In Barrow Alaska; at the top of the world; The sun sets for the last time on November 18th; The sun will not come above the horizon until January 24th.

Here comes the sun!!



That means it is almost time for whaling out on the ocean ice pack, many miles from land.


Time to dig out - and get ready for the upcoming hunt in April;



But before we can go hunting; we have to do something you have never heard of or could never imagine or fathom.

CHOP a trail through the ocean ice; make a smooth road 10 feet wide - 7 miles LONG!! All this is done by hand, long 14 hour days for one month; in brutal temps often exceeding 30 below zero and much colder. No one gets paid; NO ONE COMPLAINS !!

Itis time: to get ready to go whaling (again). this is the most spectacular time of the year.



Come along for a spectacular journey from the warmth & comfort of your home or office and see how it is done the ESKIMO WAY !!

You just ain't gonna believe this!!

We have one month; to make a smooth road through very rough ocean ice for 7 miles, all by hand !! Watch this - !!

[Majik_Imaje]

This is a daunting task, so much work, just so we can access the open lead which will be very far out on the frozen ocean ice pack. We have to be all set up in position BEFORE any of the animals begin to migrate through our portion of the open lead.

These photographs tell the story much better than I can. This is how a whaling captain finds out how good his crew members are: by how hard they work!! This is no place for b.s.!!
It won't fly out here.















Do you think you could do this for 12-14 hours a day for a month with no pay - just for the right to eat ??

Wait till you see what is involved;!! THE BEST IS YET TO COME !!

[Majik_Imaje]

For what it is worth; There is no such thing in Barrow Alaska or any other part of Alaska that has a day with 24 hours of darkness !!

Even though the sun sets Nov. 18th and does not come back above the horizon until Jan 24th. We still get some light each day. (very little).

The worst day of the year of course is dec 21st. It will not become light until about noon. It is dusk' type light - but it is possible to read a newspaper outside.

Lightness @ noon & dark again by 1:30 or 2:00!! Each day the days get longer.

IN May it will not get dark again until August!! 24 hour sunlight round the clock for 3 1/2 months.

You will notice huge extremes in the manner of dress for these workers. In the preceding photographs the temp is about 20 below = a wonderful day. BUT.. ... ...

Be careful out here, there is no place to go to warm up. And when you get too hot from working hard. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE of taking your hat off, your head will freeze!!





Guess where you go for break time ? (right in place) - Guess where you go eat lunch? - right where you are. Guess where you um ?? (behind any large piece of ice).



We advance and meet our next obstacle, We do not go around huge piles of ice; there is a special reason for that - we go straight through them even if they are 20 foot high or taller. we need thick ice, a straight road for when we have to evacuate when the wind shifts direction. We have to scram @ warp speed.





Are you getting cold yet ? No one ever complains about anything up here - out here, this is one happy time - whaling, for the next two months - THIS IS HOME SWEET FROZEN HOME @ 40 below zero. you will see the drastic change soon. Get some Xtra clothes ready!!

[slowpez]

What a great photographic story. Well done majik. I hope you plan on finishing your story - I can't wait.

[Majik_Imaje]

It just might take about 20 pages !!!

[Baudelaire]

Gran experiencia y grandes fotos!!

Saludos.

[Majik_Imaje]

What do you do ? to protect your cameras in sub zero temps ??? The forums are full of the same answers. what to do when you bring it back inside (inside a bag).

Well you have never heard what I have had to say about this matter, and quite frankly people do not like my answer(s). BUT I speak from 30 years experience out here on the ocean ice pack, with over a dozen different types of cameras.

Pentax K1000 was King !! (no batteries needed). Mamiya RB67 was Kong!!



What do you do ?? Ans: NOTHING !!! I have tried every which way possible to DESTROY a camera out here; I have never succeeded or ever had any camera malfunction!! Yes; the controls are extremely sluggish. Battery life is null and void when you are going to be here for two months with 100 rolls of film. Today with digital it is a piece of cake.

I have the ultimate testing grounds to work with here; my results speak for themselves. And I have a lot to share about manufactures hype!! I have proven them WRONG time & time again - for 30 years.

[kbrede]

Great story and pictures. Thanks for posting! Can't wait to see the rest of the story.

[Scottnorwo]

what a story and can not wait for the end of the story.

[Majik_Imaje]

Well I promise not to disappoint any of you. but to leave you utterly speechless !!

Here we go - back to the ice !



Nothing but ice; in all directions for many miles. this is a different world; a different planet a world of nothing but ice !!

Here are your guides for this adventure - 3 of my sons !!

MarkAndrew, Jesse, Isaiah is missing and Khris = MAJIK !!

