Our Trip to Alaska: Sights Blurbs

Summer in Gustavus and parsnip and lupine blanket the entire glacial plain, in some spots as far as the eye can see and as tall as you are. We arrived at the peak of this bloom. As these fade the fireweed replaces it, just as tall and widespread. Incredibly beautiful.

Vast fields of parsnip and lupine.



This was the first remarkable sight of the visit. Our national bird thrives in Gustavus. This one was perched in a tree just above us as we approached the beach for the first time.






Toward the end of the five day visit, I snapped this pair on the dock. I approached as near as I dared and took a first picture. These blase fellows were so nonchalant, I took another six steps to snap a closer shot. I was able to do this four times before they took any notice. I might have been able to get even closer but I was called back down the dock to board the fishing boat.

Our Trip to Alaska: On the Water Blurbs

So I ran down the dock to board our boat for the fishing trip. This is our captain, Bethany, and my brother, Phil, the engineer on this fishing trip. Phil moved to Gustavus about two years ago, but has enjoyed living in rural Alaska for almost twenty years now.



Things move a bit slowly in this part of Alaska. No McAnything here (I only counted four stores -- general store, hardware store, gas station, and gallery/ice cream combo) except this fish. Bethany took us to her favorite spot and Phil landed this 70 pound halibut within instants of getting his lure all the way to the ocean floor. I caught two fish. A 18" halibut that was far too small to keep and a flounder, too tasteless in the minds of those in the know on board. But that 70 pounder filled the bill for my mom and me. What a sight as it came into view! Bethany found the perfect spot and Phil is the expert fisherman.



Phil chartered a boat for sightseeing. The Great Sea is designed to maximize the view both on deck and within the cabin. The best photo from this trip is in my mind -- a humpback whale and her calf breaching multiple times. I had never seen it before and the image is burned into my senses. It is too easy to miss an experience in the attempts to document is, so during this time, I just put the camera away. Sea otters, sea lions, eagles, seals and whales surrounded us in the teal roiling waters off Point Adolphus. If you come to this neck of the nation, the Great Sea would be a great boat to charter - sleeps 8.





GiGi (Great Gramma), nephew John, and me. My brother crafted the railings.