The Big Breakup!

We finally had Spring Breakup in Alakanuk--our tiny village on the banks of the Yukon River. We knew it was coming, because we got a play-by-play account of Breakup on the River. It was like having a town crier. “One o’clock and all is well...Two o’clock and all is well...Three o’clock and all is well...” You get the picture. But instead, our cry went like this: “The ice has moved in Tanana...The ice has moved in Klulato...The ice has moved in Kaltag...in Anviko...in Russian Mission...Pilot Station...Mountain Village...” And finally, it “moved” in Alakanuk.

I wasn’t sure what “moving” meant or why it was such a big deal--until I saw it. What a sight! All I could do was gawk. Spring Breakup truly is spectacular! I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!

One day, we were standing on the banks of the Yukon, looking across the 300 feet or so of flat, frozen river. The ice right at the shore had melted, so there was running water on the sandbar. But the rest of the three-football-fields distance was smooth ice.

The very next day, we heard the cry. “The ice has moved!”

We ran down to the Yukon and into a dream. It was magic! Mountain ranges of broken ice now stood where just a few hours before, all had been smooth and quiet. Chunks as big as semi-trucks were jammed up and reaching to the sky. It was magnificent. The power of nature is stunning.

I can’t begin to describe the immensity of this power. Even pictures can’t portray the force of nature. But it will give a small idea...kind of like a miniature replica of the Taj Mahal. So here we go:

This is a picture of Spring Breakup on the Yukon River near the Alakanuk dock. It is taken around midnight...with no flash. I love the 24-hour sun!

For a video of the breakup, go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49PY9bWSJ_U
This is a little long (about 3 minutes), and I actually do a lot of babbling and repeating and stumbling over my words...because I am so “WOW”ed by what I see.

My personal favorite is this video where Taco gets “up close and personal” with the Yukon. I couldn't stop laughing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOqb1w7QyIM&feature=related