Sea Lions, Whales, Glaciers, Oh My!
By Moira Finn
For the nature and wildlife fanatic traveling through Alaska, look no further than a cruise through the Kenai Fjords National Park to fulfill your interests. There are several companies in town that offer cruises through the fjords and take you up close and personal with tidewater glaciers. You have the option of taking either a larger double decker boat or if you prefer a more secluded experience, you can certainly do a personalized tour with a maximum of 6 people. It typically takes a couple hours to get out to the terminus of the glacier depending on which wildlife sightings you encounter along the way. Keep your eyes peeled and your hopes up, and you’re bound to have an incredible time.
Our cruise departed from the small boat harbor in town in the late morning on a rainy and overcast day with roller coaster like seas---ideal for the thrill seeker like myself. Disclaimer: if you’re prone to sea-sickness (like half of the people on my trip), remember to pack some Dramamine! I have been on a number of whale watching trips in the past, each one feeling like the first time because of my love of marine life and eagerness to see something new. It is especially fun to be accompanied by a crew of people entirely new to the experience, making it feel just as exciting. I definitely recommend bringing playing cards and extra snacks with you on the trip---and maybe a bottle of wine or two---as the day can feel much longer than it is when you’re out on the water and it’s best to be prepared.
About 35 miles south out of the harbor, we approached the Chiswell Islands and came across a haul-out of what looked like hundreds of Steller sea lions lazily sun bathing. It was such an iconic sight to see them in all their blubbery glory without a care in the world. We idled for some time which allowed us to hear them barking and roaring at one another---a habit of their territorial and competitive nature. Male Steller sea lions can grow up to 11ft long and weigh a whopping 2,500lbs while the females are much more delicate at 9.5ft and 800lbs---essentially the same size as a brown bear. While we gawked, some of them decided it was feeding time and began scooting themselves down the rock and plopping into the water, which lead us to wonder---with their massive slimy bodies---how in the world do they get themselves back up there?
We continued our trip towards Aialik Glacier and the staff on board served us our delicious lunch wraps. Right as we finished chowing down, the captain made an announcement to hurry outside and check out the scene. Although extremely rare, we spotted a group of humpback whales bubble net feeding---one of the most fascinating learned feeding behaviors by marine mammals. Typically in groups of up to 20, the whales will circle a school of fish for a short while to disorient them. They then dive down and begin exhaling out of their blowholes aiming towards the fish. When the time is right, one whale then leads the group to lunge themselves out of the water and catch a mouthful of their prey. Since humpbacks are migratory and do not eat at all during their breeding season---merely relying on their fat reserves---they need to feed as much and as often as they can---up to 22 hours a day! It was a priceless moment to experience and felt as if the whales were simply trying to impress us.
Although we could have followed the whales all day, we had to resume our cruise through Aialik Bay headed straight towards the massive glacier. It is hard to accurately comprehend the immensity of a glacier until you’re up close and personal with it and can actually grasp its scale. As we approached our viewpoint, we were welcomed by a raft of otters cuddling each other and giving us inquisitive looks. Once we were close enough and our captain stopped the boat, everyone bolted to the outside decks with their cameras ready to capture the perfect picture. The gray skies highlighted the crystal blue shade of the ice and all of its texture. Almost immediately after snapping a quick photo session, a giant chunk of ice began falling off the face of Aialik. If you have yet to view a tidewater glacier actively calving, it is a spectacular sight. What makes it even more epic is the thunder-like sound that accompanies the breaking away of the ice chunks. As far as we were concerned, nature was putting on a pretty stellar show for us.
Despite the slight drizzle and ferocious winds, we couldn’t take our eyes off this beauty even as we sailed away---there’s something so bewildering about looking at remnants of the last ice age. We waved goodbye to our new otter buddies, and felt a sense of sadness knowing that these glaciers are ephemeral and will continue to melt away. Although Alaska has nearly 30,000 glaciers---most of which are unnamed---they are receding at record rates and could very well vanish before our children’s generations have a chance to see them. Now more than ever is the time to experience the bountiful beauty of Alaska, especially in the Kenai Fjords National Park. From the wildlife, to the fjords and glaciers, you will be inspired and stunned by the transcendent nature we have to offer here in the Last Frontier.
Written By Moira Finn aka “Moira the Explorer”
