Mad Dashes

On my first ever trip to Alaska, the trip that ignited my passion for photography, I saw a photograph of the Mendenhall Glacier with a beautiful field of fire weed in front of it. Though I don't remember the photographer, the image has stuck with me. On every visit I've made back to the spot, the fire weed has either not yet bloomed, past bloomed or flattened by rain until this past July (2009). I had a 20 minute stop between a float plane from McNeil River and my Alaska Airline flight home. There was no time to pull out neutral density filters or find where my tripod was buried in my luggage but I made a mad dash to the site to check and while the field wasn't quite as lush as I wanted, I captured an image I enjoy. This image reminds me to take a chance, keep checking every chance you get and maybe that mad dash will pay off.

Where have I been all this time??!!

Well, it seems that I have been absent of late and with good reason! Really! While some National Parks are now boasting internet access I am pleased to report that there is NO INTERNET in the High Sierras! I spent an amazing 9 days hiking the back country with friends. You can read all about the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite on the California Nature Blog.

Almost immediately upon my return, I washed some clothing, packed up the heavy duty camping gear and headed out the door to Alaska! Where the float planes and high winds were numerous and prevalent and the internet access was sparse. I was lucky enough to have won two lotteries this year. The first for access to the High Sierra camps and the second for access to an amazing area called the McNeil River Game Sanctuary. Let me tell you... my friend Enrique and I can pitch tents! 50 MPH winds and the tent we nicknamed "The Marriott", due to it's HUGE size, stood the test.

The bears were nothing short of spectacular! I'll leave you all with this little video clip of the falls to wet your appetite! Did I mention I now have a video camera? Life is good my friends!!

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

Working With What You Have

While we had plenty of bears in Katmai, they weren't always cooperative when it can to being on the proper side of the sun. Many times we found ourselves on the wrong side of a deep and fast moving stream while the bears thumbed their noses at us knowing we were only getting silhouettes.

Luckily I knew about a few tricks I had up my own sleeve. I continued to shoot away merrily, not stressing over the light. Making certain that I had good separation between these two young siblings I was able to create an artsy image with an infrared filter. Sometimes you just have to work with what you are given.

Whale of a Tale

We cruised the Icy Straits on our way back to Juneau after our visit to Glacier Bay National Park. In the distance we saw a Humpback Whale breaching repeatedly so we changed our course to investigate. As we slowed the boat to a standstill in the general area we had seen the whale we heard that unmistakably powerful blow of whale breath. On the starboard, a large whale had surfaced and was slowly cruising past, her breath hung in the air. I noticed a large clump of bull kelp off the forward port side of the boat and suddenly realized that it was moving rather quickly. Just then a tail appeared in the mess and I realized that there was a whale in that kelp. At first it seemed as though the calf was helplessly tangled in the kelp and we wondered if we should attempt to intervene on his behalf. Soon enough it became apparent that he was playing! He disappeared beneath the surface and pushed the kelp upward with his nose, then rolled it around his flipper and finally sliding it down his back to give it a flip with his tail. He did this for about 10 mins before mom finally got impatient. She began slapping the water loudly with her tail. "Ok, enough playing around, we have to go eat!" she seemed to be saying. Like most children... this calf seemed to have selective hearing and ignored her for a while. Then she raised her flipper and slapped the water with it. That got his attention and he left his toy behind to joined her. A few spouts later they were ready to start feeding again and dove in unison. When we saw them next they were swimming away together, the bull kelp floating beside our boat, a discarded toy looking for a new purpose. Perhaps it would become cover for some fish or maybe another calf would find it interesting as it proceeded on it's journey through the Icy Straits.

Harlequins

I did manage to get my Harlequin Ducks in the wild with the help of our awesome mate and skiff captain, Megan. In the town of Baranof there is ONE year round resident, four dogs, one store, two docks, a hotspring, a few bathhouses, a beautiful waterfall and during the summer upwards of 18-20 residents. There are also Harlequin Ducks.

Harlequins love rushing waters and they are quite skiddish when approached from land. Megan maneuvered the skiff between submerged rocks and into the mouth of the waterfall, which was absolutely raging thanks to the spring melt, all the while holding the boat steady enough for me to frame and fire. I can't thank her enough for her efforts to get me the shots I wanted.

