"Arctic Expeditions"

"Arctic Alaskan beaches are taking a severe beating from erosion and some areas are indeed taking a much greater level of wave action from the sea and from thermal thawing of the permafrost that holds the ancient 'frozen and buried' villages intact.  It will be a most interesting study regarding the impact imposed on these areas and to observe areas I have been to a number of years ago compared to the more recent changes.  The village of Shismarif has been damaged to such an extent that it is now being considered for relocation.  This village was built traditionally upon an existing ancient site that is also under the same impact of being washed into the sea. Shismarif is situated on a 'spit' of gravel and sand that has, for generations, maintained it's tenacity with the Bering Sea in good shape, but as recent evidence has shown, it has lost it's stability as perhaps the changes of currents, permafrost thawing and increased storm activity from the west that is directly impacting this beach, or probably all three."