Getting the last of our stuff (well at least MY stuff) crammed in to the luggage was no easy feat. As we dragged the bags down from our second floor bedroom I had a sinking feeling that there were going to be some "weight issues" once we reached the airport later that evening.
The four of us said our good-byes to Mike, Marsha and their dog, Butchie, and then loaded the luggage into our two rental cars and drove to the Sea Life Center...all of two blocks away!
The Sea Life Center, an aquarium and wildlife rescue center, is located right on the shores of Resurrection Bay. The facility was built primarily from money that came from the Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement.
The displays were interesting, especially one that had a sign that said “DO touch”. The shallow, open tanks were filled with urchins and other sea creatures and you were encouraged to reach in (with one finger) and feel them.
We spent a long time at a very large open tank that housed all sorts of sea birds. The birds were not caged and would sometimes fly right by your head! Laurel and I both took many, many photos of the sea birds (but mostly puffins!) They were so cute!
No...it wasn't raining inside...one of the birds decided to do some shaking right next to where I was taking a photo!
From the level below you could view the underwater portion of the same tank through a window. It was so interesting to see both the fish and the birds as they would dive and “fly” through the water. The birds went so fast that I wasn't able to get any underwater photos!
A statue outside the Sea Life Center.
From the Sealife Center we made a quick stop at Subway to pick up some sandwiches and then drove to the Exit Glacier, a few miles outside of town. There are regularly scheduled ranger-led walks, but our timing was off so we just hiked on our own.
Part of the trail is paved and wheelchair accessible and leads to an observation point where you can see the Exit Glacier, but we continued on and the trail became gravel and got fairly steep. The National Park Service website describes the trail as “moderately strenuous” (which I would like to point out is a very subjective evaluation!) I struggled when the trail began going uphill and debated about going all the way. Bob ended up carrying my backpack for me (along with his!) and I did make it. Bob on the other hand said he would rate the trail very easy and had no trouble whatsoever.
The trail makes a loop and is a little over two miles long, but you can not get right up next to the glacier. To do that you must take a much longer and much more strenuous trail to the Harding Ice Field (no chance!!)
On our way...
Once I got close enough to "see" the glacier, I was ready to stop, but I felt like a quitter. Bob had already reached the glacier and waved at me trying to encourage me to come all the way.
If only he had been as close as what my camera zoom made him look! In reality I still had quite a distance to hike to reach where he was standing!
But...finally I made it...and my reward was seeing the glacier up close...very close!
Exit Glacier is receding at quite a rapid rate. And although it is still a pretty big chunk of ice, the "toe" of the glacier is much less impressive than what it must have been in the not so distant past.
Following our hike, we spent a short time in the Exit Glacier visitor’s center and then it was time for us to say goodbye to Kent and Laurel. Although our trip was ending, theirs was going to continue on for a few more days. As we left to make the drive back to Anchorage, they were headed to a dog sled tour at Seavey’s Ididaride…just a few miles down the same road as Exit Glacier. Once their tour was over, they were going north…eventually ending up at Denali National Park.
We would have loved to have visited Denali, but the two weeks that we had already spent traveling was the most we could do this time. Maybe on a future visit we will be able to see and do more!
We would have loved to have visited Denali, but the two weeks that we had already spent traveling was the most we could do this time. Maybe on a future visit we will be able to see and do more!
