April 4th, we started to move toward the seashore. The temperature decreased even more, becoming close to -30C. Windy also, but, at least, clear.
We were already relatively close to the shore, when the raven came from the lad, made a circle around us, and flew back. It was the first live creature that we could identify. I guess, it also was surprising to see us. It was not good with life at that place at all. For two weeks we saw several raves, steps on one lemming, one dead lemming, traces of one arctic fox, and some animals, who were so far, that we could not identify them, maybe reindeer, maybe humans. That’s it. Well, I don’t blame all these absenting alive forms. In their place, I also prefer not to exist. Normally, in April, Kodiak and Grizzly bears should come from their dens, and polar bears from the ocean, but unusually April’s severe freeze didn’t help the bear activity. We were disappointed. With the bear’s absents, not with cold.
We came on the shore, and follow further on the south. There are gently-sloping hills, covered with dry grass. The lair of snow is cathartically low. Plenty of bald spots, some under thin ice. The area got plenty of snow, but all blown away. Despite dry grass, there are some dwarf alders. Very small, by my knee.
In some time we mat a snowmobile trail, marked with poles. It leads to the south, so we follow it. As we found later, it was a trail to Buckland, the settlement in 100 miles from Kotzebue. Such a snowmobile trail leads to all the small settlements around, locals visit each other during the winter. This area has no real roads, only planes, and boats during very short navigation.
Spent the night on some small lake. Not enough snow to use skis for tent setting, on the ice, at least, ice screws can be used.
In the morning, we continued our way to the south.
The next night was much more pleasant than all previous. Well, it was almost spa! We reached the shelter of NWAB (local community). A small (about 3×6 meters) cabin with a fireplace and wood supply. On the shore of Nothan Inlet. Warm (after you make fire, of course), almost clean. It doesn’t look like people spend a night here often, usually stopping on the way to/from Backland to have a pot and beer.
We decided to spend a day in the cabin – warm up, dry out, repair some stuff, and think about where and how to go, because the Cotzeboue Inlet was not passable.
About broken stuff, by the way. Besides ski skins, my boot, and Peer’s ski poles, Peer’s backpack and one of our thermoses also behave unproperly. Backpak’s shoulder strap was damaged, Peer fixed it temporarily. And the thermos just died. It can happen with any thermos at any time but we should say goodbye to our daytime broth. How do defrost ice screws?
More about local wildlife. When we came into the cabin, the floor was covered with flies. We swept them out, but some were hidden. They warmed up and started to fly. So, if count of life forms, that we saw, the most abundant animals in Kotzebue are flies.
On the second evening, we also saw humans. Three same from Buckland, warm up a little bit, got a pot, and drove to Kotzebue.
It was a temptation to settle in the shelter forever, but we should go further. We couldn’t pass the Kotzeboe Inlet because of the ice conditions, we didn’t have time to go around the inlet, so we decided to pass the inlet on the other side of the peninsula (it is about 10 km wide in this place) and went to Noorvik (50 km of rave fly).
On the morning of April 7, we parked and went via the inlet on the northeast. The temperature was -33C in the middle of the day, CF -40C. At least, the wind was not strong. The ice was almost flat just with some cracks. We passed the inlet, but several hundred meters from the shore found that there in open water between us and the land. Swimming in freezing-cold water was not in our plans, so we turned away and went back via the inlet forward to Kotzebou city. On the peninsula’s shore, we spent another night.
On the way to Kotzebue, we met one more shelter, on another snowmobile trail. It is closer to the town and much dirtier. Still has a fireplace and wood supply. In this cabin, we found the body of lemming. Poor creature, too hard life.
On this note, our communication with Kotzebue was done. It doesn’t like us, so, we don’t plan to disturb it any more.
Peer’s Video:
