Growing up in Rhode Island, I have always loved the ocean and suffered horrible withdrawals living in the landlocked state of Idaho for 16 years. Now that I am living back on the East Coast of the USA, I try to get my ocean…Read More

Growing up in Rhode Island, I have always loved the ocean and suffered horrible withdrawals living in the landlocked state of Idaho for 16 years. Now that I am living back on the East Coast of the USA, I try to get my ocean fix as much as possible by going to the beach on days off. Just sticking my feet in the sand or letting the waves crash on my legs is intoxicating enough.

Well, I didn't let the waves crash on my legs or put my bare feet on the rocky beaches of Resurrection Bay off of the Southern coast of Alaska near Seward, but I was lucky to enjoy the views from Seward itself and on the Kenai Fjords ferryboat to Fox Island and from Fox Island. The blue waters and views of the Chugach Mountains are breathtaking!

Resurrection Bay is an island and wildlife filled work of beauty that was discovered by Russian explorer Alexander Baranov in April 1792 by accident. Baranov and his crew were caught up in a horrible storm during Easter and they needed shelter or they would have been drowned by the high waves that were hitting their ships. Baranov and his crew took shelter in what is today Seward and named the bay the town was on Resurrection Bay because it was Easter Sunday and felt their voyage was resurrected by discovering this place of shelter. Baranov and his crew stayed in Seward and built a fur trading area for the Shelikov-Golikov Company and also went to work on building a new ship that would take them home to Russia and explore other parts of Alaska. Construction of The Phoenix began in 1793 and was completed in 1794, but the life of The Phoenix was short-lived when the ship sunk at sea in 1796.

During World War II, Seward and Resurrection Bay were a strategic defense point in protecting Alaska from Japanese invasion and a jumping off point for the retaking of Attu and Siska Islands from the Japanese in 1942. When you take a boat on Resurrection Bay and pass Bartlett Island, you will see an observation tower that was used by the US Army at this time. The soldiers posted on this rocky uninhabited island in the middle of the bay endured lonely cold winters that had winds up to 100 mph. BRR!

On Barlow Island and many other islands in Resurrection Bay, you will be treated to a chorus of barking seals as this is the home to a huge population of Steller Sea Lions and might see a sea otter enjoying a bath on his back as you pass by. We also saw about 6 orcas who call Resurrection Bay home and were escorted into Fox Island by a pod of one bull orca and two cows.

My pictures do not do this magnificent hidden gem off of Kenai Peninsula justice. You have to see it for yourself!

After three hours on the train to Seward from Anchorage, we were glad to get off the train and stretch our legs a bit before getting on the ferry boat to Fox Island. Seward is a small town, but it is a place rich…Read More

After three hours on the train to Seward from Anchorage, we were glad to get off the train and stretch our legs a bit before getting on the ferry boat to Fox Island. Seward is a small town, but it is a place rich with history and the southern terminus for the Alaska Railroad.

Seward's recent history is older than Anchorage and Fairbanks and dates from 1793 when Russian explorer Alexander Baranov (working for the Shelikov-Golikov Company) established a fur trading post where the present-day Seward stands today. The town of Seward was named in 1867 after Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson's Secretary of State William H. Seward who was responsible for acquiring Alaska from Russia for the United States in what is now known as "Seward's Folly."

Coal is also brought to Seward from the mining towns of Alaska, and when you arrive in Seward you will see this tall coal chute in Resurrection Bay near the marina. The coal is put onto the ships by being rolled up the conveyor belt and dumped onto the waiting ships under the chute.

Seward is also the hometown of Benny Benson (1913-1972) a young Swedish-Russian-Aleut boy who was put into an orphanage by his father after his mother died and he couldn't take care of Benny and his brother. When Benny was 13, he entered an American Legion supported contest to design the Alaska Territory flag and won first prize. His design of gold stars in the shape of the Big Dipper on a dark blue background became the territory and then Alaska state flag which hangs all over Alaska today. Sadly Benny died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 58.

Seward also went Hollywood in the late 1980's when it doubled as Murmank Bay, Russia when the film The Hunt For Red October was filmed here. I wish I had lived here then just to steal a glance of Sean Connery!

