We arrived in Valdez on Sunday to more rain. And the rain has continued almost the entire time that we have been here. Surrounded by high mountains, Valdez must be stunning in sunshine. Hopefully, we will see her mountains before we depart.
Valdez has proven to be a wildlife treasure. Near the fishery, we have seen diving eagles, laughing gulls, dancing seals, playful otters, and hungry bears. Depending on whether it is low or high tide, visitors catch glimpses of one or more of these marvelous animals. They are all drawn to the same source: salmon.
Concerned about the overfishing of salmon, Alaska has developed several fisheries. The fishery in Valdez stocks pinks. Extremely successful, there are so many salmon trying to reach their birthing ground that the fishery has made the ladders extremely difficult to traverse, restricting the numbers that return to spawn.
As a result, many salmon die at the mouth of the ladders. Along a trail of struggling salmon, a variety of animals come to find a meal. During the day, eagles and gulls feast. Late evening, when tourists become fewer, bears come to gorge themselves.
In some respects, it feels like total carnage with thousands of desperate salmon struggling to make the distance, dodging talons and teeth and barriers too great to overcome. Doomed to die, they thrash in puddles of water left after the tide recedes while the sqwaking, laughing gulls peck at them. I admit that I feel sorry for the salmon. But this is the cycle of life… and has been since creation.
On our first night visiting the fishery, we witnessed a mother brown bear playing with her three cubs. An adolescent black bear made his way upstream to catch his dinner. A pair of eagles shared a meal of freshly caught salmon while gulls hungrily waited for their leftovers.
On Wednesday, we took an all-day boat tour, visiting two tidal glaciers, including the retreating Columbian Glacier and the advancing Meares Glacier. We shivered as the wind blew off icebergs and the blue glacier face before witnessing the Meares calving.
Considered a wildlife boat tour, the crew certainly delivered. We saw many groups of sea lions, harbor seals, and otters. As we skirted close to an island, we saw a black bear climbing a log. In open water, a pod of Dall’s porpoise glided past us at lightening speeds. I was able to photograph the rare and funny horned puffins. And we were most blessed to see a humpback whale mother and baby.
We were in thick fog when we left and returned to Prince Williams Sound. One of the ladies who shared their table with us for meals was from Fairbanks. She told us that the rain was beginning to get to everyone. With winters being so dark, Alaskans relish the sunlight of summer. The rain was dampening everyone’s spirits.
She was showing her childhood friend the Alaskan sites. We found their company to be delightful and chatted about the shared independent spirits found in both Texans and Alaskans.
Today we visited Valdez museums and the old town site that was washed away by the tsunami following the 1964 earthquake. Once more, we will visit the fishery tonight, hoping for more opportunities to photograph wildlife.
Tomorrow we leave Valdez to climb to the mouth of Worthington Glacier about thirty miles north. We will drive to Glenallen or beyond for a campground. The wind off the glaciers is so frigid that we fear our sleeping bags are too light to keep us warm if we camp near Worthington.
We will most likely be out of internet access until we reach Anchorage. Until then, dear friends, vaya con Dios.
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