Homer

Hoa and I found a RV park that is with the Driftwood Inn. It is small but has all the conveniences. We washed clothes and I got to trade some of my paper back books. We visited with a couple on their 50 anniversary trip. They were from Pennsylvania. They were in a Lance cab over camper just like my aunt and uncles. We drove down to the "Spit", which a thin strip of land at the tip of Homer. It is full of RV parks, gift shops, and fishing charters.                                              We visited the Homer Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. It was free and full of great things. Leann and I will have to take the boys back. It reminded me of a great place to take a classroom full of kids. We went to the camper, had lunch and went back.

Clam Gulch and Exit Glacier

Clam Gulch

Kenai Fjords Natl. Park

Before we left Seward, we tried one more time to walk out to the Glacier. We needed snow shoes, or at least the ski poles to use for balance. We almost walked up on a moose and had to tell her to move, really what we did was talk loudly and wait for it to move. There was just too much snow and ice on the trail so maybe later in the summer I will be able to do it.
We packed up and left for Homer. It was Memorial Day and lots of traffic, at least for Alaska. We stopped in Clam Gulch to watch people dig for clams. We saw one couple, but they didn't have any luck. I thought he was experienced, but found out he had googled it the night before. I think it isn't the right time of month because I was reading about it on the sign board at the trail leading down to the beach. It has to do with the tides, which means the moon is involved(I don't think I've seen the moon up here). What we did see was lots of dirt bikes and four wheelers. Darrin would love this place. We also had a pheasant fly across the road in front of us. It was beautiful.

Cruise ship

Huge cruise ship arriving in Seward. The cruise lines set up all sorts of activities and day trips for their passengers. Seward became a tourist stop for the 1 day they were here. This one made the tour boat that Hoa took look very small.

Seward Sealife Marine Center

These are egg pouches that sting rays are hatched from. Also called Mermaid purses.

Two Puffins playing.

Well we went to the Sealife center this morning. It was interesting, full of sea birds, seal, sea lions, and lots of different kinds of fish found here in Alaska. We went to a presentation on the importance of glaciers. We got to watch them feed seals. The puffins are very cute. They have a pair of them. It is too early in the season to see them in the wild. We got to touch sea anemone, star fish, sea cucumbers, and sea urchin. We watched an octopus guard her eggs. At the end of the building, which is just down the bay from where we are staying, they have an observation deck. We were standing on it and saw a whale surface. It blew water several times. We were going to go back to the national park, but it started raining after we finished eating our lunch.

Seward habor

Even with clouds it is beautiful here!

Hoa and I visited the harbor and we watch all the boats going in and out each day from our camp site. Yesterday was very drizzly and cool. The bay was rough. Today was better weather. Hoa went on a touring cruise to see whales and the glaciers. I decided to wait for Bob's family, plus I was so sick on the helicopter, I'm still scared to go yet. She said that I made the right decision because she was almost sick. She did say that the ice in and around the glacier was amazing. They saw lots of whales and the food was great! Tomorrow we are going to an ocean museum.

Kenai Fjords National Park

Well, the road was open only part way to the visitor center. The road still has too much snow on it. Hoa was going to try to walk, but the snow was stacked to 12 feet high. We took pictures of the glacier from across the river. Hopefully later in the summer I'll be back and can walk out to it. I'm not sure if it will show up in this picture but the ice looks blue under the snow. We had noticed this on the glacier in Denali. Hoa was thinking about going fishing but we woke up to very choppy water, rain and it is still only 47 at 3:00. We have sat watching the boats go by and looking at our view. Some of it is blocked by clouds but even that is beautiful.

Seward

Check out the reflection in my rear window

Fishing boats went by this morning, cruise ships go by also.

View in front of us

View in back of us

This a city park and it is has the most beautiful views that we've seen at a RV park and it is the most reasonably priced. We are headed to Kenai Fjords National Park to see the Exit Glacier.

Anchorage to Seward

Called Bleeding Heart

Left from Alaska 1964 earthquake

 The drive down here is a Scenic Byway and oh boy was it ever! Pictures are of the Turnagain Arm, the Seward Scenic Highway and Resurrection Bay in Seward. The earthquake of 1964 made the ground drop 10 feet in Portage Ak. The town was completely under water and was abandoned. This house was one of the few that wasn't under water.

Botanical garden and Mudflats

I forgot that we went to the mudflats today also. They say that they are very dangerous. You should stop where the grass stops. They look harmless but can act like quick sand. When the tide is out the mud seems to go forever. This is covered when tide is in. Also some garden picts.

More pictures

More pictures of Anchorage.

More Anchorage

 Lots of gift shops.

 Many street vendors selling fish tacos and reindeer sausages.

 This coat is made of feathers.

 We did see a wolverine on the Cassiar Hwy. in British Columbia. It was very unusual to see one.

 I was trying to get a picture of this Mew gull and he took off.

Hoa and I went to several parks today. We visited the Botanical garden and now I want to go back in Aug and see it again. Bet it will be really beautiful. We went to Kincaid Park and watched people kayak and fish for trout. Didn't see anyone catch anything though. We had supper with my cousin Jessica Chapman from La. She has been in Anchorage for almost 3yrs. She and Hoa had fun talking about their travels and we had fun talking about family. When we left, we made plans to get together when Hoa has to go home in June. We are heading for Seward tomorrow.