It only took a few minutes to see the sun sink behind this breaker, but by then my fingers were frozen and stiff and all I could think was "hot chocolate, hot chocolate."
The Naknek River opens into Bristol Bay and Bristol Bay opens into the frigid waters of the Bering Sea. I'm sure you watch Alaska's Deadliest Catch and see how rough and violent the seas are during their crab fishing seasons. Well that's now and the wind is as violent here and will be bringing ice on the water as the temperature continues to plummet throughout the winter.
The tide seems to change rapidly and after one close call and rising tide, I decided viewing from afar was best and safest!!
Each cannery here puts their boats into dry-dock and they are just waiting for the harsh winter to take it's toll before the short fishing season arrives and begins in early July.
The roads become ice rinks pretty quick with snow build up, melt, rain and the show "ice road truckers" have nothing on us down here.
The river is freezing and thawing daily and the ice floats I see today can be gone tomorrow or the entire river frozen all the way across.