Long traverses of the globe – Tertius and Ty from Cape Town to Johannesburg to Doha to Seattle and us on a short hop from Dallas – and ultimately our little group assembled in Anchorage with no delays. A fine rainbow (unfortunately not pictured) seemed a promising omen for a grand adventure ahead.
A burn ban precluded the traditional firecracker send-off at home, but we made up for it with confetti in a niche in the forest behind our motel at Bird Creek, Alaska.
First stop – an icon of American outdoorsman culture……
A visit to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to view mammals that will not otherwise be seen on our voyage……
Up the lift to see the mountains surrounding the Alyeska ski area. Ty constructed a nearly perfect snowball/iceball!
And we met a charming couple on holiday from Malta….. they just saw a black bear fishing in a stream!
Turnagain Arm is an extension of Anchorage’s Cook Inlet which twice daily features a tidal bore – a phenomenon where the rising ocean tide meets the opposing water flow from glacier melt to produce a wave.
A pretty shot against the chilly, windy and gray backdrop – such a welcome change from the sweltering heat of home!
A short flight to Nome, a distant outpost of less than 4,000 people. It is the end point of the Iditarod sled dog race, and the jumping off point for our expedition cruise.
It is a typical arctic town with a grocery, a few shops, a small museum or two. It is on the Bering Sea not far from Russia. A fellow traveler told me that as our planet warms, shipping routes through the Arctic region will become vital, and Nome is positioned to assume a key role in the not-too-distant future of global transportation.
Today, however, its distance from the rest of the world means scarcity of some products and high prices…..
Not so bleak, however – as local artists show an appreciation for the natural wonders and wildlife that surrounds them.
From Nome we board a Lindblad vessel to begin our voyage….
New Horizons - Alaska to Asia 