| The big black and white killer whale -- his | | | | |
| four-foot sail-like dorsal fin erect and | | | | from the skipper's mike. "Flipper in a tux. |
| rising from a long sleek black and white body | | | | He weighs about 300 pounds and can |
| -- came slicing rapidly through the water, | | | | |
| seemiingly on a collision course with our | | | | travel upwards of 35 miles an hour."Then - |
| vessel.Sort of a black and white torpedo with | | | | highlight of our trip by any measure - came |
| eyes, fin, flippers, and fluke!The Kansas | | | | our romp on the wild side |
| lady to my right gave a little gasp. "Might | | | | |
| it hit us?" she asked | | | | with the orcas (killer whales), including |
| | | | the eight-ton male who threatened to |
| plaintively.No time for her husband to | | | | |
| answer. Seconds later, and only a scant four | | | | "torpedo" us.Incredibly, during the course |
| yards | | | | of our cruise not one but two separate killer |
| | | | |
| from our starboard rail, the orca suddenly | | | | |
| dove, his body and dorsal disappearing | | | | whale pods, a half-dozen or so animals in |
| | | | each group, joined us to frolic close by |
| from view. His course took him directly | | | | |
| under (not into!) our boat. A mad scramble | | | | our vessel.Both groups paced us, raced us, |
| | | | and surrounded us when we slowed. |
| ensued as all of us raced through and around | | | | |
| the ship's forward lounge to the port | | | | They rolled, sounded, made shallow breaches, |
| | | | and approached literally within |
| side of the vessel. Most of us made it in | | | | |
| time to see the great dorsal resurface. The | | | | inches of our ship.Once, ignoring the rain |
| | | | and looking straight down from my post at the |
| creature thrust mightily with his horizontal | | | | forward |
| fluke and sped away at incredible speed."Oh | | | | |
| my," said Kansas Lady, "that was a sight.""Oh | | | | port rail, I found myself gazing |
| yes," replied Kansas Man, "a sight | | | | incredulously into one creature's "blow" |
| indeed."But the great thing was, it was only | | | | hole! Thank |
| one of many memorable moments that day | | | | |
| | | | goodness he didn't take that moment to |
| as we cruised the waters of Resurrection Bay | | | | exhale.Another time the voice from the bridge |
| and Kenai Fjords National Park on an | | | | announced the presence of Steller's sea |
| | | | |
| afternoon excursion out of the historic | | | | lions, the first of several large or smaller |
| Alaskan city of Seward. Our ship was the | | | | sightings. A big bunch of them, maybe |
| | | | |
| Alaskan Explorer, one of several sightseeing | | | | three dozen or more, were sleeping, |
| vessels operated by Kenai Fjords Tours. | | | | lounging, crawling, and climbing on rocky |
| | | | |
| In spite of absolutely rotten rainy weather | | | | beach ledges at the base of a steep granite |
| during some portions of the trip, we (wife | | | | cliff. A few were swimming in the water, |
| | | | |
| Marilyn and I) enjoyed one of the best | | | | just off shore. Some looked dark gray, |
| waterborne excursions we have ever | | | | almost black; others were light rusty brown |
| | | | |
| experienced. Proof indeed that in Alaska one | | | | in color. "Actually," we were told, "they |
| should never forgo the pleasures of an | | | | are all the same color. Their fur just looks |
| | | | |
| outing just because of inclement weather; | | | | dark when they're wet." Whatever their |
| just dress warmly, in layers, for it.The trip | | | | coloration, these were impressive specimens, |
| began about 11:30 a.m., shortly after we | | | | |
| arrived in the Resurrection | | | | weighing in at a ton or more for the bulls, |
| | | | but "only" 650 pounds for the more |
| Bay city aboard the Alaska Railroad morning | | | | |
| train from Anchorage. After leaving the | | | | diminutive females. Even from within the |
