July 21, 2024 Travel to Portage Alaska

Another great travel day!

So we are now heading east - a little cloudy start to our day:

Past the Swan Lake Fire Scar - so sad:

The 2019 fire burned over 167,000 acres and it lasted for four months.

https://www.fws.gov/story/swan-lake-fire-burn-severity-story

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swan_Lake_Fire

We went past the Russian and Kenai Rivers where the fishermen are starting to gather.  Within the next few weeks, there will be many more fisherman and bears trying to catch the salmon:

Rafting on the Kenai:

It is so green and lush:

Beautiful lakes:

Cute house - I don't know if someone lives there or it is a vacation home:

The access path to get to the house:

View from the access path:

Flowers along the path:

Here we are:

Up and over Turnagain Pass:

Near the end of Turnagain Arm:

Turnagain Arm is a is a long, narrow fjord south of Anchorage, Alaska.  

"Turnagain Arm was named by William Bligh of HMS Bounty fame. Bligh served as Cook's Sailing Master on his third and final voyage, the aim of which was discovery of the Northwest Passage. Upon reaching the head of Cook Inlet in 1778, Bligh was of the opinion that both Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm were the mouths of rivers and not the opening to the Northwest Passage. Under Cook's orders Bligh organized a party to travel up Knik Arm, which quickly returned to report Knik Arm indeed led only to a river.

Afterwards a second party was dispatched up Turnagain Arm and it too returned to report only a river lay ahead. As a result of this frustration the second body of water was given the disingenuous name "Turn Again". Early maps label Turnagain Arm as the "Turnagain River"."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnagain_Arm

https://kmtacorridor.org/turnagain_arm_dangers/

We made our way to Williwaw Campground in the Chugach National Forest and set up.  One of the reasons we are here is to see the Bore Tide.  So once we set up, we went to check out the best places to watch the tide roll in.

The tide was going out.  The tide goes out fast and it comes in fast.  One of the viewpoints:

The mud flats:

In the center of the above picture is Portage Glacier.

Across the Turnagain Arm:

There are a few places to watch the tide, so tomorrow we have some options.

Back home, Gray wanted out again so I put the harness and leash on him (which he does not like) and took him out.

Bella watching him - she has no desire to go out:

Rolling around to get the harness off - he is a smart cat!  

His harness was custom made by a woman from England.  I tried so many different harnesses for him that just did not work out.  He is a large cat (not just heavy) and I could not find a cat harness to fit him.  None of the dog harnesses worked either.  So one day on one of the cat sites I found this person who designs these for different size cats or cats who get out of the regular harnesses and it does work.  He doesn't like it but it works.

We ended the evening with another great campfire.

We will be here for a few more days so stay tuned and enjoy today.

Stats for today:

Miles Traveled: 104 Miles

Routes Traveled:

Alaska: Suthard Blvd.; Delta Avenue; Kenai Spur Highway; Sterling Highway AK-3; Seward Highway AK-3; Portage Glacier Road

July 19 - 20, 2024 Discovery Campground Beach and Back to Soldotna

July 19th, 2024  

We woke to a beautiful day and headed down to the beach.  

Low tide - YEA!:

This area of the Cook Inlet is known for their agate beaches and that is what I was hunting!  Along with the great views, beautiful weather, nice walk, I did find some agates and some other cool rocks.  

Can't wait to cut them open (just have to find a place now - hopefully in Yuma or Quartzsite).

These rocks are huge and no, I did not take any - LOL:

If you look closely at the middle of this picture, there is an oil rig.  Behind that is the mountains and volcanos:

My rock hunting partner:

The mud flats of Cook Inlet:

The mud flats are very dangerous - it is like quicksand.  We threw a few rocks in and they just disappeared.

"Mudflats form when silt and mud are brought in by seas, oceans, and tributaries. The mud and the silt are deposited into bays and lagoons when the tide comes in. The water mixes with the mud and silt, creating the muddy quicksand that occurs in mudflats."

https://www.adn.com/alaska-life/2020/07/13/the-true-history-of-cook-inlets-deadly-mudflats/

Those rocks are HUGE!:

We made our way back home and just relaxed in the sunshine.

He wants out and is not happy that he is inside:

Cool burl on the tree behind us:

"A burl is a rounded, woody growth on a tree trunk or branch that can be knobby in appearance. Burls are a collection of tree cells called callus tissue that form as a protective response to environmental stress, such as injury, disease, or infestation. The stress causes tissue from unopened buds to build up in layers, which can continue for decades. Burls can grow to be several feet across, weigh hundreds of pounds, or even reach 20 feet in height and width."

What a beautiful view:

This little one was hanging around us for most of the evening - we think it was a young one, just out of the nest:

We ended the evening with a great campfire and a supper of baked potatoes and steak - YUM!

July 20th, 2024

Today we headed south to Soldotna and are staying at the Soldotna Elks for the night.  We spent the day getting caught up with some things, shopping, and planning.  Tomorrow we are heading east so stay tuned and enjoy today.

Stats for July 20th, 2024

Stats for today:
Miles Traveled: 37 Miles
Routes Traveled:
Alaska: Kenai Spur Highway; Delta Avenue; Suthard Blvd.