Max, Sally, Jak & Corinne, Italian restaurant, Vancouver, 24 Jul 2014

ALASKA ~ CANADA TRAVELS 2014 PROLOGUE JULY 23rd – JULY 25th

September 09, 2014 in Uncategorized

Our travels eastwards by plane from Melbourne commenced on a drizzling Thursday morning with a three hour flight to Auckland. Everything went very much to plan and we headed to the ‘Koru Club’ where we met up with David (“Max”) and Sallyann Brewer who are to be our travel partners for the next two months. After lots of catching up on news and enjoying the luxuries of the Air New Zealand’s Lounge, we boarded our flight to Vancouver at 11.40pm on Thursday evening.After a thirteen hour flight we arrived at Vancouver where it was 2.00 pm on Thursday. Clearing customs was desperately slow due to a vast herd of people from four international flights arriving in quick succession. We eventually reached the front of the queue and collected our bags (joy of joys, they’d arrived too) and arranged transport to our nearby hotel. After a shower and a freshening up we went for a walk around the waterfront region of Richmond, the suburb adjacent to the airport. The marinas were situated in muddy estuarine waters with numerous luxury cruisers packed into pods each with a roof. Our wanderings took us through an industrial region with warehouses, building sites for several new hotels and high-rise apartment blocks side by side. There was an Italian restaurant near our hotel where we enjoyed a hearty meal and some nice Canadian wine prior to retiring for the night. I awoke after only two hour’s sleep at 11.57pm to the realisation that it was still this ‘never-ending’ Thursday! After a much-needed sleep, we breakfasted and headed back to the airport for our flight to Alaska via Seattle/Tacoma. In contrast to last night, the airport was very quiet and despite the intense security measures in place we were through the formalities in super swift time. We initially flew south from Vancouver to Seattle in a Bombadier Q400. This was a short flight of around an hour over the most incredibly complex waterway imaginable. Hundreds of islands, large and small make the border between Canada and the USA a boating paradise and the number of yachts, boats, large liners as well as marinas seen below was testament to this. We finally boarded our 737-800 and headed for three hours ‘north to Alaska’ arriving at Anchorage in mid afternoon. The air temperature was 13C with heavily overcast conditions with occasional hints of rain. With all of our luggage in tow, we phoned for a complimentary mini-bus service to our hotel which eventually turned up. We are sharing a hotel unit with the Brewers for two nights. Tomorrow we have a day in Anchorage and intend to do some site seeing and generally relaxing prior to commencing our Peregrine travels on Sunday 27th July.

Flower baskets in the street, Anchorage, 26 Jul 2014

SATURDAY 26th JULY 2014 ANCHORAGE, ALASKA, USA

September 06, 2014 in Uncategorized

Captain Cook monument, Resolution Park, Anchorage, 26 Jul 2014

After a prolonged night’s sleep we awoke to a gloriously sunny day and a forecasted maximum temperature of 19C which was duly attained later in the day! Following a very relaxed start to the day we wandered for a kilometre or so into the centre of Anchorage and found a pleasant old-world coffee shop where we partook of brunch. A visit to the Anchorage weekend market was next on the agenda and somewhat reminiscent of Salamanca except for the numerous stalls selling souvenirs made from carved moose horn or walrus tusk. We bought a bag of delicious strawberries which were the size of golf balls and beautifully succulent. There were few vegetables for sale but those that were on display were of extraordinarily large size. Anchorage with its 19 hours of summer daylight produces massive vegetables with broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini and cabbages of spectacular size. The record cabbage we were told was 1.5m across and weighed in at 40 kg. The market was attended by many over-sized humans too who seemed to be partaking of questionably healthy foods such as reindeer sausages, funnel cakes, fries, popcorn and giant corn on the cob. A stall holder selling such fares told us that “calories don’t count in Alaska!” Our visit to the market was supplemented by a very noisy but impressive fly over by air-force jets involved with the local air-show which unbeknown to us was on today. A gentle wander led us back to the Visitors’ Centre where we climbed on a bus and spent an hour seeing the highlights of Anchorage. Anchorage is the biggest town in Alaska but not the capital. Its population is around 300,000 and has thrived as a result of the revenue gained from the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the 1970s and the subsequent sales of oil. On Good Friday 1964 Anchorage and surrounding regions experienced a cataclysmic earthquake of magnitude 9.2 which was the largest ever recorded in North America and the second largest ever recorded on Earth. The city was virtually destroyed with sections of the city dropping in some places as much as 4m and the subsequent tsunami causing massage further destruction. We visited a park area just outside Anchorage where a demarcation zone was clearly visible where this dramatic subsidence had occurred and now a 4m cliff occurred right through the middle of a conifer forest. The clear blue skies and the balmy weather was a great improvement on our introduction to Anchorage yesterday and the with the lofty Chugach Mountain range now clearly visible across the waters of Cook Inlet we visited Resolution Park. This is a memorial to Captain James Cook who visited this area in 1776 in search of the Northwest Passage hoping to link the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. He reached a point in the narrowing inlet where the 12m tide differential caused him so major a navigational hazard that he was forced to retreat. We later visited the Public Lands Information Centre where there was a most informative display covering the natural history of the region. We then stayed on and viewed a short documentary covering the disastrous earthquake of 1964. Having finally made contact with Chris Penhall (from South Australia) who’d been kayaking here for the last month, we enjoyed a great meal of sockeye salmon and Californian wines together. With the sun still bright at 10.00 pm we headed back to the hotel to prepare for our trekking adventures into central Alaska starting early tomorrow morning.

