I am really getting tired of coastal Alaska! I am naturally a desert girl, craving dry air, and all it has done for days and days is rain. They tell me coastal Alaska generally gets significant rain in August, this continuous weeks long deluge is quite unusual. Doesn’t matter to me whether it is usual or not, I am OVER it! We have to put our bath towels in the dryer after a shower or they don’t dry by the next morning. I have to wash towels and the bath mat with a bit of bleach every few days or they smell musty, even after drying. The inside windows of the motorhome fog up if we don’t leave our vents open, and we sometimes need to open a window even at 50 degrees. Ugh. I kind of feel like this stump I photographed in this temperate rainforest.
We have done some enjoyable activities though, as much as I complain about the rain. We arrived on Wednesday, and Thursday we went to the Alaska Sealife Center. Fabulous place. One of the advantages of being in a caravan is we have access to programs given only to groups that book in advance. Here we got “The Puffin Experience” which was an aviculturist (bird specialist) talk to us about Alcids, the birds like Puffins that live on the open ocean but come ashore to nest. It was special because the aviary is actually completely closed to regular visitors because of the avian flu that has been killing birds all over the continent. (It is also the reason no eggs or fresh chicken allowed across any border right now!) We got to see a Rhinoceros Auklet up close. This bird was hand reared at the Center, and believes people are its same species so they use it in public shows. You can see some of the infection precautions – masks on all humans (including us), sanitizing wipes sized liberally, and gloves. We also had to walk on a sanitizing mat to make sure our shoes didn’t bring the avian flu into the Center. The demo bird is also kept away from the rest of the aviary. The pictures show clearly why the bird got its common name.
We also went through the fabulous aquarium with all kinds of Alaskan sealife. Oh, and they have a great gift shop! A few things just might have come home with me …
After the Sealife Center we had lunch then went to the Idadride. That isn’t a typo. It is a fun activity operated by a 2 time Iditarod winner to showcase his dogs and keep them in training in the summer. We got an introduction to the gear an Iditarod racer uses, got to pet some adorable puppies, and then we were taken for a ride in a wheeled cart pulled by 14 dogs! Fabulous place.
These dogs runs 50 miles pulling a 300 pound sled while racing, but in the summer they also train with a 3000 pound cart (including the 8 visitors and the musher) for a bit less than 2 miles. They were quiet until the last dog was harnessed, and then they started howling to GO! Click to watch a bit of them pulling the cart.
Yesterday we took a four hour Kenai Fjords wildlife boat tour with Major Marine Tours. We saw lots of wildlife, but I have very few pictures to prove it! We saw bald eagles, both adults and two fledglings sitting on the side of their nest; puffins by the dozens, both fringed and horned; common murres, also by the dozens; sea otters, also dozens; and nice groupings o harbor seals and Steller sea lions. We even got a glimpse of some orcas! I sat inside most of the time because it was, of course, raining, but trust me, I did see them all! They were all clear through the binoculars, but between rain and distance, my camera just wasn’t cutting it.
Today we did exciting things like 4 loads of laundry! I also finished the baby quilt I have been working on. I found a nice laundry in Palmer, tomorrow’s destination. I will wash it, and ship it from there.