The Nome Nugget

'Natchuk' Christened In Nome Harbor

The vessel "Natchuk," lying in Nome Harbor, was officially christened Friday afternoon by Alice Glavinovich, Queen of the Midnight Sun Festival. Instead of champagne, however, the bottle broken over the bow of this Arctic Research Laboratory cruiser contained Standard Sea Water for Oceanographers, from Norway.

Following the ceremony, the Queen, accompanied by Princesses Myrtle Chambers, Susanne Fagerstrom and Virginia Doyle, were guests of Allan Beale, project leader, from the University of California, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, who took the girls on a maiden cruise on Bering Sea.

They circled the S.S. Talkeetna, now discharging freight in the roadstead.

The trip was also a first for Queen Alice, who had never before been out on Bering Sea. Other guests included Mr. and Mrs. Dusty Rhodes, Mr. and Mrs. Del Kampmann, Mrs. Allan Beale and her daughter, and Mrs. Emily Boucher.

The boat's operators are Frank Talbert and Kenney Toovac of Barrow, and Donald Stephans, marine technician from the University of California.

The oceanographic program being conducted by Allan Beale, will study the ocean bottom and sedimentation, as well as currents.

An interesting undersea camera will be used in much of this work.