Beautiful Seward – a port city in southern Alaska set on an inlet on the Kenai Peninsula.  It’s a gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, where more than 38 glaciers flow from the Harding Icefield into coastal fjords that are a whale and porpoise habitat;-)  Kenai Fjords NP was established in 1980, covers almost 670,000 acres and contains the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the US!  It is named for the numerous fjords, a long, narrow inlet carved by the glaciers moving down the mountains from the ice field.  Most of the park is accessible only by boat, plane or a hike.  Our option for the day – and a beautiful day it turned out to be – was boat.  Off we go – –

Seward marina – the starting point for a boat tour of the Kenai Fjords NP.

The assignment of the day was to see how many of the 38 glaciers could be seen AND how much wildlife could be seen.

First up – Bear Glacier while leaving port.

The area around the Chiswell Islands provided some great shots, especially with the cloud cover.

Spire Cove shrouded in clouds created a mysterious look.

Great water effects created by the wave action.

The various animals were also enjoying a little sunshine – –

A lazy harbor seal.

These Steller sea lions were having a noisy turf battle on this haulout.

Hard to catch a shot of the Tufted Puffins. They spend a lot of time under water.

This humpback whale was elusive, just giving us brief peaks.

Finally – more of the star attractions – glaciers!  These wonders currently cover only approximately 10% of earth’s land surfaces – but, hold about 75% of the planet’s fresh water!!  Our ‘star’ today is Holgate Glacier – a tidewater glacier flowing directly into the ocean waters.  As it comes in contact with warmer water calving results – massive chunks of glacier rumbling and crashing into the water.  This is ‘the event’ to see at the foot of these glaciers!  Fingers crossed we will see this phenomenon today;-)

Approaching the Holgate Glacier.

Mother nature’s artistry at work.

The seals didn’t seem too concerned about any falling ice.

YEAH!!  Calving – and G captured it!!  (The noise was very loud.)

Glaciers, calving, whales, seals, puffins, beautiful afternoon – what more could one ask for?!?!?

Trip over – returning to the Seward marina.

Again, our few short days in Seward must come to an end and we are off to (re)visit the Stinson’s, including kids and grandkids, in Girdwood;-)

E & G excited for more Stinson family and glacier excitement!!