3pm Sunday Shaktoolik—Seavey mushing this way, local information on trail to Koyuk by Joe Runyan

We arrive Shaktoolik at 2:30PM, about two hours after the departure of Dallas the Younger Seavey, and Aaron Burmeister.   According to comm personnel here in the Shaktoolik Armory (always the most regarded sources of information because they have continuous access to the GPS tracker) the two have exchanged leads, but it appears after sorting it out that Dallas now leads Iditarod 2012 on a trail that may favor Seavey. As we know, Aaron may regret smoking cigarettes (a habit he has vowed to resolve after the Iditarod) as the two climb the Blueberry Hills.   Dallas, of course, wrestled at an international level, weighs 135 pounds, and is in good enough shape to run the hills, a nice bonus for a sled dog team.  When he left UNK he was wearing some light boots and windbreaker set you could run in.  His parka was draped on the back of the sled.

 Readers who are on top of the updates already know that Zirkle relinquished her lead and follows in third.

Shaktoolik

Calm, just a puff of a wind, here in Shak, blue skies, and blinding reflection off the limitless white requiring sun screen and dark glasses.   A local tells  me that the forecast is for more calm.

kids playing on a drift, shaktoolik

Seriously, I don’t remember a day like it in Shak, always expecting from previous experience to find the wind blowing a howler.  Shaktoolik is situated improbably on a long spit, but for good reason.   This location is excellent for hunting and fishing, notwithstanding the winds that have terrified Iditarod mushers.

Talking to locals, its still unclear exactly how the trail will go across the sound to Koyuk, a distance of about 50 miles (my approximation.)  Normally, the trail shoots straight across the ice like a surveyor put in a straight line.

However, the big storms you read about in the news modified the bay.  In one event, slabs of ice, buoyed by flood waters, piled up on the beach.  This makes putting the trail on the beach complicated.  In the same event, the ice on the bay refroze rough.

Most of the traffic this winter has been going across the ice, rather than follow the shore, but it hasn’t been a perfect glide path.  Remember that the ice can move in the winter, so nothing stays the same.   Just as I am writing , Roger Ashcraft and his crew of trail breakers arrive (at 4PM).

Roger Ashcraft and trail breakers head across the ice to Koyuk and see this view

This guys are so trail hardened nothing bothers them.  They figure to follow the Iron Dog Trail, picking up old markers and at the same time updating the trail with the official Idiatarod lathe (the ones with the blue ribbon, reflector, and orange carrot top.) 

Additional Local News

This region now has a well established commercial fishing industry to include salmon, halibut, and crab.  Presently, fisherman are minding pots that are catching crab at $6.85 a pound.   The regulations stipulate males only, throw the females back.

kids playing on a drift, shaktoolik

One of the guys on the trail breaker crew,  JR, seen in photo with John Kimbel and Roger Ashcraft, gave me the details of fishing crabs.   Norton Sound, which means all the area from Unk to Koyuk to a local, is only about thirty feet deep.   Watching for the wind to move the ice and open up a lead, locals go to the edge of the ice and drop in their pots.   They can also use a chainsaw and cut a hole in the ice, but that’s a lot of work unless you are convinced of a hot spot.   Most crab fishermen will hunt for a lead and go right to the edge of the ice.

JR told me all you need to be an expert fisherman is some fishing line, a spark plug for a weight , a little bait (trout or grayling is the best) and a coat hanger.   Place the elements together in this order:  put the spark plug weight on the bottom, kind of bend the coat hanger around, spread it out, and attach above the sparkplug.  Directly above the coat hanger place the bait. 

Now, in the craziest explanation heard recently, gently lower your fishing gear.  Leave it a little while at the bottom, then lift up gradually, where it is theorized the crab attracted to the bait falls on the clothes hanger and rides it to the top.   “You can get ten big crabs in an hour, easy,” said JR.

Final Thoughts

4PM Dallas and Aaron holding hands on approach to Shaktoolik,  Aliy Zirkle barely 4 miles behind.  This drama, the status of John Baker (whose reputation alone keeps a top contender) now on the trail, give this race a very unresolved personality.

We still are not sure if Berkowitz (who cut his hand) and resting in Unk will continue. Notably, Jake Berkowitz , Pete Kaiser, and Ray Redington are driving the fastest front running teams.

News flash:  Jake withdraws from the race due to injury.  I saw Jake in Unk when he arrived with a severely cut hand.  I think he did the right thing, expecially after seeing that it was to be sewn from the inside out and required monitoring.