Boat Trip to Bethel

It is a fact that one’s survival rate in Bush Alaska not only depends on the weather and other factors beyond your control, but also the company you choose to have an adventure with.
Last week I got the opportunity to go from Atmautluak to Bethel by boat. It turned out to be a nice trip with splendid company and an alert, safe driver. Quite opposite than if I were at the helm.
We met at the boat about 11:30AM on September 1st. I was bundled in my winter coat, as it was the coldest day so far since I arrived. Having told them I didn’t have a life vest, they were gracious enough to supply one for me.
I got into the boat, picked up the life vest, put my arms through it, breathed in and managed to clip the top strap. With my heavy coat underneath it was a bit tight, but would have to work.
From the air the river resembles a snake forever making an “S.” It looks the same from a boat. We were constantly turning left or right on the surprisingly smooth water. I was told it takes about an hour-and-a-half to get to Bethel and we enter the Kuskokwim at Napakiak.
That turned out to be about right. It took a little longer to get to the big city of Bethel, but we had four adults and three kids in the boat. We also had the pleasure of a small rain shower between Napakiak and Oscarville.
The driver slowed down a moment while we unfolded a tarp and put it over us. Then he throttled up and left us to fight the thing to keep it down and not have it blow out of the boat. But we were staying dry.
After docking at the Brown Slough we went shopping. I lugged my box full of food to the boat stopping a few times to set it down and rest my arms. A short time later the others showed up. We loaded all the groceries, piled into the boat, put on our life vests, and sat down.
The ride back was different – at least from my observation. Within thirty minutes the kids were asleep. The youngest one caught my eye. His mom laid him on his back with half his body on her soft backpack. As he was drifting off to nautical dreamland his left arm would raise up whenever we bounced over the wake of a passing boat. Then slowly fall down again. His eyes never opened. Before long it ended and his arm stayed put. He was out along with the other two kids.
Atmautluak came into view about 5:30PM. We had made it back without getting lost, breaking down, or sinking. It may have had something to do with me being the furthest from the engine.
I thanked them for letting me tag along thinking it would be the end of their kindness. I was wrong.
Not only did they refuse my offer to pay for some of the gas while we were in Bethel, they even put my box of groceries on their four-wheeler and delivered it to my house. Someday I will figure out how to repay them.