Larissa and I only spent about a couple of hours total in Seward itself since we had to catch the boat to Fox Island and then get on the train back to Anchorage after the boat trip, but I was able to walk around the main part of town a little bit to see how quaint this little fishing town is. It is a good day trip by train, but you cannot get to Seward by ferry boat since the Alaskan Marine Highway has not had ferry service to Seward since 2005, but take a car or train trip here for a day or two, and it is enough to enjoy the stunning views of Resurrection Bay and its wildlife.

Larissa and I got up early on this Wednesday morning in May to take the Anchorage to Seward train on the Alaska Railroad, which was constructed from 1915-1923. This is something you must do when you go to Alaska. The trip was 113…Read More

Larissa and I got up early on this Wednesday morning in May to take the Anchorage to Seward train on the Alaska Railroad, which was constructed from 1915-1923. This is something you must do when you go to Alaska. The trip was 113 miles from Anchorage and went through some of the most beautiful scenery I ever laid eyes on. Larissa and I got to the Anchorage Train Depot early and were able to relax and see who was going to be on the train with us. Being the shoulder tourist season and a Wednesday, the train wasn't going to be full, and that was great for me. However, there was this couple that came in right before we were supposed to board and the way they looked and carried on before we boarded, I wasn't looking forward to the trip. They smelt like ashtrays and were constantly arguing with each other. I was praying my seat was nowhere near them, or there would have been a reenactment of Throw Momma From The Train or Murder On The Orient Express occuring that day on the Anchorage to Seward train.

Luckily our seats were far enough away from Mr. and Mrs. Bickering Ashtrays, and after the train left the station, we realized we had a lot of room and Larissa, who was suffering from really bad allergies moved to nap behind me while I stayed awake to watch the scenery and took over 100 pictures of the mountains, glaciers, and wildlife that passed before me.

There were only three cars on the trip to Anchorage to Seward. One was the observation car where you could go upstairs to see the scenery, but I only stayed there about five minutes and felt my better views were from my seat in the next car. The dining car served good sandwiches and beverages for us to enjoy. I spoke with a lot of the other passengers along the way and they hailed from New Jersey, Washington, and even Florida. In fact, one of the conductors was from central Florida while the two young ladies in the dining car were from Gulf Shores, Alabama, which is a short ride from my home here in Milton, Florida. Small world! The girls in the dining car asked about the ongoing oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico, and I gave them the best updates I could since being on vacation and not near a TV, I wasn't getting as much news as I could.

After Girdwood, about 25 miles south of Anchorage, we hit higher elevations and snow that slowed our trip down until we passed through the area. Our guide was announcing every time there was wildlife to see in the woods, and a porcupine was at the side of the tracks. I tried to get a shot of him, but was too late to do so. Any way, I had seen Mr. Prickly up close and in person in Idaho enough to say "don't need no stinking photo" after dealing with a German Shepherd who took many trips to the vet's after his close encounters of the prickly kind. I saw a couple of bears in the distance running up the hills along with Dahl sheep and added to my moose count to 11 during the ride.

A very interesting spot on the trip is the run through Spencer Glacier. Spencer Glacier is named for an Alaska Railroad employee Edward Spencer wh disappeared in 1909 while travelling along the glacier delivering the Railroad's payroll to employees in Moose Pass, a tiny Railroad settlement. Bad weather forced Spencer to alter his route to Moose Pass, and he was never seen again. Co-workers thought he had run off with the money like Joseph Mollicone did in Rhode Island in 1991 during the credit union crisis there. But a body was found in 1909, and they thought it was Spencer, but they were never sure. The Railroad also never found the cash box Spencer was carrying with him. There is an unsolved mystery for the ages!

On the way back from Seward, I didn't take pictures as much, but met up with a mother and son couple who were going to be returning to their home in Tampa, Florida the next night. The mother had spent a school year teaching in the bush and told me that TEFL teachers were needed there because the Natives of Alaska consider English their second language. After thinking about that a while, I decided I don't know if I could survive the harsh Alaskan winters in the bush and 24-hour darkness and thought of other options. The son had a Tampa Bay Rays hat, and I broke the news to him that my Red Sox had swept them in the recent series they were playing. I am sooo evil! We pulled into Anchorage about 9 that evening and it was still bright as day outside and beautiful.

