Carolyn, the boys and Stan stood on the upper deck of our tour boat, leaning on the rail, watching as a darling little otter swam lazily around among the other boats anchored there at the dock. He was just swimming there on his back, enjoying all the treats he was getting. He loved the attention. He was being spoiled rotten and loved every second.
We were in the town of Seward, Alaska, about two hours from Anchorage. We were about to leave on a six hour tour of the mysterious world called the ocean.
You know we as humans can walk, explore and stand in awe, at what we see around us. But not many of us have the privilege of traveling under the great deep waters of the oceans. We didn't get to go down but we did spend a wonderful six hours out in the open waters and became a bit more acquainted with the life out there. So hop aboard with us as we take you on this mysterious, magnificent voyage of the underneath world.
After warning everyone about motion sickness, the captain guided the boat out of its port, and into the open seas. We stood there on the upper deck, the wind blowing our hair and a slight chill surrounded us. The water boiled up around our boat as we moved out to open waters, going 30 mph, was Stan's guess.
"The depth of the water at this point is 1,000 feet" the captain's voice said over the intercom.
1,000 feet! Just imagine. That's a lot of water! I tried to imagine what went on down under all that water? What was life like in those dark, black waters? Goodness just think of the Creator who made all those oceans, put all that life down there. How beautiful is all of His handwork? How small was I standing there on the deck of that tour boat? Well we were soon to find out.
The captain slowed the boat and said "Out there on top of those dolphins you will see a bald eagle These birds are proud. They hold their heads high and take pride in their strengths."
I thought already? A real dolphin? But no. There sticking up out of the water was a 10 x 10 piece of framework. And sitting proudly on the top was this beautiful bald eagle. I guess these "dolphins" have something to do with shipping crude oil. How on earth does a man get those things out there in the water is a mystery to me. But they were there, and that eagle was sitting proudly on top, its head high, its wings held tight to his side. As we sat and watched, he put out those large, strong wings, gave a flap and was off, flying into the great beyond, over that huge body of water.
As we got further out, we noticed that the water was not a deep blue, but a dark color. Almost black. Keat, our grandson, told us it was because it was so deep. It made me a little nervous to think we were in such deep water. One thing I knew for sure! I was going to stay in the boat!
The landscape was beautiful. As we traveled in the black waters, you could see mountains on both sides of you, the tree covered ones blending with the bare black rocky ones. On top of some of those bare ones, you could see snow laying half way down the sides. Every once in awhile a cluster of black rock would be popping its head out of the waters, making it look so magnificent. It was breathtaking really out there on the deck of that tour boat.
Around noon we came to a place in the ocean where the waves were different. It was very rough but it wasn't waves, it was different. It was like the water was rolling. You looked out and it was just rolling. One wave after another. Just roll after roll after roll. Of course the boat went with the rolls! Up and down, up and down it went. The captain explained that in this area of the ocean, the water was coming from three different directions, causing the rolling motion. Now isn't that interesting. What a mystery! Three different directions. Why?
Well about that time is when we got a little bit cold so decided to go inside the cabin. That was ALSO the time they decided to feed us! A huge mistake!. I didn't eat to much as the motion of the boat wasn't feeling real good! But the rest of the gang ate as if the end was coming. After a bit I went outside to sit at the back of the boat. It wasn't long until Carolyn and Kaber joined me. Within a half hour the back of that boat was getting quite popular! For some unknown reason, Keat and Stan's tummy's stayed just like they were suppose to. At one point I asked Keat if he needed something and he said "Yea a hot chocolate!" We bought some fast working motion sickness pills and gave them to those who was looking a bit green. They worked wonders! So on we go with our tour.
We watched as a humpback whale played in the water. You would first see a spray of water shoot up above the surface, then as you watched, the black back of the whale would surface, arch a little above the water and disappear back underneath. He appears to be an easy going animal, just playing there in the water. The captain told us that he has a very loud cry. It can be heard for miles under that black water and they are very smart. Do you ever wonder if he sleeps or how he sleeps?
We came upon a rocky little island to our left. The sun was shining down on those rocks and laying there enjoying themselves were bunches of sea lions. Some were separate from the others, some were piled on top of each other, and some were throwing their head around in the air and crying out. The captain told us that they were talking to us! Can you believe that? Yes he said that these little fellows were really quite friendly. They enjoyed company. As we watched and listened to their honking, one little guy got to brave and came flying down the side of a rock and splash! right into the water.
