We left Cooper Landing on Saturday and drove to Palmer. While there we met again with Pat's cousin Becky and her husband Mike. We had a great lunch and then went back to the rig and shared some of our Alaska pictures. It was GREAT to connect with Becky and talk "family".
While in Palmer we also drove up to Hatcher Pass and the Independence Mine State Historical Park. It features the abandoned buildings and machinery of a 200-worker camp and hardrock gold mining operation which was one of Alaska's greatest gold producers. Independence Mine, high in the mountains east of Wasilla, was a working gold mine from the early 1930s until after World War II. We also traveled the Farm Loop, watched reindeer and viewed Knik Glacier.
Today, Wednesday, we traveled to Glacier View about 80 miles east of Palmer. After arriving, we hiked to Matanuska Glacier. What an EXCITING experience. We were actually walking across the glacier and traversing the ice. Matanuska is 24 miles long and 4 miles wide at it's terminus. It is still an active glacier advancing 1 foot per day. It was humbling to realize that we were walking on ice that had formed 250 years ago!
Below is a link with a couple pictures from Cooper Landing and Palmer and some shots from today at Matanuska Glacier.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMQY¬ag=1
Enjoy and stay safe,
P&J
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
This is NOT a "Fish Story"
This Post deals with several fishing forays we've had thus far and their individual "success" stories.
First, in Seward, Pat, Freddie and Alice went in search of Salmon on the shores of Resurrection Bay. The type of tackle was a heavy treble-hook which is cast and then yanked back toward shore. This is intended to literally "snag" the fish and it does not exactly involve a lot of finesse. Pat was successful in landing two fish, which turned out to be Chum Salmon, also known as a Dog Salmon. The latter name is because the locals and Native Peoples do not eat these fish. Due to their inferior quality they are instead fed to the dogs.
Next it was off to Soldotna where, after a couple days, the Sockeye (or Reds) began their run up the Kenai. Pat did well at this style of fishing, where your "tackle" is a piece of brightly colored yarn, which is cast out, bounced downstream on the current and then pulled back, hopefully, catching a fish in the process. The first day resulted in Pat landing two fish, one weighed in at approximately 12 pounds and was one of the larger ones caught on the river that day. On the second day she landed another 8-10 pounder and had several more "hits" but, with no net, it was difficult to land them.
We then moved on to Homer where we went fishing on the Anchor River. This time we all fished and caught Dolly Varden, a variety of Char. They are smaller than Salmon and are caught by using salmon egg clusters and employing a fly-fishing cast.
Lastly, Pat, Judy and Alice went deep-sea Halibut fishing. The weather was not particularly cooperative; as a matter-of-fact, many of the sport-fishing charters did not even go out. This was the most difficult of all the fishing. The waters were rough and the tackle consists of herring baited on a round hook with a three-pound weight and lowered down 200 to 250 feet! Then, when you get a Halibut to hit the line, this FLAT fish, which is fighting, has to be hauled all the way back up and into the boat. It is truly an exhausting ordeal. However, we did, after a rather slow start, prevail with all three of us bringing in a quota of 2 per person.
So, thus far, we have fished four different styles and caught a variety of fish. It has been great fun and we have learned a lot about fishing here in Alaska. We are hoping to do more Salmon fishing in Palmer and Valdez and will hopefully have more success.
Attached is a collection of pictures from all of the different fishing forays.
P&J
First, in Seward, Pat, Freddie and Alice went in search of Salmon on the shores of Resurrection Bay. The type of tackle was a heavy treble-hook which is cast and then yanked back toward shore. This is intended to literally "snag" the fish and it does not exactly involve a lot of finesse. Pat was successful in landing two fish, which turned out to be Chum Salmon, also known as a Dog Salmon. The latter name is because the locals and Native Peoples do not eat these fish. Due to their inferior quality they are instead fed to the dogs.
Next it was off to Soldotna where, after a couple days, the Sockeye (or Reds) began their run up the Kenai. Pat did well at this style of fishing, where your "tackle" is a piece of brightly colored yarn, which is cast out, bounced downstream on the current and then pulled back, hopefully, catching a fish in the process. The first day resulted in Pat landing two fish, one weighed in at approximately 12 pounds and was one of the larger ones caught on the river that day. On the second day she landed another 8-10 pounder and had several more "hits" but, with no net, it was difficult to land them.
We then moved on to Homer where we went fishing on the Anchor River. This time we all fished and caught Dolly Varden, a variety of Char. They are smaller than Salmon and are caught by using salmon egg clusters and employing a fly-fishing cast.
