Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

(WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY!)

How wonderful it is to be home! While we had a fabulous time in Seward, it’s so nice to be back in Fairbanks where the sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the temperature has been at 60F. We no longer have any snow left in our yard, Steve has blown the leaves covering the lawn into the woods, and I saw teeny tiny little buds on the prickly rose bushes this morning. It won’t be long before we’ll have pink flowers blooming all over the place!

I took so many photos on our getaway to Anchorage and Seward, and it took me several days to go through them, resize them, and get them ready to share with you all.

FAIRBANKS TO ANCHORAGE

The drive from Fairbanks to Anchorage was long, but not as long as it is when we’re towing the camper. It’s amazing how much slower we have to go with that attached to the back of the truck. We made good time getting to Anchorage: about 6 hours.

Since we’ve driven this route so many times, I didn’t take very many photos. We stopped a few times to stretch our legs and use the facilities, and that’s the only time I pulled my camera out.

As we got closer to Anchorage, the clouds became darker and more ominous. Soon, snow flurries were drifting from the sky. By the time we got on the outskirts of Anchorage (Eagle River area), it was really coming down. We hoped this wasn’t a preview of our upcoming weekend.

We checked into our room in Guest Lodging on Elmendorf AFB. Staying on base is an affordable option for military personnel. In the off season (non-summer), you can make a reservation 2 weeks in advance, and there’s almost always room available, unless there’s something big going on.  In the summer months, you can only call 3 days in advance, which makes planning more difficult.

The suites are well-appointed with sitting areas, refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots, cable TV, wireless or ethernet internet connection, and more. But the beds are really hard. I don’t think we’ve ever had a comfortable bed staying in base lodging. (Maybe the sofa bed is more comfy?) So, it’s a matter of money over comfort. Price wise, you can’t go wrong. $39/night as opposed to $100+ more in town.  But, at our age (and with our aching backs), I think our days of staying in base lodging are coming to an end. Saving money is great, but not getting a good night’s sleep or waking with aches and pains is not fun at all.  Maybe someday, they’ll upgrade the mattresses.

One thing I loved about staying on base was hearing reveille at 5pm. I realized how much I missed that since moving off post. We had the windows open and hearing the National Anthem broadcast all over base made me proud to not only be an American, but to be a part of the military family too.

We also had an awesome view of the airfield, and were able to watch F-15 Eagles and F-22 Raptors do *touch and go* maneuvers.  I snapped this photo of an F-22 Raptor banking to come back around, from our hotel window:

ANCHORAGE TO SEWARD - ALASKA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER

The next morning, we woke to gray skies but the horizon looked clear. We crossed our fingers that we’d have a good day for driving and sightseeing.  We grabbed a fast-food breakfast and made our way south to the Kenai Peninsula.

The drive around Turnagain Arm is always stunning, no matter what time of year it is. The majestic mountains ringing the inlet are tall and snow-covered at this time of year, and when the water is still, the reflections are amazing! By the time we reached the start of this stretch of drive, the sun was shining and melting the clouds away.

Our cruise and lodging package deal included free passes to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and we decided we’d stop there on the way to Seward. From the website:

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Alaska’s wildlife through public education. AWCC takes in injured and orphaned animals year-round and provides spacious enclosures and quality animal care. Animals that cannot be released into the wild are given a permanent home at the center.

The center looks much different when there is snow on the ground. The last time we visited was during the summer months, and everything was so lush and green. Last summer, the moose also had their full racks of antlers. Now they are only sporting little nubs on their heads. It’s amazing how quickly their antlers will grow.

A stop to visit with the grizzlies Hugo, Patron and Joe Boxer is a must. Although I didn’t get to photograph Hugo, who was too busy dining on the salad greens the staff had tossed her, I did spend a good while watching Patron and Joe wrestle with each other. Then Patron wandered off to do her own thing, and Joe continued to entertain us spectators by draping himself across a log, and letting out huge yawns. Finally, he joined Patron in the rear of the enclosure (out of sight) for a nap. What a rough life they lead!

I was able to enjoy a coyote scavenging through the snow in search of something to eat, and a black bear pushing his paw through the fence to scoop some snow from outside his enclosure. Unfortunately, the sun was too bright (and in the wrong place) for me to photograph the black bear. But I did get plenty of photos of the grizzlies and other animals.

