The other night, my husband was in the back room watching television. I wandered into the room and asked, “What are you watching?” Usually I could tell what was on the schedule and knew what to expect as an answer. Now that there are so many channels to watch, I never know what new world, sport, craft, food, or home sales program Jim has been exploring. Tonight, it was Alaska!

For those of us who are more inclined to see extreme nature from a distance, Alaska is a good state for that. Well, not really! One of our favorite cruises was in Alaska. We told you about it at the time, but it does not take very much to bring back the fond memories that we have had about that trip.

A favorite off-ship tour was the Outdoor Salmon Bake and gold panning. We skipped the salmon bake, but did try our hand at panning for gold. As our costumed prospector tour guide drove us to historic Last Chance Basin, he regaled us with the history of panning for gold. We viewed the remains of the Alaska-Juneau gold mine. We did our own panning for gold just as the prospectors did during the gold rush. Although no one in our group panned any large gold nuggets, Jim and I did get some gold flakes. When we put them together they weighed enough to be valued at $14.47.

Jim was watching the reality television show “Bering Sea Gold.” It fuels the idea that it’s possible for anyone with basic diving skills and a boat to vacuum a fortune from the floor of the ocean. But dredging is not for the light of heart. 

The new prospectors suck the gold (along with all of the rocks and sand) off the bottom of the Bering Sea or from the mountain creeks. 

Sluicing, as it is called, is now done in many parts of Alaska because the newer machines do most of the heavy work

The other way to mine for gold is to use a dredge. Gold dredges, at times, almost seem to fill the little harbor in Nome. As gold miners tied up in the harbor and then jumped off their makeshift watercraft decked out head to toe in dark neoprene suits, they resembled big black bears. 

Outside the harbor, the wind can kick up more than 20 knots from the north. White caps will litter the surface of the ocean as far as the eye can see. Across from the dock, the headstones at an old graveyard on Cemetery Hill glistened white in the sun. Some of them mark the final resting places of unlucky adventurers who came north planning to get rich quick before returning home.

Gold miners are usually reluctant to say how much money they made last year. One pair of miners did let on that they might have lost $30,000 to $40,000 because of a storm in August that kept them away for three weeks. If you do math: $30,000 to $40,000 for three weeks breaks down to $10,000 to $13,000 per week. If the two men split that amount, a man can do well for himself at $5,000 a week for 20 weeks, if he gets lucky — and, if he can actually work for 20 weeks and if the gold holds out, and if the machinery doesn't break and cost a small fortune to repair, and if the weather doesn’t turn bad. 

The gold miners that will cause Jim to just shake his head are the dredgers who do their mining during the winter. They cut a hole in the ice above the claim that they have registered and lower a dredge pipe into the 24-degree water. Then a diver, in a special hot water heated suit, will jump into the water to manually move the dredge around. We cannot even imagine the number of problems that could materialize.

These reality shows about Alaska have shown me that people all over the world have a different way of life. It may not be the kind of life that we like, but the people living in extreme conditions seem to like what they have. Jim and I experienced Alaska from the comfort of a multi-decked cruise ship. If it was cold outside we went inside. If we got hungry we enjoyed one of about 15 different dining facilities on the ship.

We watched eagles fly. Moose and bear foraged for food in the distant waters. We watched the glacier calving and strewing the waters with broken chunks of ice that could sink a ship. All of this was from the comfort of our ship.

People who live in the areas outside of the cities, in Alaska, live through hardships that even our forefathers, in the lower 48 (as they say in Alaska) did not have to endure. They spend all of their time during what they call good weather gathering food for the winter. They have to take care of the animal that they have and have food for the animal. They have to repair their cabins and out buildings to keep them safe during a harsh winter.

Wait a minute! That’s what our forefathers did. I guess our neighbors in Alaska are just like us. But they do wear heavier coats in the winter.

PTSA

Are you a member of the GHS PTSA? Did you read the PTSA letter that was included in the summer mailing?  If yes, thank you for your membership enrollment.  If you did not receive the above-mentioned letter, please check your spam filter. The sender will be DoNotReply @ny.pta.com.

OES Blue Card

The credential cards for the Order of Eastern Star are blue not pink as previously stated in a recent Eastern Star newsletter.  

Food pantry 

The Altamont food pantry, housed at the St. Lucy/St. Bernadette Church parish center, always has needs. Perhaps when you are shopping and you see a very good deal that is the time to pick up extras for the pantry. 

Laundry detergent, dish detergent, bar soap, shampoo, and toothpaste are always needed. All donations can be left just inside the door of the church's Gathering Space on Grand Street.

Northeast Days

Members of the Order of Eastern Star will be attending the annual Northeast Days on Oct. 1 to 4.  It will be held this year at the Portland Marriott in South Portland, Maine. 

AFD open house

The Altamont Fire Department will hold a public safety open house on Saturday, Oct. 10. The public is invited to visit the fire station located on Main Street. This is an opportunity to learn more about the fire department and the rescue squad.

Potentate Ball

The Cyprus Shriners of Albany will hold their annual Potentate’s  Ball on Oct. 10. The Black and White Masquerade Ball will be held at the Holiday Turf Inn. The hospitality room will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. The social hour will be at 5 p.m. with dinner following at 7 p.m. The attire is black and white and attendees are asked to wear masquerade masks for the social hour. There will be a breakfast on Sunday at 9 a.m.