South-central Alaska Day 7 (Thursday June 17, 2021)

August 08, 2021

South-central Alaska Day 7 (Thursday June 17, 2021) - Kenai Fjord National Park

After a good night's rest, we were ready for another day of exploration at the Kenai Peninsula. We had booked the Kenai Fjord National Park Tour with dinner on Fox Island with Kenai Fjord Tours several weeks before we departed for Alaska. This tour had limited capacity and we certainly did not want to show up in Seward and not be able to embark on this tour - that would be a huge disappointment!

The tour with dinner on Fox Island is an 8.5 hour tour around the Kenai Fjord National Park and the passage along Resurrection Bay. The highlight of the itinerary includes glacier close encounter (Aialik or Holgate Glacier), whale or orca watching, and other sea life in the area. The Kenai Fjord National Park is not accessible by road (with the exception of the Exit Glacier area which we would visit the next day) so seeing the glaciers by boat is the only option.

The tour had a departure time of 10:00 am and required guests to show up at least 15 minutes prior to boarding time. This late start gave us plenty of time to get ready and enjoy our breakfast. We took the 10 minute stroll from our hotel to the Kenai Fjord Tour office by the harbor and still had plenty of time to browse the souvenir shop before the boarding call. We chatted with an Alaska local who is showing his family around while waiting in line to board our boat - The Glacier Explorer. The weather was somewhat overcast and we expected light rain during this journey.

Harbor view around 9:00 am

MM at Kenai Fjord Tours

Greeted by the friendly staff as we board the Glacier Explorer

Heading out of the harbor, the large crane and conveyor of the Seward Coal Terminal is in view. This terminal had ceased operation since 2016 due to collapse of coal price. The company operating the terminal also faced environmental law suits from local court due to the release of hazardous coal dust to the environment. This is the price Alaska has to pay to export its natural resources.

Staking my position at the bow as we headed out

All bundled up at the bow

Approaching the Spruce Glacier area on the east side of the Bay

An otter casually floating in the bay

Nothing quite like floating at home

Passing the southend of Derby Cove where we were at yesterday

A family of mountain goat spotted by the skipper

Bear Glacier in view once we passed the southend of the bay, this is the spot where Glacier Kayak happens

Once we passed the Bear Glacier, we entered the official area of Kenai Fjord National Park. The boat took as close to the shore line to observe seabird, wildlife, and the dramatic rocky alcove. We slowed circled the rocky alcove to take in the landscape. The boat was also rocking left and right in a low frequency manner. After visiting the alcove, we were heading to the Aialik Bay. The skipper had cranked up the knots and we were hitting the wave hard as we were further out in the open sea.

At this point, lunch was served (chicken nuggets for the kids and chicken wrap for the adults). The main cabin was getting a bit stuffy and there was at least one person vomitting due to seasickness. I purchased dramamine from the ship's deck and we each took two pills to prevent any potential seasickness.

The dramatic shoreline of Kanai Fjord NP

Tide mark can be clearly observed

Lots of views to take in

Passing the rocky alcove

Lunch is served as well as dramamine

Chicken wrap with chips

After lunch, we slowly entered the Aialik Bay and made our way to the Aialik Glacier. We got to the tongue of the Aialik Glacier shortly after 1:00 pm. Aialik Glacier is a saltwater (or tidewater) glacier meaning that it calves directly into the ocean. The calving for Aialik Glacier is most active from May to June. As the skipper of our boat slowly moved us closer to the massive glacier, we carefully watched for calving activities and wildlife. We were not disappointed. We were greeted by a pod of orcas right by the Glacier Bay. We carefully moved and observed the orcas. As we got really close to the glacier and we can see the icebergs floating all around us, we observed a significant calving event. The sound of the calving event is dramatic. It sounded like there is a thunder coming out of the glacier. We watched for several minutes as large chunks of glacier ice cracked off the tongue and fell into the bay.

Reaching the Aialik Glacier

MM enjoying the breeze by the glacier

Getting up close with Aialik

The scale is truly massive

Looking back at the impressive Aialik Bay

The friendly staff showing us the glacier ice

Photo op by the glacier

Sharing the space with the orca family

It's another boat's turn

We wrapped up our visit to the Aialik Glacier area shortly before 2:00 pm. Our skipper cranked up the speed again and we made our turn back to the Resurrection Bay Area towards Fox Island. Our skipper slowed the boat down around the Aialik Cape area to observe sea lines and other wildlife. We made it to Fox Island - our dinner spot quarter pass 4:00 pm.

Lone rock island, Aialik Cove

Sea lion, Aialik Cove

A whale blowing not far from our boat

A rocky crevasse is observed as we get close to Fox Island

Birds taking refuge at the alcove

Fox Island

Fox Island is a small island 3.4 miles in length by 2 mile in width. It was originally a station for Fox trapping in the early part of the 20th century. American artist Rockwell Kent put Fox Island "on the map" by spending a winter on the island with his 9 year old son in a goat cabin. He subsequently published his journal of his experience on the island - "Wilderness: A Journal of Quiet Adventure in Alaska" in 1920. He obtained national fame and financial success via this published work and thus put Seward and Fox Island on the spot light.

Today Fox Island is a vacation resort operated by Pursuit, the parent company that operates the Kenai Fjord Tours. There's a wilderness lodge on the island staffed by a gourmet chef if one desires to truly get away from civilization as Rockwell Kent did in 1918.