Isaiah (is in point hope)- MarkAndrew, Jesse, Eves = IMAJE

I am a single parent who raised four Inupiaq sons, by myself with no help from anyone. I quit work (IBEW electrician) and stayed home and taught these boys everything I know.

The Eves boys - they are living legends in the Arctic in all villages - you will see why later !


Here they are: MarkAndrew(left) Khristopher(middle) Jesse (end).

[tigershiok]

MarkAndrew, Jesse, Isaiah is missing and Khris = MAJIK !! Isaiah (is in point hope)- MarkAndrew

wow, that's incredible! the true-life story and the pictures!
what do you mean by "isaiah is missing, ....is in point hope"?

[Majik_Imaje]

Notice the boots they are wearing - Bunny boots - $200.00 a pair. But it is 100% impossible for your feet to ever get cold wearing these type of boots. In fact: you can go through the ice, and have that boot fill up with icy water, your feet will still be warm. You do not even need socks with bunny boots !! toast is the ony way to describe your feet in the harshest of conditions !!

Some of the local teenagers: NOTICE; shorcuts are being worn @ zero !!

ICE FOG: Is another condition that frequently occurs during these very cold winter months.




White outs occur regularly up here in the Arctic; it makes for perilous driving conditions. It is very easy to get lost.


condensation donuts form when the camera is not acclimated to the sudden drop in temps.



another day; more work to do. The captain: Umailiq (Oou may lick). Whaling Captain; He foots the entire bill for his 8 member crew for the entire two months; That means fuel; food, ammunition & transportation.

You (crew member) are a worker; all day-everyday, there is much work to be done out here.

Eugene Brower is the head Umailiq. He is also the President of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. His son Fredrick is our captain for this hunt.





Over cast days are a welcome relief from the ice reflections bouncing all over the place, you must wear dark sunglasses to protect your eyes from the incredible brightness that is 24/7.

The Arctic is host to a lot of different unique sensations and occurences.

As long as you stay outside in that sunlight; you easily become "solar powered" i.e. it is very easy to stay awake & alert for 3 days or longer. When you become tired and need sleep; you merly 'rest' for a few hours & your all charged up ready to go for another long span! No one knows which day of the week or which month it is, and quite frankly no one cares. (0ut here ).

OVERCAST DAYS: make for extremely perilous travel due to the low contrast. It is very difficult to see any changes in the ice- you must travel slow and deliberately, cautiously; Anything can happen out here - tottaly unexpectedly- be prepared!!

[Majik_Imaje]

wow, that's incredible! the true-life story and the pictures!
what do you mean by "isaiah is missing, ....is in point hope"?

Isaiah - lives in Point Hope - he is married w/4 children.

More on his name and the most bizarre story you have ever heard of.

All of my true life stories are sensationally bizarre; stuff like this just doesn't happen. You can't make up stuff like this.

Well I might as well put it here; because this is (laughing) bizarre is the only word in my limited vocabulary that describes this.

1970 I first got married and had a daughter named Vanessa in1971.

In 1972 & 3, I was obsessed with the craving to have a SON. I wanted to name him Isaiah. My wife was nothing but negative comments end of story.

On my dark room (white wall) I purchased some gold leaf calligraphy lettering. I rubbed it on the wall, and it looked gorgeous. Isaiah

Under his name; I put my daughters name Vanessa - Wow - I loved to stare at that for hours; (and pray).

But once I added my last name. It did not look right, It did not look like brother and sister at all - it looked like husband & wife.


Isaiah

..........Eves

Vanessa

To make a long story shorter, Isaiah was born in 1983.. .. In Boston!

In 2003 (from Anchorage) we moved back up to the village of Point Hope. I was the only one who knew of these particulars; In 2004.. Isaiah married the only woman on the entire NORTH SLOPE of Alaska (8 villages) he married a woman named .. .. Vanessa!!

[Majik_Imaje]

I have stories you will never believe, NEVER; but this next one has 7 witness for the most preposterous story you will ever hear;

Just google: Jesus drove a snowmachine

Back to the ocean ice; How about a quick commercial??

[Majik_Imaje]

Sorry; I just couldn't resist!!

We got a lot of ice to move here, A straight smooth flat road 10 feet wide (minimum) must be created in order for our crew to move EVERYTHING out here including the kitchen !! You will see later how many sleds it requires to get everything out here. Every camp site is 100% identical in each and every aspect. Certain items (all) are placed in certain positions for a reason, nothing is haphazard out here, these are time tested traditions and customs. For well over 3,000 years !!


We have a lot of work to do in this area; the photos say much more than I am able to convey.