The drive through Turnagain Pass is always stunning, with soaring mountains on either side. In the winter, this area is a snowmachiners paradise, and they come out in record numbers to race over the snow and climb the sides of the mountains.  Now, I’m not against snowmachines, but it always makes me a little sad to see all the sleds marking the pristine expanse of white with tracks.  Add in the danger factor (avalanches are a real possibility here), and I don’t think I’d choose this place to play with my machine if I had one.

Not long after reaching the Kenai Peninsula, the road splits. The Seward Hwy (which we took out of Anchorage) continues to Seward, while the Sterling Hwy travels onward through Cooper Landing, Soldotna, Ninilchik, Anchor Point, and ends in Homer.

Kenai Lake lays between the two highways and is visible, and accessible, from many places outside of Seward, as well as in the Cooper Landing area. Here’s a map I found online that shows where the lake is located. We were driving Rt 9 between Moose Pass and Seward.

The lake is thawed, except for a small portion at the far end. The water, as always, is a brilliant turquoise shade. This color is a result of the silt that flows into the lake from the glaciers above. It is one of the largest glacial lakes in the Kenai River System.  Kenai Lake is 22 miles long and 540 feet deep, and is popular for boating, fishing, and kayaking.  It truly must be seen to be appreciated. The color is amazing!

IN SEWARD

We arrived in Seward around 3pm, and checked into our room at the Hotel Seward. Our room was lovely, and best of all it had a comfortable bed! We called our friends Chris and Ken and learned that they were in Moose Pass, only a short distance from Seward. The weather was beautiful, with temps in the 50s and the sun shining brightly.

Once they arrived, we all walked from the hotel to the Marina. Ken and I played with our cameras as we all caught up with each other. We decided to have dinner at Ray’s Watefront, known for their seafood.  I am not a seafood eater, but I was quite happy with the Brandied Chicken Breast dinner. Everyone else loved their choices too.

We were glad for the walk back to the hotel (about a mile), to walk off the food and beer we enjoyed. We walked down to boat slips to see the sailboats and other vessels, reading off the names of the ships as we went. Some names were common (and pertained to the sea), while others were more clever. And then of course there were those boats named after women.  Some of the sailboats were magnificent, with polished wood cabins and shiny brass rails.

As we left the marina behind, we saw an otter bathing in the water at the end of one of the delivery docks. The wood of the dock/pier was littered with otter poop. We knew it was otter poop because it was full of oyster shells. I don’t know how that passes through their digestive tract without causing havoc!

We stopped to watch the otter wash every inch of his fur, taking it between his front paws a little at a time and rubbing it clean. When he washed his face, it was adorable.  We continued to walk down the dock, until we were within yards of him, where he lay floating on the water.

Did you know that sea otters have more than ONE MILLION strands of hair per square inch?! It’s this fur that keeps them warm. It is imperative that they keep their guard hairs clean, in order to keep their undercoat dry.

After he was satisfied that he had cleaned himself sufficiently, he hopped up on the dock right in front of Steve and Chris to take his early evening nap. What a pleasant surprise!

The sign next to the wall art above (last photo) says:

He was a man of many talents — painter, graphic artist, adventurer and explorer, writer and political activist. During 1918-19, at age 36, a despondent Rockwell Kent came to Alaska with his 9-year-old son and stayed on Fox Island in Resurrection Bay with Lars Matt Olson, a 71-year-old pioneer who ran a goat ranch and fox farm there. Kent sketched, painted, kept a journal, and gradually his confidence and inspiration returned. In 1920, he published and illustrated his Fox Island journal as Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska.

Seward Artists wanted to commemorate Rockwell Kent and his visit here to Fox Island and Resurrection Bay in 1918. This is our tribute to him. (A list of contributors follows)

I’m posting the photos of the adorable sea otter in full size because he is just too cute!

Splish, Splash, I was taken’ a bath!

He trusted Steve and Chris enough to jump up on the dock:

You can see how his fur is drying here:

SEWARD WHALE WATCH CRUISE

The next morning, we were all up early. Ken and Chris went for an early morning walk, while Steve and I relaxed in the room, and packed up our stuff. We had to check out before the cruise, as we would be heading back to Anchorage immediately afterward.

