We are finally on the road south toward the Kenai Peninsula!  We were concerned about traffic as the Seward Highway is a heavily traveled route in Alaska in the summer, but today was fine.  We stopped at the Potter Marsh Wildlife park on the way down.  This is a marshland that was formed quite by accident in 1916-17 when the Alaskan Railroad built an embankment across Turnagain Arm.  Although a bridge over Rabbit
Creek allowed water to flow beneath the embankment, fresh water from other sources, especially Little Survival Creek, was impounded and marsh vegetation began to grow.  Freshwater ponds developed where deeper holes along the inside of the embankment had been excavated for fill.  The ponds and marsh vegetation attracted migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, many of which stayed to nest at the marsh.  The wildlife, in turn, attracted waterfowl hunters and trappers and Potter Marsh soon became a popular local destination. By the 1960s, Potter Marsh had also become popular for wildlife viewing.   Subsequent construction of the New Seward Highway in 1970-71 resulted in further water impoundment. The 1,500 foot boardwalk that is built over the marsh today allows visitors to get out onto the marsh to view it without disturbing the life there. Interpretive signs scattered along the boardwalk teach about marsh and the wildlife that inhabits it.  Managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, this 564-acre wetland is bordered by spruce, cottonwoods, and alders, and maintained by winding creeks that originate in the majestic Chugach Mountains.  Spawning and juvenile salmon, raptors, waterfowl, and shorebirds flourish here, along with resident and transient mammals, amphibians, and invertebrates. We loved exploring the marsh and saw birds galore.  On one bridge, we were lucky enough to see huge Sockeye Salmon swimming right under us!  On of the most interesting birds we learned about, although we didn't see it, was the Arctic Tern.  The Tern migrates 22,000 miles a year experiencing a perpetual summer by migrating to Alaska during the northern hemisphere's summer and down to Antarctica during the southern hemisphere's summer.  And we thought we were frequent fliers!

From Potter's Marsh we continued southbound.  Jonna joked with Mark about stopping to pick up some Reindeer hot dogs at Indian Valley Meats, which was one of the locations mentioned in the Alaska Milepost book (side note - this is a must have for road travel through Alaska).  Mark took it totally seriously and whipped the RV onto a dirt road and up the hill to go there!  Off-roading in an RV!  Indian Valley Meats is a cool place with turkeys, a rooster, and other wild creatures roaming freely outside.  We were informed by the shopkeeper that the reindeer (their main "pet" attraction, had recently been eaten by a bear (as had a few predecessor reindeer) and that it was just too expensive to keep replacing them!  The store sold fresh ice cream and 22 different flavors of jerky!  Mark found a 4-pack of Reindeer hot dogs and tried various items they were sampling on the counter!  Jonna and the kids opted for ice cream!  It was a worthwhile stop.  Outside, they had a native Alaska family cutout photo opportunity, so of course, we had our picture taken!  Jonna found it amusing that there was a large sign indicating where hunters should drop off a carcass for processing.  There was also a beautiful view of Turnagain Arm from this location which is perched fairly high on a hill.

As we continued down Seward Highway, we stopped at Beluga Point to see the view.  The bore tide there is timed with the low tide and we were unable to see it today.  Sometimes Beluga Whales can also be seen from this point, but the tide wasn't right when we passed.  We may try again Sunday on our way northbound.

Finally, we arrived at the Kenai Peninsula and we decided to head straight for the Kenai Fjord National Park.  We wanted to hike to the Exit Glacier in the park. The park itself is over 600,000 acres, but the majority of it is inaccessible by land and covered with glaciers and the Harding Ice field.  The Harding Ice field. crowns the park and is the source of at least 38 glaciers that flow over the land sculpting as they go. These gigantic rivers of ice have shaped the terrain and are now receding to reveal their work.  As ice melts, rock is uncovered and the process of succession begins to take place.  It was a beautiful day and we were looking forward to the 1.5 mile hike to the edge of the glacier.  Unfortunately, we discovered that the black flies -- the ones we had read all about and expected to see in Denali -- are ALL actually down here along this trail!  They were relentless and although thankfully they didn't bite, they were annoying!  We walked fast which somewhat kept them at bay.  Hikers before and after us reported seeing a bear on the trail, but unfortunately we missed him.  We have discovered that each glacier looks different.  This one had a very specific end point, unlike the Matanuska Glacier which faded onto rocks.  It provided a stunning view!   Markers showed how much the glacier had receded since 1815.  Scratches left behind on the rocks were indicators of where the glacier receded and dragged rocks over it.  It was a beautiful sight to see. 