At one point we circled around and stopped. The captain has spotted a porpoise, so we waited, but no one appeared. The captain explained that these little fellows are very shy. They don't enjoy attention. Isn't that something? They are a lot like us. Some bold, some friendly, and then some are shy. I kind of fell in love with that little guy. We never saw him so moved on and left him to his privacy.
We are quite a way out now. All you see is the mountains along the shore line and water and sky. Then ahead of us is a tall sheer group of rock reaching up above the boat. We circle this island of rock and the captain asked us to look at the cracks of the rock. There inside were bunches of birds. This was the home of the puffin and sea gull. They were sitting everywhere. It was a real sight. As we watched they would glide out over the water, and dip down to get something. They were just there, in their own little world. Dipping and gliding and sitting among the rocks.
We had finally came to the climax of the whole trip!! It was getting onto the late afternoon when our tour boat came upon a sight to behold. We were traveling at a good speed, water boiling up around us. We were all out on deck as the captain told us that we were coming to the glacier. We traveled past some black mountains with its tops covered with snow and ice, some tumbling down the sides. Then there it was. A huge glittering, pure white glacier setting there between the two black rocky mountains. We were still quite a ways from it, so we circled around and came closer. As we got closer, we could hear something hitting the side of our boat. Looking down we saw chunks of ice floating there in the water. The captain stopped the boat so we could look and take pictures. As we sat there, a large chunk of ice broke loose from up above and came sliding down that huge glacier and splashed into the waters below. The captain told us that that was a bonus. Not everyone gets to see that happening.
It was time to head back to port. As we sped out across the waters, I joined a few other passengers at the back of the boat. We sat there visiting as the glacier became smaller and smaller and finally disappeared from sight. Good bye, we thought, to a world unknown to most of us. To a world of its own, in those deep, black, churning waters of the Pacific.
Carolyn wasn't done yet. We had to take a hike into the trees and to a "hand drawn tram" So here we go. Ready for this one?? It's exciting, to put it mildly!
The trail started out like any other trail. We were about to walk in our first "rain forest" and it was simply beautiful! Just beautiful! The trail was wide and gravel lay across it. Tall pines grew all around us. But these pines were different. Their branches started high on the trunk. So as you walked that trail, you could look out for a long ways, out among those pines and you would see a beautiful plant growing about a foot tall. It was beautiful mingled there among those brown pine trunks, showing off its large deep green leaves.
After a little while the trail turned to a single one, but you still looked out and saw those pine trunks, and those beautiful dark green plants. It was breathtaking. It was like you were walking in a different world. Up one hill and down you would go around a curve and then straight.
Then you could hear it. Faint at first and then louder. The roar of water as it made it's way down over rocks and on to the great Pacific. You could hear it, but it was all hidden from your view. We walked around a curve on the trail and there it was. You were standing of the ridge of a canyon and 50 feet below was the rushing, roaring river, sending up sprays of white water as it tumbled over rocks and on to the ocean. You just stood there in awe. You stood there and watched the power of that water.
Then it is your turn. Yes reaching across that wide canyon is two strong cables. At least you hope they are strong! And hanging from them is a open tram! It is all open except for some rods and wire stretched half way up on all sides.
Carolyn and the boys have already gone across. Another couple were on their way back to our side. Now it was us that had to take it back across to Carolyn and the boys. AND THEN we had only one way to get back to the car!! Yes come back across that river AGAIN! So here we go!
"Pull Stan. I mean fast!" I shouted closing my eyes tight! We were now out in the middle of that canyon. I could hear the river roaring below. 50 feet below. We were just setting there, swinging on those cables! Talk about having faith in a couple cables!! What else does a person do out there in the middle of a deep canyon? He was not pulling us across. He was loving the scene. I tried but I could not open my eyes! It was so far down there. So we hung there. Me breathing deep and Stan looking all around and down, telling me "Wow honey isn't this something." "It's something alright. Can we go now Please?" Finally together we got across to the other side.
The kids loved it. They spent forever out there hanging over that river taking pictures and posing. Keat rode it back to us and took us back to the other side. On our return trip I opened one eye a fraction of a peek.