Lastly, Pat, Judy and Alice went deep-sea Halibut fishing. The weather was not particularly cooperative; as a matter-of-fact, many of the sport-fishing charters did not even go out. This was the most difficult of all the fishing. The waters were rough and the tackle consists of herring baited on a round hook with a three-pound weight and lowered down 200 to 250 feet! Then, when you get a Halibut to hit the line, this FLAT fish, which is fighting, has to be hauled all the way back up and into the boat. It is truly an exhausting ordeal. However, we did, after a rather slow start, prevail with all three of us bringing in a quota of 2 per person.
So, thus far, we have fished four different styles and caught a variety of fish. It has been great fun and we have learned a lot about fishing here in Alaska. We are hoping to do more Salmon fishing in Palmer and Valdez and will hopefully have more success.
Attached is a collection of pictures from all of the different fishing forays.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMPC¬ag=1
Enjoy, take care and we'll send another Post soon,P&J
Monday, July 21, 2008
Un – BEAR – lievable…
Today we went to Brooks Falls in the Katmai National Park. You may not recognize this by name but when you click on the photo link and look at the pictures you will probably recognize the scenes. THIS WAS AN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME DAY !!!! I know we’ve said this about MANY things thus far, but imagine wandering through a habitat occupied by more than 4000 bears. Each year millions of salmon burst from the Bering Sea into the lakes and streams of Katmai National Park. These fish provide a food source for the world's largest population of brown bears. You are a guest in their home and MUST abide by their rules and adhere to strict behaviors that give the bear absolute freedom and right-of-way.
We started our day by taking a floatplane flight from Homer to Naknek Lake. After a brief orientation (to acquaint us with proper bear etiquette) we hiked a short distance to Brooks Falls. We had already encountered bears on the beach. We had to delay docking of the floatplane until the sow and her calves vacated the area. Remember, bears have absolute right-of-way. Upon arrival at the Falls we were awe-struck by the sight of more than 20 Grizzly (Brown) Bears. In the summer, North America’s largest land predators gather at these Falls and the surrounding streams to feast on salmon runs, build weight from the wealth of protein and fat, and prepare for the coming long winter. There were many female (sows) with their cubs (babies) and many large male (boars) present. Their many techniques of “fishing”, as well as a large variety of posturing, positioning, growling and even fighting, was unbelievable. We were within 15-20 feet sometimes as the bears walked past our platform to the stream. We literally could smell their musky odor. It was one of the most incredible experiences we have ever encountered. A grizzly is a majestic animal and it was both exciting and humbling for us to be privileged to share their world.
We have dedicated this entire Blog posting to Brooks Falls, because it certainly deserves the undivided attention. Click on the link below and view some of the amazing sights that we were privileged to share.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMNK¬ag=1
Over the last few days we have been salmon, trout and halibut fishing; ALL with success. The next Blog post will share those experiences.
We are here in Homer for three more days and then it’s on to Cooper Landing.
Take care and stay safe,
P&J
We started our day by taking a floatplane flight from Homer to Naknek Lake. After a brief orientation (to acquaint us with proper bear etiquette) we hiked a short distance to Brooks Falls. We had already encountered bears on the beach. We had to delay docking of the floatplane until the sow and her calves vacated the area. Remember, bears have absolute right-of-way. Upon arrival at the Falls we were awe-struck by the sight of more than 20 Grizzly (Brown) Bears. In the summer, North America’s largest land predators gather at these Falls and the surrounding streams to feast on salmon runs, build weight from the wealth of protein and fat, and prepare for the coming long winter. There were many female (sows) with their cubs (babies) and many large male (boars) present. Their many techniques of “fishing”, as well as a large variety of posturing, positioning, growling and even fighting, was unbelievable. We were within 15-20 feet sometimes as the bears walked past our platform to the stream. We literally could smell their musky odor. It was one of the most incredible experiences we have ever encountered. A grizzly is a majestic animal and it was both exciting and humbling for us to be privileged to share their world.
We have dedicated this entire Blog posting to Brooks Falls, because it certainly deserves the undivided attention. Click on the link below and view some of the amazing sights that we were privileged to share.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMNK¬ag=1
Over the last few days we have been salmon, trout and halibut fishing; ALL with success. The next Blog post will share those experiences.
We are here in Homer for three more days and then it’s on to Cooper Landing.
Take care and stay safe,
P&J
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Seward, nestled between forested mountains on the shore of Resurrection Bay
We left Anchorage on Thursday and traveled south down the Seward Highway. The day before we had driven the first sixty miles of the same route to explore Turnagain Arm where, from beginning to end, there are dramatic views of mountain scenery and Cook Inlet. Turnagain Arm's bore tide is the second highest in North America, behind only to the tide in Canada's Bay of Fundy. We stopped at Portage Glacier, walked the harbor front at Whittier and visited the ski resort town of Girdwood. We also hiked a short distance to Creek Falls.