Prices vary for for vacation packages from Anchorage to Seward, and there are trips from Anchorage to Fairbanks you can take. You can ride the train from Fairbanks to Seward or just from Anchorage to Seward like Larissa and I did. You can enjoy the ride without having to worry about driving yourself an experience Alaska a whole lot better than driving the Alaska Seward Highway. For more information call the Alaska Railroad at 1-800-544-0552 or go to www.AlaskaRailroad.com. Very Very Highly Recommended.

Fri 6/2/00: Depart DFW Airport at 4:00pm; Arrive in Anchorage from DFW at 8:15pm; Rent car and drive to Seward; Arrive in Seward and check in at hotel at 11:00pm ===== Sat 6/3/00: Kenai Fjords Tours Northwestern Fjord Cruise (9:00am-6:30pm); Drive/Walk to Exit Glacier (7:30pm-9:30pm); Dinner at Ray's Waterfront Restaurant (next…Read More

Fri 6/2/00:
Depart DFW Airport at 4:00pm;
Arrive in Anchorage from DFW at 8:15pm;
Rent car and drive to Seward;
Arrive in Seward and check in at hotel at 11:00pm
=====

Sat 6/3/00:
Kenai Fjords Tours Northwestern Fjord Cruise (9:00am-6:30pm); Drive/Walk to Exit Glacier (7:30pm-9:30pm);
Dinner at Ray's Waterfront Restaurant (next to Kenai Fjords Tours Office)
====

Sun 6/4/00:
Fox Island Sea Kayaking & Wildlife Cruise (9:00am-5:00pm);
Drive to Anchorage Airport (5:45pm-7:30pm);
Depart Anchorage 9:20pm
====

Mon 6/5/00:
Arrive DFW 7:00am

On our first morning in Seward, we had a reservation for the glacier and wildlife sightseeing cruise. So with our stomachs full with a good breakfast from The Breeze Inn and Restaurant, we boarded a military bus and were brought to the harbor where the…Read More

On our first morning in Seward, we had a reservation for the glacier and wildlife sightseeing cruise. So with our stomachs full with a good breakfast from The Breeze Inn and Restaurant, we boarded a military bus and were brought to the harbor where the Arctic Light was docked. After a quick, informal speech from our captain, we were on our way across Resurrection Bay. The day was a truly beautiful Alaskan day, as the sky was a beautiful deep glacial blue and dotted with puffy cumulous clouds here and there. The sun was warm on our shoulders and the air was cool and refreshing as we glided over the small waves in the bay.

As we began to exit the bay, our captain slowed the boat every so often so we could view Stellar sea lions, sea otters, and puffins up close. Then after a bit of wildlife viewing, we zipped out into the ocean to head towards Holgate Glacier. For a while we all camped out in the heated cabin where our lunch was served. Since I was 20 weeks pregnant at the time, I was extremely glad that I had brought extra snacks with me, since our lunch consisted of a ham or turkey wrap and potato chips. After my husband and I ate, we headed up to the main cabin, where there was a better view of the scenery and we could talk with the captain about the area.

Soon the captain reduced his speed as we approached a bay, spoke quietly over the radio to the other sightseeing captains to inquire about whale sightings, and scanned the smooth surface of the water for some sign of a whale. We sat for what it seemed like ages when, hilariously enough, I was scanning the water and suddenly said in a very calm and surprised voice while looking over my left shoulder, “Oh, there’s a whale!” The boat rocked wildly as all the other guests ran with their cameras over to the side that I pointed to and excitedly took pictures of the whale that was making an appearance every few moments. After about 15 minutes, the whale must’ve decided enough photos had been taken of itself and disappeared, but within another 30 minutes, yet another whale appeared for an extreme close-up.

After an hour or so of whale-watching, our captain guided us to Holgate Glacier, where we parked for a while and listened to the thunderous cracks and groans of the great glacier that loomed over us. I suggest bringing an extra sweater for this part, as the temperature easily drops 20 to 30 degrees. Unfortunately, we never got to see a large chunk of the glacier calve, but we did see several smaller chunks fall off into the bay.

Just a word of caution: this activity is for active-duty military only. There are other cruises in Seward, however, that offer much of the same thing.

