Breaking Trail in Barrow for Whaling !! (Point Hope, Hope: cabin, safe, eat)

[JessE86]

Break time - miles and miles to go.. .. .. day after day .. .. .. !









The overwhelming quiet - & peace & freedom, the only sound(s) are the wind, the cracking ice, and your 'thoughts' !!

This is the paradise of the north - that very few ever get to experience !!

[JessE86]

It is too warm out here, the ice is only about 3 foot thick, we need the temps to drop. to at least 30 below or colder, we need strong west wind to drive the ice back in here and make it much thicker. There is just no way, this ice will be able to withstand the massive weight of a bowhead whale - an astounding TON per foot !!





Natchiq - seal !!




Charles Brower -Frozen moustache, smoking a cigarette !!



GIANT ICEBERGS in the distance !!



Hey !!





See you later, another day - is over !!

[JessE86]

One umiaq is brought into the church, for the traditional Blessing of the boats - prayers for the safety of the crews and individuals involved. This four hour service was packed !! Many people got up to speak, among them was Eugene Brower. Much was said about work !! The need for hard workers to get the job done. Fredrick Brower is seated to the left, you can see part of his seal skin vest. All whaling captains are wearing seal skin vests for this occasion.



Getting ready to go back out on the trail to work, it is very cold today, Khristopher is wearing some very warm polar bear mittens. Keeping your hands warm in sub zero temps with high winds is easy, if you have the right materials !! Fredrick Brower uses 3 pairs of mittens, one on top of the other to keep his hands warm when it is extremely cold !! Layers, lots of loose layers is the secret to keeping warm. (one of the secrets). There are many others, such as the type(s) of food eaten.




Notice the braided yarn harness, just take your mittens off, cross them behind your back, and the harness will keep them ready for when you need to put them back on !!

Today, was an overcast day, must to the relief of our eyes, That sunlight bouncing and reflecting off all the ice, is blinding indeed, it is a much welcome relief to have grey skies for a while.



But the one draw back with overcast skies, is the contrast is so low, it is difficult to see changes in the surface of the ice, until it is too late, so , we proceed slowly, cautiously.

A meeting of the captains - Eugene Brower is speaking to Thomas Brower of which part of the trail to widen.



There is one thing that is very easy to accomplish out here. Notice the can of POP ! Ice cold, never a problem getting your pop cold out here. Just do not forget it because they will freeze in no time at all !!

Everyone works- as a team effort - Even if you are the President of the A.E.W.C. everyone is part of the TEAM - there are no levels out here, everyone is treated in the same manner. Everyone pitches in to get the job finished !!




Notice the seal skin gloves on Eugene Brower !!

[AQHA]

Keep up the great pics Jess, they are great.

[JessE86]

Tuesday, we are still n the village, west wind is still blowing. We need that west wind to increase. We need the temps to drop. Alapa Anaui 'Cold & windy.

That ice that on the other side of the lead, has to advance with much force to jam this ice together to make it stronger and thicker. The higher the pressure ridges, the safer and more solid the ice is. The work load increases, but that is not a problem, - happy days full of laughter !!



In the background is Ben Itta's Truck with his logo and name. This captains gear in the foreground is ready to be taken out to the ice when conditions improve. The caribou skins are for sitting, on the sled @ camp. There is one sled in the tent, and one sled @ the lead opening itself.





Instead of caribou skins and or other animals fur, this captain has his sled loaded with blue insulation, very warm for sitting for long periods of time, waiting, the days will soon be filled with excitement and much hunting and harvesting of food for the many familes of this and other communities.

Believe it or not, some of this food is sent to amost every one of the lower 48 states, and even to some countries around the world !!

Naqkupak !!




Checking out equipment and getting everything ready to head on out.




The outboard motor is mounted on the umiaq !



.. .. .. .. (2B-cont'd)

[Barkingowl]

I saw some people wearing bunny boots. Is there a particular boot that is favored amongst the crews?

[JessE86]

the three (four) crew members that are wearing bunny boots are me and my sons !!! There is no other boot made, on this planet, that can keep your feet as toasty warm (without even using socks) as bunny boots. You do not have to change liners, and if you were to fall through the ice and have that boot fill up with water, that water will be warm before your foot ever could become cold !! You just can't beat bunny boots ! Lots of natives wear them but usually they are black. Lots of different types of boots will keep you very warm, but for standing on the ice all day, they just can't be beat !l I have been using them since 1977. I went to prudhoe bay to work once, and I forgot my size 10 boots, I went over to the store, they only had two pairs left. size 15 and size 16, I purchased those size 15 and learned how to walk with those monsters !! I refuse to ever own or wear sorells again,

[Barkingowl]

I have a pair of bunny boots too. They are amazingly warm even if you just wear ordinary socks.

[JessE86]

Oh yes ! I agree 100% the only reason I mentioned no socks is that one day in Point Hope our wood stove went out in the middle of the night, I had to jump out of bed and go chop wood, I just jumped into the bunny boots with no socks, I got the wood chopped and the stove all fired up, then something else came up and for one whole day, I didn't realize, I had no socks on until that night when I removed my boots. (gasp) !!

[JessE86]

Wednesdays news : It is not good, We have West wind, we are still in town, west winds are predicted to last all week long, We need those winds to increase in speed and strength. It needs to get much colder, we need much thicker ice.

Problems have risen out on the ice and Eugene Brower is a bit upset from other crews using his trail, 5 crews were stopped last night and told to get off that trail, (they did not help) Eugene spent a lot of money to have his trail prepared, he has already gone through 3 - 55 gallon drums of fuel.

The captain foots the bill for the entire crew. Fuel, ammunition, food. (and other supplies if necessary).

Two miles out on the trail, Eugene encounters a young white man with his girl friend and some small children on a snow machine on his trail. "What are you doing out here? You are not allowed here, especially so far out alone, Oh ! the young man said.. we are just joyriding. Eugene glared - Polar bears are roaming about out here, and you do not even have any weapons??. GET OFF THIS ICE NOW !! This is not a tourist attraction !!

Each crew is responsible to break their own trail; not to take over someone else's trail. in Point Hope there are 20 whaling captains & crews, I am not sure of the exact number of captains and crews here in Barrow but I will acquire that information asap.


My favorite photo of breaking trail was set up and posed, these two captains are really sitting on the pick handle(s), the picks were carefully arranged so as not to show the picks or any shadows. This is straight out of the camera, no photoshop !!