It is amazing how much shelter one rock can give, looking at these images you would never know we were battling a huge current caused by the waterfall. The day was cloudy so I was able to avoid harsh shadows and the green Rockweed provided a vibrant background for these birds that I could not have planned better. A great day. Thanks Megan!

Glacier Bay National Park

There are no roads into Glacier Bay National Park, access is by boat or plane only. While many people who visit arrive on large cruise ships and never step foot on the land around the glaciers, there are many who arrive in their own boats or even plan kayak trips up the fjord created by the retreating glaciers. It is an incredibly pristine area that is home to some amazing wildlife.

I entered the Bay on a 120 foot yacht with 18 fellow passengers run by American Safari. We had our own naturalist on board the vessel but we stopped in Bartlett Cove and picked up our own private ranger who acted as our guide. We spent two days cruising the fjords, kayaking, skiffing and hiking and watching the huge cruise boats motor up to a safe vantage point to the glaciers and then turn and motor back out of the park. I felt sorry for the people trapped behind the glass windows on those boats. They didn't get to see the pile of 6 river otters that tumbled out of a cave in front of our skiff, they didn't get to watch the green-wing teal cavorting at the edge of Lamplugh Glacier as we hiked past and I know that the baby mountain goats were just specs in their binoculars if they knew they were there at all. Standing on shore near a 250 foot wall of ice, listening to the glacier groan and crack, smelling the clean fresh air coming off the ice and the cool breeze on my face was incredible. I've already decided that I need to go back next year with a kayak and spend some time camping. Now I just need to find some people who aren't afraid of a few brown bears to go with me... paddling against the wind by yourself can be hard.

In 1794 Glacier Bay wasn't a bay at all. It was an enormous glacier up to 4,000 feet thick, 20 miles wide and extending over 100 miles into the St Elias mountain range. By 1879 when John Muir visited, that glacier had retreated more than 30 miles. By 1916, the Grand Pacific Glacier had retreated more than 60 miles to the head of Tarr Inlet. As a glacier moves forward it pushes a protective layer of rock and debris in front of it. Once the glacier reached the ocean that layer was washed away and the glacier was doomed to retreat. There are currently 11 tidewater glaciers (glaciers that flow into the ocean) that break off or "calve" into the ocean or fresh water lakes at sea level. The show is spectacular. The broken bergs provide great haul out spots for harbor seals, eagles and arctic terns.

Cheers for Sitka

Sitka might have a huge influx of people on a daily basis from the cruise ships but they strive to keep the town feeling and being real. The small downtown area can get pretty congested with people but stepping off the main strip finds immediate relief from the tour boat crowd. Small coffee shops and a terrific bookstore and TONS of parks with really well maintained hiking trails make Sitka a joy to visit.

We throughly explored the Sitka National Historical Park which was established in 1910 to commemorate the Battle of Sitka of 1804. The park is also known as Totem Park because the main trail is decorated by many large and colorful totems. Another path will take you to the Sitka Raptor Center which gives you the opportunity to see Golden and Bald Eagles, Hawks and Owls up close and personal.

On the North end of the city (there are 12 miles of road in Sitka) is the Halibut Point State Recreation Area with three terrific hiking trails. The Mosquito Cove trail is a 1.25 mile loop through the forest with excellently maintained stairs and steps leading you to a mosquito shaped cove where we watched harbor seals and eagles frolic. On the inland side is a 0.5 mile boardwalk called the Estuary Life Trail which was perfect for watching birds and I'm sure salmon once they begin to travel upstream to spawn.

The South end of the city has an area called Whale Park. There are lots of viewing areas, both at the parking lot level and down several flights of stairs, for people to watch for whales, sea lions and seals in the sound. The stairs also provide access to the rocky shore below where anemones and star fish can be seen in the tide pools formed by lower tides. Renting bikes or a car to get out of the main area is definitely worthwhile in Sitka.

Noteworthy Meals

I never know where to eat when I travel but I always seem to find places that are spectacular and those that are just blah. This time I found many more spectacular than blah.