From the park, we took a short driving tour around Seward to get our bearings for tomorrow before heading to the Stoney Creek Campground where we reserved a creek side site for the next two nights.  We found that we had a beautiful site reserved right alongside the creek with a large grassy area out in front.  The park wasn't wooded between the sights, but were deep all the way to the creek.  We set up camp and built a fire as it was a little chilly this evening.  The kids roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and Mark grilled burgers for dinner. 

After dinner, Mark and the kids played a card game of Hearts at the picnic table by the stream while Jonna read a book ironically titled "Grayson" which she'd picked up that the national park shop today.  The author, a champion long-distance swimmer, recounts her mystical encounter with a baby whale and his mother 30 years ago while the then 17 year-old was swimming off the coast of CA.

Everyone was shipped off to bed early (relatively speaking, on this trip!) for a big day tomorrow on the boat.  It does actually get dark much earlier here in Seward, being about 3 hours south of Anchorage, but the darkness is still short-lived.

We were up and out early this morning and picked up by a shuttle which transported us to Major Marine for our scheduled full-day cruise.  We opted for the full day cruise as opposed to the half-day one because there is a much better chance of seeing whales on the longer cruises that travel outside of Resurrection Bay.  The bay received its name from Alexander Baranov, who was forced to retreat into the bay during a bad storm in the Gulf of Alaska.  When the storm settled, it was Easter Sunday, so the bay and nearby Resurrection River were named in honor of it.   The opening of the film The Hunt for Red October was filmed in Resurrection Bay, with the bay serving as a stand-in for Russia's Murmansk Fjord.

We saw two Dall Porpoises out in the bay right off the bat and an American Bald Eagle in a tree next to the bay.  We learned that there are about 70,000 of these eagles in the USA (in all states except HI), and 40,000 reside here in AK.  Puffin and gulls were also plentiful throughout the entire day.  A National Park Ranger, Dan Payne (from Blairsville, GA!), was onboard to narrate the trip.  A ranger accompanies each cruise as it is the best (and really the only) way to see the Kenai Fjord National Park.  The kids reluctantly participated in he Junior Ranger program as we cruised, learning more about the park.  At the end of the day, Dan performed a Junior Ranger ceremony and both kids were mortified!  Around 2 pm we enjoyed an all-you-can-eat Salmon and Prime Rib buffet on board at our reserved table in the heated cabin.  A few hours later, we partook of the fabulous dessert buffet.  Despite the activity, I don't think any of us are losing much weight in Alaska!  It was nice that each passenger group had a reserved table onboard.  We had a great window table and could continue to watch for wildlife as we lunched or warmed up with some coffee. 

After lunch, the captain turned the boat toward the Aialik Glacier and we pulled up at a safe distance to enable us to take a closer look.  The glacier rumbled and grinded and calved (cascading huge slabs of ice/snow into the water) several times as we watched.  Nature is so amazing.  We saw a couple of Sea Otters, the smallest mammals that are found in these waters, floating on their backs around the glacier.  One especially cute one posed for a picture.

As we left the glacier we began to become concerned that we might not see a whale on our journey - it was overcast and very chilly (OK, it was cold!) for the first time since we arrived in Alaska.  But soon two Humpback Whales made an appearance!  We saw them surface for air and shoot water from their blowholes and then arch their backs and dive down revealing their flukes (tails)!  It was very exciting -- we suspected that the second whale was a calf as it seemed much smaller. 

Another interesting animal we saw today was the Common Murre.  This bird is often referred to as Alaska's penguin.  It resembles the penguin in color, but this bird is fascinating as it is the world's deepest diving bird.  It can dive up to 600 feet!

