July 8, 2021
See, it's pronounced key-nie fyord. Seward is basically surrounded by Kenai Fjords National Park. You can afford it and yes you should go. Glaciers, boats, and wild animals aquatic version.
Arriving in Seward I join a group guided hike at Exit Glacier, part of the Kenai Fjords National Park. Like Denali, Kenai Fjords is more a preserve to protect the natural glacial activity and habitat. Most of the park is unreachable by trails or roads. Flightseeing is how to see the vast Harding Ice Field, from which the glaciers depart. Fortunately, Exit Glacier is just a few minutes from Seward and is accessible by road and a 2 mile loop trail. The vegetation is different here than more northern parts of Alaska. We are in a temperate rain forest. The area gets 60 inches of annual rainfall.
In Kenai, we see Sitka Spruce and Alder. Giant rocks or glacial erratic are left behind as the glacier plows forward. Moss grows on the rocks and living moraine form. Alder always surround these erratic and are the first tress to grow after the glacier passes or melts. This part of the park was covered in ice and has been receding quickly. The glacier still moves downhill, it is just melting faster and may be gone within five years.
After the hike, I arrived in town during the end of a 5K race run annually on July 4th called Mount Marathon. No ordinary 5K race. The runners go up this very steep mountain. Some I've heard even get on all fours going up, and then slide down on their bottoms coming down. All get very muddy but feel it is a major accomplishment. Today was a drizzly day, so it added more elements to the race. The male winner finished in 41 minutes. Think you can do it?
Like Homer, many restaurants and shops closed for the whole week of July 4th. I didn't get to check out the Seward Brewing Company. But I was able to get a rather ordinary halibut sandwich at the Seasalt Grill.
The next day was the big adventure, an 8 hour cruise in the bays surrounding Kenai Fjords. Our vessel, the Glacier Explorer tours Resurrection Bay and other Aialik Bay in search of aquatic wildlife. It wasn't too hard to find.
Just a note for those of you who are prone to motion sickness like me, especially on boats, these sea bands really do the trick. No pills or patches, just a pressure bead on both wrists. Best thing ever. Just ask my sister and mother how many colors I turned on a similar boat to Catalina Island from L.A. I was miserable all day. No issues with the bands.
Back on the water, along some of the rocky islands in the bay, we saw puffins diving for their lunch and then flying away. They barely get a foot above the water surface. Near the shore of these islands we spotted humpback whales also searching for lunch. They can go deep and hold their breath for 45 minutes. But we only wait a few minutes to watch one come up and spout air and water from their blowholes. Thar she blows!
Also spotted are the playful sea otters, seemingly always swimming on their backs, and dall purpoise, similar to dolphins. They didn't stick around long though. On their hunt also.
Not only were we on the lookout for sea life, but also for glaciers. We cruise into Aialik Bay and come close to the massive Aialik Glacier. Also spawning out of the Harding Ice Field, this glacier is a mile wide and 3 miles long. The ice field itself is nearly one mile deep and covers 700 square miles. The boat was stationed a quarter mile off shore in these photos. Ice chunks falling from the glacier are floating in the bay.
When the ice chunks break off and fall in it is like a thunderstorm of crashing ice. This is also a moving yet receding glacier. So much ice and snow is packed, you can see the blue tint from the dense layers. It also brings dirt and rocks it has grinded up into a silt or flour, coloring the water. The Aialik Glacier is a tidewater glacier, flowing into the sea. Exit Glacier is a valley glacier.
Halfway in to the tour we stop at Fox Island for lunch of crabcakes, salad, and peppered corn. And a little fun with shale rock skipping. The triangle shaped small flat ones really go! I got 15 skips on one!
Back on the boat I had a Glacia-Rita. The captain said the crew went ice fishing (for ice chunks) while near the glacier. And the margaritas they made use that glacier ice. We can choose to believe him or it could be just a fish tale.
I also wanted to get this beer from Midnight Sun, just for the puffin artwork. As much as I tried to preserve the can, I still managed to crush it during my travels. Maybe I can have some shipped. But probably not as they said the Puffin Pale Ale was exclusive to the ship line tours.
Here are some real puffins
Next we cruise out into the Gulf of Alaska amid reports of orca whales in the area. Sure enough we caught up to a pack (there is a word for that). They too go underwater for food and pop out for air. They are such beautiful and elegant creatures. The family always stay together and migrate together.
We got a very quick glimpse of a fin whale coming to the surface and then he was gone. No photo of that guy.
Not to be outdone, sea lions are laying about and making noises on this rocky island beach. Some out for a swim and some are newborn pups.
If you do nothing else in Seward, take the long boat cruise. Many boats only stay in Resurrection Bay. Take the road less traveled and go farther.
One last look at some wild animals in semi-captivity at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, near Anchorage. Try not to miss it. It sneaks up on the highway. Here wounded or sick animals are cared for and some in quarantine. Other animals like the deer and bear were orphaned without and adult to teach them the ways of the wild. They are here because they would not survive in the wild. Alaska Wood Bison are being reintroduced. They are being save and brought back from near extinction. At first I was skeptical of a place that keeps wild animals in their pens, but they have set up very large natural habitats for them and are assisting their survival.
A final night in Anchorage, a fine meal of Halibut Fettucine and a couple of more craft beers (King Street Abby Road Belgian Ale, Midnight Sun Panty Peeler Belgian) at Humpy's Great Alaskan Alehouse and the end of a great vacation.
Final Thoughts in the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment