they'll put up an amazing fight before you can bring one to shore. Silvers are the most fun of all the fish to fish for and are super tasty. 
Learning to fillet our own salmon has been an exciting part of this subsistence experience.

Joseph Balderas, Friend and Coworker

Nome has experienced a tough loss, one of our own went missing. Earlier this year, on Monday, June 26th, news went out that our coworker, Joseph Balderas, had taken a trip out into the backcountry on Saturday and had not shown up for work that day. Search and Rescue efforts were already underway and getting organized by the time the Community Center caught wind of his disappearance on Monday afternoon. If you've never experienced a friend going missing, it's an incredibly gut wrenching experience. As an organization, Nome Community Center immediately shut down all of our programs to join the search efforts. Kimberly and I found ourselves out hiking/ scouring the countryside for four of the nine long days that the search lasted.

Neither of us have taken part of an organized search and rescue effort before. This was also true for many people who came out the woodwork to try to help. Although the event caused many people to be anxious, something can surely be said for the organization of our local responders. Despite the obvious physical obstacles like the terrain challenges and dangerous wildlife (bears), the search was handled very well. However, those nine days of searching yielded no signs of Joseph.

The search was not some small group of volunteers trekking through the bushes near his truck, either. The Coast Guard had a Jayhawk helicopter with thermal imaging capabilities flying over a 30 mile radius of Joseph's truck. There were two additional R-44 helicopters supplied by Bering Air for several days of the search, and 5 total search and rescue dog teams brought in. There were well over 60 searchers who volunteered for the search. This included a team lead by the fire dept. and leadership from the Alaska State Troopers.

          
          
          

After the first day of searching, Kimberly and I found ourselves taking lead for several of the smaller search groups. However, after several long days of hiking, 4-wheeling and bushwhacking, we were spent. We did experience our first encounter with bears on one of our hikes. After about 4 miles of hiking along a nearby river path, our group spotted two large blonde colored bear cubs across the wide (yet shallow) river. They had been playing with each other and either heard us or caught our scent because they quickly stopped playing and started making their way down into the river to appease their curiosity. We were on the far bank of the river  (first picture) with a lot of willows between them and us so we kept a close eye on them. We decided that we didn't want their company and called in to the main search group and asked for the helicopter to make a pass nearby to scare the bears back up the hill where they came from.

Day after day of no news eats away at you. Having that recent memory of seeing Joseph in passing that Saturday morning, makes it feel like it's impossible to be true. How can he be gone. Is there more that I could have done. And of course, the thought of if I could only go back and convince him to spend that day differently, would he possibly be here with us now. I have to remember that Joseph is without a doubt in God's hands.

Summer Fun for Everyone!

Summer hours are so much longer when the sun never sets.  Greg and I have been out in the wee hours of the night on ambulance runs and we'll see kids and others out at every hour.  The activities are endless during the summer, yet so many people struggle with boredom.  At Boys and Girls Club, we made it our mission to keep kids active and involved this summer to help keep them engaged in healthier lifestyle choices.  Some of the weekly activities we led were fishing, beach shenanigans, and field trips.  Beach shenanigans included a bonfire on the beach, a walk along the shore, collecting sea glass, and climbing around on the port seawall.  The kids also took advantage of getting soaking wet by jumping into the ocean (why anyone would jump in to ice cold water is besides me!).  Friday Field Trips were different every week.  We went on a hike to Dorothy Falls and Anvil Mountain, had a beach BBQ with games, went to Salmon Lake to explore, paddle boarded, picked berries, went fishing for pink salmon, and more!  In addition to our regular activities, I also took kids rock climbing at our recreation center, led a variety of rainy day crafts, and played games.  It has been a lot of fun being able to get out of the building more often and to be able to explore the beautiful surroundings.  It has been a refreshing change of pace from the school year and cold, winter days.

Three weeks out of the summer, Greg and I took part in leading Camp CRAVE out at Council, which many of the B&G kids were a part of.  Camp CRAVE is organized by Nome Community Center and funded and supported by many organizations.  The focus is on healthy living with topics covering tobacco prevention, nutrition, Inupiaq values, and more.  Council is a beautiful area located at the end of the Council Road, 72 miles from Nome.  The camp we stayed at was about a mile boat ride from the end of the road.  Crystal clear rivers, pine trees, fresh clean air, towering mountains, and blue skies (and mosquitos) welcomed us.  During camp, we played games, sang silly campfire songs, swam in the COLD clear water, fished for salmon,  taught about healthy living styles, hiked, and camped out in God's amazing creation.  Even though it was challenging and stressful at times, it was a highlight to my summer.

Other than work, Greg and I spent our summer enjoying the outdoors as much as we could.  We went on several hikes, picked berries, went on a few four wheeling trips, camped, explored more areas of Nome, and more!  We also enjoyed getting to know more people in town and being involved in community events.