Nome Offshore Gold Placer Area

Nome is one of the top 100 placer fields in the world.  There are literally millions of ounces of gold all over the area and even under the town itself.  Onshore placer gold production from the Nome area between 1897 and 1964 was about 5,000,000 ounces of gold, the greater part of which was derived from placers on the coastal plain.  

Profitable gold placers are rarely found more than 6 to 12 miles (10-20 km) from bedrock sources.  The Nome Offshore placer area extends from the current offshore beach for 2 miles to water depths of about 60 feet. It extends about 10 miles parallel to the modern strand-line, commencing west of the the mouth of Nome River and continuing westward to the vicinity of Penny River.

Nome Gas Prices Summer 2013

In the Nome Harbor this Summer 2013

 
A message from the Captain of KY GoldenRod...The unusual trawler (Espirit) was a French group.  They were traveling with their families.  They had 2 boats on deck. One was a small sail boat that they are going to ice sail to the North Pole.  The other is a row boat that two of them are going to row from Northern Alaska to Greenland via the NW passage. I found one of them that could speak English and wished them luck.

There are several boats here waiting to hear if the NW passage is open to Greenland.  More Ice this year than usual and they are fearful it may not open.

Celebrating Aviation in Nome

A message from the Captain of the KY GoldenRod (Thomas O.)...

We have made it in the water and been out several days mining (working out the bugs).
We have been fighting with lots of icebergs until last week. They are all gone now.
One day there were dozens around the boat.  Some the size of a train car, most the size of a car.
You have to be careful with the big ones.  We don't want to be another titanic.

 
A couple of weeks ago they had a city BBQ and 100 years of avaition in Alaska celebration you will see some of the planes featured. The big red bird I had never seen before.  It was used as an airliner here in Alaska in the 30's, 40's, and early  50's.  The museum in Anchorage refurbished it and it is beautiful!

Go Big or Go Home in Nome, New Mining Technology

Message from Thomas O. Palmer

Thought you may be interested in some of the new technology that is appearing in Nome this summer, 2013.  The days of the little dredge operator may well be numbered.  

Phoenix Marine has the spud barge and Pacifica has five of the elevated Trackhoes with wash plants.  The Spud Barge simply jacks up the barge to clear all the waves during times of bad weather and the Elevated Trackhoe just drives up on shore when bad weather comes, otherwise thay are mininig 24/7.

Bering Sea Bergs

Spring 2013 was the coldest on record for the past 100 years or so in Nome, Alaska.  And, in May there was record snowfall in Nome.  The cold temperatures have delayed the start of the dredging season in Nome.

Nobody is going out now until the ice clears.  Believe it or not, it is short sleeve weather now in Nome.  Today the temperature will be in the 70s.  Perfect for dredging the Bering Sea.  Just awaiting the departure of ice.

Kentucky Goldenrod was out dredging for the first day this season on June 13.  On June 14th, the day was cut short due to sudden dense fog and icebergs. Good news is...Tom SAW gold while diving!  

                                                          Looking down onto Nome and the Bering Sea.

                                                            A wall of sea fog.