Soggy Seward

We had a nice drive down to Seward on the Kenai Peninsula from the Mat-Su Valley.  Our drive took us through Anchorage to Seward.

Couldn't believe the prices on some of the cars we saw going through Anchorage.

This building looks like it is under a dome but the dome part is actually behind the white building. 

The Seward Highway is the only way to get to Seward and it is a two-lane road with lots of traffic.  The views are great because a good part of it runs alongside the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.

It was also a very foggy drive in this area.

The Turnagain Arm is a waterway into the northwestern part of the Gulf of Alaska.  It is a narrow branch at the north end of Cook Inlet and is subject to climate extremes and tide ranges.

Turnagain Arm boasts the second highest tides in North America which can reach 40 feet and come in so quickly that they produce a wave known as a bore tide.  Kayakers and surfers ride the tide as an extreme sport.  Hikers are warned to not get stuck in the quicksand-like mudflats that make up the beaches along the arm.

This picture shows part of the mudflat.  It is hard to tell it from the water.

The land across from Turnagain Arm is very rugged with mountains rising on both sides of the arm and reaching altitudes of 5,000-6,000 feet.  Glaciers may still be seen in a number of places.

Our RV park was about 20 miles outside of Seward.  In the town there are many RVs and not a lot of places to park so we saw rigs on the side of the road, crowded into beach areas, and anywhere else they could find a spot.  We didn't mind being further out because Seward is a cruise ship town so often they are in port.   

Our RV park sat on Kenai Lake in a mountainous setting.  The park owner has kayaks and boats that residents of the park can use but he warns everyone to stay close to shore.  He said if something happened and you went overboard in the middle of the lake you would not survive because of the cold water. 

The weather forecast for the coming weekend was sunny and in the 60's so we decided to take a glacier boat tour on Saturday. As we drove into town it was very foggy but nearer the harbor the clouds were starting to dissipate.

Right behind the boat we boarded were a bunch of sea otters enjoying the sun vibes.

This sweet one waved goodbye as the boat pulled out.

A bald eagle observed our departure.

It was 8:00 am and we were all excited about the trip and the lovely day.

Unfortunately, as we left the harbor the cloud cover descended.

We did get to see humpback whales in their feeding mode.  

Humpback whales are migratory and only eat during half the year.  They spend the summer months (May through September) in feeding grounds with cooler waters.  They will actively feed for up to 22 hours a day to have enough fat reserves stored in their bodies to live off of during breeding season in the warmer waters off Hawaii.

Birds will stay around the whale in the hopes they can catch a fish that isn't swallowed.

We also saw some Dall's Porpoise in the area.  They started running with the boat but were hard to photograph because they can race up to 25 mph.

Sea lions enjoying the weather.

The big male was watching us closely.

Harbor seals enjoying their day.

A Tufted Puffin.

And another magnificent bald eagle.  

Our boat trip took us to the Holgate Glacier.  

You could hear cracking noises (called calving) while we were there but no sections broke loose.

The bluish color was extraordinary.  

While on the boat trip we made some new friends, Joy and Eric Hamm, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Joy and Brett braved the cold on the deck taking lots of pictures while Eric and I stayed in the warmer part inside.  I think it was a really cold day for July!

But there was plenty for us to see both inside and on the deck of the boat.

This strange looking bird is a Common Murre.  They are not very agile in flight but can dive underwater to depths recorded up to 590 feet.  They breed in colonies but make no nest. Their single egg is incubated on a bare rock ledge on a cliff face.  Some 20 days after hatching the chick leaves the ledge and heads for the sea. It is unable to fly but glides for distances accompanied by its male parent.  Chicks are capable of diving as soon as they hit the water .

Coming back to Seward Harbor after our boat trip.  Along the shore you can see some of the many RVs that were in town that day.

We went to Seward several times and were lucky enough to have sun on a few of the days.

Cruise ships come in an average of five days a week to drop off tourists and board new passengers.  You can see many buses transporting the cruise passengers to Anchorage for the airport or on to Denali and then Fairbanks if they have an extended trip.

Newly caught fish on the pier waiting to be processed.

We took our pups on a three mile hike to Grayling Lake.  We were the only people on the trail. It's amazing how quiet the forest was.  We never heard a bird chirp or an animal make a noise.  We took our bear spray with us because they had spotted a bear and cub in the area recently.

Nature's mosaic.

The trail  was a partial climb up the mountainside.  Halfway up the trees opened up and this meadow appeared.

We made it to Grayling Lake as it started to rain but it was still pretty.

While in Seward we checked out the different shops looking for bargains and artwork from the area.  There were some very nice pieces and we found one made from copper that we couldn't pass up.  

On this day we had nothing but rain.  Hard to believe this is the middle of July with the highs in the
 50's.

Seward is also a dark town because the mountains are so high and close to the town that little light gets in.  But it is very green.

One of several old but well-maintained hotels in town.

This one could use a little TLC. 

Exit Glacier can be seen in the distance from Seward.

The RV park we stayed at was about 20 miles outside of Seward.  It was a beautiful spot and, surprisingly, it would often be sunny and dry whereas it was cool and rainy in the town.  

Alaska's coastline stretches nearly 45,000 miles. Alaska is bordered by two oceans, three seas, and the Gulf of Alaska. On our final day in Seward we went to the Marine Life Center to view the local sea life and birds that inhabit the area.

Pacific Herring and a few other species.

ASunflower Starfish.  It was the size of a serving plate.

Swimming upside down Harbor Seal.

King Crab.

Steller's Sea Lion.

Salmon

This is called a Skate and they hunt the sea floor eating other bottom-dwellers such as clam and crabs. 

Another Tufted Puffin.

We had a nice time in Seward and got lucky with a few warm, sunny days.  It is a nice town but remote and we decided the lack of sun would do us in very quickly.  But the people were friendly and the town had a lot to see.  Now we continue down the Kenai Peninsula for our next stop in Homer, Alaska, and the famous Spit.  Peace!