Well I will say good bye for this time and Monday we will tell beautiful Alaska good bye as we take our last hike and board United for our trip home.
We were in the town of Seward, Alaska, about two hours from Anchorage. We were about to leave on a six hour tour of the mysterious world called the ocean.
You know we as humans can walk, explore and stand in awe, at what we see around us. But not many of us have the privilege of traveling under the great deep waters of the oceans. We didn't get to go down but we did spend a wonderful six hours out in the open waters and became a bit more acquainted with the life out there. So hop aboard with us as we take you on this mysterious, magnificent voyage of the underneath world.
After warning everyone about motion sickness, the captain guided the boat out of its port, and into the open seas. We stood there on the upper deck, the wind blowing our hair and a slight chill surrounded us. The water boiled up around our boat as we moved out to open waters, going 30 mph, was Stan's guess.
"The depth of the water at this point is 1,000 feet" the captain's voice said over the intercom.
1,000 feet! Just imagine. That's a lot of water! I tried to imagine what went on down under all that water? What was life like in those dark, black waters? Goodness just think of the Creator who made all those oceans, put all that life down there. How beautiful is all of His handwork? How small was I standing there on the deck of that tour boat? Well we were soon to find out.
The captain slowed the boat and said "Out there on top of those dolphins you will see a bald eagle These birds are proud. They hold their heads high and take pride in their strengths."
I thought already? A real dolphin? But no. There sticking up out of the water was a 10 x 10 piece of framework. And sitting proudly on the top was this beautiful bald eagle. I guess these "dolphins" have something to do with shipping crude oil. How on earth does a man get those things out there in the water is a mystery to me. But they were there, and that eagle was sitting proudly on top, its head high, its wings held tight to his side. As we sat and watched, he put out those large, strong wings, gave a flap and was off, flying into the great beyond, over that huge body of water.
As we got further out, we noticed that the water was not a deep blue, but a dark color. Almost black. Keat, our grandson, told us it was because it was so deep. It made me a little nervous to think we were in such deep water. One thing I knew for sure! I was going to stay in the boat!
The landscape was beautiful. As we traveled in the black waters, you could see mountains on both sides of you, the tree covered ones blending with the bare black rocky ones. On top of some of those bare ones, you could see snow laying half way down the sides. Every once in awhile a cluster of black rock would be popping its head out of the waters, making it look so magnificent. It was breathtaking really out there on the deck of that tour boat.
Around noon we came to a place in the ocean where the waves were different. It was very rough but it wasn't waves, it was different. It was like the water was rolling. You looked out and it was just rolling. One wave after another. Just roll after roll after roll. Of course the boat went with the rolls! Up and down, up and down it went. The captain explained that in this area of the ocean, the water was coming from three different directions, causing the rolling motion. Now isn't that interesting. What a mystery! Three different directions. Why?
Well about that time is when we got a little bit cold so decided to go inside the cabin. That was ALSO the time they decided to feed us! A huge mistake!. I didn't eat to much as the motion of the boat wasn't feeling real good! But the rest of the gang ate as if the end was coming. After a bit I went outside to sit at the back of the boat. It wasn't long until Carolyn and Kaber joined me. Within a half hour the back of that boat was getting quite popular! For some unknown reason, Keat and Stan's tummy's stayed just like they were suppose to. At one point I asked Keat if he needed something and he said "Yea a hot chocolate!" We bought some fast working motion sickness pills and gave them to those who was looking a bit green. They worked wonders! So on we go with our tour.
We watched as a humpback whale played in the water. You would first see a spray of water shoot up above the surface, then as you watched, the black back of the whale would surface, arch a little above the water and disappear back underneath. He appears to be an easy going animal, just playing there in the water. The captain told us that he has a very loud cry. It can be heard for miles under that black water and they are very smart. Do you ever wonder if he sleeps or how he sleeps?
We came upon a rocky little island to our left. The sun was shining down on those rocks and laying there enjoying themselves were bunches of sea lions. Some were separate from the others, some were piled on top of each other, and some were throwing their head around in the air and crying out. The captain told us that they were talking to us! Can you believe that? Yes he said that these little fellows were really quite friendly. They enjoyed company. As we watched and listened to their honking, one little guy got to brave and came flying down the side of a rock and splash! right into the water.