We woke up early and decided it was time for our annual fall trek to Seward. OK, it was cold and very wet, but it was either that or watch endless re-runs of CSI, SVU, or Lost. Yeah, that kind of day. The van was…Read More

We woke up early and decided it was time for our annual fall trek to Seward. OK, it was cold and very wet, but it was either that or watch endless re-runs of CSI, SVU, or Lost. Yeah, that kind of day. The van was actually running so we filled up with trip food - Pringles, cola, ham, cheese, mustard, rolls and cookies...the essentials. The further we went, the darker and rainier it got. We decided to stop by Portage and saw a moose. Like good Alaskans, we stopped and took a picture. Then the strangeness began. A tour bus with one tire in the ditch stuck at Moose flats. On to Portage Lake, but no ice. So onward. Moose Pass was a strange as always, but now the grocery store has a sign proclaiming "Last Beer before Seward." That was just before the field with the viking scarecrows. I did take a pretty picture of flowers at the Trail River latrines. We have not been to the Sea Life Center in Seward in years and they have lowered the price, so we did our bit for the Seward economy and went. There were great shots of birds and a bionic Sea Lion. On the way home, we passed the gigantic "Knife in the Wilderness" monument gave homage to the magnificent purple house at the Kenai cut-off, before catching up with traffic in the wilds of Turnagain Pass. Drawing closer to Anchrage, we had a brief memorial service for the road-kill on our windshield before a brief burst of rain buried the creatures at sea. Then what to our wondering eyes should appear but at kite boarder in Turnagain Arm. All in all a good ending to a pretty good day's drive. Close

About an hour after leaving Seward, our Kenai Fjord ferryboat arrived on Fox Island for our lunch. Before leaving the boat, we had the chance to purchase for an extra $8 an Alaskan King Crab to go with our lunch. I couldn't pass…Read More

About an hour after leaving Seward, our Kenai Fjord ferryboat arrived on Fox Island for our lunch. Before leaving the boat, we had the chance to purchase for an extra $8 an Alaskan King Crab to go with our lunch. I couldn't pass up that chance and paid my $8 and got a bracelet on my wrist that would allow me to get the crab leg at the buffet when we got inside the restaurant on Fox Island.

Once inside, they told us to help ourselves to the nice little buffet they had set up in the restaurant/welcome center and then would have a little time to walk around Fox Islands rocky beaches before getting back on the boat for the return trip to Seward. I was pretty hungry and was looking forward to a nice filling lunch to give me energy to see the wildlife and enjoy the rest of the day. I filled up my plate with salmon, rice, and salad and then got my crab leg and something to drink. Larissa was still reeling from her allergies and after making sure she was OK, I headed outside. It was too gorgeous of a day to stay inside, and I was looking forward to some alfresco dining.

I noticed a woman sitting at one of the tables by herself and asked if I could join her. We introduced ourselves to each other, and her name was Raven, and she was from Washington state and was working the summer in Seward. During her days off, she goes sightseeing and looking for wildlife when the weather permits. Raven was full of information about the Seward area and the wildlife, and I enjoyed her company very much and hung out with her the rest of the trip. We exchanged e-mail addresses afterwards and keep in touch through our photos on Facebook.

The food was great. The salmon was grilled and was full of flavor (farmed salmon is banned in Alaska) and the rice pilaf was sublime. However, the crab legs were a little bit of a disappointment being a little overcooked and not much flavor no matter how much melted butter you dipped it into. BUMMER! Oh well, got my crab experience in Alaska anyway. For dessert, I indulged on three or four petit fours pastries before heading outside to walk the rocky beach with my new friend Raven.

We didn't venture far on the beach being we only had a few minutes before getting back on the boat, but we soaked in the beautiful views of Resurrection Bay and the Chugach Mountains as much as we could and took photos. Fox Island is the site of the World Rock Skipping Championships. There are thousands of flat rocks on the beach at Fox Island, and I revisited my childhood vacations in Maine by seeing how many times i could skip rocks into the water. Sadly, I am a bit rusty in my rock skipping skills and the most skips I got was two at best.

I would love to return to Fox Island to explore this little gem further, and go to www.KenaiFjords.com for more information on Fox Island and taking a trip there. It is not to be missed!

We had a perfect day to be on the water, calm and warm and not a wave in sight. The fishing was great also. We caught the maximum limit of halibut and salmon…Read More

We had a perfect day to be on the water, calm and warm and not a wave in sight. The fishing was great also. We caught the maximum limit of halibut and salmonClose