Flukes

I decided to sit up on the front deck today, with my head feeling a bit clearer, to watch the water and the land pass around me while losing myself in the book I’m reading right now. It might have just been luck, but I’m convinced that it’s something more, that I looked up from the pages just in time to see a whale off the port side of the boat toss its fluke (tail) in the air. For those that travel in locations with whales, this is a blessed event. Often we see them surface, or see a blow of air and water off in the distance, but fluking is something special, and truly a sight to behold.

The start of a whale fluking starts with a larger than normal arch of his back, that when you’ve spent enough time around whales you can recognize and you start to get excited about what is coming next. As the arch rounds into the water the whale reveals its beautiful fluke.

I was getting the feeling during this voyage north that I was early. I felt as if I had somehow jumped the gun on the rhythm of life with the land and was heading into a place that wasn’t ready for me or for what my part would be in it. I come to Alaska to paddle, to show people how alive and beautiful this marine environment truly is. Yet, there is still snow at sea level and I can’t help but think that the bays are still clogged with ice.

Yet the whales are here. The whales spend their winters calving and nursing their young off the warm coasts of Hawaii and only come up to the chilly Alaskan waters in the summers to feed. At the end of march I would have expected them to only be about as far north as Seattle or Vancouver, but here they are, in the waters between Kake and Juneau, diving to the depths getting a head start on their summer feeding.

I was going to take this as an omen that summer was coming, but then it started snowing. So instead I’m choosing to take this as an omen that I’m not early at all, I’m right on time, the whale said so. 

Tonight I'm in Juneau, AK. I tried to go for a stroll and check out some of the local shops, but everything closed at 5. I guess before tourist season really kicks into gear there isn't much reason to stay open any later. Hopefully on my next swing through town the skies will be less snowy and we can get out and see Juneau in all its capital glory. 

Ferry Boats

Ok, so I count Grey’s Anatomy as one of my guilty pleasures, though I guess with its popularity I shouldn’t be so shameful of it. Anyway, on last week’s episode Meredith tells the chief of surgery that Derek needs his “ferry boats” scrub cap to operate on Izzy. She says it’s his lucky cap as he loves ferry boats, and I can see why.

This is my third trip up to spend the season in Alaska, and I can’t believe I’m even saying that. This year however, I am forgoing the popular Alcan Highway, for the Alaska Marine Highway instead. I had a few reasons for this change of itinerary, the least of which being I was just tired of driving the Alcan. Don’t get me wrong, the Alaskan Highway (known to most of its travelers as the Alcan) is absolutely beautiful, and an experience in of itself. Yet taking the time to do it again by myself seemed unnecessary. Also, this year Duane and I will be going to Gustavus, Alaska, and not Haines. There are no roads to Gustavus, so driving directly there is not an option. Instead the boat must be barged there from Juneau. There aren’t any roads to Juneau either (the state capital), the only way in and out of the city is by water, hence the ferry system. So I’m on route from Prince Rupert, BC (where ferry tickets are much cheaper than if you decide to ride up from Bellingham, WA) to Juneau, AK. There the loyal Subaru will wait for 3.5 weeks while I go to Haines to get some work done at our main office there. 

On the Road Again

I guess it’s time for an update, as this blog is about living in Alaska and I am currently en route up north. I left two days ago from Salt Lake City to drive up to Prince Rupert, BC where I will board the ferry to Juneau. The drive was tiringly predictable. It was dark for most of Utah, Montana was mostly flat, and the border crossing was crowded.

To top it all off I was coming down with a wicked head and chest cold and said a tearful good bye to Duane since he won’t be able to join me up north until the beginning of May. Not the best conditions to start a long drive. C’est la vive!

I did make the best of it though and explore some new places on the way north. Previous journeys have found me staying in and enjoying Jasper, AB. I’ve spent enough time now in that town to have a favorite restaurant and bakery, but it was just too far for this trip north, so I stopped in Canmore instead. Canmore is just shy of Banff, AB and sadly all I really saw of it was the main drag that reminded me of well, every other ski town in America (ahem, Canada). Still, it was quaint and welcoming and served up a great cup of tea before starting off on the second leg of the drive.

Day 2 started off fairly familiar with the “Ice Fields Parkway” between Lake Louise and Jasper. Only this time it came with new challenges: darkness and snow. It was a slow drive over the mountains, but it yielded a fantastic sunrise. From Jasper I changed course and headed due west instead of my usual northward drive. All new roads from here on out into Prince George and on to Prince Rupert, and they were great, at least what I can remember of them. I think I lost most of the day to the daze of cold medicine and just staring at the road. Oops.

Staying in Prince Rupert, BC tonight. Honestly this town is more run down than I was expecting. The outside of my hotel looks like something out of a gloomy horror movie but inside was very bright and cheery. There was also a very large burned down building right on main street that had not yet been cleared. I wondered why this town was so run down, but then I guess the only reason that anyone would drive all the way out here would be to jump on the ferry. Prince Rupert is a port town, with only one road in and out and the next biggest city, Prince George, is some 650km away. As for the gloom, I’m going to blame the Tylenol PM and the misting Northwestern rain for that impression, and not Prince Rupert itself.