Ending our Alaska Journey

End of our Alaska Journey..........heading towards Seattle on Saturday Sept 1st


Well we'd like to say we're bringing home a freezer full of salmon, BUT.... We'd be telling a lie..Just didn't work out the way we thought it would..We're not even bringing home the freezer!!! .Gene says he thinks the problem is, this year we bought a freezer BEFORE we came up, and in 2006 we bought a freezer AFTER we caught lots fish (bought it in the Kenai with Connie and Fred)...  The silvers are still on their way...starting to come in, getting closer anyway......but must have been the 'scouts' s arriving first...there were a few silvers caught on Tuesday, including the one I caught, and we were so hopeful.......  So went over everyday to our fishing spot an hour or so before high tide (since the fishing is best right around high tide.) I caught my Silver at exactly (HIGH tide)...   Gene has fished a lot more than I, and he came up with Zero! Even today FRIDAY, we made one more trip over to Allison Point..  The roadway was lined with cars, nearly bumper to bumper, fisherman lined the banks, and with binoculars we looked all around... NO ONE is catching anything.  The fish didn't do what everyone is used to them doing....  It may even be the end of September when they do come in, but we can't wait any longer.  Its time to move on.....
Here's a few pictures to share before we go. 



I did catch one, not a very big one, but at least I got one.....

...................... Gene got the honor of cleaning MY fish.....



Gene tried and tried.......

We spent some time down by the hatchery looking at the different kinds of Seagulls that were around...this next picture of one kind we've never seen before, after looking it up in my Wildlife book...its a a "Bonapart's gull".  Its a beautiful bird, a little smaller than most sea gulls...

.....One more Eagle picture.......

...and one more bear picture...

Strange looking mushrooms growing near our trailer... 

and ferns as well....Very pretty area we camped in for the last 6 weeks!

Our last attempt at fishing....on Friday with a whole bunch of others...

and .....some more.... 
Bye Bye Valdez 
We won't miss the horrible fishing.

 But we can't stay any longer, we have reservations at Lake Pleasant RV Park in Bothel Washington for Thursday Sept 6th for 7 days where we'll stay about a week, just enough for me to get in my 24 hrs the next week, then we'll head home. Should be home by Saturday the 15th of September (hopefully Friday), but that may be a stretch to do, if we were in the car we could, but truck and trailer somewhat slower...   

Now its time to put things away, go empty our tanks, and get ready to pull out tomorrow...Dinner out tonight..
Long road ahead.

Week of August 20-26

Well..... we are in our final week of our stay here in Valdez.  Still NO Silver Salmon, now we're thinking it probably won't get any better by the time we leave next weekend.  So many disappointed and patient, fishermen.  The hatchery is closed until the silvers show up..., they expected the silvers in by now.

This past Tuesday we left at 5 am from Valdez and headed for Anchorage for the 'Celebration of Life' for my 2nd cousin, Cathy Powell.  Wish our visit would have been under better circumstances.  She was a friend to many...as shown by the large turnout of friends.  It was a six hour drive to get there, we did have a little extra time to buy a few groceries before arriving at the celebration for Cathy, then a 6 hr drive back to Valdez, arriving home at 10:00 p.m. It was nice to get away from the rain here in Valdez for a day. On our drive we did spot  2 moose, and 1 baby moose, I wasn't quick enough to get a picture though. 

Here's a few pictures on our trip up to Anchorage.....

Views of the Alaskan pipeline that runs along the road, and under it, in some instances....





One of the places along the pipeline that goes underground.



Mount Sanford (taken in Glenallyn AK)  a HUGE mountain, usually covered in clouds.



This the Matanuska Glacier.

Now back to Valdez:

Since the weather didn't cooperate very well this week, we didn't take as many pictures this week, but I do have some photos to share with you anyway.(Some taken when we first arrived here 6 weeks ago.)

These signs are on the roadway along the road to Allison Point......

 

Then...there were times when additional 'NO STOPPING WITHIN 1500 FT' signs were posted so people wouldn't stop and harrass the bears...but do you think people obeyed the signs...Of course not.  Its at the point now, that when we go over to Allison Point we don't even stop to watch the bears..we drive right past.  But plenty of drivers are still stopping. I've seen enough bears...well...with one EXCEPTION... the Mama Grizzly and her 4 cubs that have eluded us...

 

 

This is a wood carving structure in downtown Valdez that is one of the '101 Things to Do or See in Valdez'.  Soooo here it is: and below it is a picture of the plaque that explains a little about the artist.

 

 

Another day, and another 'Trumpeter Swan'...they are so beautiful. We've only seen about 6 but I love them...(hate the seagulls...they are so noisey and annoying!)

 

 



We watch these cute little Sea Otters nearly everyday ...there are a lot of Sea Otter families here in Prince William Sound..and we watch them float on their backs and eat...then dive down and find something more to eat.....if  its clams that they are eating they lay the clams on their tummys and use a rock to crack the shells open so they can eat them. If its a salmon they are eating they use both paws to hold and eat it....they are just so cute.

And the Scenery around us is truely breathtaking...the view changes constantly because the clouds change constantly.



............. a seal in the water just beyond the 'Fireweed' flowers....



This is a view of the fish hatchery..in the rain.



Can you say.... FOG? (Thats Gene walking back toward me in the truck) but you can't even see the water just to the right..




This is the place where we get our ice cream treats...We've gone 3  times since arriving here July 16.



Can't get enough of the Beautiful Scenery.

 Thats if for this week...have a good week everybody.