Western Arctic National Parklands Residency Day 1: Kotzebue

August 10, 2016 Jessica L. Bryant

I arrived in Kotzebue, AK a little before noon today and was met by a friend (and park ranger) I got to know duing my last residency for Badlands National Park more than two years ago. We delivered my bags to the house I'm staying at and then spent the afternoon taking a brief tour of town, the park visitors center, and the school. I had a pretty good idea of what I'd see up here in a very small town along the arctic ocean, but there are a few details I really love, such as the two runway crossings. Because the road crosses the airport runway. There are signals, but they don't work right now, so you're expected to stop and look for airplanes. I'm enjoying the change in sounds. Instead of road noise coming mostly from cars, there are frequent airplanes, helicopters, and ATVs.

For dinner we went to the courthouse which was hosting a dinner to celebrate the opening of the new Coast Guard facility. There was traditional Eskimo food such as caribou soup, salmon, and muktuk (whale -Beluga and Bowhead) and drumming, singing, and dancing. It was a really great first night.

Thursday morning I head into the wilderness with my ranger friend, so tonight we went to the grocery store to buy meal ingredients. Tomorrow will be a long day of prep.

Across the street from the house I'm staying at is the home of an Iditarod racer (and winner) and his dogs, who take to howling together sometimes. It's fantastic. Behind his house is the Arctic Ocean where I spent time watching the sun get closer to setting late tonight. The salmon were jumping, the birds calling, and now the dogs are howling again. It's late, though still light, and time for me to sleep before an early meeting tomorrow. Very happy to be here, thrilled to have the experience further brightened by friends. A huge thank you to my hosts who are generously letting me stay with them. Good company, great knowledge.