Freeze-up Begins

Last Sunday, I watched the men work to pull the boats out of the Johnson River. This is the river that flows by my house. It was a beautiful day, but the weather forecast had predicted colder weather. I hated to see the boats being pulled out of the water. I still had orders coming in for the student store, and I was still expecting packages and mail from home. Colder weather means a chance of freeze-up on the river. If that should happen, we would be stranded as we live on an island.





Monday came and I could definitely feel a change in the air. I watched the pond outside my school window and I could see the ice forming on the edges. When I flew in from Anchorage a few weeks ago, I could see the formation of ice on the rivers and lakes. But I never anticipated the swift changes that were about to occur.


Monday afternoon, I made my way over to the post office via boat. I mailed a package and picked up the school mail. The trip over was very bitter. The wind was cold and it was spitting little ice pellets. On the way back, it was even worse. The sleet had picked up, and I knew my face was far too cold. I didn't anticipate the bitterness when I left. It was a good lesson learned early on in this winter setting. I did get what we call snow "nip" on my left cheek. It was a red stripe that burned and took a few days to disappear.


The next day, the pond outside my school window was half frozen. By the end of the day, it was completely frozen. I went home around 6 PM and was simply amazed at the river outside my kitchen window. When I left in the morning, there was ice along the edges. But now, I could actually see the ice beginning to form and accumulate across the river. I watched for one hour. Then, it was done. The river had a layer of ice across it. The next morning, I could no longer see evidence of a river of water. Now I saw only ice.


Our entire school was affected by this process. Our students from Akula could not come over. The river is too dangerous to travel by boat. And, the ice is too thin to travel by snow machine. It may take a week or so for the river to completely freeze-up. It all depends on the temperatures. If it warms up, our freeze-up will take weeks. If our temperatures remain as they are, freeze-up will proceed quickly. Everyone is hoping for cold temperatures. They just may get their wish.


We do have a few families who venture over across the river so their children can attend school. There is a point that is close to Akula. If they can cross that point, then they can make it. The photos here show a family of one of my students crossing the river. The parents literally slid the boat across the ice until they came to a point where the boat would not move. Then the father got out of the boat and pushed it the rest of the way. It was amazing to watch.









Last night as I worked at home, I could hear the sound of snow machines. The ice in the middle of the river was not thick enough to support a snow machine, but if they drove the snow machines near the banks of the river, the ice was probably thick enough. There were a few people out riding. Everyone is ready for the winter to begin.


This morning when I woke up, I looked out my kitchen window and saw only snow and ice. Just last Sunday, the river was flowing. Today, it was ice. As I watched, my neighbor ventured out on the ice. I couldn't imagine what he was doing. But as I watched, I saw him create a small hole and then take something out of his pocket. I watched as he worked. Then I realized - he was fishing - ice fishing. Everyone loves this cold. Not even a brisk day will keep the kids from coming over for a "visit." But as for me. . . . I look out the window and I see a scene from mid December. Chilling, beautiful, and brisk. Somehow it all works.