SUNDAY 27th JULY 2014 ANCHORAGE – DENALI, ALASKA, USA

September 05, 2014 in Uncategorized

Setting up camp, Carlos Cabins south of Denali National Park

Mt McKinley (Denali), from Alaska Highway

Our fellow travellers for the next three weeks duly assembled in the foyer of our hotel at 7.30 am and after general introductions and some administrative formalities our leader Charlie coordinated the loading up of our mini-bus and trailer. Apart from our leader Charlie, there are thirteen visitors of whom eleven are Australians, one is German and one is a Hungarian Canadian. The bus we’re using is jammed packed with no spare room and very little leg room too and we’re towing a fully enclosed trailer the size of a small horse-float in which are our big bags, tents, eight large food eskies and other general supplies. We left Anchorage at 8.30 and headed north on the main highway that links Anchorage to Fairbanks. The blue skies and temperate conditions gave everyone a sense of optimism as we headed into sparsely populated areas dominated by boreal forest, taiga and numerous small lakes. The boreal forest that covers much of the Alaskan mainland is dominated by birch trees interspersed with spruce. The low lying areas are poorly drained and are typified by taiga which is bog dominated by spindly black spruce. The permafrost, starting a metre or two below the surface prevents deep root penetration and many of the spruce trees struggle to withstand the strong winter winds. Our first stop was at Talkeetna where with bright blue skies the view across the Talkeetna River was dominated by a snow capped Mt. McKinley (locally referred to as “Denali”). This is the highest mountain peak in North America. We wandered through the very touristy township of Talkeetna and observed numerous giant mobile homes some towing vehicles behind. Many are apparently owned or hired by USA citizens from southern states heading up the Alaska Highway to enjoy cooler summer months in these high latitudes. We partook of a local delicacy; namely reindeer sausages served in a chilli sauce. Incidentally, when this meat is consumed in Alaska, it is referred to as reindeer but when the animal is seen running across the tundra it is called a caribou! We then headed off further north stopping on a few occasions for further photo opportunities of Mt. McKinley. Eventually we arrived at Carlos Cabins which are situated just to the south of Denali National Park. This was to be our home for the next three nights and very quickly we all pitched our tents and set up camp. Across the road was a local pizza place and pub and we all headed over for a pleasant de-brief on the day’s activities. When we returned to our tent at nearly 11 o’clock and it was still broad daylight. Before kipping down for the night we had to store all foodstuff and other attractants in the locked trailer to discourage the local bears from attempting to wreck our night’s sleep! Tomorrow we spend the day inside Denali National Park.

MONDAY 28th JULY 2014 DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, USA

September 04, 2014 in Uncategorized

Ground squirrel on side of road, Denali National Park

After hot showers and a hearty breakfast we drove (minus the trailer) into the DNP Visitors’ Centre and were very impressed with their excellently presented exhibits and their twenty minute informational video. In drizzling rain we then climbed on a park-operated bus and headed off for the next eight hours on a leisurely journey into the park. The road was only accessible by the DNP buses which move in and out of the park as a shuttle service, one in either direction about every ten minutes. This restriction on private vehicles is to maintain greater control of interaction between the public and the wildlife of the park. We were informed that bears, moose and caribou are not frightened by the buses but as soon as people are sighted they are likely to scamper. Along the journey we’d typically stop when interesting animals were observed and all photos had to be taken from inside the bus with minimal noise. Our driver was a humorous character with a dry wit and many amusing anecdotes to tell along the way. He would relate stories involving the history of the park and the lives of many characters prominent in its establishment. The first large animals sighted were caribou (reindeer). This was a herd of about twenty, several hundred metres away. Many photos were taken and then later deleted when we managed to photograph caribou very close to the road. During the day we also saw numerous small rodent like furry creatures including marmot, squirrels, chipmunks(?) and a piker which is a large mouse that looks like a mini-rabbit! Of course the prize sighting would be a bear and we were becoming despondent as one had been reported as viewed earlier but when we arrived at the location it had moved on. However on our return journey we were lucky enough to get quite close to a big grizzly bear that was grazing on the bushes near the side of the road. The bear seemed to be unperturbed by our presence. We were told that if confronted by a bear, the important thing is not to run away as that is likely to inform the bear that we are prey! Rather, one should stand tall, make plenty of noise and outstretch arms to present a “large predator human”. We don’t intend to put this into practice! Amongst other joys for the day was the close encounter with a very large male moose, once again a fairly short distance from the road. These are magnificent beasts and the largest by far of all the deer family. Female moose are particularly dangerous and will charge towards humans without the slightest provocation especially if one was to get between her and her calf. The recommendation is to run in a zig-zag path as the moose can’t run and change directions quickly. We’re not going to give this try either! Although we scanned the hilltops for much of the day, we were not fortunate enough to see any dall sheep. These fairly rare animals live above the treeline and graze the steep meadows between the rocky crags. They are very large sheep and both ewes and rams have impressive spiralled horns. Our evening meal was salmon cooked on the camp fire and a green salad washed down with couple of gins and tonic. We were on wash-up duty and with that task completed we headed for bed and although still daylight it was after 23.00. Tomorrow we spend much of the day hiking in the park and hopefully observe some dog-sledding activities.

Husky, Dog sled team, Denali National Park

TUESDAY 29th JULY 2014 DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA, USA

September 03, 2014 in Uncategorized

Savage River Alpine Trail, Denali National Park

Moning tea, Savage River Alpine Trail, Denali National Park

Savage River Trail, Denali National Park

Today has been set aside as a day of walking in the Denali National Park. After breakfast we discussed plans for the day and worked out the groups who intended to do the various walks. Some were to be short half-day walks and others were more demanding or longer. We decided to take on the challenge of the most demanding walk available and by the end of the day we had no regrets. We assembled a the DNP bus centre at 09.30 and the five in our group ventured out to the starting point for our walk which was the Savage River Ranger’s Hut. The clear morning weather and a light breeze gave us a sense of optimism for the day. Before starting the main walk for the day we decided to do a short (1.5 km) walk along the banks of the Savage River and return. A number of ground squirrels were encountered along the way and some interesting wild flowers were photographed too. On returning to the Savage River base we had cold drinks and then commenced the main walk for the day which was the Savage Alpine Trail. This walk is listed in the DNP activities brochure as ‘strenuous’. The first two kilometres was a steep climb up a rocky pathway that weaved between large boulders with alpine plants including several different species of beech. There were ubiquitous purple fire-weed plants and delicate gentian plants in flower. The steep section levelled out at a craggy region where we stopped for drinks and surveyed the magnificent scene across the valley below. The high peaks that form the extensive inner mountain range were predominantly snow capped although the highest peak of all, Mt. McKinley was hidden in cloud. The track then levelled out across the ridge-line and became rocky with sparse vegetation as this section is exposed to the winter winds and snow cover. We then commenced the final climb of a kilometre or so to the high point of the track at which stage we’d come up just on 500 m in altitude since the starting point. We found a sunny spot protected from the wind and had our lunch and took photos of the spectacular scene below. Ground squirrels were running around amongst the rocks and some came over to us and checked us out with inquisitive looks. The descent was steep although by using walking poles the strain on the knees was reduced. At the bottom we were back on the road where we’d been instructed to wait for a green bus and then flag it down. Eventually it arrived and it took us to a further drop-off point where we went to see huskies that are used for dog-sled work in the park. There was a lengthy presentation followed by a very brief demonstration of the dogs at work. We then returned to the Visitors Centre and found Charlie and the mini-bus and headed back to camp and the evening’s activities.

