Seward and Keni Fjords

Injured Coyote

 Seward, on the Keni Peninsula, is less a working town than Homer, relying pretty heavily on cruise ship visits.  Two features that come with the crowds, however, include a fleet of boats that tour the bay, wander out into the Pacific, and get up close to the glaciers.  These tours are popular with locals, vacationing Alaskans, and the cruise ship folk.   The other notable feature of Seward is the Alaska Sealife Center, the only cold water marine science facility in the western hemisphere.  It serves as a research and educational center and is paid for by the Exxon-Valdez oil spill settlement.  Multiple floors of display circle round  large tanks that hold fish, birds, sea lions, and other critters.

 On the Seward Highway, and all through the Keni Peninsula, there is a Russian presence.  Orthodox churches abound   like this one in Ninilchik.

Mountains like this encircle Resurrection Bay

Glaciers large and small, working their way to the streams and the sea

Resurrection Bay

 Here are just a few sea critter views we had on the cruise we were reluctant to take!

 Marlee, our B&B hostess.  Thank you!
Robin and I were reluctant to take the boat out into Resurrection Bay, mistakenly assuming the days ahead on the Inside Passage  would be enough boat.  Out B&B hostess, Marlee, had discount tickets and some great arguments that got us on board the Star of the Northwest for a five hour lunch exploration of the bay.  This was less a glacier tour and more an attempt to find critters, and critters we found.  Humpback Whales, Orcas, Harbor Seals, Eagles, Sea Otters, Sea Lions, Porpoises, Puffins. . .oh my!  The Orcas showed up in force, ready to play under and around our boat.  Neither Robin nor I had seen Killer Whales in the wild so that was a highlight but the whole trip was great.  In the mean time, Marlee did our laundry, later loaned us her car, and loaned us extra clothing for the cool outings.  She was the most caring and supportive B&B hostess I've ever met.  The Ballaine House, a modest older home, deserves a place at the top of the list of places we have stayed on this or any other trip.

 Capt. Jay Foust, a cyclist, invited me into the pilot house during the trip.  Mostly, we talked about bikes.  He has a Trans Alp here in Seward and an  R650 BMW in Arizona. 

 A productive day of fishing!

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 Bears at the Alaska Center for Injured and abandoned animals.  Bears, moose, and even Musk Ox are occasionally left by parents before they are ready to fend for themselves.  This place had an amazing collection including these Brown Bears.

   We left Seward by way of the Salve Center where we stayed until about noon.  This is one of those places you can revisit. . .maybe because all the really cool exhibits are alive and do amazing and interesting things.  Back on the Sward Highway, we headed north back toward Anchorage with a stop at  the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, a non-profit facility for injured and abandoned animals.  Bears, moose, eagles, musk ox, bison, reindeer. . .oh my!  After a stop at Girdwood, a ski resort, for lunch, we rode on to Takeetena.