| | | | lounge of our vessel we could hear their |
| dock we heard words of welcome and | | | | |
| instruction from not one but two skippers, | | | | incessant growls and bellowing.Throughout |
| | | | our cruise, in spite of the weather, we saw a |
| Chris and Roy. They advised us:"Keep your | | | | goodly number of |
| hat on your head. We don't go back for hats | | | | |
| unless you are wearing | | | | seabirds including cormorants, American bald |
| | | | eagles, puffins (with little round |
| one.""If you see any folks in the water, | | | | |
| throw them a life ring - whether of not they | | | | "football" bodies and parrot-like beaks, the |
| | | | most comical-looking bird to fly over |
| are from this vessel.""A few nautical terms: | | | | |
| 'Port' means left, 'starboard' means right, | | | | and dive into northern seas), black-legged |
| 'aft' is toward | | | | kittiwakes, and (my personal favorite) |
| | | | |
| the back of the vessel and the 'bow' is the | | | | murres. These incredible alcids can dive |
| pointy end of the boat."And, "If you feel | | | | while fishing to a depth of 300 feet below |
| seasick, go aft to the rail on the lower | | | | |
| deck. Repeat, aft!"Shortly thereafter we had | | | | the water's surface or more. Wow! That's |
| a tasty lunch, deli-style, consisting of | | | | equal to the height of a 30-story building. |
| breaded | | | | |
| | | | Because of their black and white coloring |
| chicken or breaded fish (or both), apple | | | | some folk call them "penguins of the |
| chips, choice of light beverage, and | | | | |
| cookies.Our meal was interrupted (we didn't | | | | north;" I prefer to think of penguins as |
| mind) by the sight of our first critter of | | | | "murres of the south."And what would an |
| the | | | | Alaska cruise be without glacier viewing? The |
| | | | ice river we |
| day, a solitary sea otter who drifted by on | | | | |
| the port side of the ship. ("Left?" someone | | | | saw and photographed and ogled over that day |
| | | | was Holgate Glacier. Not the biggest |
| asked. "Yeah, left.") The creature was | | | | |
| reclining in classic sea otter pose - flat on | | | | on the Pacific coast by any means, but a |
| his | | | | beautiful, classic tidewater glacier with |
| | | | |
| back in the water, paws under his chin, with | | | | deep blue colors and an impressive face that |
| lower legs and tail tucked up toward his | | | | calved a few small "growler" bergs into |
| | | | |
| tummy."He weighs about 100 pounds and he | | | | the sea to the delight of all on board.Our |
| has," said one of our captains speaking | | | | excursion ended about 5:30 p.m., just in time |
| | | | to board our rail cars for the |
| from the bridge, "one of the densest coats | | | | |
| on earth."We heard lots of "Oohs," "Aaahs," | | | | return trip to Anchorage.It was, all agreed, |
| and "Isn't he darling..." coming from all | | | | a marvelous tour, one that Alaska visitors |
| over | | | | can put in their |
| | | | |
| the lounge. One of our table mates, Pat | | | | memory caches as among the best trips in the |
| Horner of New Jersey, was enthralled. | | | | north country.Come this spring, summer, or |
| | | | fall you could do a lot worse than book one |
| "Nothing like this in New Jersey," she told | | | | of |
| us. Her daughter, Gayle Newfeld of | | | | |
| | | | these tours. More information is available |
| Kodiak, has seen plenty of sea otters near | | | | on the internet at Travel Writer Michael |
| her Alaska home digs. But she, like us, | | | | Miller lives in Juneau where he writes |
| | | | newspaper and |
| was thrilled as well.Next on our mammal list | | | | |
| came a Dall's porpoise, about a hundreds | | | | magazine articles as well as Alaska |
| yards to | | | | guidebooks. He also publishes a comprehensive |
| | | | |
| starboard. "He's one of the fastest swimmers | | | | |
| in the North Pacific," said the voice | | | | informational website about Alaska cruising. |