Crabbing beneath the Bering Sea Ice in Nome, Alaska | INDIE ALASKA

Alaska Public Media | By Valerie Lake

Published April 13, 2022 at 7:54 PM AKDT

A man in winter clothes pulls a crab pot from the Bering Sea. — Phillip Pryzmont pulls a crab pot from the Bering Sea in March 2022. Photo by Valerie Kern.

Phillip Pryzmont hasn't been to a city in over 4 years. He spends his winters in Nome, Alaska cutting holes in the thick ice in the Norton Sound on the Bering Sea. Each of these holes contains a large crab pot that he regularly checks for Alaska Red King Crab to feed his family and sell to others.

Video and story by Valerie Kern

Music by Universal Production Music

INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The videos capture the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these stories present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.

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Valerie Lake

Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.

See stories by Valerie Lake