After arriving in Seward, Pat, Freddie and Alice set out for the Fish House (the local hunting and fishing purveyors) to get “geared-up” for their planned fishing expeditions. They learned that the only salmon running right now, without going out on a charter, were to be caught at the mouth of the creeks where they empty into Resurrection Bay. This “technique” is known as snag fishing where one casts out a large treble hook and literally snag the fish as they enter the creeks. Pat caught two fish, a small (less than 4 lb) one and a larger (approx. 8 lb) one. They were both, however, Chum (or Dog) salmon that are NOT keepers so they were released. We still, never-the-less- have great hopes of catching the desired Sockeye and Coho as we continue down the Kenai Peninsula to Soldotna and Homer. All was not lost on the salmon front though. Our neighbors in the campground, a great family from Eagle River, Alaska – Jim, Andrea, Abby and Joshua – come here to Seward every summer and fish from their boat in Resurrection Bay. After their first successful day (where they caught 10 silvers) they graciously gave us three of them. We cooked them on the grill Saturday night and they were, by far, the VERY BEST fish we have ever had.
While here in Seward we visited the Alaska SeaLife Center where underwater viewing tanks enabled us to witness sea lions swimming and acrobatic sea birds diving just inches away. It was a very interesting and informative facility with a neat “touch tank” and some great exhibits and films.
Clearly the highlight of Seward has been our all-day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. We sailed on a catamaran that had a Park Service Ranger on board to narrate and inform. We saw humpback whales, sea otters, Stellar sea lions, Dall’s porpoise, puffins, mountain goats, bald eagles and more, in addition to MANY glaciers. We sailed within a few hundred feet of Aliaka Glacier and witnessed the cracking and creaking of this giant ice mass. We were also fortunate to see the glacier calve or shed huge slabs of ice into the water. It was a spectacular sight and, hopefully, some of the attached photos will give you some idea of it’s awesome size.
Today, Sunday, we relaxed in the morning and then hiked to Exit Glacier in the afternoon. This glacier is within Kenai Fjords National Park and affords one of the few opportunities to hike with a few feet of an active glacier.
Attached are several photographs, showing Portage Lake & Glacier, Judy at Creek Falls, some fishing shots, several sights viewed from the glacier cruise and Exit glacier. While the pictures are certainly nice, we repeatedly comment that the camera does not adequately capture the beauty and grandeur of this land. Hopefully, however, they will serve to afford you a glimpse into some of the awesome sights that we are enjoying.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMMs¬ag=1
Tomorrow we’re off to Soldotna to spend several days relaxing AND fishing.
Take care and stay safe,
P&J
After arriving in Seward, Pat, Freddie and Alice set out for the Fish House (the local hunting and fishing purveyors) to get “geared-up” for their planned fishing expeditions. They learned that the only salmon running right now, without going out on a charter, were to be caught at the mouth of the creeks where they empty into Resurrection Bay. This “technique” is known as snag fishing where one casts out a large treble hook and literally snag the fish as they enter the creeks. Pat caught two fish, a small (less than 4 lb) one and a larger (approx. 8 lb) one. They were both, however, Chum (or Dog) salmon that are NOT keepers so they were released. We still, never-the-less- have great hopes of catching the desired Sockeye and Coho as we continue down the Kenai Peninsula to Soldotna and Homer. All was not lost on the salmon front though. Our neighbors in the campground, a great family from Eagle River, Alaska – Jim, Andrea, Abby and Joshua – come here to Seward every summer and fish from their boat in Resurrection Bay. After their first successful day (where they caught 10 silvers) they graciously gave us three of them. We cooked them on the grill Saturday night and they were, by far, the VERY BEST fish we have ever had.
While here in Seward we visited the Alaska SeaLife Center where underwater viewing tanks enabled us to witness sea lions swimming and acrobatic sea birds diving just inches away. It was a very interesting and informative facility with a neat “touch tank” and some great exhibits and films.
Clearly the highlight of Seward has been our all-day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. We sailed on a catamaran that had a Park Service Ranger on board to narrate and inform. We saw humpback whales, sea otters, Stellar sea lions, Dall’s porpoise, puffins, mountain goats, bald eagles and more, in addition to MANY glaciers. We sailed within a few hundred feet of Aliaka Glacier and witnessed the cracking and creaking of this giant ice mass. We were also fortunate to see the glacier calve or shed huge slabs of ice into the water. It was a spectacular sight and, hopefully, some of the attached photos will give you some idea of it’s awesome size.
Today, Sunday, we relaxed in the morning and then hiked to Exit Glacier in the afternoon. This glacier is within Kenai Fjords National Park and affords one of the few opportunities to hike with a few feet of an active glacier.
Attached are several photographs, showing Portage Lake & Glacier, Judy at Creek Falls, some fishing shots, several sights viewed from the glacier cruise and Exit glacier. While the pictures are certainly nice, we repeatedly comment that the camera does not adequately capture the beauty and grandeur of this land. Hopefully, however, they will serve to afford you a glimpse into some of the awesome sights that we are enjoying.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMMs¬ag=1
Tomorrow we’re off to Soldotna to spend several days relaxing AND fishing.
