stuck in Bethel...again

Stuck in Bethel: day three. Planes weren't taking off for the town I was trying to visit--Tuluksak--thirty-five or so miles up the Kuskokwim River from Bethel.



So I borrowed a friend's car and explored the purportedly 16 miles of road that run around town. I found myself by the banks of the Kuskokwim River, the reason for this town's existence as transportation hub of the state's west. Here I found my portrait for the day:


North of town folks run their dogs.


Left over from the recent middle-of-the-night lamprey eel harvest.




My favorite bird.


Preparing the net to harvest whitefish.


Caroline jigging for lush fish.




A total of five holes were broken in the ice and the net was run beneath the ice from the first hole to the last one. The holes in between were used to house the floats attached to the net so the net would stay high and taut beneath the ice. They'd be back to check on it the next day.

The ends of the net were attached to logs that were stood upright to mark the net's location.



The north edge of town backing up to the tundra expanse.


Looking toward town from the dump.


So much spirit, these birds.