Thanks to long time Deneki General Manager, Mike Sanders, for a great write up on an Alaska West tradition that surprisingly, we’ve never ran a post about.. Until today!
Holey Rocks
Over the years at Alaska West, we’ve found a lot of strange and interesting things along the banks of the Kanektok River. The most valued finds are usually the oldest treasures.. It’s not unusual for someone to stumble over part of a mammoth tusk or even molar.. Seriously!
Now petrified mammoth teeth are old, but older than them are the rocks that make up the gravel the river cuts through. We’re not sure how old the rocks are, but most geological types quote some number with too many zeroes behind it for us to really relate to. What we do know however, is that Kanektok River gravel makes for great wading, and is part of the reason our leopard rainbows are so pretty!
Over time, these rocks have been sculpted by the water that flows over them. Some are shaved flat as a pancake, some are rolled long like french fries, while some are tumbled round like a bird’s egg. Our favorite rocks however, are the ones that have holes drilled all the way through them. These are created when the river current spins harder rocks that cut into softer rocks. Over time, a long time we think, the harder rocks drill all the way through the softer rocks.
We simply call them holey rocks, and occasionally we find them blended into the uncountable number of stones that make up our gravel bars. Some say they give themselves to us, but however we see them, when we do, we always pick them up. One has to be pretty lucky to find a holey rock and we think they’re a pretty cool old treasure.
Grampus here……….pale-ontologists, ones frightened by what they don’t know, will tell you the true origin of Holy rocks. You had the answer right in the lead blurb bet did not know it. Yup, wolly mammoths were the key. There diet was such and their primitive kidneys such that their urine was extremely acidic………pH of 3.4 is the estimate. The males behaved much like dogs, leaving their urine to mark their territory……a squirt here then a squirt there. When the acid urin hit an alkeline rock it began do dissolve the rock. If it was a quicky it made just a partial whole and you can figure the rest. Now, if you want to know the truth about Sasquatch, here goes.
Mike…You old claim jumper….
I just thought I’d try to see what You’re up to these days!!!!
Internet is wonderful isn’t it!!!
Guessing You’re doing ok….hopefully Matt as well
There are days that I remember the FUN of My Kenektok days and can’t believe how vivid those memories can get as I keep piling up those birthdays!!!
Doug, Smoothy here, how have you been! Did you make it down to Old Mexico? It’s been a long time and I still have the Retro Pile and Able reel you sold me on the K-tok. Mike is with another outfit but all I hear is that he’s great and staying busy. When I see him I’ll be sure to say hello for you. If you’d like to be in touch, my email address is bryanb@deneki.com. It would be great to catch up with you! Here’s to the Kanektok Cruisers!