Ricko Dewilde's Boat: A Luxurious Yacht For Adventures

Ricko DeWilde is a subsistence hunter, outdoorsman, Native American rights activist, entrepreneur, and reality television personality. He grew up in a small village in Alaska, where he learned to hunt, trap, farm, and gather from his parents. DeWilde and his family would travel 100 miles downriver to Huslia for supplies in a spruce wood boat that they built themselves. He now appears on the National Geographic Channel reality show Life Below Zero, where he can be seen hunting and travelling by boat.

Ricko DeWilde's boat on the Nenana River

Ricko DeWilde is a subsistence hunter, outdoorsman, Native American rights activist, entrepreneur, former addict, and reality television personality. He is also a cousin of Angela Gonzalez, who writes about him in her Athabascan Woman Blog. DeWilde is perhaps best known for his appearances on the National Geographic Channel reality show Life Below Zero, which enabled him to dive deeper into his homelands, past, and culture.

DeWilde was born to a Koyukon Athabaskan mother and a white father of Welsh descent. He grew up in a remote cabin with his 13 brothers and sisters, 100 miles by river from the small village of Huslia, Alaska. He and his siblings were homeschooled and raised in a traditional Native lifestyle, learning how to hunt, trap, farm, and gather. They would travel to Huslia once a year to get supplies and mail, taking a spruce wood boat that the family had built.

DeWilde now lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, and runs an apparel company called Hydz. He still hunts, and in one episode of Life Below Zero, he is seen stepping off a small wooden boat on the Nenana River, before going on a goose hunt. The boat on the Nenana River is owned and piloted by DeWilde's friend Hugh "Binka" Kriska, who accompanies DeWilde on the hunt.

The wooden boat used by Ricko DeWilde

Ricko DeWilde is a subsistence hunter, outdoorsman, Native American rights activist, entrepreneur, and reality television personality. He is a Koyukon Athabaskan who was born and raised in Alaska. He was introduced to hunting and fishing at a young age and continues to practice these activities as an adult.

Ricko's father, Lloyd, was a white man of Welsh descent from San Francisco who moved to Alaska in search of a different way of life. His mother, Amelia, was a Koyukon Athabaskan, born and raised in Alaska. They homeschooled Ricko and his 13 siblings and taught them the traditional Koyukon Athabaskan lifestyle, including hunting, trapping, farming, and gathering.

Ricko's boat is a vital means of transportation and plays a crucial role in his subsistence lifestyle. It allows him to access remote areas for hunting and gathering, as well as to travel between his homestead and the village of Huslia for supplies.

The wooden boat is also a symbol of Ricko's connection to his family and cultural heritage. By using the boat built by his father, he carries on the traditions and skills passed down to him, showcasing his respect for the natural world and his commitment to sustaining his way of life.

How Ricko DeWilde's boat is navigated

Ricko DeWilde's boat is navigated by his friend, Hugh "Binka" Kriska. Kriska skilfully navigates the boat through the treacherous waters of the Nenana River in Alaska, avoiding chunks of ice and logs that could damage or even sink the vessel. DeWilde recognises the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness and the importance of staying within his comfort zone when it comes to piloting a boat. He acknowledges that overconfidence can lead to devastating consequences in such an unforgiving environment.

DeWilde's boat serves as a means of transportation to and from his hunting grounds. As a subsistence hunter, he relies on his boat to access remote areas where he can pursue his passion for hunting and connect with nature. The boat allows him to travel hundreds of miles from Fairbanks, Alaska, to his hunting destinations.

DeWilde's boat is also a tool for survival in the challenging Alaskan environment. He uses it to procure food and supplies, travelling downriver to Huslia to stock up on necessities. This journey reflects the seasonal nature of his lifestyle, as he and his family would make this trip annually when the spring ice thawed in May.

The boat provides DeWilde with a sense of exploration and adventure. It enables him to venture into new territories and discover unseen worlds, both as a child growing up near the Huslia River and as an adult navigating the Nenana River. The boat expands his hunting radius, allowing him to seek out diverse game and immerse himself in the beauty and challenges of the wilderness.

DeWilde's boat is not just a means of transportation but also a connection to his past. It reminds him of his childhood, when he lived in a remote cabin with his large family, learning the traditional ways of hunting, trapping, and gathering. The boat represents his deep-rooted connection to the land and his Native American heritage. It symbolises his resilience, adaptability, and the balance he strives to maintain between the modern world and his traditional way of life.

The purpose of Ricko DeWilde's boat trip

Ricko DeWilde is a subsistence hunter, outdoorsman, Native American rights activist, entrepreneur, and reality television personality. DeWilde is a Koyukon Athabaskan who grew up in a small village in Alaska, where he was raised by his parents in a traditional Native lifestyle.

DeWilde's boat trip serves the purpose of reconnecting with his ancestral roots and sharing his Native way of life with others. He often travels by boat to hunt and fish, reflecting the subsistence lifestyle of his community. By appearing on the National Geographic show "Life Below Zero," DeWilde aims to shed light on the positive aspects of Native culture and raise awareness of the challenges they face.

DeWilde's boat trips also allow him to explore his homelands and reflect on his childhood experiences. He uses these journeys to visit his family cabin in Huslia, Alaska, and to connect with nature and the spiritual aspects of hunting. Through his boat trips, DeWilde promotes the importance of balance between modern life and the traditional ways of his people.

Additionally, DeWilde's boat trips serve a practical purpose, providing access to remote areas for hunting and gathering. He navigates rivers and lakes, such as the Nenana River, to reach hunting grounds and cabins that are inaccessible by road. DeWilde's boat enables him to transport supplies and equipment necessary for survival in the Alaskan wilderness.

DeWilde's boat trips are a means of preserving and celebrating his Native culture, advocating for Native rights, and educating others about the traditional subsistence-hunting way of life.

The dangers of Ricko DeWilde's boat journey

Ricko DeWilde's boat journeys are filled with dangers and risks. DeWilde, a subsistence hunter, outdoorsman, and Native American rights activist, often travels by boat through the treacherous waters of the Nenana River in Alaska. This river is full of hazards, including chunks of ice and large logs that can damage or even sink a boat. Navigating these waters requires skill and expertise to avoid potential disasters.

DeWilde's boat journeys are not for the faint-hearted. He faces the constant threat of encountering bears, which are a common presence in the Alaskan wilderness. His hunting trips require him to be vigilant and prepared for any potential bear attacks. DeWilde's own experiences and stories about shooting bears highlight the very real danger that these creatures pose.

In addition to bears, DeWilde must also navigate the challenges of the remote Alaskan landscape. His journeys often take him far from civilization, where the basic necessities of life, such as water, food, and wood, are difficult to come by. He has to be self-sufficient and adaptable to survive in these harsh conditions. DeWilde's survival skills, learned from his Native American upbringing, are crucial to his success in the modern world.

One of the greatest dangers DeWilde faces is taking unnecessary chances with his life. In his younger years, he took risks such as crossing thin ice or canoeing in unsafe areas. However, after hearing stories from his late aunt about people who took too many chances and suffered severe consequences, he decided to reduce the number of risks he took.

DeWilde's boat journeys are not just physical challenges but also spiritual experiences. He reflects on the traditional Native American way of life and the balance between his past and present worlds. His journeys are a reminder of his childhood, growing up in a remote cabin with his large family, where hunting and gathering were essential for survival.

Overall, Ricko DeWilde's boat journeys are filled with physical and spiritual dangers. From navigating treacherous rivers to encountering bears and other wildlife, he faces constant risks. His survival skills and knowledge of the Native American way of life are crucial to overcoming these challenges and safely returning from his journeys.

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