Point Hope
We flew to Point Hope
on June 29. We rented a fourwheeler to drive to the birdcliffs of Cape Thompson,
first a 40 km trip on the beach to the south and then a winding track to the birdcliffs
(only later people told about Project Chariot and the Firecracker Boys). The first days we
had a wonderful wheather. Nice waders: Bar-tailed Godwits, but also a
couple of Red Knots, defending their territory. The birdcliffs of Cape Thompson are great. We camped at the top of the cliffs, at one time we could see 10-15 Grey whales in four pods, quite close. We could hear them breathing. Mainly Common and Thick-billed Murres, Kittiwakes and also Horned Puffins. The last night a thick fog closed us in. Visibility was less than 100 m, so we had to drive back in thick fog (a GPS is a wonderful help for navigation). |
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Whalebones in the old village | ||||
The remnants of one of the sod houses | ||||
We visited Point Hope also
in 1986: or click on the umiak with the polar bear skin |
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On our way to Cape Thompson, 50 km from Point Hope |
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On top of one of the cliffs We heard the Grey Whales breathing, |
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The site of "Project Chariot", The "peaceful" use of atom bombs in the sixties: "The firecracker boys" |
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Kiitywake | ||||
Horned Puffin | ||||
Harvesting eggs | ||||
One of our favourites: Spider Saxifraga |
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A Muskoxen | ||||
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Semi-Palmated Sandpiper | |||
Alaska 1997 | |
back to canoeing in Point Lay | |
Interesting links: |
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Tikigaq School | |
"Firecracker boys" and "Project Chariot" | |