If I Were Going...: 2021 Alaska #3: Alaska Miscellany

Fall on the Kenai

The next few days were not quite as successful as our trip to Denali (and I explained in my last post, that wasn’t exactly a blow-out, either).

Caty, Becca and Scott in 2001

Our plan was to drive and explore as we headed down to Girdwood and then spend the next day on a cruise through Prince Williams Sound on Phillip’s Cruises out of Whittier.

Our family took this 26 Glaciers in One Day tour back in 2001.

The motto reminds me of an infomercial

It was a nice trip, but I am always amused by the sensational 26 Glaciers in One Day motto. It’s even become a family catchphrase. When we go to Alaska, we usually take a glacier cruise out of Seward to Kenai Fjords National Park.

The Kenai Fjords boats are smaller and the National Park element makes it a bit less touristy. But, Scott told me that Kenai Fjords tours were finished for the season. By the time I found out he was mistaken (I think he just saw that the longest one was done because the days had gotten shorter), I had already booked the Phillips Cruise.

Don't get me wrong; Prince William Sound is gorgeous. I was looking forward to seeing it again.

Prince William Sound, 2001

But, seeing it required a clear sky. As we drove south, the weather started looking bad and I started questioning whether I wanted to go out on a boat the next day when it was supposed to be cold and rainy. At least we were not driving all the way to Seward for a nasty-weather cruise.

It was sunny when we left Denali, but it didn't last

As it panned out, we decided NOT to take the cruise. I didn’t call for a refund because it was well beyond cancellation time. I was surprised that they called me the day of the cruise to see if we would be there. Maybe they had some stand-bys. I don’t know, but it was nice they checked. The weather may or may not have been bad out in the sound and part of me wishes we had gone.

But, we had a nice two days exploring, so it all worked out.

Scott photographing some foliage

Green and lovely

Staying near Whittier in Girdwood rather than in Seward had an advantage. We had an absolutely gorgeous cottage in Girdwood.

Carriage House Accommodations on Crow Creek Road immediately across the street from the famous Double Musky Restaurant might be one of the nicest places I have stayed in Alaska.

Pretty snazzy car, too

Turnagain Arm

During our time in Girdwood, we spent time visiting Turnagain Arm, the narrow inlet south of Anchorage.

Turnagain Arm is sometimes mud and sometimes water

We saw some Beluga Whales way, way off in the distance on the other side of Turnagain Arm. Not nearly as close as we have seen them before, but still cool.

Yes, that's really a Beluga Whale

Sometimes Turnagain Arm is just a vast mud flat and sometimes it is a lovely blue.

Water pouring into an inlet

It is known for its dramatic tidal bore (an incoming tide that creates a wave of water that travels up a river or a narrow bay against the current). The flood tide, the second greatest after the Bay of Fundy tidal bore, begins with a wave with a height of up to six feet at times, running in from the west at a speed of 5-6 miles an hour.

The tidal bore coming in

I’ve watched it come in a couple of times. This was a reasonably good bore, complete with a couple of surfers, one of whom made it all the way down.

Surfer finishing his run

See it here:

Williwaw

We also stopped at the Williwaw Fish Viewing platform to see a couple of the season’s last runs of salmon.

It's a great, peaceful place to see salmon

We've seen several varieties there (indeed, they have a nice identification sign). This time, it was Chum Salmon.

Chum Salmon

Whittier

And, even though we were not cruising, we ended up going to Whittier anyway to have a fried halibut lunch at the Saltwater Café, our favorite fish place in Alaska.

A usual stop for us

Whittier is reached by driving through the Alaska Railroad tunnel, which has a carefully managed one-way car schedule arranged around the train schedule. Toll is $13. Before the tunnel was opened to cars, this town that is just 25 miles from Girdwood could only be reached by train or a loooong boat ride.

The tunnel saves the day!

It's a small town with a few shops and restaurants, docks and a Alaska Marine Highway Ferry terminal. We have taken the ferry from Whittier to Valdez before.

Whittier

It's usually good for some birding. This time, it was just a few Crows.

A very vocal resident

Oh, by the way, the day we went (the day after the planned cruise), the weather was spectacular.

It figures!

Back in Girdwood, I ended up NOT eating at the Double Musky, but Scott went for a quick meal at the bar. I think all the traveling and eating was finally getting to me.

Looks good; maybe I should have gone; Photo: Scott Stevens

Seward

And, after picking a closer spot to cruise that Seward, we ended up driving down there anyway – not so much for the scenery in Seward, but for the scenery along the way on the Kenai Peninsula, which is gorgeous, especially in the fall.

You can't beat the Kenai Peninsula for scenery

Alaska Sealife Center

In Seward, we stopped for a quick walk-through of the Alaska Sealife Center, the state's premier public aquarium. Alaska's only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility, the Sealife Center is the only facility in the world specifically dedicated to studying the northern marine environment.

A Sealife school project

It is also the only institution designed at the outset to combine research with public education and visitor components. The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill settlement provided most of the initial funds to set up teh Center.

It’s a nice aquarium, but with the ever-present threat of COVID, which Alaska seemed to take pretty seriously, we didn’t stay long.

Permanent residents include Moray Eels and Tufted Puffins

While in Seward, we had a great lunch at the Seasalt Bar and Grill, which was a great deal more inventive than the name and sign would indicate. I had a delicious apple/walnut salad and Scott had (wait for it ...) halibut fish and chips.

Yum!

Outside of Seward, we drove by the Exit Glacier, which I wrote about more extensively in 2018. Part of what I discussed is how much the glacier has receded in our lifetime.

The Exit Glacier is making a speedy exit

In Seward there is even a mural painted by Artist Dot Bardarson in 2007 on the Alaska Vocational Technical Center's Student Service Building that is titled "Remembering Exit Glacier."