WEDNESDAY 30th JULY 2014 DENALI - MACLAREN, ALASKA, USA

September 02, 2014 in Uncategorized

Today was to be a fairly relaxed day with a relatively short distance to travel and an opportunity to do some shopping and sight seeing. On a brilliant sunny morning we drove into Denali township called ‘The Canyon’ and bought provisions and then went for a walk along the high riverbank overlooking the Nenana River. This large river is rapid flowing and carries grey silty water from the glaciers in the mountains beyond. It is an obvious river for rafting activity and the number of inflatable rafts seen on the river-bank was testament to its popularity and the number of people involved. There was a small island in the middle of the river and although we couldn’t get too close we could see a large moose grazing on the grasses that grew in the shallow water around the island’s banks. We then loaded up and headed for Maclaren which is about 200 km from The Canyon. The road became a jagged rocky surface and before long we had a puncture. There was quite a bit of fiddling around to work out how the lower the spare wheel but once that problem was overcome we identified an even more significant one. This second dilemma involved another slow leak puncture in the other rear tyre. We only had one spare! As luck would have it another guide working for the same tour company, driving the same Ford mini-bus arrived upon the scene and we snaffled his spare and after an hour’s delay we were on our way again, now travelling in convoy with the other group. However we’d only been travelling for about half an hour when we discovered that our heavily overloaded trailer now had a punctured tyre. This meant unloading quite a number of bags and other gear from the trailer to get at its spare wheel which was underneath. Our driver Charlie confessed that he’d had no punctures on this road before although his work colleagues had had many. Now Charlie has scored three flat tyres in a period of about two hours! The reason for this unfortunate problem was a combination of excessive load and a stony rough road where the stones are sharp edged and plentiful. An hour further on, both groups stopped at Gracious which is a tiny road-side service centre and shop where we managed to get tyres repaired and have some refreshments before heading on to the Maclaren River camp site where we are staying for the night in cabins with clean but very basic facilities. After a delightful meal of steak and sweet potato chips we went on a beaver viewing expedition with Matthew our boat driver and guide. He had a 6m ally boat jet powered which at top speed only needed about 150mm of water. He zoomed up the Maclaren River from our camp-site at breakneck speed for an exhilarating period to near where the river started at the face of the Maclaren glacier. We sighted two beavers in the shallow waters (3 degrees C) and observed their dams and building sites. They overwinter here without hibernation and survive on stores of willow sticks and leaves they accumulate in their dens. Although it was late on return from our beaver hunt it was still sunny and relatively warm. After a night-cap with the Brewers we headed for bed knowing that tomorrow is going to be a very long day on the road as we have to drive over 600 km and cross over the border back into Canada and then head for Dawson City.

THURSDAY 31st JULY 2014 MACLAREN – DAWSON CITY ALASKA – YUKON

September 01, 2014 in Uncategorized

Buying supplies, Chicken Creek, Denali Highway

Coffee break at Sinona Creek Trading Post, Denali Highway

View of glacier over lake, Denali Highway

Our group, the Awesome Foursome were on breakfast duty this morning which meant at 6.30 am unpacking the six or seven large eskies from the trailer and setting up for the group to partake of hot drinks and breakfast as well as to prepare lunch packs for the mid-day repast. Soon we were on our way and heading northeast in glorious sunshine and azure blue skies. The scenery was unimaginatively beautiful with hundreds of snow-capped mountain peaks reflected in mirror smooth tarns extending across the vast expanse of tundra. Despite this visual splendour the road was once again rocky and often quite uneven with significant stretches of subsidence where the permafrost underneath the road had partially melted and the road sunk. There were numerous opportunities for ‘photo-stops’ but after three photo stops Charlie was keen to get moving as we had to cover over 600 km today to reach Dawson City tonight. There was also some concern as to whether or not we’d get to the Canadian border crossing in time before it closed particularly if we had another puncture! The road then headed up onto a high plateau and facing east we could see several large volcanoes covered in snow. The volcanic and extreme seismic activity in this region is due to the clashing of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. We then drove for an hour through an area where bush fires had destroyed the forest on both sides of the road as far as the eye could see. There must have been many thousands of square kilometres that now lay as a barren and blackened spectre. Bushfires may well be a ‘natural’ event but seeing this much destruction is very disconcerting. Eventually we came to a rest stop at a little gold mining town called Chicken. The locals were keen to tell us of gold exploits and fortunes made and lost by the miners. The sleepy township now consists of little more than a ‘trading post’ and a bar. We then climbed steeply with all tyres in tact to the Canadian border where passports and other official documents were perused by guards who initially appeared quite stern but soon mellowed under the influence of the combined Australian humour and goodwill. Eventually after a gruelling 12 hours travel we finally arrived in Dawson City, the epicentre to the Klondike goldrush of the 19th century. We’re staying in very, very basic cabins without lighting or water. The bunk beds are clean but there is no shower available here. The toilet block is a long way off and the odoriferous nature of this precinct is enough to prevent attendance unless desperation sets in. After setting up camp we crossed the Yukon River by ferryboat to the city centre which had to be seen to be believed! The whole township appears to be the movie set for a ‘wild-west’ movie with old-world buildings with fancy facades and strange shops advertising mortuary equipment and ladies of the night. The Dawson Casino is a popular night-spot as is a local bar nearby where the unusual tipple involves a highly alcoholic spirit shot from a glass including a severed human toe! One can only hope that the alcohol has destroyed any bacteria from this unexpected human appendage. After a pleasant meal in the JJJ Hotel we once again crossed the river to our one star cabin where prior to sleeping we had to limit our luggage to a single backpack in order to make the flight tomorrow to Inuvik.

FRIDAY 1st AUGUST 2014 DAWSON CITY - INUVIK YUKON – NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

August 31, 2014 in Uncategorized

After limited sleep and no shower or breakfast we jumped in the bus and headed off leaving the trailer behind at the campsite with much of our gear locked inside. The Dawson City airport was unexpectedly modern and after checking in we were soon boarding a Hawker Siddeley 748 aeroplane and heading north through cloud and rain. We stopped for half an hour at Old Crow and then flew for another hour to our destination of Inuvik in the Canadian province of Northwest Territories. We are now well and truly inside the Arctic Circle at a latitude of 68o 21’ 17”. We were met by a local travel guide who loaded us onto a bus and took us to the Nova Hotel which was delightfully equipped with proper beds, showers and a private flushing toilet! The remainder of the day was spent wandering around Inuvik in cloudy conditions but no rain. After going to the visitors’ centre for tourist guidance we did a walk around the nearby Boot Lake and then ventured into the central township which is the main street just past the only set of traffic lights. Later in the evening we all headed back to the MacKenzie Hotel for a classy evening meal. It seems like ‘rags to riches’ in the last 24 hours. We have tomorrow pretty much as a free day but at 5.00 pm we’re flying up to the Beaufort Sea for a five hour Arctic Sea expedition.

SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST 2014 INUVIK – TUKTOYAKTUK - INUVIK NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

August 30, 2014 in Uncategorized

We awoke to steady rain and windy conditions so after a lazy start to the day and a prolonged breakfast there was no great incentive to venture outside and leave our warm and comfortable hotel. Eventually, well wrapped up with parkas, beanies and gloves we walked along the main street of Inuvik to see the Saturday market. This was a non event as only one tent had been set up and this was in the middle of a wet playing field with no customers in sight. A logical alternative was to go and have coffees in the Mackenzie Hotel. Our group gathered there for an hour or so and then went further into the town to check out some shops and then have some hot chicken soup for lunch. With the rain easing somewhat we headed back to our Nova Inn hotel and prepared for our flight north to Tuktoyaktuk. This town’s name is so hard to pronounce that locals refer to it as Tuk (tuck). Our flight at 5.00 pm was in a Beechcraft B200 twin engine, ten seater aircraft with two pilots. The flight distance north was 250 km and took only half an hour. On arrival at Tuk (69o 27’ N) we were greeted by our local guide (Eileen) who is a member of the Inuvialuit indigenous people of this area. She had a minibus to transport us around in and our first stop was at her house where she gave us an introduction to life on the edge of the Arctic. The township is at the mouth of the East Channel of the Mackenzie River Delta and has a reasonably protected harbour providing shelter from the powerful Beaufort Sea. A Hudson Bay Trading Post was established here in 1937 and the port later became a key region in the development of the oil and gas industry. Eileen’s husband and son are hunters and she proudly showed us skins of fox, caribou, wolverine, wolf and musk oxen. There was also a pair of fluffy white trousers made from polar bear skin which were tried on by Jeff, one of our fellow travellers. Apart from fishing for herring and white-fish, the local indigenous people are permitted to hunt for beluga whales which as part of their culture form a significant part of their diet and their skins are used in clothing and numerous other purposes. The beluga whales come close to the Tuk harbour chasing fish and if inside the breakwater they’re potentially trapped and can be harpooned. We understood that this is not a frequent event but up to 50 may be ‘harvested’ in a ‘good’ year. The flesh, blubber and skins are all used and we were assured that there was minimal wastage. We were all less than impressed by this so called ‘harvesting’ as these rare white beluga whales were, up until recently, listed as an endangered species! However we managed to avoid any controversial commenting despite the harvesting which now employs outboard powered boats and rifles as opposed to ‘traditional’ hunting methods!

Our next stop was at the Tuk community “Ice House”. This involved going down a 10m vertical ladder to chambers below carved out of the permafrost. These rooms were once used to store meat and fish but with diesel powered electricity generators now in use, the Ice House is more of a tourist site although two rooms were locked and presumably in use. The permafrost is layered bands of different coloured soils bonded like rock by ice. It looks like sedimentary sandstone rock with its coloured layering. The tunnels radiating from the main vertical shaft were one metre wide and varying to about two metres high. The ceilings of the tunnels were totally covered with ice crystals which sparkled like diamonds in the light of our head torches. Another special feature of this Arctic coastal area is the occurrence of pingos. These are large ice covered conical hills that form initially from a drained lake. Unfrozen sediments below the lake become saturated with water that upon freezing, expands and pushes the land upwards. Ibyuk Pingo just south of Tuk is probably the world’s largest growing pingo and although over 1000 years old, it is still growing a couple of centimetres a year. An opportunity for us to swim in the Arctic Sea was turned down due to the wind chill factor that made the air significantly colder than the ocean. Despite the strong windy conditions we had periods of bright sunshine and fortunately no rain at all. Eileen showed us around the township which showed all the signs of the harsh conditions it endures throughout the Arctic year of wind, rain, snow and storms. The local school covers K – 12 and there are presently 150 students in total. Last school year (finishing in June) there were 16 students graduating from year 12, this being a record. Some students then head south to further their education at college and then university. The main northern highway leading up from Dawson City is gravel for the first 700 km but then becomes 250 km of ‘winter road’ from Inuvik up to Tuk. This means that the only means of transport is by ice buggies across the frozen delta region. We visited Eileen’s fish smoking house and then saw some traditional wooden house/structures formed from driftwood and then covered with peat for insulation. After an intriguing afternoon’s visit we returned to Inuvik in our Beechcraft plane. We passed Jak Park on the way back to our hotel. (Jak means blueberry in the local dialect.) Our late evening meal was finished with ‘nightcaps’ at midnight and sunlight still visible on the horizon!

SUNDAY 3rd AUGUST 2014 INUVIK – DAWSON NORTHWEST TERRITORIES – YUKON CANADA

August 29, 2014 in Uncategorized

The awesome foursome at the Casino, Dawson

Corinne drinking the sour toe cocktail, Dawson

Tony drinking the sour toe cocktail, Dawson

Confluence of Klondike R and Yukon R, Dawson

Ferry crossing the Yukon River at Dawson

We were greeted by a sunny morning and very pleasant temperate conditions considering we were in the Arctic. After packing up we headed to the Inuvik airport and boarded our Hawker Siddeley 748 aeroplane for the flight down to Dawson. We found our trusty(?) minibus and after loading up we drove the 12 km back into Dawson City. On both sides of the road for most of the way were the tailings (high rock stacks) from the gold dredging operations of the last century. We then took the ferry to West Dawson where we set up camp in a much nicer area of the same camping ground we’d used previously. Although there were no showers or electricity we had a much cleaner toilet block even though when you closed the door you were in near total darkness! The temperature in Dawson was 23oC although Corinne’s thermometer showed 28oC. We then walked a short distance down to the ferry and recrossed the mighty Yukon River, the third largest river in North America. The vehicular ferry is similar in size to the Bruny Island ferry except that it’s free for people and cars and operates 24 hours a day except for fuel stops. The Yukon is about 500m wide at Dawson and is fast flowing for such a vast river. Even at the river banks the current is probably around 3 knots and in midstream where the depth averages 15m the current is even stronger making the handling of the ferry a task requiring considerable skill. In Dawson city we visited the local information centre and then wandered around taking in the atmosphere of this famous town that had its origin associated with the Klondike gold rush of the late 19th century. After a late afternoon lunch we did a two hour cruise on the Yukon on the local paddle ship (“Klondike Queen”) which fits in perfectly with the old world atmosphere of this fascinating town. After our cruise we headed for one of the many local pubs and took part in the sculling of a shot glass of whisky with the human toe immersed. Most of our fellow travellers took part in this hideous activity and there was much hilarity and many photos taken. Highly prized certificates (sarcasm) were issued by the barman who read out a citation letting all and sundry know of the bravery of the participants. There was a sign indicating that if anyone was to swallow the toe there was a fine of $2500. We all then gathered at the local casino and joined in the frivolity of the floor show which entailed a very good female vocalist and four very high class dancing girls. The stage act was of the burlesque style and the four beautiful girls were nearly perfect with their synchronicity and stylish dancing. With sleep being necessity we didn’t stay for the midnight show which according to those who stayed on was even more risqué. At around 2.00 am the Aurora Borealis was seen by some of our group on their return from the casino!