We met up with Chris and Ken at 9am and drove down to the Smoke Shack - a converted rail car - to have breakfast.  The Smoke Shack comes with high reviews, and we weren’t disappointed in breakfast. We hear the BBQ and pulled pork sandwiches (as well as the burgers) are awesome here too.

I took a Dramamine (I’d rather be safe than sorry), and Steve opted to take one too. The sun was shining and skies were blue. I took this photo of the marina businesses and shops as we waited in line to board our boat: the Orca Voyager, a beautiful catamaran. You can see how beautiful a morning it was.

We didn’t see the gray whales we were in search of (rumor has it they’re still off the coast of WA and haven’t gotten here yet), but we did see about 10 humpback whales. Seeing whales is always a treat, especially when they dive and give us a great view of their massive flukes.

We also saw seabirds: kittiwakes and murres mostly, harbor seals, seal lions, dall porpoise, mountain goats on the island cliffs, otters, and eagles. It was a gorgeous day to be on the water.

Here’s Ken and Steve on the boat:

During WWII, the US Army constructed harbor defense fortifications in a handful of places around Rugged Island. At that time, the island was known as Fort Buckley. A few reminders of WWII are found in Carol Cove on the island’s northeast point. Here, a searchlight control bunker and concrete powerhouse are perched on a cliff 150′ above the water. Additional army fortifications were constructed at Alma Point, on the NW tip of the island, and at Patsy Point, on the SE entrance of Mary’s Bay.

Barwell Island, a precipitous 30-acre island immediately south of Cape Resurrection is owned by the State of Alaska. A half century ago, the US Army built and operated an observation post and a handful of bunkers atop Barwell Island’s 414-foot summit.  The bunkers were abandoned shortly after construction. The soldiers stationed on the island must have thought they were at the end of the world. Detailed graffiti preserved on the concrete walls and steel doors describes the desolate, windswept outpost as a “Hell hole”.

Here are a few photos I took from the boat. You can see the fortifications high above:

Here’s a photo of Seward, beneath the beautiful mountains, as we returned to the harbor:

After the cruise we said our goodbyes to Ken and Chris and they headed back to Homer, while we drove back to Anchorage. We’ll see Ken and Chris in July, when we go to Homer (and then onward to Kodiak). They’re going to let us park our camper in their driveway while we’re in Kodiak, which we’re quite appreciative of.

I took a few photos out the window along the way:

Train trestle as you head out of Seward:

This hosue on Summit Lake has been photographed by me before - when the lake isn’t frozen. It was neat to see it with snow almost up to the roof:

This snow cornice at the top of the mountain is hanging over pretty good. I’d like to be there when it finally gives way and starts an avalanche:

Ghost trees and mountains on the way back to Anchorage:

ANCHORAGE TO FAIRBANKS - WITH A DRIVE INTO DENALI

We got back to Anchorage around 7:00pm. By this time I was battling a sinus headache. These headaches have been a lot more frequent over the last several weeks, due I’m sure to the change of seasons and the mold or pollen which is being unleashed from the thawing trees and shrubs.

I woke with a headache each day that we were away, and another came back on the way back in from the cruise.  I don’t usually take medication, but opted for some Benadryl to rid myself of the stabbing pain behind my eyes.  Thank goodness it worked, although it makes me drowsy - which I don’t like.

We had plans to meet up with friends for brunch on Sunday afternoon, but I decided that I didn’t want to stay the extra day in Anchorage (as originally planned). I just wanted to be home.  Fortunately, my friends were understanding of the change in plans. I hope to catch up with them sometime this summer if our schedules and travels permit.

Steve and I stopped to grab a couple of appetizers at TGIF before going back to our room. On the way to the room, we detoured to Earthquake Park so I could take a photo of the Anchorage skyline:

We were in bed fairly early, as the cruise (and the meds) knocked us both out. The next morning, we were up and on our way home by 9am.

I dozed off a few times during the drive. The weather was overcast in the Anchorage area, but brightened somewhat as we neared Denali Park. We decided to drive into the park to mile 30, since we were already in the area. When we reached mile 6 on the park road, we could see Denali. Clouds drifted around the peak, but there it was!

We also saw caribou and moose in the park:

We had a fantastic weekend (despite the headaches) and I’m so glad we were able to get away. But, as always, there’s no place like home. It was heavenly to get into our comfy bed and sleep through the night.

Until next time…