My coworker, Christian, took this photo from one of our small boats. I am in the middle in the orange, setting up a paddle high-five in front of Holgate Glacier.
I led a wonderful, five mile kayak trip today in the beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, Alaska. My group of ten and I paddle through a fjord, past thousand foot waterfalls, up to the face of Holgate Glacier. This glacier had some of the bluest ice that I've seen. It was very low tide, and the glacier was resting on a sandy/rocky bottom, so we were able to safely get very close.
On our paddle we came across a family of river otters as well as a mom and baby sea otter. There were a few water birds, with the horned puffin being the big star. But the glacier was by far the most memorable sight of the morning. I don't think the guests will forget looking up from the kayaks at a two hundred foot tall wall of ice, disappearing off into the horizon in front of them.
There is something so special about exploring an area like this by kayak. The silence of your mode of transportation opens your senses up to the nature around you. And you get a good workout as a bonus!
We haven't seen too many rhinocerus auklets yet, but they are here in force now!
A very cute sea otter, seeming to be waving hello to us.
A regal eagle sits atop a branch, overlooking the inlet.
Horned puffin in flight.
Even closer horned puffin in flight!
The two were part of a larger family of river otters. They were swimming along the shallows, then all together got out and scampered off amongst the large boulders on shore.
A beautiful sight to wake up to. We found our way our Aialik Inlet to a massive glacier at its terminus. Not a bad place to sip your morning coffee.
Kayakers getting a close peek at Holgate Glacier.
Two of our guests finding their stride as we kayak in front of Holgate Glacier.
Launching our first kayak of the trip. This is a big 10 day trip from Seward to Dutch Harbor, Alaska. We start in Kenai Fjords with a kayak to Holgate Glacier.
Kayaking in some of the most beautiful fjords on earth.
There are beautiful sights everywhere you look here in Kenai Fjords National Park.
I really liked how this ice must have been perfectly in position to be left here ontop of this rock by the receding tide.
We had a very low tide this morning, and it really showed how Holgate Glacier is mostly grounded at this point. It sits on top of rock and black sand, crumbling at its face. This allowed us to get much closer than we could safely get to a deeper tidewater glacier.
Connor getting a close up look at Holgate Glacier.
We had a great paddle this morning, totaling almost 5 miles.
Stranded ice in front of the glacier.
I always like taking people along the shoreline. The dark strip just above the water on the rocks is thousands of blue mussels.
Kayaking in front of the ice garden at the face of Holgate Glacier.
I'm always intrigued by glacial ice stuck on the beach by the low tide.
We could almost kayak up to this waterfall.
I made sure to take a photo from far away of the entire glacier so I can compare it in future years to see how the glacier is moving.
This reminded me of the Three Bears Falls near Hana, Maui. Beauty everywhere you look.
As always, keep traveling and keep posting!
- Dai Mar