Take care and stay safe,
P&J
Monday, July 7, 2008
A Week in the BIG City
We arrived here in Anchorage a little over a week ago.
Anchorage, is Alaska's metropolis, the largest city in the state, with about 360,000 inhabitants within the greater metropolitan area. This comprises about 58% of the total population of the entire state. Even though Juneau is the capital, Anchorage is not only the largest but perhaps the most cosmopolitan of the two and this unique destination is truly located in one of the world's most spectacular settings. The city is surrounded by six mountain ranges, many of which are still snow-capped. The area is warmed by a maritime climate and appears to be alive year round with adventure, recreation, seasonal festivities, sporting events and more. It has been recognized as a four-time All-America City and yet it is surrounded by spectacular wildnerness. Today, while returning from the grocery store, we had to stop and wait for a moose to cross the street in front of us, and we were right in the middle of town! There are many parks and hiking trails throughout the area and the people share their neighborhoods with moose AND bears.
The days seem endless with 20+ hours of daylight and everywhere we look there are dazzling displays of flowers adorning homes, storefronts and lightpoles. It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 hanging flower baskets in addition to countless gardens and plantings EVERYWHERE. As one walks around, live music fills the air, painted salmon sculptures appear along city blocks and king and silver salmon are caught right in the heart of downtown in Ship Creek.
Next year marks Alaska's 50th Anniversary of Statehood so there are also a lot of celebration activities going on.
While here we have relaxed, shopped and enjoyed much of what this wonderful city has to offer.
Anchorage, is Alaska's metropolis, the largest city in the state, with about 360,000 inhabitants within the greater metropolitan area. This comprises about 58% of the total population of the entire state. Even though Juneau is the capital, Anchorage is not only the largest but perhaps the most cosmopolitan of the two and this unique destination is truly located in one of the world's most spectacular settings. The city is surrounded by six mountain ranges, many of which are still snow-capped. The area is warmed by a maritime climate and appears to be alive year round with adventure, recreation, seasonal festivities, sporting events and more. It has been recognized as a four-time All-America City and yet it is surrounded by spectacular wildnerness. Today, while returning from the grocery store, we had to stop and wait for a moose to cross the street in front of us, and we were right in the middle of town! There are many parks and hiking trails throughout the area and the people share their neighborhoods with moose AND bears.
The days seem endless with 20+ hours of daylight and everywhere we look there are dazzling displays of flowers adorning homes, storefronts and lightpoles. It is estimated that there are more than 10,000 hanging flower baskets in addition to countless gardens and plantings EVERYWHERE. As one walks around, live music fills the air, painted salmon sculptures appear along city blocks and king and silver salmon are caught right in the heart of downtown in Ship Creek.
Next year marks Alaska's 50th Anniversary of Statehood so there are also a lot of celebration activities going on.
While here we have relaxed, shopped and enjoyed much of what this wonderful city has to offer.
- We visited the village of Eklutna, which is the oldest continuously inhabited Athabascan settlement, where there is a cemetary complete with Spirit Houses. These unique structures are a mix of Russian Orthodox and native funeral practices, built over a deceased person's grave to hold essentials for the afterlife. They are only a couple of feet high, painted in bright family colors and often decorated with fences (which signify the final resting place of an Elder), blankets and family-specific markings.
- We hiked Thunderbird Falls, Earthquake Park and The Coastal Trail.
- We went to the Native Heritage Center where we spent the day learning a great deal about the five groups of Alaska Natives: 1) the Athabascan, 2) the Yup’ik and Cup’ik, 3) the Inupiaq and St. Lawrence Island Yupik, 4) the Aleut and Alutiiq and 5) the Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. While there we enjoyed singing, dancing, demonstrations of Native Olympic games, arts and crafts, a tour of many indigenous dwellings and several movies.
- We attended two movies detailing the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964 in which significant damage was done in Anchorage, Seward, Valdez and much of the surrounding area. The quake registered 9.2 on the Richter scale which makes it the second strongest earthquake ever!
- We attended the Sled Dog Rodeo which is a comedic, as well as informative, presentation that concentrates on the importance of sled dogs in Alaska and also the Iditarod.
- We have taken several scenic drives and have continued to be dazzled by the awesome views.
Below is a link to some pictures that show several of the things mentioned above. All of the flower pictures were taken while walking around town.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Sbs27hoxZMMO¬ag=1
Tomorrow we're going to a couple museums and then visit with Pat's cousin who lives in Eagle River, a suburb of Anchorage. On Wednesday we're driving down Turnagain Arm to Portage Glaciar and through the Whittier Tunnel. It is deemed to be quite a spectacular drive.
More coming soon...
Take care and stay safe,
P&J
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