Homer:
Cafe Cups - The food is as quirky as the napkin rings which often have wing-nuts and beads woven into them. Cafe Cups makes use of a wide pallet of flavors and incorporates many sweet berries into their wonderful dishes of local seafood. I could eat there every night and never get tired of the ingenuity. I think there are more specials than there are regular entrees so you'll never get tired of the same old dishes.
The Homestead - Get out of town! If you are tired of the crowds on the spit and want a fabulous dinner without feeling crammed in like sardines, the Homestead is just the place. They specialize in fusion cuisine using all the bounty of the local fisheries. The service was fantastic and the food... wow! Just make sure to save room for dessert because this is the place to have it!
Captain Patties - On the spit

Juneau
The Twisted Fish - There were many restaurants in Juneau that were very tasty - we enjoyed burgers at the Red Dog Saloon and ate at a few other places but by far the Twisted Fish was the best meal. I had seafood over angel hair pasta with a pesto sauce that was out of this world.

Sitka
Ludvigs - I cannot thank the tour guide who recommended Ludvigs to us enough. It was by far the most amazing meal of the trip. The homemade breads for dipping in olive oil and seasoning almost spoiled my dinner - I had to set the bread aside though I kept snapping up more in between courses. The chowder was absolutely the best I have had in Alaska and perhaps even New England. I had Paella which was masterfully prepared and incredibly flavorful. I regret that there was no room for dessert as I am certain it would have been divine. A reason to come back to Sitka to be sure.

Juneau Sites

Two highly visited sites in Juneau were our destinations today: The Mount Roberts Tram and the Mendenhall Glacier.

Mendenhall Glacier is almost 12 miles long and most visitor only see the foot from the observation deck in the visitors center or across a meadow near the highway coming out of town. Yesterday we flew over the entire glacier in a float plane including the huge Juneau Icefield that spawns the glacier. The view was amazing and seeing the sheer massive size of the glacier from beginning to end was an incredible experience. The glacier had been retreating 100-150 feet a year but in recent year the distance has increased... last year the glacier retreated 600 feet! I had visited the glacier 3 years ago and was amazed to see so much more lake and rock uncovered by the retreating ice.

The Mount Roberts Tramway offered spectacular views of Douglas Island, Gastineau Channel and the town of Juneau. I highly recommend watching the tour boat schedule and heading up accordingly to miss the masses of cruise-line visitors. Unfortunately this year produced an extremely deep snowfall and the hiking trails were all closed due to fear of avalanches. An avalanche took out the towns access to their hydro-electric power earlier this spring so everyone is in major conservation mode. I have a feeling that it would have been easy to disappear from the crowds if the trails were open. Most people never left the main visitors building, racing up the tram, snapping a few pictures and racing back down to see the rest of Juneau before they had to be back on their boat. I recommend taking your time, smelling the pine trees, feeling the wind on your face and watching the eagles and ravens soar gracefully below you. It's a truly beautiful and enchanting spot.

Admiralty Island

Just off the coast of Juneau is an enormous island called Admiralty. It is 1,646 square miles, making it the 7th largest island in the United States. But that isn't what makes it special... the Tlingit people named the island Xootsnoowú which means "Fortress of the Bears". Admiralty is home to an estimated 1,600 Alaskan Brown Bears, the highest density of brown bear in North America.

We arrived before the season truly begins, the salmon are not running yet so there isn't much to pull the bear out of the woods just yet. That said, we were greeted immediately upon landing in our float plane by a sow working the shoreline for mussels and clams. She would dig and dig and then chew the clams open with her massive teeth.

She had no intention of moving either and we waited a good long time before we could tie up the float plane and disembark. She was completely unperturbed by the entire proceeding, barely sparing us a glance form time to time. Permits are needed to visit the island which is covered mostly by a sanctuary. The only development on the island is a small settlement of about 570 Tlingit people whom are outnumbered nearly 3:1 by the bears.

We watched four different bear clamming and eating sedge during our visit. I'd love to come back once the salmon are swimming though a longer lens is a definite must.

Photos from the Boat

I finally had the chance to head out to Gull Island and I can't wait to go back! The wind died down overnight but the rain settled in for a dark overcast sky with light drizzle. I punched my iso up to 800 and then 1000 to try and compensate for the rocking of the boat. It seemed to work pretty well. and I was pleased with many of the shots. Of course, I could have spent much more than 2 hours cruising the bay. We followed an enormous raft of sea otters, my focus shifting from otter to wave and back to otter. For all of the wave shots and fuzzy otters I managed to get several in focus shots too! And! I got a puffin in the wild. Not too bad for my first ever... now I am hooked on these cute little guys, I want to go to Iceland and hang out in a rookery like I did with the penguins in the Falklands. Every new discovery opens the door to 20 more opportunities.

