September storm leaves behind treasured beach finds

The remnants of Storm Merbok battered Alaska’s west coast in September, bringing hurricane-force winds, excessive seas, and extreme injury to some Western Alaska communities. Properties have been flooded and private belongings have been destroyed. However in its wake, the storm additionally left behind just a few treasures.

After the storm tossed boats in Chevak like bathtub toys and scattered particles throughout the group, Norma Tunutmoak went out to survey the injury. Flooding carried a great deal of driftwood 17 miles inland from the Bering Coastline. Tuntumoak, an avid beachcomber, mentioned that she noticed one thing tangled amongst a pile of logs.

“I used to be like, ‘Holy cow, take a look at this!’” Tunutmoak mentioned. “It was a message in a bottle.”

Her eyes lit up as she confirmed off a brown glass bottle with a roll of paper at her dwelling.

When she opened the cork stopper and pulled the message out, it mentioned that the bottle had been floating round within the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea for greater than 20 years. In response to the message, the bottle was dropped from a ship off the coast of Vancouver in 2000 as a part of a long-term examine on ocean currents. Tunutmoak contacted the scientist listed on the message. He’s since retired, she mentioned.

Tunutmoak mentioned that she had hoped the discover could be extra private.

“However it’s OK,” she mentioned proudly. “It’s nonetheless a tremendous discover.”

She mentioned that she plans to show the bottle, and its message, on a shelf in her kitchen.

Up and down Alaska’s west coast, individuals have reported discovering treasures from glass fishing floats to sneakers and different flotsam. A large prehistoric tusk found exterior Newtok didn’t float in on a tide; it washed out of the tundra close to Newtok.

“Half of it was exhibiting from the tip and all the best way to the top of it,” mentioned Bruno Chakuchin, who found the tusk whereas scouring the shoreline for particles.

Chakuchin mentioned that the tusk was enormous.

“In all probability like 8 toes and 10 inches and possibly a diameter of 1 foot, 6 inches,” he mentioned.

It additionally weighed 128 kilos — too heavy for him to carry alone.

Tusks like this are fashionable amongst collectors and artists. Days after he found it, Chakuchin mentioned that he wrapped it up and shipped it to a purchaser in Anchorage.

“Relying on situation, they’ll go for about $150 a pound if it’s in actually good situation,” he mentioned.

That sort of money can go a good distance in a small group like Newtok. Chakuchin mentioned that he’s possible to make use of it for payments, to pay for meals and perhaps put money into a four-wheeler.

“No I’m not gonna use it for enjoyable,” he mentioned.

All of the beachcombing additionally presents a pleasant break for residents who’re nonetheless cleansing up after their communities have been ravaged by flooding, excessive winds and an historic storm surge.