Canada's NW National Parks

Here are some picture of our first day in Canada.
We crossed from Glacier Nat Park in Montana into Alberta....
then to Calgary and towards Banff.

Lots of green farmer's fields from the border to the big city of Calgary.

But, finally we are in Banff National Park. What a place!

They build bridges over the roadways...not for cars, but for animals!

They have fenced out the wildlife, so the animals cross on their own "overpass" above the road!

They claim to have decreased road kill by 80%.

Did you notice the French on the sign?

Well, when you cross to British Columbia, it is back to English only.

And at last, the resort at Banff! What a great place to stop and enjoy an ice cream!

More about the trip on the next blog.

Trip up the AlCan

As you might have noticed, there have not been many blogs this summer.


Truth is, this Alaskan family did what many Alaskans do: travel the Alaskan Highway through Canada.


Thought we'd show you some of the sights along the way. The last blog we did as of our ferry trip back to the island. We'll start off with with some of the animals we saw.


Elk were along the trip...but no where as concentrated as in Wyoming/Montana.


Hope you enjoy our trip's pics over the next few blogs.



They are right next to the road.
They are cute.

And they get BIG !

Whale show

We just returned after a 6,000 mile trip from South Texas, through Yellowstone, up the Alcan highway and then on the ferry to Kodiak. We'll probably show some of those pictures in the next few days. But here is what we recently saw.

No, its not the geysers of Yellowstone. Its a pod of whales seen form the 131 miles (9 hours ride)on the ferry from Homer to Kodiak. At one point we saw 17 spouts at the same time. There were at least 24 whales in the group and probably over 30. In fact about 1 hour later, another pod of similar size came along.

So, can we tell what type they are? Lets give it a try. Compare them to the handy dandy identification sheet.



Here we go.

First check spout. Its single and then spreads out into a "fan";

not 2 spouts in a "V"-shape. Do you a gree?

Then check the tail when they dive. You see it clearly. So that rules out the first bunch on the sheet which don't show much of the tail.

The tails are somewhat V shaped. So, is it a Humpback or a Right whale?

If you ask me, could be either one....because early in the dive, the peripheral tips point down (like a Humpback), but at the last minute they point up (like a Right whale). Hard, isn't it?

So I give up on the tail. Could be either one from the tail, but I would have favored a Right.

Fortunately a few swim parallel to the ferry. And there is the answer: the dorsal fin has a small beak on the back!!

So we saw 40 to 60 Humpbacks on one day! That's our story, and we're sticking to it!!

The Eagle at the Blessing

When we got to the Blessing of the Fleet, an eagle had been standing by the gate.

He flew off and then stood on the pier as more and more people came in.
There he stayed, looking regal as they often do.

But, after about 10 minutes of more and more people walking on his pier,

he seemed to be thinking of making a statememt.

To the side he turned...

and let out a loud cry.....

as he turned back to look back at us in protest

and let us know that,

"This is my pier!"

USCG Rescue Demonstration

In the past we have shown the Coat Guard practicing off Spruce Point. They seem to do it in beautiful weather, and we assume that is for the beginners. They also do it when the weather is getting rough. Because it is a point at the entrance to Mill Bay, waves there come in at right angles to each other. Those waves are really something to see. We assume winds are also tricky and that is why we see them practice over and over again.

During Crabfest, one of the entertaining and education presentations is the Coast Guard's helicopter rescue demonstration. Here it is in beautiful weather.

As a cruise ship stands in the background, a "forty-one footer" Coast Guard boat has dropped a "victim" into the water, and keeps an eye out for any complications.
A Coast Guard Helicopter prepares to drop the rescuer into the water.
Both await the rescue basket.
Note how much spay there is, as the copter approaches.
The "vic" as they'd say on those TV detective shows, is now on his way to the copter.

And the rescuer waves to the appreciative crowd.



Nice and easy it seems...when the waves are flat, the wind is absent and the copter is there when the accident happens.

And just the week before it went pretty much like this, but in 15 mph winds and 6 foot seas. A 60 foot pleasure boat coming form the mainland took on water. The passengers did everything the should have done: called for help, got in their dry suits, launched their raft and loaded themselves in it before the ship sank. And, yes, all 5 were successfully rescued.

The Blessing of the Fleet

On Memorial Day, Kodiak comes to honor those lost at sea. It is a special occasion, come rain or shine. Blessed water form the beginning of the year is stored for this occasion. The Russian Orthodox Clergy comes out for the event with paintings of St Herman, Kodiak's local Saint and a true supporter of the natives during the Russian occupation in the 17 and 1800s.

Prayers are said and hymns are sung.

Water is readied for the arrival of the boats,

as they line up to approach the pier.

A blessing

and a sprinkling for all willing to receive,

whether large or small.

And a wreath has been prepared,

to be given to the "Raven",

with the families of the departed

to carry to their loved one's resting place.

And as the audience feels the grief,


a pet wonders what is happening,

while an Officer looks out to sea.

This was Kodiak, Memorial Day, 2011

Kodiak makes the Big Tines, The New York Times that is!(with the corrected link)

Kodiak made it big this weekend....or at least into the New York times There we were, on the front page of the Travel section of the big city newspaper, talking all about visiting one of our lodges.

If you want to see what they said, go to:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/travel/its-a-bears-world-in-kodiak-alaska.html

If you want to see what they saw, just hop on a plane or hop on the ferry and see it for yourself!