My Eagle Addiction

I can't seem to get enough Bald Eagles. I love raptors with the cool talons and the sharp eyes and that strong beak... but there is just something about eagles that makes my camera shutter fly. They don't even need to do anything to look cool - just stand there.

I took some wonderful head shots and close up's while I was here in Homer this winter but I didn't get many scenics. Today my boat trip to Gull Island was canceled due to huge waves so we went driving around the countryside and discovered a great recreation area near Anchor Point. The eagles were wary but with a little bit of patience and without too much trouble I was able to get close enough to get the wide angle shots I was craving. I love the mountains rising up in the background. To me these images scream Alaska much more than the close up portraits.

Wandering in Alaska

We reached Anchorage yesterday evening and after getting a good night sleep, headed out for Homer. Along the way we stopped in Seward to visit the Alaska Sea Life Center. They do quite a bit of rehabilitation work with Stellar Sea Lions, Harbor Seals and sea birds.

I was delighted by their aviary which included long-tail ducks, kittiwakes, harlequin ducks, king eiders, tufted puffins, murres, guillimonts and many more all within reach of a 200mm lens. I wish I had more time to just sit in there and watch the birds but I had to finish the drive to Homer. I saw many more harlequin ducks along the way and I hope to be able to get some photos in the wild. Until then, I'll just enjoy these images from the Sea Life Center.

Predator vs. Prey

We had the privileged of photographing from Jean's backyard today and I learned that Jean helps more than just eagles through the cold winter. She also feeds an enormous flock of Grey-crowned Rosy-finch. These tiny birds swarm together and are very skiddish. One false move can send the entire flock into a panicked flight. I watched them soar through the sky as the eagles ignored them. They poured over the roof and descended on the feeders full of sunflower seeds as if they were one large organism.

Then, seemingly from nowhere, a large blur appeared in their midst and the flock disbursed, scattering it's members left and right. I didn't think any bird could be faster than these tiny little finch but I was wrong. A Sharp-shinned Hawk had found the flock and was determined to make a meal of at least one of these finches. It happened so quickly that I can't be sure if the hawk was successful or not. A local passing by said he had not seen a hawk out on the spit in the 8 years that he had lived there.

When compared to the eagles he seemed so tiny and yet, he was just as fierce a hunter as the eagles. I feel very lucky to have seen this hawk let alone to have the pictures to prove it.

Eagles of Homer, Alaska

Located on Kachemak Bay, Homer, Alaska is the southern-most town on the Alaska Highway system. Despite the recent uproar about feeding, Homer is still the premier location for viewing Bald Eagles up close and personal. Jean Keene aka the Eagle Lady, feeds the eagles from December to April in an effort to help them make it through the hard winter months. Though she is in her 80's, she is out there every day, rain, snow or shine.

I had no idea what to expect when I flew in from Anchorage. It was a clear day and the mountains were covered in snow. I made it to my hotel on the famous Homer Spit and watched the setting sun as it lite up the mountains and made them glow. Long-tailed ducks, Glaucous gulls, Common goldeneye, sea otters and of course, eagles, could be seen right out the window of the Lands End Resort.

This morning was a different story. A thick cloud cover rolled in overnight and the entire spit was covered in a layer of white snow. It was beautiful... beautiful and COLD. Bundled in my trusty thermals I headed out to the beach to photograph the eagles for the first time. In the low light shutter speeds were too slow to keep up with the birds as they soared and swooped so I pushed my ISO up to 1600 and found my shutter speed. It was amazing to see these enormous and majestic birds flying and perching.

Once the feeding was over the birds dispersed though a few remained on the beach, happy to digest while they watched us crawl ever so slowly closer to their position. One eagle in particular was extremely accommodating and posed for wide angle shots, close head shots and mid-range full body photos. He seemed to know exactly when I had enough of one pose and he would switch to another. I don't think a professional model could have done a better job. Once he was board (or perhaps when he realized his performance wasn't going to get him any more fish) he retired to a perch high on a rooftop to preen and nap.

I can't wait to discover what tomorrow will bring!