June 22, 2001  -  The Heart and Soul of a River  - 
Kongakut River, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

It's our second day rafting down the Kongakut River. Traveling on the water is a fantastic way to cover a lot of territory. In the 17 miles we floated today, the river showed us her heart and soul. Paddling near a calm pool, we noticed a few small rocks sliding into the water from an overhanging ledge. Our inquisitive gaze was returned by five Dall sheep, two of them fuzzy little lambs only a few weeks old. We followed a soaring golden eagle into a nearby valley, which turned out to be a good lunch spot. The river's silty shore was covered with caribou tracks and a few wolf prints. Floating through a narrow canyon, a group of 15 bull caribou stood at the water's edge. Just around the bend, a lynx stared at us from a chunk of ice. She was close enough to see the black tufts on her ears, intense eyes and enormous paws.

If the heart of a river is her wildlife, then the soul of a river is her music. The Kongakut sang for us today. She started with a steady trickle of water, much like the tinkling of piano keys. Next came the drip drop of melting ice shelves. Flute-like wind filled the canyon. The crescendo of roaring rapids climaxed with a cymbal crash of waves against the boat. The song finished on a soft note in a calm stretch of clear water. There is no better music than a live performance of a wild river. Bravo!


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