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Published: September 11th 2013
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On Wednesday, my wonderful hostess and niece, Ginny, delivered me to the train station at 5:45 am to catch the train to Seward where I'm hoping to go horseback riding, kayaking and see some bear, moose and glaciers! I have a message into the horseback riding tour and am hoping to hear back from them.
Now, I'm not a morning person, but catching this train was worth it. There are some incredible views and the conductor provides commentary the entire trip, stopping the train to view beluga whales in the Turnagain Arm and a bald eaglet getting ready to leave the nest! Very cool! I learn how to remember the five types of salmon found in Alaska using only your hand:
Thumb finger - Rhymes with "Chum"
Index finger - you stick it out to sock someone in the eye = "Sockeye"
Middle finger - tallest finger that rules over all other fingers = "King"
Ring finger - put silver jewelry on it = "Silver"
Pinky finger = "Pink"
The train does have its drawback because what would normally be a 1 hour flight or two hour car ride is a 4 1/2 hour
Bartlett Glacier
View of Bartlett Glacier - Train runs right by it! train ride! But, who cares? I'm on vacation and in no hurry!
I arrive in Seward around noonish, find my hotel (the historic Seward Hotel) check in and promptly head back out to find the Exit Glacier. The guy at the hotel sends me off in the rain to a tour place that offers a round trip ride for $10 (normally a $50 cab ride) out to the glacier. I hoof on over there only to find they are closed for the season. Two other women are at the closed office as well. They and a friend are wanting to go to the glacier so we agree to split a cab. So, I quickly make a couple of super nice new friends - Laura, Paula and Tom. We get to the glacier and start the easy hike up to the edge. What is interesting about this hike is they have markers along the way that show you where the glacier has been so you can see its regression. It is amazing that only 30 years ago the glacier was at the ranger station and parking lot. You now have to hike over a mile to get to the glacier!
Seward Ferel Bunny
I thought this was someone's pet bunny. I asked a nearby local about it and he said they actually have a population of feral bunnies in Seward. Apparently someone let a couple go a few years back and they, well, multiplied like rabbits! It is receding very fast!
Afterward we get back into town and have some tea and talk for a bit. I exchange contact information with Paula and Tom as they live in Sea Ranch, California. Tom is also a pilot and they have given me permission to visit them and land at the private Sea Ranch airport anytime!!! Yay! I check in at one of the kayak tour places - no luck, they just closed for the season. Oh well, it is raining anyway.
Afterward I leave them and go get dinner, call the horseback tour (no luck) and start thinking about what else I might do tomorrow. The horseback tour has apparently closed for the season. And its raining. I look up some fjord tours and think about calling them in the morning and turn in for the night.
The next day, Wednesday, I call Kenai Fjords Tour and find out they haven't completely closed down for the season - they have one tour still going and there is space available. Yay! I make my reservation, walk to the docks, and hop on the boat. It is completely full so I make some new friends. It
Raft of Otters
In front of a glacier as seen from the Fjords tour stays overcasts but the rain holds off while we view bald eagle, a raft of otters, harbor seal, steller sea lions, puffins and even a humpback whale! We also got to view the impressive Aialik Glacier, a massive and active calving tidewater glacier. Stunning!
My last day, Friday, I have all day to kill before catching the train back to Anchorage. I decide to check out the highly recommended Sealife Center. It is amazing! They take in orphaned and injured sea animals and nurse them back to health. It is very educational and entertaining.
Afterwards, I grab lunch and do some window shopping and it is time to catch my train back! Ginny and Will meet me at the station at 10:45pm and we stay up well into the wee hours of the next morning - what did we talk about? I don't know but I did have fun!
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