The arrival of the first barge of the year is a big event. It means construction materials are in and the short building season can begin. This LCM-type vessel is used to lighter cargo from the main barge which is anchored 12 miles out because of sand bars at the mouth of Kotzebue Sound. After enough cargo has been removed the big barge can come in to the pier. But in the meantime, cargo is dropped on the beach, just like in smaller communities all up and down the coast of Alaska.