Sitting around campfire, Takhini Hot Springs

MONDAY 4th AUGUST 2014 DAWSON - WHITEHORSE YUKON, CANADA

August 28, 2014 in Uncategorized

Temporary repairs to the trailer, Selkirk

Washing up area at Dawson campsite, Dawson

This was to be a full day of driving with the travel south to Whitehorse being about 600 km on the Klondike Highway. The highway was mostly an undulating bitumen road but there were stretches of rough gravel. We made a few stops along the way for cold drinks and to stretch the legs. The highly crowded nature of the bus means there is so little leg-room that occasional stops are essential to keep the circulation going! The scenery along the highway was typically spruce forest with many rivers, lakes and tarns. A large area of forest fire damage was sighted too with many hundreds of hectares with little left apart from ghostly blackened spruce trunks. This fire occurred in 1995. At one stop we noticed the electrical connection to the trailer’s brakes was detached from one wheel and just dragging on the ground. Closer inspection revealed a more serious issue with the trailer’s brakes being totally out of action. Hopefully there can be a repair job done in Whitehorse. We arrived in Whitehorse in the late afternoon and did a major restocking of our supplies with each of the three teams getting supplies to prepare and cook an evening meal for the next three days. We’re preparing for a beef and vegetable stir-fry. We then drove back up the Klondike Highway for 20 km to our camping ground which was at the Takhini Hot Springs. After setting up our tents we enjoyed a Hungarian goulash meal prepared by team 1 under the careful direction of Tibour. A bottle of Californian pinot noir and a group gathering around the campfire made for a very pleasant end to the day.

TUESDAY 5th AUGUST 2014 WHITEHORSE – DESTRUCTION BAY YUKON, CANADA

August 27, 2014 in Uncategorized

Butterfly, Haines Junction Visitor Centre

Packing up the campsite, Takhini Hot Springs campsite

Tony writing the blog at Takhini Hot Springs campsite

With the trailer needing repairs it was decided that Charlie would go back into Whitehorse and find an auto-electrician with knowledge of electrical braking systems. Meanwhile the majority of our group stayed on at the Takhini camp and packed up tents, cooking gear and food containers. We then went for a swim in the hot spring pools which were immediately adjacent to the campsite. The larger of the two pools was at a very comfortable 37oC but the pool next to it was supposedly at 47oC which was far too hot to withstand for long, although Corinne spent a few minutes at this temperature before admitting defeat. After four hours in Whitehorse Charlie eventually returned with the trailer brakes fixed or more correctly, ‘back to normal’ although there was suspicion that they are still not fully functional. Once the trailer was loaded up we were back on the road by 1.30 pm and now having left the Klondike Highway we turned westwards onto the Alaska Highway and headed for Haines Junction. At Haines Junction there was an excellent Interpretation Centre giving very detailed information on the Kluane National Park and Reserve where we’re staying for the next two days. We then followed the Alaska Highway for another 100 km to our camp-site at Destruction Bay which is on the western shore of Lake Kuane. The camping ground is a large area and we were located long way from the facilities so access to water, toilets and showers was 250 m away. Once again we are without any electricity but there was a facility in the mini-bus for charging camera batteries. Team Two cooked the evening meal of chicken curry which was well received by the troops and after a chat and a few drinks around the campfire we all headed to bed for an early night even though it was well after 10.00 pm. There are quite a few walks and tomorrow we’ve decided to do another challenging walk involving a fairly extensive and steep climb!

Tony on chef duties, Kluane Lake campsite

WEDNESDAY 6th AUGUST 2014 KLUANE NATIONAL PARK, DESTRUCTION BAY YUKON, CANADA

August 26, 2014 in Uncategorized

(We finally have decent wifi so have been able to add some photos to previous posts

Our tour group, Sheep Creek Trail, Kluane NP

Native orchid, Sheep Creek Trail, Kluane NP

Win on top of the ridge, Sheep Creek Trail, Kluane NP

Picnic spot, Sheep Creek Trail, Kluane NP

Wild flowers, Sheep Creek Trail, Kluane NP

.) There were a number of choices of ‘day walks’ and most of the group elected to do the Sheep Creek walk which was a 10 km return walk starting near the Tachal Dahl Visitor centre. The initial section of the track was a moderate slope on a very dusty track in amongst a forest of spruce fir trees. This sub-alpine region has many fir trees that are dead due to an infestation of beetles. Normally the harsh winter conditions keep a control on the numbers of these insects but he warmer winter weather of recent years has allowed the population of beetles to burgeon and hence the devastation caused. A warning sign near the track’s commencement indicated that bears may be encountered on the track and that a visitor had been killed in recent times by a young grizzly bear. As a precaution we carried a pressurised pack of pepper spray but it was not going to be required. Others in our group had bells attached to their packs which are designed to scare the bears but in reality they proved annoying to people nearby who would have preferred to enjoy the tranquillity of the forest. The track then climbed quite steeply for a kilometre and levelled out at a lookout point where the Slim’s river Valley could be seen below and beyond which were the spectacular St. Elias Mountains and their many glaciers. The blue sky and warm conditions were just perfect for this day’s work. Further up the mountain the vegetation changed to more alpine type plants and lower trees. We found two orchids one of which was in flower and appeared to be very similar to our microtis genus in Australia. The other had gone over and the large seed capsules suggested that it may have been a cypripedium orchid (slipper orchid) which we were informed is found in this area and flowers in late June. We eventually reached the main turn around point in the track at the 5 km mark at which point we had climbed 430 m from our starting point. The view from the top was made the effort very much worthwhile and the glorious weather conditions made the colours of the numerous snow capped mountains sparkle. The giant Kaskawulsh Glacier looked spectacular and behind its 200m wide face were two smaller glaciers feeding into it. The combined glaciers form the origin of the Slim’s River Two of our walking group ventured a further 200m vertically upwards on a minor track to a high ridge where several dahl sheep were sighted on an adjacent mountain slope. The 5 km downhill return walk was pretty hard on the knees despite us using walking poles. No bears or moose were sighted but many squirrels and chipmunks were seen scurrying across the path at regular intervals. Back at camp we were given the option of doing a flight over the St. Elias Mountain Range and see the 12 twelve peaks over 4000 m including Mt. Logan which is the highest peak in Canada. Unfortunately the weather closed in at the last moment and the flight was cancelled but instead we did a drive around the lake to a ghost town and on the way we encountered a grizzly bear wandering along the lake’s edge. The ghost town, Silver City consisted of four or five remaining derelict log cabins, ancient machinery and an old wrecked 1922 Dodge truck. The town was originally a mining town where silver and gold were discovered in the early 20th century. We returned to camp and prepared our stir fry meal for our group of 14 people. The very limited cooking facilities meant that the meal was prepared in sections such as onions first, beef next, etc and the cooked portions stored in a large pot. Nonetheless the meal was well received and topped off with a large bowl of fruit salad made from fresh strawberries, grapes, pineapple and cherries. With a few spits of rain (the first for a long time) we all decided to head for an ‘early’ night, once again at 11.00 pm.

