Pictures of the Week 2009-11
Hello All,
November found us wanting to do something different for the Thanksgiving holiday. So we said “Let’s spend Thanksgiving in Alaska.” It had been about three years since our last visit to this beautiful state and even longer since we had been there in the winter. So we started making plans. A quick call was made to Barb’s sister asking if she had room at her table for two more for dinner--she graciously said “of course.”
We drove from Alabama to Atlanta, GA to catch our flight to Anchorage, AK. Upon arriving in Anchorage we rapidly refreshed our memory of what minus 16 degrees Fahrenheit feels like as you try to breathe!! The hairs in your nostrils freeze up. It is a feeling that, once you experience it, you never forget it!! Ah, to be back in “the last great frontier” in the winter.
Later in the afternoon, we picked up the rental car we had reserved. And, since there wasn’t a cloud in the sky we decided to take a drive south of Anchorage along Cook Inlet’s famous fifty-mile long Turnagain Arm. The drive is one of “America’s Scenic Byways.” Turnagain Arm was named by Captain James Cook on his voyage searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. The arm is noted for having the second highest tide in the world (second only to the Bay of Fundy in Canada), It is also known for having bore tides that rapidly move up the arm. When Captain Cook tried to sail up the arm the tides raised havoc with his ship turning it hither and foe. He tried again and again to no avail--hence the name Turnagain Arm.
Steep mountains shoot up from both sides of the arm. It is common to see Dall sheep and moose on the mountain sides. And, in the summertime Beluga and Orca whales are often observed in the water. No whales are breaking water during the winter however.
November found us wanting to do something different for the Thanksgiving holiday. So we said “Let’s spend Thanksgiving in Alaska.” It had been about three years since our last visit to this beautiful state and even longer since we had been there in the winter. So we started making plans. A quick call was made to Barb’s sister asking if she had room at her table for two more for dinner--she graciously said “of course.”
We drove from Alabama to Atlanta, GA to catch our flight to Anchorage, AK. Upon arriving in Anchorage we rapidly refreshed our memory of what minus 16 degrees Fahrenheit feels like as you try to breathe!! The hairs in your nostrils freeze up. It is a feeling that, once you experience it, you never forget it!! Ah, to be back in “the last great frontier” in the winter.
Later in the afternoon, we picked up the rental car we had reserved. And, since there wasn’t a cloud in the sky we decided to take a drive south of Anchorage along Cook Inlet’s famous fifty-mile long Turnagain Arm. The drive is one of “America’s Scenic Byways.” Turnagain Arm was named by Captain James Cook on his voyage searching for the fabled Northwest Passage. The arm is noted for having the second highest tide in the world (second only to the Bay of Fundy in Canada), It is also known for having bore tides that rapidly move up the arm. When Captain Cook tried to sail up the arm the tides raised havoc with his ship turning it hither and foe. He tried again and again to no avail--hence the name Turnagain Arm.
Steep mountains shoot up from both sides of the arm. It is common to see Dall sheep and moose on the mountain sides. And, in the summertime Beluga and Orca whales are often observed in the water. No whales are breaking water during the winter however.
Note how rough the frozen
water is. This is caused by the tides breaking the ice and rolling the chucks
around. The wind then polishes the ice. The chunks of ice are known as “ice
cookies” by the locals. We’ve seen them in winters past as large as
automobiles.
In between tides everything
freezes back up again. We particularly like this photo as it shows waves and
ripples frozen in place.
Katabatic wind blasts through the arm in winter
and summer alike. It pays dividends in the winter by keeping some areas on the
mountainsides relatively free of snow, allowing animals to feed on grasses and
brush. We spotted Dall sheep feeding in one of these barren areas above the
highway.
Our first day in Alaska was
the one and only day we saw the sun during our two-week visit. Overnight it warmed
up and started to snow. Daytime temperatures warmed up into the 40’s with a
rain and snow mix and fog. Night time temperatures fell to just below freezing.
It made for some interesting driving conditions. We didn’t care, as our main
objective was to visit with family. And that we did. We had lunches and dinners
together, watched the grandkids in ice hockey tournaments and concerts. It was
a blast.
In our travels we often stop to take photos of churches--as was the case in Alaska. We found this little church near Soldotna to be very unique. It is mainly built of two by four boards stacked one on top of another.
In our travels we often stop to take photos of churches--as was the case in Alaska. We found this little church near Soldotna to be very unique. It is mainly built of two by four boards stacked one on top of another.
The St. Nicholas, Russian
Orthodox Church & Cemetery in Eklutna, AK, is lovely. It is quite
interesting because of the colorful “spirit houses” that are built over the
gravesites.
While traveling through the
Alaska countryside you never know what photo opportunity is around the next
bend. You might encounter some rustic buildings.
Or be under the watchful eye
of a bald eagle.
Or stumble upon a willow grouse.
Or spot a young moose browsing
on whatever he can find edible sticking up out of the snow.
Or find a really BIG icicle.