At one point we circled around and stopped. The captain has spotted a porpoise, so we waited, but no one appeared. The captain explained that these little fellows are very shy. They don't enjoy attention. Isn't that something? They are a lot like us. Some bold, some friendly, and then some are shy. I kind of fell in love with that little guy. We never saw him so moved on and left him to his privacy.
We are quite a way out now. All you see is the mountains along the shore line and water and sky. Then ahead of us is a tall sheer group of rock reaching up above the boat. We circle this island of rock and the captain asked us to look at the cracks of the rock. There inside were bunches of birds. This was the home of the puffin and sea gull. They were sitting everywhere. It was a real sight. As we watched they would glide out over the water, and dip down to get something. They were just there, in their own little world. Dipping and gliding and sitting among the rocks.
We had finally came to the climax of the whole trip!! It was getting onto the late afternoon when our tour boat came upon a sight to behold. We were traveling at a good speed, water boiling up around us. We were all out on deck as the captain told us that we were coming to the glacier. We traveled past some black mountains with its tops covered with snow and ice, some tumbling down the sides. Then there it was. A huge glittering, pure white glacier setting there between the two black rocky mountains. We were still quite a ways from it, so we circled around and came closer. As we got closer, we could hear something hitting the side of our boat. Looking down we saw chunks of ice floating there in the water. The captain stopped the boat so we could look and take pictures. As we sat there, a large chunk of ice broke loose from up above and came sliding down that huge glacier and splashed into the waters below. The captain told us that that was a bonus. Not everyone gets to see that happening.
It was time to head back to port. As we sped out across the waters, I joined a few other passengers at the back of the boat. We sat there visiting as the glacier became smaller and smaller and finally disappeared from sight. Good bye, we thought, to a world unknown to most of us. To a world of its own, in those deep, black, churning waters of the Pacific.
Carolyn wasn't done yet. We had to take a hike into the trees and to a "hand drawn tram" So here we go. Ready for this one?? It's exciting, to put it mildly!
The trail started out like any other trail. We were about to walk in our first "rain forest" and it was simply beautiful! Just beautiful! The trail was wide and gravel lay across it. Tall pines grew all around us. But these pines were different. Their branches started high on the trunk. So as you walked that trail, you could look out for a long ways, out among those pines and you would see a beautiful plant growing about a foot tall. It was beautiful mingled there among those brown pine trunks, showing off its large deep green leaves.
After a little while the trail turned to a single one, but you still looked out and saw those pine trunks, and those beautiful dark green plants. It was breathtaking. It was like you were walking in a different world. Up one hill and down you would go around a curve and then straight.
Then you could hear it. Faint at first and then louder. The roar of water as it made it's way down over rocks and on to the great Pacific. You could hear it, but it was all hidden from your view. We walked around a curve on the trail and there it was. You were standing of the ridge of a canyon and 50 feet below was the rushing, roaring river, sending up sprays of white water as it tumbled over rocks and on to the ocean. You just stood there in awe. You stood there and watched the power of that water.
Then it is your turn. Yes reaching across that wide canyon is two strong cables. At least you hope they are strong! And hanging from them is a open tram! It is all open except for some rods and wire stretched half way up on all sides.
Carolyn and the boys have already gone across. Another couple were on their way back to our side. Now it was us that had to take it back across to Carolyn and the boys. AND THEN we had only one way to get back to the car!! Yes come back across that river AGAIN! So here we go!
"Pull Stan. I mean fast!" I shouted closing my eyes tight! We were now out in the middle of that canyon. I could hear the river roaring below. 50 feet below. We were just setting there, swinging on those cables! Talk about having faith in a couple cables!! What else does a person do out there in the middle of a deep canyon? He was not pulling us across. He was loving the scene. I tried but I could not open my eyes! It was so far down there. So we hung there. Me breathing deep and Stan looking all around and down, telling me "Wow honey isn't this something." "It's something alright. Can we go now Please?" Finally together we got across to the other side.
The kids loved it. They spent forever out there hanging over that river taking pictures and posing. Keat rode it back to us and took us back to the other side. On our return trip I opened one eye a fraction of a peek.
Well I will say good bye for this time and Monday we will tell beautiful Alaska good bye as we take our last hike and board United for our trip home.
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