THURSDAY 7th AUGUST 2014 DESTRUCTION BAY – CHISTOCHINA BAY YUKON - ALASKA

August 25, 2014 in Uncategorized

The early morning conditions were a clear sky and a bitterly cold wind that initially dampened enthusiasm until the sun rose and the wind dropped.

Our tents were still a little wet from the short rain shower we’d had last night but with a big travel day ahead we packed them up and got on the road as soon as breakfast was over and the bus loaded.

Following Highway One (Alaska Highway) to Burwash Landing, we had excellent views of the St. Elias Mountains for the first hour or so and then the scenery changed to a flatter and forested environment where lots of road works were occurring and required us to stop for several periods of about 15 minutes.

At Beaver Creek we bought fuel and had coffees and surveyed this little township that appears to exist in the middle of nowhere.

Just beyond Beaver Creek we came to the USA/Canada border which occurs at longitude 141o west. There is a clear track cut through the forest following this meridian and a number of memorial plaques and information signs telling of the construction of the international highway.

The USA border officials appeared to be very officious and requested that we unload the bus and open our packs but their inspection of the contents of our bags was very superficial. The only things they confiscated were tomatoes.

A further 175 km brought us to Tok, a town we’d visited earlier in our travels. This meant we had completed a road circuit of just over two thousand kilometres in the Alaska/Canada region. This doesn’t include the flight distances up to the Northwest Territories.

In Tok we bought supplies including food, beer and wine and then did our final road stint for the day to Chistochina Bay which is on the Sterling Highway (US Highway 1) linking Tok to Valdez. The distance travelled today was just under 500 km.

The Red Eagle camping grounds were about the best we’ve encountered so far and not only had clean showers but access to wifi and a laundry. Mosquitoes were a problem but the best solution was to head for the tents and call it a night.

Railway bridge over Gilahina R, Wrangell St Elias NP

FRIDAY 8th AUGUST 2014 CHISTOCHINA BAY – McCARTHY ALASKA

August 24, 2014 in Uncategorized

The owners of the Red Eagle camping ground had arranged for all of us to join them for breakfast which turned out to be an absolute feast. There were various fruits, cereals, eggs, juices, toast and condiments to fit all tastes and as it was days since we’d had much choice, this proved to be too good an opportunity to not indulge.

Once we’d finished this sumptuous breakfast we were once again on the road and the first significant landmark was the Copper River at Gakona. With a backdrop of the snow capped St. Elias Mountains, this vast river flood plane had a width of over a kilometre and one can imagine that at flood times the whole region in the river valley below us becomes a raging torrent. At its present flow rate, the river consists of many meandering streams that occasionally join and then redivide forming a giant network of glacial melt-water channels in amongst a pebbly plane.

We then continued further south towards Chitina where more of the old world 19th century mining relics were evident. The local pub advertised “warm beer, lousy food and bad service” together with a sign saying “have a nice day”!

Further down the road we came very close to the mighty Copper River and stopped. Wandering down to the river bank enabled us to see the many salmon fish traps that the locals use. The most common type is one that involves a water wheel turned by the river current that has metal meshed baskets that scoop up river water and separate fish off into a side container. Other fishermen stand up to waist deep in the river and catch salmon using large hand held nets on the end of long aluminium or wooden poles.

During our visit we saw no salmon caught despite the great amount of activity directed towards this goal.

Now heading further south and then eastwards into the Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve we came upon the remarkable road and railway bridge across the Kuskulana River.

The bridge was built to facilitate the rail transport of copper ore from the famous 1911 – 1938 and now abandoned Kennecott copper mine which we hope to visit tomorrow.

The bridge was built to span a 150 m gap over the Kuskulana River which flows rapidly in a deep and spectacularly narrow gorge 65 m below.

Further along the road are further signs of the Kennecott railway line and at the Gilahina River there is a very high section of trestles that once supported the line where it crossed the river. The trestles are formed from an interlocking network of vertical and diagonal logs. In some places the trestle was about 15 m high. The 250 m section over the Gilahina River required over half a million spruce logs and was constructed in only eight days! The work force involved was reputedly about 3000 workers.

The rough road terminated at the McCarthy River where we left the bus and carried our bags across the footbridge to another bus that was to take us the last kilometre to McCarthy village, our home for the next two nights.

McCarthy is a barely altered relic of the 1911 town established to support the nearby copper mine at Kennecott. The town has a rocky main street with old timber buildings including a pub, some small shops, tourist facilities and our hotel called Ma Johnsons. She ran the brothel for the town and was undoubtedly quite a character gauging from the stories of her exploits.

The hotel is tastefully decorated with artefacts from the mining days decorating the rooms ,walls and corridors.

The day was completed with a meal at the hotel across the road.

SATURDAY 9th AUGUST 2014 McCARTHY – KENNICOTT - McCARTHY ALASKA

August 23, 2014 in Uncategorized

Our accommodation, Ma Johnsons hotel and brothel, McCarthy

After breakfasting in the store next door to Ma Johnsons, we took the bus to nearby Kennicott. (The spelling for the copper mine is sometimes shown as Kennecott). The Kennicott road was stony and rough but only about 5 km long so we were soon getting prepared for our day on the glacier.

We were required to sign a waiver and then we were fitted out with crampons for ice walking.

From the Kennicott guides’ building we had a 3 km walk to the start of the icy bottom section (toe) of the Root Glacier. Our group was initially seven plus two guides, Annie and Cody who were friendly, highly informative and carefully explained the plan for the day’ events.

At the toe of the glacier we attached crampons but before commencing the ice walk, Cody gave us all a demonstration of the best way to cope with climbing and descending slopes particularly if they were steep.

The walk was a gentle climb initially and despite all the ice around us, the air was warm and the bright sunny conditions ideal for seeing the beauty of all the various glacial formations.

There were many small streams flowing across the surface of the Root Glacier and some had carved narrow channels that then disappeared into chasms or ‘worm-holes’ as Cody called them. They are more correctly called ‘moulins’.

With utter confidence in the crampons doing their job, we ascended some steep sections and then followed steep ridges in the ice to a gully where there was a river coming out of a wall of ice. We stopped here for a lunch break and sat on the ice using foam mats and had hot drinks as well as trying the icy glacial water.

