Seward, Alaska

An incredible day! No doubt about it.

The Park Service offers day-long cruises into the waters of Kenai Fjords National Park. Our destination is Holgate Glacier but along the way we see one amazing sight after another. Our boat is piloted by a Krissy Bendt look-a-like. She is cute as can be, knows exactly what she’s doing, and can spot sea critters like nobody’s business.

As we glide out into Resurrection Bay a bald eagle poses for photos, and sea otters roll and float and charm while doing the back float. The otters look small and cuddly but are five feet in length and weigh around 70 pounds. Loons bob in clusters and Dall porpoises frolic in the boat’s bow wake like they’ve found a carnival ride. This park was created to protect the Harding Icefield and the creatures that live in and around the surrounding waters. The ice field is 600 square miles of ice and snow and the largest ice field wholly contained within the borders of the United States.

These cold northern oceans provide more food than tropical waters, and this area is filled with sustenance. All around the boat what seems like hundreds of off-shore orcas, (the killer whale), surface and dive, this pod comes into the bay for one day, once a year to feed, and we are here to witness their feeding frenzy. These are carnivores and they are hunting beneath us, killing sleeper sharks, porpoises, and any other marine mammal unfortunate enough to cross their path. There’s a lot going on down there. We can hear them “singing” in an audiophone recording our captain has made. The detritus from their kills floats to the surface and attracts feathered scavengers. All varieties of gulls flock and feed, including the common murre, otherwise known as Alaska’s penguin because of its similar markings. Meanwhile, we observe in awe.

Out in the Gulf of Alaska humpback whales cavort for us, repeatedly giving us the tail. They take 500 gallons of water into their mouths and then sieve it back out retaining the krill and other tiny organisms. It’s a big all you can eat buffet out there. Our skipper tells us they sometimes cruise for seven hours looking for just one whale. Today, we have many gifts from Neptune.

Deep in Aialik Bay, Holgate Glacier dwarfs our boat with its 600 foot face. Our captain tells us to “listen to the glacier”. We hear a freight train, a jet engine, BOOM, a rifle shot, creaking, grinding, SPLASH. Huge chunks of ice break off, (calve), and fall into the water. We see them plunge before the sound reaches us. The glacier fascinates. It is always active, always moving.
While we’re busy “listening” the crew is doing a little ice fishing. They use a net to haul in a chunk of glacier ice. They rinse it with hot water and begin chipping it into small bits. As we chug away from the glacier they are mixing glacieritas for us, chilled with glacial ice.

Last “stop” is the rookeries in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. On giant rocky crags of pillow basalt, Steller’s sea lions and multitudes of birds are hanging out. Scientists are studying the sea lions because they are losing numbers and no one is certain as to why. A web cam has been installed for observation purposes and the resulting transmission is broadcast on channel 6 in Seward. Anyone can watch.

The birds are numerous, but the tufted puffins are the most unusual and unique. Black feathers and a white face emphasize their thick red bill, their yellow tufts are most apparent during mating season. We watch them dive and dip and flutter and roost on the rocks. They are chunky looking, and don't look flight ready. Appealing in every way.

As we head back, the orcas surround us once again and then start heading out to sea. Their day is done, and so is ours.

As we glide into port we pass our Airstream sitting patiently in the waterfront park. Home isn’t far away.

Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island
In the bright blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.

A favorite childhood poem, by Florence Page Jaques.

Wildlife count: 1 black bear, 4 eagles, 3 sea otters, 1 mountain goat, kittiwake gulls, common murres, loons, cormorants, Steller’s sea lions, tufted puffins, Dall porpoises, orcas, humpback whales

Airstreams: 0

Miles: 0

Gratitudes: PKB: orcas schedule synched with ours JMB: Mother Nature up close

Gin Score: J: 2140 P: 2160

Poser

Glacier Ice

Steller's Sea Lions