Yukon Journal

Yukon Journal logo sp50.gif - 47 Bytesflight of cranes  
the Kayaker himself

An Account of a Trip Down the Tanana-Yukon Rivers,
from Fairbanks to Kotlik, Alaska, 1972

 

by Kayak Peter Wait

 
fanciful sketch of me in kayak - 3384 Bytes 
 
 
This sketch is taken from the cover page of the journal. It was done in pencil on a steno book and is the source of this page's logo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Introduction

 

In the spring of 1972 I decided to take a few months off from programming and continue my tour of the west. Go up to the Northwest. Find a river to kayak. Bob White, a friend down from Fairbanks on a break from winter, suggested the Yukon. That sounded good to me.
     By the time I had wrapped up my work and the company had found a replacement it was late July. I was on a plane from Seattle to Fairbanks, kayak in the baggage compartment. As I flew North I experianced my second sunset of the day, an excelent omen.
     As I decended from the plane to the tarmack I took my first wiff of the central Alaskan air. It smelled just like the air of Northern Wisconsin. I felt as though I had returned home. An even better omen.
     I include two versions of my journal of the trip. The first is just as I wrote it in 1972 complete with strikeouts, insertions, misspellings, etc. The second is a corrected and amended version which I recomend for reading.

Enjoy. PJW 2000
 
 
 
 
 
 

Table of Contents

  • Top of the Page
  • Introduction
  • The Journals, a true copy as written in 1972 complete with strikeouts, insertions, misspellings, etc.
  • The Journals, a faithfully corrected and annotated edition of the above. It is more readable.
    • Part1 (Jul 31 thru Aug 7,):
            Fairbanks, departure; Tanana R.; mosquitos; more mosquitos; Tanana Village, Sandhill Cranes.
    • Part2 (Aug 8 thru Aug 16):
            day in camp; Yukon R.; Ruby; rain; Koyukuk, "Last Chance" Nulato, ½ way.
    • Part3 (Aug 17 thru 23):
            Moose; depressing weather; Kaltag; more rain; a good day, Sandhill Cranes; a small Black Bear.
    • Part4 (Aug 24 thru 29):
            Anvik, some interesting water; Bonasila Slough, American wedgeon; Holy Cross; hint of autumn; a curious animal; Russian Mission;
    • Part5 (Aug 30-Sep 6):
            Pilot Landing; a strange phenomenon, The Raft. another Klepper; Ste Mary's; Mountain Village; I prophetize.
  • End of the Journey & Kotlik
  • Some Facsimiles of pages from the Journal
  • Appendices, reflections, lists: foods (taken, consummed & their nutritional values), wild foods, birds and mammals.
  • Looking Back
  • About these pages
  • Home Page
 
 
 
 
 
 

Looking Back
from the 21st Century

In 1972...  
 
 
 
 
 

About these pages

In the future I will maybe finish the Looking Back section

If you wish to be notified of major updates to this site or you just wish to comment send me an email.

Mail to: pwait@cybermesa.com

 


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edited by Peter J Wait, 7/12/2015