The conditions were ideal and some in our group who previously were rugged up with thermals and beanies on were now in tee shirts and putting on more sunscreen.

The vast mass of ice creates high density regions where the ice colour has vrious shades of pale blue through to an inky azure colour. These dark colours were most prominent when peering into crevasses or down worm holes.

On several occasions we were carefully escorted, one at a time, to an edge where some special sight was to be viewed but great danger was there for the inexperienced. One such site was where a fast flowing stream plunged down an ice cliff and into a crevasse that seemed bottomless. Apparently some courageous adventurers lower themselves into this crevasse on ropes and go down into the blue darkness below. It’s a squeeze and with the noise of the rushing water, communication between the top and the ice-climbers below make for extra danger. Not for the faint hearted!!

At another location, Annie dropped a large rock down into a crevasse and on hearing and timing the crash into the ice below, we guessed the depth which turned out to be about 20 metres. Our guides were very safety conscious and we were grateful for their concern as it seemed highly likely that without a guide one could easily die in this precarious environment.

After about two hours of walking on the ice and having reached a high point where the icefalls of the Root Glacier were clearly visible and yet deceptively distant. What appears to be a wall of ice of moderate size is in fact about 3 km high and equally wide.

Donoho Peak that separates Kennicott and Root Glaciers was basked in sunshine but the biggest peak of all in this Wrangell Mountain region, Mount Blackburn (4996 m) was still covered with cloud at its top.

We then retraced our steps and returned to the Kennecott Visitors’ Centre at about 3.00 pm, feeling a little weary after about four hours of hiking and ice walking.

After some refreshments we spent the next three hours visiting the Kennecott Mine processing plant. These ancient buildings and equipment were where the refinement of the copper ore was initially undertaken. The very high grade copper ore (mostly azurite and malachite with limestone as the principal impurity) was mined from the mountain behind Pennecott and brought down in large steel buckets on overhead wires. The processing required crushing and sieving followed by vibrational separation of the limestone on the basis of density variation within a slurry.

Ammonia treatment to form a copper ammine complex was followed by oil/air flotation separation. This ended up with a high grade copper concentrate containing 95% copper compounds that was then transported by train to the Prince William Sound port of Cordova. It was then shipped to Tacoma for reduction to copper metal.

The high grade ore eventually ran out and the plant closed in 1938 after the production of copper metal valued in today’s currency at around five billion US dollars.

Despite its operational demise the huge, multi-storey buildings and much of the equipment are still here although much of it is in a state of disrepair. Apparently the cost of transporting the machinery out of Kennicott would have been financially disastrous.

However, the long term tourist potential has been acknowledged and the progressive restoration of parts of the plant into a museum has been well received.

Our visit to the Kennicott Copper processing plant was highly informative and a very worthwhile adjunct to our day’s glacier walking.

A meal in the pub across the road and some dancing to music from a visiting “blue-grass” band from North Carolina made for an ideal end to a physically demanding but highly exciting day!

SUNDAY 10th AUGUST 2014 McCARTHY – VALDEZ ALASKA

August 22, 2014 in Uncategorized

Worthington Glacier, Girls Mountain, near Valdez

Lunch while waiting for roadworks, near Chitina

Reflections on lake #2, Wrangell St Elias NP, Alaska, 10 Aug 2014

Root Glacier from footbridge #2, McCarthy, Alaska, 10 Aug 2014

Root Glacier from footbridge #1, McCarthy, Alaska, 10 Aug 2014

It was with a sense of regret that we said farewell to Ma Johnson’s Hotel and headed off from McCarthy. The weather was near perfect and the blue sky had barely a cloud in sight making the spectacular Wrangell Mountains sparkle in the early morning sun.

Once back to the pedestrian bridge we reloaded the bus and commenced the 100 km rough road drive back to Chitina to rejoin the Edgerton Highway. Despite it being Sunday, several roadwork crews were in operation so the journey was made considerably longer due to two 30 minute delays while the road was blocked.

Near Tosina we turned left onto the Richardson Highway and started heading south for Valdez. This was to be a 150 km trip through the Chugach Mountains region where the scenery was unbelievably beautiful with numerous glaciers close to the road. On a number of occasions we had fleeting glimpses of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline which brings crude oil from the Arctic down to Valdez. In some places the pipeline is above ground and along the vast distance it travels there are a good number of pumping stations two of which we passed close to the road.

The largest glacier we saw was the Worthington Glacier which flows steeply down the icy peak of the 1840 m Girls Mountain. The glacier has a series of fingers that extend to within a few hundred metres of the road so close up viewing was made easy although none of us had time to venture up the ‘challenging’ ridge trail to the glacier’s lateral moraine.

Seven kilometres south of Worthington Glacier we came to the Thomson Pass, Alaska’s snowiest spot. From the height of the marker poles on the side of the road used to guide the snow ploughs, the depth of snow may well get to be 3 m in places! Our day was one of sunshine, blue skies and no wind and yet from the numerous glaciers that practically encroached on the road, one could tell that winter-time here must be fantastically cold and require great stength of character to endure these extremes.

A little further south, the road entered Keystone Canyon with the fast flowing Lowe River having carved a deep ravine through the cliffs. This is a popular rafting area and several groups were seen making their way down the river that is icy and silty grey due to its origin as melt-water from the many glaciers upstream.

We finally arrived in the port town of Valdez and wandered around the waterfront that was packed with fishing craft and pleasure boats. After getting information from the visitors’ centre about possible activities for tomorrow we shopped for provisions and set up camp in a small camp-site very near the water’s edge.

Within an hour or so of setting up camp the weather changed and soon it was drizzling. We were warned that Valdez is very wet but let’s hope tomorrow’s weather allows us to explore the town in comfort!

Fish & birds at the salmon hatchery, Valdez

MONDAY 11th AUGUST 2014 VALDEZ ALASKA

August 21, 2014 in Uncategorized

Charlie, Our tour leader, cooking fish in the rain, Valdez

The day was one of near perpetual drizzle with occasionally heavier showers so thoughts of doing walks around the Valdez coastal area were abandoned. Instead it was decided to head for the local museum and learn something about the region and its history.

Valdez with a population of about 4000 is the most important town in the Prince William Sound region. Valdez was named after the Spanish bay, Port Valdez which in turn was named in honour of a Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdes y Basan.

Valdez was founded in 1897 about 6 km east of its present location and served as a starting point for prospectors heading up to the Klondike goldfields.

As the northernmost ice-free port in North America it was chosen to be the southern terminus of the 1280 km Trans-Alaska Pipeline bringing crude oil down from Prudhoe Bay in the Arctic.

