Now
that we know the name of the Royal Baby we can continue our exploration of
Alaska.
We headed up to Exit Glacier. Seems like a strange name for a glacier doesn't it? The glacier was given that name when
the explorers were looking for a way out of the ice fields. This was the glacier that provided their safe
return. Therefore, it was given the name
Exit. Pretty simple to me.
We
hiked up to the closest point that was allowed for the tourists; it was about 2
miles and we got a close look of the glacier. This time of the year the glacier is receding
about 12 inches per day. The glacier run
off is quite extensive. There is much
concern about climate change and the damage it is causing to the glaciers. There are year markers along the path showing
where the glacier was during that time period. It is amazing how much it has retreated.
The
glacier appears to be discolored and covered with dirt. This is due to the fact that as the ice melts
it uncovers the rock and dirt that the glacier has collected. During the colder months when it is covered
with new snow it appears bright and new.
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| Look who is outside the ropes! But he was doing a good deed, retrieving a hat and brochure. |
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| Where Exit glacier was the year we were born. |
We
hiked down to the glacial run off so the girls could stick their feet in the
cold, glacial floury water. Not sure
what’s going on with the girls and this water fetish, may have to get them some
counseling. The water was icy cold and it didn't take long for them to come to their senses.
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| See the ice floating! It's from the glacier and it's cold!! |
We
no longer have the mosquitoes to worry about; it’s now the attack of the black
flies. Them little suckers have teeth
and they do not mind using them. Our
friend, Duncan Carmichael, from England, reminded us about biting flies we
encountered when we all vacationed in the Bahamas. He wondered if maybe they were cousins having
a holiday further north. "They’re
everywhere, they’re everywhere."
After
leaving Kenai Fjords National Park, we headed back into town for a picnic lunch
along the bay where we’d eaten yesterday. It’s such a lovely spot. It was next to the Sea Life Center our next
stop of the day. As we ate lunch we
could see the coastal fog that was covering the southern half of the bay. We were glad that we had decided to take our
cruise the night before when the bay was clear.
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| Saw these Puffins both above & below the water! |
The
Sea Life center is a huge facility. It
covers 120,000 sq ft and provides many displays of the animals and fish that are
in the Alaskan waters. It is one of the
largest of its kind. They do research and gather scientific date that is shared
around the world.
The
facility has a very unique heating system. They extract heat from the sea water
to control the climate inside the building.
In the cold of winter they use approx 2000 gallons of fuel oil daily to
heat the facility. With this new system,
they hope to be completely free from the fuel oil by the end of the year. Quite amazing.
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| Puffins swimming. Thanks, Joy, for the video!! |
After
the Sea Life Center we decided to see if we could find all of the murals that
have been painted throughout the city. There
are 12 of them. In 2008, the city was
celebrated as the city with most murals. Governor Sarah Palin dedicated the
special event. They are not well marked
and difficult to find. Strangely enough,
there is not much information on where to find them. I’m sure we did not find
all of them, but we gave it a valiant effort. After the exhausting effort we were thirsty,
so we went to the local micro brewery and had a beer.
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| Just enjoying the beauty of Seward, AK, even on the lawn of the Sea Life Center |
We
returned to the RVs finished the leftovers in the frig and began to prepare for
our departure. Tomorrow we are headed for Cooper Landing. We are getting deep in to fishing country. We hope to see the eagles and bears in action
along the river banks. More to come.
Make the best of every day, it may be your last
and you wouldn't want to waste it.
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