February 24, 2022
After 10 glorious days in Alaska, our anniversary trip was sadly coming to an end. Having experienced so many unforgettable adventures, I felt a twinge of guilt as disappointment started to creep in. Despite scanning the northern sky every SINGLE night, Lady Aurora had yet to reveal her illusive self. Tonight was our final chance and we were going to make it count! Tuckered out from an already full day’s agenda, we headed back to our home-away-from-home for some relaxation and a nap before our date with Aurora Borealis. Hopefully she wasn’t planning on no-showing us!
As darkness slowly engulfed the grove of towering birch trees poised outside our window, we began the process of inventory check. Once all our cold weather gear was accounted for, including my amazing heated socks, we loaded up and headed back to Chena Lake, where we had snow machined earlier. The recreational area, now barren except for a few sparsely parked cars, looked completely different than it had during the busier daylight hours. Thank goodness for adequate signage leading the way towards Fishing Cabin #86.
As we swung open the door, I knew I had made a wise choice. While I’ve always wanted to try ice fishing, I didn’t want to actually have to brave the elements (I know. How very touristy of me.) Instead, I wanted to be shielded from the Arctic air as I lured fish out of the water and into the skillet. Well let me tell you, that little plywood shanty was as warm as wool with its cast iron stove proudly radiating heat for all to enjoy. After our guide welcomed and validated everyone’s fishing licenses, we found ourselves a seat along one of the long wooden benches lining the walls. Black lids rested at our feet, each one hiding a perfectly drilled 8 inch hole, just the right size for reeling a fish out…or dropping a cell phone into. With that said, I zipped my phone into my jacket pocket and only retrieved it when the lids were securely in place!
With baited hooks, we dropped our lines into the pitch black frigid water and instantly got a bite…then another…and another. Only legally allowed to catch two fish, I gently tossed the others back in and kept two colorful little rainbow trout…to eat. As our guide began filleting and preparing everyone’s catch, an announcement was made that a very welcomed visitor had arrived to our dinner party…
No longer caring about sampling the catch of the day, we threw on our coats and raced outside. Distancing ourselves from the soft glow of the cabin, we ventured further onto the frozen lake and into the darkness. Our gaze scouring the northern sky, she slowly came into focus, almost as if a figment of our imaginations. There dancing high above us, in all her splendor, was Ms. Aurora Borealis herself, and the cost of admission was only a few hours of lost sleep!
It is difficult to describe this natural phenomenon as the whole experience felt as though I had stepped into a dream., but here goes…
As if a living, breathing body, the Northern Lights descended around us, separating the chasm between fantasy and reality. Like a ribbon twirled in the skilled hands of an acrobat, the hues of heaven delicately rippled across the sky. A winding river of shimmering greens, silently flowing above, defied the laws of gravity. Hypnotizing. Mesmerizing. Spectacular. Who other than God himself, could swirl his brush into the watercolors of earth and paint such an indescribable scene onto the canvas of the polar night sky?
Being a mere human, I eventually had to retreat into the warmth of the fishing cabin to thaw and hopefully regain feeling in my fingertips. And so went the cycle for the next few hours: ice fishing, viewing the lights, stepping inside to thaw… fishing, viewing, thawing… fish, view, thaw… Completely overshadowed by Lady Aurora’s display, I feel I must mention our guide did cook up a delicious midnight snack of reindeer sausage in combination with our freshly caught rainbow trout.
All too soon, the lights grew dim and faded out of sight. Exhilarated yet exhausted we headed towards our bed that was calling our names. What a perfect end to our Epic Anniversary!
The Cunningham Crew 