Seward Highway

Post date: Jul 11, 2016 5:40:22 AM

I headed south out of Anchorage, as the rain subsided a bit. I had heard about what's called the bore tide in Prince William Sound. Apparently, it's the largest tidal change in the world - up to 40 feet on occasion. Along the Turnagain Arm there are many pullouts from which to view the Sound. It just so happened that my timing was perfect to see the incoming tide. As I gazed at the mud flats across the Sound to the Kenai Peninsula, you could actually see the tide rolling in. I stopped in one the pullouts and noticed several paddle-boarders heading towards the tide. They surfed it for probably a mile as it gushed into the Sound! It was pretty cool!

Down the road, I passed a large sign that said, "Welcome to the Kenai Peninsula," via the Seward Highway. Wow! This is by far the most scenic route in Alaska. It's beautiful, even if it's fog laiden and raining.

The road cuts right through narrow valleys with tall peaks on each side. Sometimes you can peer through the clouds and see the mountain top covered in snow. Around ever bend, the scenery goes on and on. I watched a bald eagle swoop in and perch on top of a tall spruce. It was a Kodak moment.

I'm heading to Seward specifically for a day-trip kayaking out to Aialik Glacier. The whale watching in the area is supposed to be really good, and of course, there is the glacier whose face is accessible by boat only.

On the way out to the glacier, we stopped in a couple of places and view lots of wildlife including puffins, birds that I cannot name, sea lions, and or course the coup de gras, humpback whales.

The whales did not disappoint! At first all to be witnessed was their blows misting the water straight up from the surface as they came up for air. Eventually, this one whale in particular kept fluking, or showing its tail in preparation for a deep dive. Then, all of a sudden, breach! The whale sailed out of the water five or six times. Once, it shot straight out of the water about 50 feet from the boat. This is my first whale-watching experinece, and it was awesome! They are much larger than I anticipated.

The boat dropped is off at a beach near Aialik Glacier where we boarded our kayaks. The sand was black and obviously volcanic. It reminded me of being on the summit of Mt. Etna is Sicily. Once aboard, we paddled out into the waters towards the glacier. It was cold, pouring rain, and almost miserable uNeil I heard that first roar of white thunder. It was the sound of the glacier fracturing yet it was as loud as thunder in a terrible storm.

My hands were wet. My phone was wet. I had a hard time operating the screen because the phone thought that the rain droplets were touches to the screen.