The Kenai Fjords National Park, created in 1980, covers nearly 2000 square miles of the Kenai Peninsula -- and contains the largest icepack wholy within the borders of the US. Taking this cruise was admitedly a spur of the moment decision from the night before. Im not a fan of boats. Nowhere to really go, and no real control of where you're going. And after 3 hours of bouncing against the waves, i was ready to get off. That all said, this side trip became a highlight of the vacation if only because it throws you in the middle of some of the most breathtaking scenery ive ever seen. . .
Leaving Seward, a view of Mt. Alice from across Resurrection Bay. . .
. . .a view north towards Mt. Ascension across the Seward docks. . .
. . .across Resurrection Bay towards eastern Seward. . .
. . .Marathon Mountain, from the Resurrection Bay. . .
. . .southern view of the peaks on the edge of Resurrection Bay. . .
. . .the wake of the boat leaving towards the glaciers. . .
. . .the boat had the ”bone in it's teeth“. . .
. . .there were GPS driven maps inside the boat showing our exact location. . .
. . .leaving a wake down Resurrection Bay. . .
. . .i *think* this is Callisto Peak, just off of Cains Head. . .
. . .mountains on the Resurrection Peninsula. . .
. . .entering Thumb Cove. . .
. . .a small glacier covering the base of the Thumb Cove Mountains. The captain made a special trip over here on the way out of the bay to talk about the two rentable cabins that were over here. . .
. . .the boat wake leaving Thumb Cove. . .
. . .seabound past Humpy Cove and the Resurrection Peninsula. . .
. . .heading past Fox, Hive and Rugged Islands. . .
. . .the tree covered shores near Callisto Head. . .
. . .Callisto Head. . .
. . .Bear Glacier across Bulldog Cove. . .
. . .coming around Bear Glacier Point. . .
. . .Passing by Porcupine Cove looking for wildlife. .
. . .and then Agnes Cove. . .
. . .map shows that we're turning out around Cheval Island and through the Harding Gateway. . .
. . .distant mountain peaks on the Resurrection Penisula. . .
. . . Rugged Island across the Harding Gateway. . .
. . .in the extreme distance, the mountains towards Cordova and Valdez. . .
. . .the peaks on the Ailaik Peninsula. . .
. . .No Name Island off of Aialik Cape. . .
. . .coming around Aialik Cape. . .
. . .with the tip of Natoa Island on the left, Ailak Bay and the destination glaciers on the right. . .
. . .closer view of Natoa Island. . .
. . .Natoa, Harbor and Chat Islands in the distance. . .
. . .passing through the Chiswell Islands. . .
. . .still going full speed ahead. . .
. . .rock outcroppings off of Matushka Island. . .
. . .across Aialik Bay, the peaks on Harris Peninsula. . .
. . .still full speed ahead. . .
. . .the rock outcroppings off the Chiswell Islands. . .
. . .south towards the open Pacific Ocean. . .
. . .the mountain peaks above Aialik Bay. . .
. . .looking south towards Aligo Point. . .
. . .passing Harbor Island. . .
. . .rock outcroppings south towards the Dora Passage. . .
. . .the inside map showing our location in the Dora Passage. . . .
. . .the mountains over the Harris Peninsula. . .
. . .a flock of gulls flying along the shoreline. . .
. . .a closeup of a glacier covered peak on the Harris Peninsula. . .
. . .pasing Quicksand Cove, and better look at the glacier covered peak. . .
. . .passing by the Holgate Arm. . .
. . .the Holgate Glacier in the distance.
