Wednesday, October 14, 2009

OTZ+WLK+Spud+WLK+Spud+OTZ= Cranky Pilot

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Here are some more photos of my weekend at Spud.




This is the sign at the end of the runway out at Spud. This is where me and one of the staff, we'll call him "Bob", were waiting to catch our plane. He was headed home to Selawik and I was heading back to Kotzbue. The routing of the plane was Kotz-Selawik-Spud-Selawik and back to Kotz so staff could rotate. While we were at the runway waiting for the plane, camp security called to say that Bob's relief never got on the plane in Selawik. So when the pilot landed Bob told him of the problem and explained that when we went to Selawik that lady needed to be picked up and brought back to Spud.




So the pilot grumbled about starting and stopping the engine and the price of fuel while he threw our bags into the belly of the Cessna Caravan and off we went for our 5 minute flight to Selawik.




So the plane lands and the village agent for the airline drives up and the pilot, while climbing out of the cockpit says to him, "Nothing like another *ucking cycle for nothing!" Charming, ah?.

So relief lady gets on and Bob gets off and me and relief lady have to spend 20 minutes sitting in the plane while the pilot stands on the ground passive aggressively smoking cigarettes and chatting with some dude. Haha, whatever. So then we take off, head back to Spud to drop off relief lady and then head to Kotzebue.




The path of the flight took us over the village of Noorvik.




Noorvik has about 642 residents.




It is located on the right bank of the Nazuruk Channel of the Kobuk River, 33 miles northwest of Selawik and 45 miles east of Kotzebue.




One of the many tundra lakes on our way back to Kotzebue.




Kotzebue.









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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pictures as usual. I got a chance to see some of the scenery this summer when I backpacking to Great Kobuk Sand Dunes. We also flew over Noorvik on the trip. fascinating country
Thanks for sharing

JacksDad said...

I love these posts and pictures. It is amazing to see how people can live miles away from everything and reminds me not to complain when I run out of milk and have to go 5 blocks to the grocery store!!!

Lynn said...

Kotzebue was written about this week in the Chicago Tribune. And I knew where they were talking about because of you! The article was regarding the changes in shipping in the Arctic due to the ice melt. About the increase in vesels going through the Arctic and the increased port activity.

Anonymous said...

Are those trees I see? What's up with that? Is it because it is farther inland, and south? I never saw a single tree in Kotz.
Again, I love the remoteness of the villages. They are each their own little entity. I love that. Guess you better TRY to like everybody, cause it's not like you can avoid people very well!!
Funny post, too.

CD

Kathy said...

Great shots and I'm glad the weather looked clear for your "puddle jumper flight"!! It sure can get exciting in those little Cessnas if the air gets turbulent! I'm sure you already know! HA!

Finnskimo said...

I know who that is. What a BUTT.

When Dean starts at Frontier, he'll fly you around with a happy face! :)