Saturday, June 21, 2008
Seward
Our best single-day Alaska experience thus far was the 9 hr. glacier and wildlife viewing cruise in Resurrection Bay out of Seward. I use the term cruise as a verb - what the small excursion boat with 34 passengers did - vs. cruise ship touring. Our trip took place under overcast skies with occasional sun breaks - a good Alaska day here on the Kenai Peninsula.
We were enchanted by the diversity of sea mammals encountered - Orca (killer) and Humpback whales (one Orca did a full breach out of the water); Stellar Sea Lions sunning on rocks in their traditional hauling-out spots along the coastline; Dall’s Porpoise (speedy wake riders who look a lot like orcas in coloring); the always adorable Sea Otters; and Harbor Seals floating on glacial ice flows where they were pupping. Our captain had a special passion for Orca and brought his personal hydrophone enabling us to listen to several pod’s unique vocalizations by which, in addition to the subtle differences in dorsal fin characteristics, he was able to identify each of three matriarchal groups we encountered.
Seabirds were another delight - Tufted and Horned Puffins, Cormorants, Mures, Kittiwakes and Gulls. A special bonus was a chance to watch two Coastal Mountain Goats grazing, meandering and finally lounging high on the cliffs above us. There were, of course two regal Bald Eagles - not so many as in Homer. The scenery was equally as magnificent - snow capped mountains on either side of the bay, many glittering with gushing waterfalls of spring run off, some a quarter of a mile in length as they coursed down the mountains; glimpses of the vast Harding ice field (about the size of Rhode Island) high above and a few of the many fiords and sand bars it’s glaciers have carved over the millennia; then the awesome glaciers themselves, most with blue- tinged areas marking recently “calved” icebergs where the electric blue-reflecting inner layers of dense, ancient ice is exposed; all this in contrast to the varied shades of sea and sky, the new greening leaves and shifting cloud cover. Awesome.
We camped two days near landlocked Exit Glacier to which one can easily hike and even touch. It was a lovely campground with few guests. Food preparation and storage areas were several hundred feet from campsites as a bear precaution. Black bears were sighted while we were there, but not by us. The temperatures were in low 30's at night which was OK but the rain on the second night made packing up unpleasant. I was grateful, however, that the rain had stopped by morning. Now it’s back at work 8:30-5:00 four days/week until our next three-day adventure! We'll keep you posted!
We were enchanted by the diversity of sea mammals encountered - Orca (killer) and Humpback whales (one Orca did a full breach out of the water); Stellar Sea Lions sunning on rocks in their traditional hauling-out spots along the coastline; Dall’s Porpoise (speedy wake riders who look a lot like orcas in coloring); the always adorable Sea Otters; and Harbor Seals floating on glacial ice flows where they were pupping. Our captain had a special passion for Orca and brought his personal hydrophone enabling us to listen to several pod’s unique vocalizations by which, in addition to the subtle differences in dorsal fin characteristics, he was able to identify each of three matriarchal groups we encountered.
Seabirds were another delight - Tufted and Horned Puffins, Cormorants, Mures, Kittiwakes and Gulls. A special bonus was a chance to watch two Coastal Mountain Goats grazing, meandering and finally lounging high on the cliffs above us. There were, of course two regal Bald Eagles - not so many as in Homer. The scenery was equally as magnificent - snow capped mountains on either side of the bay, many glittering with gushing waterfalls of spring run off, some a quarter of a mile in length as they coursed down the mountains; glimpses of the vast Harding ice field (about the size of Rhode Island) high above and a few of the many fiords and sand bars it’s glaciers have carved over the millennia; then the awesome glaciers themselves, most with blue- tinged areas marking recently “calved” icebergs where the electric blue-reflecting inner layers of dense, ancient ice is exposed; all this in contrast to the varied shades of sea and sky, the new greening leaves and shifting cloud cover. Awesome.
