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Part
3
June 14th, 2002
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Heading out to
paddle to Blackstone Glacier at 11:30 pm.
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The skies are clear and
sunny, but the winds are fierce and gusty. I kept wishing for clear skies
at the glaciers. That wish came true, but I guess I forgot to also wish for
calm winds. Mom pulled the poles out of the cooking tent so the winds
wouldn't throw it to the other side of the island in the middle of the
night. We make coffee and hot tea in the sleeping tent. The glaciers are
still over 4 miles away, but even at that distance they look HUGE. After
breakfast , we decide to hike instead of paddling in the gusty winds. We
hike two miles across Williard Island through the tangle of Salmon Berry
and alders. Marshy sections along the shores of ponds are preferred to the
chest-high tangle of brush and trees that cover 80% of the island. We do
not see any bear signs, but find several areas with large piles of deer
scat. We unexpectedly arrive at a small beach on the opposite side of the
island and get a great view of Blackstone Glacier. The same view that
provides the title bar for this story!
After supper, we decide to go for a late night
paddle. We walk the kayaks down the ever-expanding beach at low tide. The
water is very calm with nothing but a faint breeze in the air. We paddle
down past the end of the island and confront the ice flows from the calving
glaciers. The ice "snaps" and "pops" as tiny waves lap
at their scalloped surfaces. We are a little over 1 mile from the glaciers
and we enjoy the view among the bobbing ice. There is a favorable breeze
for our return trip and it is fast, surreal kayaking. We arrive back to
camp at 1:00 am and there is still plenty of light to paddle by. |
| Wildlife on June 14th,
2002 |
| Harbor
Seal |
2
|
| Oyster
Catcher |
1
|
| Pigeon
Guillemot |
2
|
| Ancient
Murrelet |
1
|
| Murrelets |
4
|
| Common
Goldeneye Duck |
1
|
| Bald Eagle
(soaring in front of glacier) |
1+
|
| Black Legged
Kittiwakes (rookery) |
many
+
|
| Starfish
(green & purple) |
4
|
| Salmon
(leaping) |
3
|
|
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Vertical
quartz veins in a boulder along the beach.
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Bald Eagle
perched high in the trees.
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June 15th, 2002
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View of
Blackstone Bay from our camp.
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The day starts without a cloud in the sky and no
wind! We pack up the gear and leave Williard Island as the tide approaches
its high point. It is a beautiful Saturday and there are many
"recreaters" out and about.... fishing, picnicking, cruising. It
is surprising to see so many people after a full week of lighter human
presence. We break for lunch at 13 mile beach and watch two loons feeding
in a frenzy and following a perceived "bait ball" in the water. A
group of Kittiwakes catch on to the opportunity and descend on the scene.
The loons seem annoyed at the Kittiwakes and make a hasty retreat. There
are many Pigeon Guillemots at one area and we guess that it might shelter
nesting colonies. They zoom low over the water with their bright red feet
dangling behind their stout, dark bodies.
While paddling very close to the cliffs I see three
river otters. They cautiously peer around a rock and simultaneously rise
out of the water to their bellies for a better look. Their inquisitive
looks only last a few seconds as they quickly vanish back into the water.
Two merganser ducks make a low flyby as we round the corner to Decision
Point. We camp at the high traffic camp at Decision Point and are joined
for cocoa and tea by two seperate soloist sea kayakers. There is lively
talk about the great place we are surrounded by and we are in equal
appreciation for the wildlife and natural state of the landscape. Alaskans
are grand soloists! |
| Wildlife on June 15th,
2002 |
| Common Loons
(feeding) |
2
|
| Black Legged
Kittiwakes |
many
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| Pigeon
Guillemots |
8+
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| Bald
Eagles |
3+
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| Land Otters
(family) |
3
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| Merganser
Ducks (male & female) |
2
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| Salmon
(leaping) |
3
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| Crows |
many
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| Jellyfish
("moon" & "fried eggs") |
many
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|
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Blackstone Glacier is a tidewater glacier that regularly
calves.
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The forests
shade a thick carpet of flowers and plants.
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Bald Eagle soaring past "45 minute beach."
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June 16th,
2002
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Mossy forest
of spruce and hemlock.
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Another cloudless day greets us! I start the day with coffee on
the beach in sandals and shorts. We pack the boats at a leisurely pace and
say "goodbye" to the other two kayakers as they head off in their
seperate directions. This is the final leg of the trip and we launch the
kayaks and start to paddle into Passage Canal towards Whittier. I have the
best paddling session of the trip as I paddle two miles without a single
pause and hold a steady stroke pace that feels smooth and efficient. We
cover 5 miles before stopping at a pollen-covered beach for a quick break.
Jellyfish pulse by in the dark green water. Fishing and sailing boats buzz
around and a 100 foot long trimaran whizzes past doing at least 40
knots.
We round a point and mom suggests a final break
at "45 minute beach". There are two people having lunch at the
spot and they turn out to be good friends of my mom's who are just starting
there week-long kayaking mission in the Sound. We enjoy a snack and watch
two bald eagles engaged in the "death spiral" mating ritual. They
entangle their feet about 50 feet off the water and tumble towards the
waves below. Just when you think they are going to hit the surface they
break apart and regain their altitude. I imagine that sometimes they also
hit the water. The natural landscape of Prince William Sound has been a
great location for a very enjoyable trip. I begin to think about the women
I've known like that bald eagle and I realize that I am also eager to
return to home to my city life. We paddle the last few miles to Whittier on
glassy calm water and load the kayaks back onto the roof of the car. Thanks
for a great trip, mom!
|
| Wildlife on June 16th,
2002 |
| Hairless Rock
Apes (close up) |
2
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| Stellar
Jay |
2+1
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| Small Trout or
Dolly Varden (in creek) |
3
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| Bald
Eagles |
5+
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| Bald Eagles
(entangling claws and falling) |
2
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| Pigeon
Guillemot |
1
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| Black Legged
Kittiwakes |
many
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| Glaucous
Gulls |
5
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| Jellyfish
("moon" & "fried eggs") |
many
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Alder and
spruce pollen lay thick in the surf.
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Passage Canal
under a cloudless sky.
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Crescent moon setting at 12:30 am on Sunday, June
16th.
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Email your comments or questions
about this story to bob@thedigitalbob.com
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