Valdez township was relocated after the disastrous five minute (9.2) earthquake of 1964 which resulted in a substantial section of the town’s waterfront collapsing into the sea with the loss of 38 lives.

The Valdez Museum provided an excellent way of spending a rainy morning and learning of the local history and Alaskan oil industry.

Apart from a fabulously restored and lovingly polished 1886 Ahrens steam fire-engine there were numerous native artefacts and mockups of old mining cabins and equipment.

Of particular interest was the exhibit dedicated to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. On March 24th 1989 the giant tanker, Exxon Valdez under the command of Joseph Hazelwood changed course to avoid an iceberg and struck Bligh Reef near the mouth of Columbia Bay. The ship then leaked 42 million litres of oil but efforts to contain the spill were very poorly handled with a desperately slow response time to organise dispersants and skimmer vessels.

The oil spill contaminated 2400 km of coastline killing fish, whales, seals, otters and birds. Nearly 10,000 workers were employed in the cleanup process although even today contamination of coastal soils is still apparent. Exxon were forced to pay clean-up costs of $1.25 billion but locals are still angry that Exxon were not fined significantly more than the $1 billion for restitution costs.

After an extended lunch break with pizzas at a local café, we wandered around the shopping centre where, amongst other things we were surprised to see a range of hand guns as well as rifles for sale in sports stores. A local informed us that most men carry pistols in Valdez as defence against fellow Valdez men as well as protection against bears!

In the later afternoon, still in drizzling rain, we drove 15 km around to the Solomon Gulch fish hatchery on the other side of Port Valdez. There were literally thousands of large salmon going through their death throes associated with spawning. Their pathway up the Solomon River had been blocked with a steel meshed dam face, forcing some of the fish into a very fast flowing but steep side channel that led to a factory where eggs and sperm were extracted for fish farms and the dead salmon processed for cat food. Gulls, eagles and bears have an unlimited supply of food as the salmon accumulate and die in the shallow waters around the dam.

Back at our camp we had a delicious meal of barbecued salmon and pasta before preparing for bed.

As tomorrow will require a very early start (4.30 a.m. rise) and as it was still raining, we had an early night.

TUESDAY 12th AUGUST 2014 VALDEZ - SEWARD ALASKA

August 20, 2014 in Uncategorized

At 4.30 a.m. in darkness and with it still drizzling rain, we packed up camp which for the first time in our North American travels meant dealing with wet tents!

Having loaded up the bus we drove a short distance from the camp-site to the ferry terminal and joined the passenger queue for the six hour trip round to Whittier on the north-eastern coast of the Kenai Peninsula. Charlie stayed in the bus and drove it onto the ferry whilst the rest of us gathered in the passenger lounge and found seats.

The ferry left Valdez promptly at 7.00 a.m. and headed west and then southwards down the Prince William Sound in a dense fog.

Fleeting glimpses were just possible of the Shoup and Anderson Glaciers with their high melt-waterfalls cascading into the sea close to the ferry’s route.

We passed the now infamous Bligh Reef where the Exxon Valdez experienced its terrible accident.

As we approached Growler Island the fog lifted considerably and dozens of small icebergs became visible, none much bigger than a person although one much larger one was viewed in the distance. Many appeared to be sculpted into appealing shapes and their shades of blue from pale eggshell to azure made for an attractive sight within an otherwise gloomy sea.

After six hours travelling on the ferry we passed between Esther and Culross Islands and after negotiating the narrow Passage Canal we finally arrived at Whittier.

The town scene was bleak with rain pouring down and yet the surrounding mountains were covered with waterfalls, some of which were massive.

We rejoined the bus and commenced our 130 km drive down to Seward (most unfortunately pronounced ‘sewered’!!). At the half-way mark we stopped for refreshments at Moose Pass where the small stream was littered with dying salmon that must have made their way ten or more kilometres upstream from the ocean to spawn.

On arrival at Seward we all made the decision not to camp as the ground was wet and it was still raining. After a number of ‘phone enquiries we split up to have accommodation for the night with some in hostels and others (including us – the Awesome foursome) electing to share a motel room with two double beds.

Our group of fourteen reassembled later in the evening at a local restaurant/boutique brewery for a meal and to sample some of their fine wares.

Plans for tomorrow will have to be altered if this rain continues.

We were informed by a local that this inclement weather is a spinoff from the cyclone that has recently affected the Hawaiian Islands.

So far, we’ve been lucky with the weather having had only three wet days out of twenty with most days being sunny and warmer than expected for these Arctic latitudes.

WEDNESDAY 13th AUGUST 2014 SEWARD - KENAI ALASKA

August 19, 2014 in Uncategorized

After a much needed ten hour’s sleep we awoke to find the rainy conditions continuing. With our travelling group now back together we drove down to the Seward docks and arranged for our Kenai Fjords full day boat cruise.

The boat we were on was owned by Major Marine Tours and called the ‘Alaska Explorer’. It could carry about 200 passengers but with the weather likely to be wet and foggy the boat was only two thirds full. We had reserved and very comfortable seating on the second deck with expansive window views all around.

The cruise was initially southwards down Resurrection Bay and past Cheval Island towards Aialik Cape. At this point we’d entered the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The sea was choppy with about two to three metre swells and several passengers around us were seasick. At this point we commenced a northwards leg up into Aialik Bay where conditions were much calmer and lunch was served.

The cruise then took us up into a fairly narrow arm where at the end we were confronted with the toe of Aialik

Glacier. This is a large ‘tidewater’ glacier and we were able to get within 200 m and stop with the boat engines off for half an hour. The toe was about 500 m wide and terminates in the sea with a gigantic blue ice wall 100 m or more high. The incredible noise of the cracking ice and the occasional chunk of ice calving off and crashing into the sea made for spectacular viewing.

On our return leg to port, we followed a different course further to the east which took us past Cape Resurrection where a vast colony (millions) of presently nesting seabirds called thick-billed murres totally dominate the headland and the sky around.

We sighted many sea otters as they cruised around on their backs and then duck-dived chasing fish. We also managed to get close to a number of Steller sea lions and a smaller group of whitish Harbour seals.

A number of Dall’s porpoises and one humpback whale were seen too but the whale was moving quite quickly and surfaced only every minute or so and thus photos were far from perfect!

Bald eagles, glaucous gulls and Arctic terns are common in this area but in terms of sea-bird life, the undoubted highlight was seeing lots of the beautiful horned puffins. Some were swimming in the water around the boat but many were nesting on ledges in the high cliffs that make up these fjords.

On returning to dock we climbed into our bus and headed off on the Stirling Highway for Soldotna and then took the turnoff to the town of Kenai.

We set up our gypsy homes in a camping ground on The Bluff and enjoyed an evening meal in dry conditions and periods of sunshine.

Tomorrow we go bear watching.