We camped two days near landlocked Exit Glacier to which one can easily hike and even touch. It was a lovely campground with few guests. Food preparation and storage areas were several hundred feet from campsites as a bear precaution. Black bears were sighted while we were there, but not by us. The temperatures were in low 30's at night which was OK but the rain on the second night made packing up unpleasant. I was grateful, however, that the rain had stopped by morning. Now it’s back at work 8:30-5:00 four days/week until our next three-day adventure! We'll keep you posted!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Recent Alaskan delights........
The moose cow we’ve been watching in the boggy meadow just outside the Islands and Ocean Visitors Center where we work calved this week. The calf, with it’s big ears, looks surprisingly like a kangaroo Joey - what a delight they are.
We’ve enjoyed three more short trips across the bay and were finally able to photograph the Tufted Puffin, a bird which delights me every time I see it.
This week has also presented the greatest negative tides of the year and weve been “tide pooling” again. The quantity and diversity of life at the edge of the sea is remarkable and I’m attaching a photo composite of just one species - sea stars (plus a glimpse of sea urchins with one of the beautiful Lined Chiton’s we found). There’s so much more to see and share from the water’s edge, especially when the extreme tide reveals the lower tidal areas not usually seen.
It was so much fun learning how to make the tide pool composite in photo-shop that I decided to make another... a depiction of Spring’s finally reaching Homer. Perhaps because Spring is late this year, or perhaps because all flora here have an intrinsic awareness of their short growing season, the greening and blossoming seem to be occurring at an accelerated pace. The flora of this area, like everything else, is a diverse mixture of the known and unknown. Many berry bushes are blossoming - blueberry, elderberry, salmonberry, raspberry and Marion berry among others. There are also beautiful wild and cultivated flowers and lily pads full of procreating bugs. The bristly leaves and stem pictured belong to the Devil’s Club plant which also produces berries. The story goes that it was given it’s name from the practice of shamans using it to drive out evil spirits that caused people to act strangely. Judging from the plant’s proliferation, I’d say the aberrant spirits should be well under control.
And although I have no photos - you’ll have to await Erv’s - it has been a lot of fun observing a nesting pair of eagles. The female, who does the majority of brooding, seems to have found it quite tiresome. On several occasions we’ve seen her eyes droop and beak fall open as her head slowly relaxes to her chest (we almost expect to see drool), then, apparently remembering her regal status, she quickly snaps back to attention - followed by a distinct yawn. How remarkably delightful to see an eagle yawn!!
Trust your Springtime is full of natural delights as well!
We’ve enjoyed three more short trips across the bay and were finally able to photograph the Tufted Puffin, a bird which delights me every time I see it.
This week has also presented the greatest negative tides of the year and weve been “tide pooling” again. The quantity and diversity of life at the edge of the sea is remarkable and I’m attaching a photo composite of just one species - sea stars (plus a glimpse of sea urchins with one of the beautiful Lined Chiton’s we found). There’s so much more to see and share from the water’s edge, especially when the extreme tide reveals the lower tidal areas not usually seen.
It was so much fun learning how to make the tide pool composite in photo-shop that I decided to make another... a depiction of Spring’s finally reaching Homer. Perhaps because Spring is late this year, or perhaps because all flora here have an intrinsic awareness of their short growing season, the greening and blossoming seem to be occurring at an accelerated pace. The flora of this area, like everything else, is a diverse mixture of the known and unknown. Many berry bushes are blossoming - blueberry, elderberry, salmonberry, raspberry and Marion berry among others. There are also beautiful wild and cultivated flowers and lily pads full of procreating bugs. The bristly leaves and stem pictured belong to the Devil’s Club plant which also produces berries. The story goes that it was given it’s name from the practice of shamans using it to drive out evil spirits that caused people to act strangely. Judging from the plant’s proliferation, I’d say the aberrant spirits should be well under control.
And although I have no photos - you’ll have to await Erv’s - it has been a lot of fun observing a nesting pair of eagles. The female, who does the majority of brooding, seems to have found it quite tiresome. On several occasions we’ve seen her eyes droop and beak fall open as her head slowly relaxes to her chest (we almost expect to see drool), then, apparently remembering her regal status, she quickly snaps back to attention - followed by a distinct yawn. How remarkably delightful to see an eagle yawn!!
Trust your Springtime is full of natural delights as well!
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