Year 1

Summer River

We have officially been living in Bethel, Alaska for 1 year now, or as Alaskans say, we've lived here for 1 winter.  From dog sled races, to trips to villages, to salmon fishing, we have gotten to experience many new things this past year.  It's crazy how quickly it passed.  It hasn't all been easy, but it's amazing how quickly you get used to the price of a gallon of milk being $8, or a gallon of gas $7.06.  One thing I have learned is that people here don't refer to the time of year in terms of weather seasons.  Rather, the reference is made to whatever is "in season".  For example I don't tell patients they need to follow up in the Spring; I tell them they need to follow up after the king salmon run.  Or "make sure you get your blood pressure checked after you get a moose".      

Fall River

As a quick update and for those who just recently started reading this blog, we made this move in large part to get my massive amount of student loans paid off.  I unfortunately missed the application deadline for the National Health Service Corp last year, but have reapplied this year.  My application was accepted, so now I just anxiously await for them to show me the MONEY!!  

Winter River

I have made a position change at the hospital here.  I know longer work primarily in outpatient clinic.  At the beginning of June I moved over to the ER side of the hospital working their fast track.  I still see the same type of patients and problems, it's just on more of an urgent care, walk in basis.  I made the switch for various reasons, and so far I haven't regretted it.  I work 2nd shift, so I have more time during the day to spend with the kids and for that alone I am grateful.  The switch does mean no more village travel for me which is unfortunate for I did really enjoy going to the villages.  

Spring River

Year two has some exciting plans.  We hope to see more of the state this year and get the full Alaskan experience! One year completed, one year left on my contract, and then who knows...

Fishing

Orphanage

Looking out 2nd floor window

     

        


                                  

Now that we have lived here for 1 year we can legally subsistence hunt and fish.  Mark was quick to get his license and this past weekend we all got to go on a fantastic fishing trip.  Saturday we went up river toward Kwethluk.  Since it was Mark and I's first time out on the river, our friends took us "touring" before the fishing began.  We stopped at a pretty spooky abandoned orphanage about 3 miles up river from Kwethluk.  The orphanage was built in 1925 by the Moravian church in response to the number of children orphaned by the tuberculosis outbreak.  It was in operation until 1971.  It seemed to me that whatever the reason in 1971 that the orphanage closed people just up and left everything.  There were books scattered throughout the property, a couple rusty tricycles, a pair of ice skates, desks...  I don't think the Moravian church took anything with them when they left.  The whole place just felt eerie.  We didn't stay long, but if there was ever a place that could be haunted this had to be it!

First Catch

Just before the boys were ready to throw the net in and catch some fish Luke announced he had to poop.  In his words exactly "Poop is coming! It's coming!"  We all looked at each other trying to think of the best option as Luke made it clear this was a time sensitive issue.  Our friend found the clearest spot on the closest bank to pull the boat up to.  Shovel in hand Mark jumped off the bow and landed in knee deep mud!  With every move he sank just a little deeper, and poor Luke was standing on the boat shaking.  Mark grabbed Luke and pushed him as high up on the bank as he could reach trying to get him past the mud.  No luck. Luke sank in, although not as deep as Mark.  Probably 30 minutes later Mark and Luke were finally at the top of the bank, out of the mud and Luke tells him his poop is gone.  God love toddlers!

Roasting hot dogs while the dads
clean the fish

Saturday yielded one 23 pound king salmon.  We were all proud of the catch.  It motivated us to go out again on Sunday, and thank God we did.  Sunday we caught 6 kings (the smallest one probably about 20 pounds), 1 red, and 1 chum!  I never realized how many different types of salmon there are till we moved here.  The kings are the biggest and for many the most desirable to get.  They also only run for a short couple of weeks after the river breaks up.  The chums are the least desirable, they are what is sold as sockeye salmon in the lower 48.  Our first fishing adventure ended in an assembly line cutting the fish and readying it for our freezers.  Each of the 3 families that fished this weekend left with a very heavy bag full of fish!  We are addicted now and can't wait till our next fishing trip!

Good thing he likes mud

 

2 biggest fish from day 2

The boys and their catch from day 2

Bringing 'em in

Breakup

As the snow melts and the temperatures begin to warm up people here begin to get anxious.  The ducks and geese have returned to the area, and just like everything else the land provides, people here love hunting birds.  But the birds are not the reason for the increased tensions around town.  The reason for the tension is the river.  For a few weeks between winter and spring travel to and from Bethel is strictly by plane.  The ice road is no longer safe to drive even a snowmachine on, but is still covered in ice also eliminating boating as a means of travel.  People flock daily to the river to keep vigil in anticipation of the ice breakup.  One longtime Bethel resident even told me that tradition mandates you should not make any major life decisions within 3 days of the river's breakup.  The longer breakup takes to occur, the more anxiety there is around town.  Some people have literally spent hours just watching the ice, listening to it pop and crack, waiting.  
Every year for I don't know how long, a town wide bet attempts to predict the exact date and time the river will breakup.  This year's pot was over $12,000!  A tripod marker is positioned in the ice.  When the marker moves the bet is over and the breakup has officially begun.  This year breakup was later than most years past.  It officially began May 28th at 7:42 PM.  The following day the town hosted its annual Breakup Bash, a party on the river bank complete with live music and free hot dogs.  We aren't big crowd people (and the Breakup Bash usually draws a big crowd), so rather than joining the party I decided to wait till later that night to go check out the river.  Mark had driven past just before the Bash started and reported there was still plenty of stationary ice.  The river may have moved enough to break the marker, but by all intensive purposes was at a stand still.

After getting the kids to bed I grabbed my camera and headed for the river.  The sun isn't setting until about midnight, so I knew I had plenty of light remaining.  I also knew if I didn't go that night I might not get another chance to take pictures of breakup until next year.  Once the ice starts moving the river is usually cleared in less than 2 days.  

When I first got to the river, I thought I had read the official breakup time wrong, because the river I was looking at was not moving at all and was still covered in ice.  There were even some people out on the ice, chipping it away and loading it into their truck beds.  There were several other people down there too, just watching and waiting for the ice to clear.  I had been snapping pictures for probably about 20 minutes when I was ready to leave.  As I packed up my stuff however I noticed that the popping of the ice suddenly seemed louder and more frenzied.  When I looked out at the river I also noticed that there was water splashing up between the cracks in the ice.  Then, quite suddenly, the whole river surged forward.  Chunks of ice, tree limbs and debris rushed past all of us.  People started cheering and clapping, I think I even saw one lady start crying.  The noise was incredible.  
I didn't stay too long; it was late, and I had to work the next day.  But I am really glad I went when I did.  Most people, even people who have lived in Bethel for years, don't ever get to see anything like that.  By the next day, most of the ice had cleared out.  By the day after that people were putting their boats back in the water.