Sleeping arctic fox kit using tail as a blanket

 

 

Thank you for visiting Akau online.  Akau located on the Seward Peninsula 7 miles north of Nome Alaska on the Old Glacier Creek Road near upper Anvil Creek.  The Akau site is a public resort under development beginning the Alaska summer 2012; specifically right at the Caribou Bill claim.

In addition to the excellent gold prospecting opportunities for visitors, Akau   provides visitors an array of opportunities to explore the Alaska tundra within 100 miles of the Arctic Circle.  The following categories summarize the activities available to visitors:

 

Bird Watching

Late May through June in Nome offers the optimal time for both bird watching and wildlife observation as the sun is brightest and breeding takes place.  Many Asian species are observed during this time.  As many as 100 species of birds can be seen, most not found in the lower 48 states.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bristle-thighed Curlew is a large shore specie that breeds along the Seward Peninsula tundra during the summer months then migrates to the South Pacific Islands such as Fiji and the Hawaiian Islands.  They can fly non-stop over 6000 kilometers.  Above source image: www.usgs.org.

 

Fortunately for bird watchers the road system around Nome within the Seward Peninsula is adequate and can be used without the need for air travel. 

Wild Life Observation

Much like bird watching the June month generally is the best time to observe wildlife.  Common wildlife species include:

                                      Muskox

Muskox a symbol of the extreme North is considered an ancestor of the woolly mammoth migrated to North America during the Pleistocene period over 100,000 years ago.

                                               Reindeer

  Also known as Caribou the Reindeer is from the Arctic.  Both male and female grow large sets of antlers.

                                            Moose

The moose is the largest specie of the deer family, however unlike deer cousins they do not form herds.

                                                      Arctic Wolf

A subspecies of the gray wolf, the arctic wolf has lived in North America over 2 million years.

                                              Arctic Red Fox The arctic fox live in the most extreme cold climates on the planet.  Their excellent hearing allows the fox to pinpoint prey deep under the snow during winter months.

                                                Wolverine

Largest specie of the weasel family, the wolverine has developed a reputation for fierceness and can kill prey many times its size. 

        Ermine in summer coat                                                                               Ermine in winter coat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip. White coat in winter and turns brown in summer.

                                      Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis), also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is asubspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos) that generally lives in the uplands of western North America. This subspecies is thought to descend from Ussuri brown bears which crossed to Alaska from eastern Russia 100,000 years ago, though they did not move south until 13,000 years ago.^[1]                       

                                                                     Willow Ptarmigan in summer plumage

                                                                                       Willow Ptarmigan in winter plumage

The Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), Willow Grouse or in the British Isles the Red Grouse, is a bird of the grouse subfamily. It is a sedentary species, breeding in birch and other forests and moorlands in the tundra of Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, northern Canada, in particular the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the state bird of Alaska.

 

Fishing

Akau Gold and Resort is located on the north coastal side of Norton Sound.  The Norton Sound region is considered one the greatest salmon fisheries in the world.  Akau clientele interested in fishing the area will be provided  gear and tackle upon request.  Fishing instructions and area guiding will be provided. 

 

Norton Sound is an inlet of the Bering Sea on the western coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, south of the Seward Peninsula.  It is about 240 km (150 mi) long and 200 km (125 mi) wide.  The Yukon River delta forms a portion of the south shore and water from the Yukon influences this body of water.  It is ice-free from June to October.  The town of Nome is along the northern edge of Norton Sound. The villages of Elim, Golovin, Stebbins, White Mountain, Koyuk, Shaktoolik, St. Michael and Unalakleet are on the shores or waterways flowing into Norton Sound.   The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race runs through coastal villages between Unalakleet and Nome.

Fish species near Akau Gold and Resort

Chinook salmon known in the US as king or blackmouth salmon, and as spring salmon in British Columbia; chinook are the largest of all Pacific salmon, frequently exceeding 30 lb (14 kg).

Chum salmon known as dog, keta, or calico salmon in some parts of the US.

Coho salmon  known in the US as silver salmon. This species is found throughout the coastal waters of Alaska and British Columbia and up most clear-running streams and rivers.

Pink salmon humpies in southeast and southwest Alaska, are found from northern California and Korea, throughout the northern Pacific, and from the Mackenzie River in Canada to the Lena River in Siberia

Arctic char or Arctic charr is both a freshwater and saltwater fish in the Salmonidae family, native to Arctic, sub-Arctic and alpine lakes and coastal waters.  No other freshwater fish is found as far north

Dolly Varden , Arctic Grayling and Whitefish.  Other area streams provide the opportunity for high quality fisheries for the same species, but are not as in

Northern pike, with their rows of sharp teeth and deadly stealth, are regarded as being the most ferocious predators in Alaska’s rivers and lakes.  They are the only fish known to eat animals such as ducks, muskrat and other creatures that carelessly swim into their domain. The ease of hooking one and the excitement of the fight that ensues, makes this toothy-monster a popular sport fish.

Fishing Alaska Seward Peninsula

 

 

 

Preparing Salmon for Smoking                                                                           Enjoy the Experience of Alaska

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy the wide open spaces                                             Join in the Fun