Continuing our cruise, we saw a few more Dall Porpoises and lots of Sea Lions.  The Sea Lions were sunning themselves on the rocks and frolicking in the water baiting the resting Sea Lions to play.  The Sea Lions were both dark and light in color and we learned from Ranger Dan that the lighter, golden looking ones were simply dry and that the darker ones had just come out of the water.  They were fun to look at and listen to as we cruised nearby.

It was really cold on the cruise today and luckily we were all dressed in many layers and with gloves and headgear.  It was rather overcast, in part because there are 98 fires currently burning in Alaska.  In most cases, burns are natural and allowed to continue naturally unless human life is endangered.  The smoke in the air made it seem more overcast than it actually was.  Nevertheless, it was a wonderful day and the clouds that hung over the fjords added a layer of mystery to their beauty. 

As soon as we arrived back at the camp, Jonna, Grayson, and Darby all immediately hit the sack for a nap while Mark sorted through the 700 photos we snapped today, and then he packed up all our outdoor gear for our departure tomorrow!  It was 8 pm and the earliest bedtime/latest nap taken on the whole trip.  Jonna arose refreshed after two hours of napping, but both kids slept clear through the night!  Vacation can sometimes be exhausting!

Darby awoke with the same earache she was experiencing yesterday, but it had worsened overnight.  We called the Glacier Family Medical Clinic and they offered to meet us over at their offices right away even though they are typically closed on Saturday.  By 9:15 am, Darby was diagnosed with a double ear infection and on our way to the Pharmacy at Safeway to get an Rx.  Wow, I thought it would take all morning like in Atlanta – I guess small towns have big perks!

We headed to the Alaska SeaLife Center as we heard yesterday it is one of only five research/aquarium centers of its kind in the world.  The SeaLife Center opened in May of 1998 and it is Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center.   Located on the shores of Resurrection Bay, visitors to this “window on the sea” have close encounters with puffins, octopus, sea lions and other sealife while peeking over the shoulders of ocean scientists studying Alaska’s rich seas and diverse sealife.  The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Settlement Fund provided $26 million to help build the $56 million facility.   The center has a gigantic enclosure dedicated to marine bird life and we enjoyed seeing Horned and Tufted Puffins, Common Murre, and Arctic Terns up close playing on the rocks and the water’s surface.  On the bottom floor was a viewing window to see the animals under the water.  It was unbelievable to actually see the puffins swimming like a fish under the water.  They are amazing creatures. 

In another area, we visited Sea Lions and learned how to easily differentiate between Sea Lions and Harbor Seals by their ears, front fins, and necks.  There was a special visitor in one of the unused Harbor Seals enclosures – an adorable Sea Otter named “Skittle”!  The four-month-old pup, nicknamed Skittle, was rescued on March 16th after members of Seldovia Village Tribe found him abandoned and half frozen to a float plane dock.  After six weeks of round-the-clock care by Alaska SeaLife Center’s Rescue and Rehabilitation staff, the pup has more than doubled his weight (from 13 to 30 pounds) and done very well in captivity.  He now eats solid food such as squid and clams, and can effectively groom the thick coat of fur that keeps him warm and dry in frigid water.  Unlike most seals and seabirds that are returned to the wild after rehabilitation, sea otter pups demand so much hands-on care that they become attached to humans and are considered non-releasable.  As soon as Skittle arrived at the Center, efforts began to find him a permanent home at a zoo or aquarium with a sea otter exhibit, and he is now scheduled to move to the New York Aquarium on Coney Island at the end of the summer.  We may have to plan a trip to New York to visit Skittle! 

We attended a presentation called Valdez – 20 Years Later and learned about the affects that oils pill had on the marine life in Alaska and the changes to oil cargo that have been put in place to prevent further accidents.  It was very interesting.  We thoroughly enjoyed our morning at the Alaska SeaLife Center and with a few hours remaining before we were scheduled for horseback riding; we had a quick lunch in our RV and spent some time browsing in the shops of downtown Seward.  It has not been crowded at all on this trip anywhere we have gone and we guess it is due to current economic conditions keeping tourists away. 

