15-17 July

Route: Fly Seattle-Anchorage-Seward-Anchorage-Majestic Valley Lodge.

As our plane dipped below the clouds on its approach to Anchorage, we could see how much water there is in Alaska. A vast area of wetland with meandering streams that look like giant snakes from the air, make up the landscape.

We immediately collect our car. We thought the Flex was ugly, but the burnt orange Dodge Caliber is in a class of its own. Not only is it ugly as sin, but a plastic, cramped tin can. We head out on the scenic Seward highway (pronounced Suewould), which travels alongside Turnagain Arm, a finger of water that reaches inland from the Cook Inlet.

Having one of the highest tides, 37 feet, we could see the water, laden with glacial silt rushing in, while we were driving. The area is a haven for birds and we got close up views of Arctic Tern, Mew & Glaucous-winged Gulls and many more.

About 8 miles before Seward, we took the turning to Exit Glacier. We walked the track that takes you to within a few meters of the tongue or terminus, as it is known, of the glacier. It has receded nearly 5km over the last 100 years, one has to wonder if this is a natural cycle or has man got something to do with it. In the last 5 years alone it has shrunk by more than 500 metres.

The areas of blue ice within the glacier are as a result of the snow being highly compressed over time, until the ice is eventually made up of 80% water. Light hitting the surface is absorbed, with only the blue & purple wavelengths being reflected.

Our B&B, Ballaine House is a wonderful, warm & cozy home that was built in 1906. From the feathered bed linen to the sumptuous breakfast, everything is perfect. We have gained an hour again, Alaska being 10 hours behind South Africa. Also the days are getting longer as we travel further north, the sun now sets at just before midnight and it is light at about 5, in the morning, so getting ready by 8, for our full day excursion into Resurrection Bay, within the Kenai Fjords National Park is easy. The day started rather foggy, but fortunately the sea was calm. We had selected Saltwater Cruises, wildlife & glacier tours as it limits numbers to 12 people, where as the others are large boats of 160 plus that cater for the cruise liners that dock each day in Seward harbour.

The wild life viewing was excellent, getting to see Humpbacked whale, one even tail slapping, a pod of Orcas which included a pair mating & Sea Otters.

With fur made up of a million hairs per square inch, Sea Otters are perfectly adapted to these icy waters.

We saw plenty of seabirds, either floating in rafts on the water or diving for fish, but the highlight was seeing large numbers of both species of Puffin, the Horned as well the Tufted, which has golden tufts of feathers that curve backwards from their brightly coloured bills. We also saw a few Marbled Murrelets, which I particularly enjoyed as they are the highly endangered species that nests in the old growth Redwoods on the Oregon coast.

We stopped for lunch in front of Holgate Glacier, which originates along with 39 other glaciers in the vast Hadley Icefield. It really is awe inspiring to sit below a 400 foot wall of ice, listening to it crack and groan like thunder as it slowly moves towards the sea.

Every so often chunks of ice break away crashing to the sea. On one occasion a massive slab broke loose, sending ice raining down, the force of which caused a massive wave of water that came hurtling towards the boat, reinforcing our feelings of insignificance in the greater scheme of things.

When this happens the swirling Kittiwakes & other birds start diving frantically, catching the bait size fish that are brought to the surface in the churning water.

The 40 minutes that we spend admiring this spectacle of nature seem to go by in seconds. Its not until we start heading back that I realize how cold I am. Cold air surrounding the glacier causes air to sink creating a catabatic wind that is more than 20 degrees colder.

We finished the day with excellent sightings of the rare Stellar Seals and Harbour Seals basking in the hot afternoon sun.

After a rather large breakfast, we head back towards Anchorage, this time Turnagain Arm is completely flooded with brown, muddy looking water. From Anchorage we drive east along the Glenallen Highway, another of the “All American Scenic Highways “, ending our day at Majestic Valley Lodge, just beyond Matanuska Glacier.