Dawson City Day 2

August 2, 2012 Dawson City , Day 2

We all really like Dawson City!  There is lots to do and the people here are very friendly.

This morning we boarded the Keno, the smallest and the last of the sternwheelers that serviced the Klondike and Yukon Rivers until 1959.  Our guide, Faye, was extremely knowledgeable about this boat and the era of the sternwheelers.  Her tour and the film about the boat were very interesting.

The Keno--the last of the Sternwheelers.

Faye explaining the engine room

We headed up Bonanza Creek to visit Dredge No. 4, the largest wooden hull, bucket-line gold dredge built in North America.   Our Parks Canada guide, Marie, seemed to know everything there was to know about this dredge, and what a fascinating tour it was! This dredge is 2/3 the size of a football field and 8 stories high. It moved along in a pond of its own making, digging gold-bearing gravel in front, separating the gold from the gravel and dirt in a revolving screen washing plant, then depositing the gravel out the stacker at the rear.  It could dig 17 tons of rock and gravel per minute 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from May to November.  This was an extremely profitable dredge from 1913 until 1959, producing as much as 800 ounces of gold in a single day.  Much gold mining is still going on in this area.

Dredge No. 4

The control room. 

Look at those gears!

Inside the revolving drum that separated the gold from the gravel.    

We had quite an adventure this evening as we attended opening ceremonies of  the Moosehide Gathering, hosted by the Tr'ondek Hwech'in natives.  This gathering takes place every other year on a small island about 4 km down the Yukon River from Dawson City.  Small boats left the dock in Dawson every few minutes to transport people to Moosehide.  The ride there and back was an adventure in itself.  Unfortunately, it began to rain soon after we arrived, but the gathering went on in spite of it.  This festival will continue for 4 days and there will be performances, speakers, feasts, dancing, drumming, singing and crafts each day.  Many people brought tents and were staying for the whole gathering.

On our way to the gathering 

Beautiful handmade clothing.  

 The opening ceremonies were impressive with many people in native regalia.  We tourists were made to feel very welcome and many sang and danced along with the natives.  The festivities started with a prayer followed by traditional dancing and singing in a large open building because of the rain.

Opening dance

More dancing

When the rain let up, everyone moved outside for the lighting of the Sacred Fire and the raising of the flags on tall spruce poles.   This was followed by welcoming speeches by the Chief, the Grand Chief (a woman!), tribal elders and young people.  Then we all went back inside for drumming, singing, and dancing.  There was also discussion of some issues of related tribes from Alaska being turned back at the border and not being able to attend the gathering.

The Sacred Fire will burn all 4 days.  

Raising the flags on spruce poles.

We were all tired and wet and cold, so we caught a boat back to town before the feast, but Jim and Lana stayed for it and said it was really good.  There was roasted moose and fresh caught salmon served.  It is interesting to note that there was no charge for the boat rides, the food, or for the festival.  Everyone was made welcome. We were thrilled to have had a chance to participate in this gathering.