by Klondike Kid

The Magnificent Kenai Fjords National Park

Alaska is known the world over for its excellent fishing. But just as notable is its incredible scenery and wildlife. No wonder those of us who live here could never see living in any other place.

Have you ever been on a wildlife tour where the "standard protocol" is to bring a minimum of FOUR rolls of film for your camera?

Believe me when I say that a cruise through the Kenai Fjords National Park is just such a trip. Wildlife cruise operators have been operating out of Seward for over 20 years and provide possibly the best scenery and sealife tour in the entire state. The fleet of boats leave the Seward Harbor several times a day and ply the waters of Resurrection Bay and the outlying islands and fjords in search of the prolific sealife that inhabit this area.

Half day and full day cruises are offered but there is no doubt if you have the time the full day cruise will leave you breathless. The Kenai Fjords National Park is the centerpiece of this magnificent area and gains visitor popularity each year by leaps and bounds.

The full-day cruise includes spectacular Holgate Glacier and the Chiswell Islands, a national wildlife refuge.

There are over 100 species of birds which can usually be seen in the area, from the majestic bald eagle to the beloved puffin. They visit an eagle's nest and one small island which hosts over 20,000 horned and tufted puffins. You will see seals, sea otters, sea lion colonies and sometimes various species of whales.

Variations in the tour will include Holgate, Aialik or Northwestern Glaciers, often because glacier activity and calving may change from one glacier to the next during the summer. A half-hour is spent there listening and watching calving of ice from the glacier and the clinking of small bergy bits around the vessel.

They will then proceed to the Chiswell Islands to visit a kittiwake rookery; thousands of puffins; common murres rafting on the waves or standing in rows upon sheer cliffs and an awesome Stellar sea lion colony. Stopping for photos of wildlife and sea birds is mandatory on every cruise.

The cruises begin in late-April with California Gray Whale and humpback whale watching and run through mid-September with full tours of the area. The boats provide exceptional comfort and outstanding viewing. Luncheons and beverages are available for purchase on board or you can bring your own. There are even shorter evening dinner cruises within the bay and provide some excellent seafood dining during the trip.

This is one tour that no one should miss. I have taken this excursion several times and each time it was as rewarding as any time before.

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