We met our trail guide (who was also owner) Breanna "Bree" Bardarson at Bardy Trail Rides at 3 pm for a 2-hour horseback ride through Chugach National Forest.  A dad and his son also turned up to join on the ride.  Jonna saddled up on Orca, Mark on Gus, Darby on Frisco, and Grayson on Buddy, and we were soon off on what turned out to be one of the best horse rides we have ever experienced.   While riding in Colorado was amazing, the scenery in Alaska is pretty tough to beat.  Additionally, the bird wildlife is incredible.  We saw at least 10 American Bald Eagles at close enough range to see their eyes.  They weren’t bothered by the horses and riders at all.  One eagle was perched on a stump at eye level with us and he let us ride incredibly close to him for a better look without flying away.  We saw a couple of huge Eagle nests, one of which had two babies in it.  The babies, two weeks old were already huge.  We also saw Ravens at close range.  Our horses forged over streams and through woods and meadows with scenic views on all sides.  Bree pointed out the damage to the area from the 1964 great earthquake (and resulting tsunami) which measured 9.2 on the Richter scale, the largest ever in N. America.  What is now part of the forest previously were streets and homes 45 years ago.  A few of the cars that were tossed up during the earthquake still remain rusted and grown over in part of the forest.  It was an amazing ride and Bree was a great guide! 

Our trip is winding down and we are all exhausted!  It has been the experience of a lifetime!  After our ride, we headed north – working our way back toward Anchorage and stopped this evening at the Portage River Campground for our last night with the RV.  Mark grilled out patty melts and then taught the kids to play poker on a little table by the stream at our site.  Tomorrow we plan to visit the Wildlife Conservation Center and return the RV before catching our “redeye” flight back to Atlanta.

The campground last night was our least favorite of all that we stayed at, but it was very conveniently located to the Wildlife Conservation Center where we visited this morning.  This center is similar to the Alaska SeaLife Center in that it 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.  It is different in that it deals with land animals rather than marine life.  It is a wonderful place.  The animals, unlike the zoo, have a huge natural habitat in which to roam.  We saw a large herd of Bison and learned the difference between Bison and Buffalos as well as different characteristics of Wood and Plains Bison.  We learned that Buffalo are actually indigenous to Africa and Asia and Bison are found in North America with the Wood Bison being the largest of all terrestrial mammal in North America.

At the Rocky Mountain Elk habitat we were able to get a close-up look to the elk antlers and learned how they shed the velvet covering right before mating season.  Elk in Alaska are found on Afognak and Raspberry Islands off of Kodiak Island.  There were several spotted calves in the habitat that reminded us of Bambi!

The orphaned moose in the moose habitat were so cute.  One of them has been raised there since his mother was killed when he was just 3-4 weeks old.  It is so nice that these animals have a place to live and thrive.

At the Grizzly Bear enclosure, we met Hugo - quite a character.  Hugo was rescued by a couple of men on snowmobiles who found her near Kotzebue with Porcupine quills in her paws, unable to walk and severely dehydrated.  She now makes the AWCC her permanent home.   The enclosure in which Hugo lives is 18 acres and is shared with two other brown bears, four coyote, and other animals from time to time.  Hugo was hanging out near the viewing area and was fun to watch.  As we watched her, we also caught a glimpse of a coyote.  All of the animals were as curious about humans as we are about them.   Because most of them were rescued at an early age, they are reasonably comfortable with humans and do not have the skills to survive in the wild.  To make the habitats like their natural one where the animals would have to spend a good deal of time hunting food and protecting itself, the staff at AWCC provides games and puzzles for the animals to keep their senses sharp.

After a good morning of roaming the park, we grabbed lunch in the RV before setting out north toward Anchorage for the conclusion of our trip.  We stopped at the Bird Point in the Chugach National Park for a rest.  We spent a couple hours there packing up the RV and getting ready for the return.  Looking outside and wandering to the lookout point reminded us of how much beauty we were surrounded by in Alaska and how in just two short weeks we had all gotten used to it.   The fresh mountain air will be something we'll miss. 

Heading out, we tanked up and returned the RV to Great Alaskan Holiday in ample time.  We waited at the airport, especially glad for the extra room we would have in first class on this 6.5 hour flight back to Atlanta.  After dinner onboard and a movie, we dozed off to arrive at home in Atlanta at 6:30 am Monday morning.  This was definitely one of the Blounts more adventurous adventures!  A great time full of great memories!