Puffin Stories

Seward 2012

Judy loves puffins! At the Alaska SeaLife Center she reveled in her close encounter...

Judy and Christina feeding puffins...

Horned Puffin

Tufted Puffin

Horned Puffin

Tufted Puffin

St. Paul Island 2000

Snapping photos at the SeaLife Center was fun, but can't compare with combing cliffs on St Paul Island for photo opportunities.

While on my photo excursion, Judy had a bluff to herself over looking the Berring Sea (until barked at by an Arctic Fox).

Notes.

2012 Camera: Canon 7D with EF 17-55 f/2.8

2000 Camera: Canon EOS Elan //s (Film) with EF 100-400 IS L

Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge

We had great weather for the four-hour boat trip from Seward to the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge.

Humbacks

Orcas

We had Cabin #1!

Front porch view

Night-shot from our back-deck

Bald Eagles and Voles...

Eagle nest about 200 yards from
the Lodge; adults perched nearby

A Vole was our neighbor (off our back deck)

We kayaked to Aialik Glacier...

It was an easy 3 miles to the glacier

The trip back was up a bit more challenging;
lots of ice and against the current

Pedersen Glacier (view from the Lodge)

Judy, Christina and Matt canoed to the glacier on our last day
(while I lounged in the Lodge)

Notes. 

Cameras: Canon 7D & 20D; EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 and EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS

Matt "daily" photo posts on his Life's Wake blog and Judy posted a web album collection.

Return to North Face Lodge

Our first visit to Denali and the North Face Lodge was in 2000; I've been eager to return and this trip included Matt and his partner Christina.

The Lodge is a four hour bus ride from the Park entrance to the heart of Denali with lots to see:

Grizzly on the road to the Lodge

Grizzle club checking us out...

Tokat River

Bald Eagle

A variety of guided and independent outings awaited:

Matt (orange) and I hiked Eagle's Nest Trial

and sotted a Spruce Grouse

We canoed Wonder Lake

Judy painted...

Matt biked

Christina and I explored the end of the road
(and did  I mention  mosquitos)

On our last night Tony Knowles (Alaska Governor 1994-2004) joined us for dinner and discussed the perils of the Pebble Mine project.

Although the weather was mostly overcast with light rain--the Denali Mountain Range made an appearance...

Denali (Mt. McKinley) far right: 20,320 feet

Notes. 

Cameras: Canon 7D, 20D & iPhone 4; EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 and EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS

Matt's "daily" photo posts on his Life's Wake blog and Judy created a web album collection.