More Alaska

Tomorrow is my last day here in Alaska...actually half day. I leave to travel home in the afternoon and I am so sad. I could stay easily another week. I brought a few stitching projects with me (of which none got done) and a book that only got partially read but I have never had one dull moment. This black bear below is what we watched all day yesterday but I never had my camera with me when he was around to get a good shot of him. This was taken while we ate dinner through the dining room window. I had to zoom it to get a close enough shot and by the time I did all this he turned around and was heading away from me. We spotted him early in the morning, he had found some trash to get into. Even after the trash was gone he kept coming back. I guess he was hoping for more. I never saw him again after dinner but I heard he was spotted even the next morning. I am a little disappointed that I never got to see any moose...oh well, I guess I will just have to come back again.

Today we took a day cruise in Glacier Bay National Park. It is a little late in the season for the cruise and pretty chilly but we did see some whale, lots of birds, some Mountain Goats and these sea lions. There were quite a few of them and they were just hanging out being lazy. We also saw alot of sea otters. They are all over in the ocean flipped over on the backs relaxing. All you see is their head and feet sticking out.

The glaciers were beautiful and amazing. We stopped in one area where they were breaking off into the water. As we sat there several times you would hear a loud thunder and then al huge chunk would come tumbling down into the water. We went through miles of water with chunks of ice floating in it. The park ranger that was with us explained that each day now more will fall off before they would build up again in the winter, but there are many miles of these glaciers that we couldn't see so they would never disappear completely. Well at least not in our life time anyway. He did show us a time lapse diagram of how over many years they are gradually disappearing.

Altho my trip here in Alaska is almost over and I am sad to leave, I have had the time of my life. It is a trip that I hopefully will get to make again. I have enjoyed every minute I was here thanks to Carla and all of her family here at the lodge. And even more thanks to my great boss that gave me this opportunity to come.

Fishing in Alaska

Last night it was decided that we...Mark, CeeDee, Jim, Carla, Matt, Lonnie and I, the whole crew, would go out fishing for Halibut on Jim's boat today. It ended up raining all night and I wondered if we would still go but this morning it was still on. The chef here at Glacier Bay Country Inn packed us each a sack lunch and we (I, most everyone else already had some) went to the Inn's stash of rain geer and water proof boots and each of us outfitted ourselves. Then off we went to Glacier Bay National Park where their boat was docked.

Here I am in the boat waiting for the others to arrive. It was still raining a little off and on but when everyone arrive we all headed out to sea. As we traveled along we saw whale and sea otters. The water was real choppy and rough today and we were being bounced around in the boat quite a bit.

We finally arrive to where Jim and Mark thought we would have the best results fishing.
They then started setting up fishing poles for us. I was assigned a fishing pole and told what to look for if a fish decided to take a bite. The water was still very rough and choppy. After not to long of a time I got a bit and I started reeling it in. About the same time CeeDee also got a bite on her line. Sorry this picture is sideways, I couldn't figure out how to turn it.

It seemed like I was reeling in forever and I was afraid I was going to lose their fishing pole. It was decided that this was a pretty big fish so they quickly got CeeDee's fish in first and then about that time a third pole had a fish on it's line. That one they got in quickly and ended up letting it go because it was to small. I finally decided that I was going to need some help, so one of the guys took over for me. It actually took 2 of them to pull my halibut in. In this picture I look like I am smiling, which I might have been, but believe me I was struggling too.

Here I am with both of the fish we caught. Mine is the BIG one. It measured about 61' and weighted in approximately 127 lbs. It was so heavy that I couldn't hold it up. After we brought in these two we decided to head back in since the water was getting so rough and we had several in our group not feeling very well. After we got back to the dock Mark filet my fish for me. He was a real expert at it, probably because he has done it for so many of their guest this summer. Now hopefully I will be able to get it home.

Thanks Jim and Mark...I had a great time.

Alaska

I am so lucky to be able to be in Alaska this week. My boss at work gave me a trip to his family's lodge, Glacier Bay Country Inn in Gastavas, Alaska. I have been so excited to go all summer. I have to say it is beautiful and all the Lindbloms here have been so gracious. It was a long day traveling to get here but it has been so worth it. Today I took a day and just hung out and rested. I met Lesli who had been a guest here all week and we spent the day with her telling everything I needed to do and try. Unfortunately today was her last day and she flew out to go back to her home in Tennessee tonight. This is a picture of the lodge. We have had a light mist all day so that might be why this picture is a little fuzzy, it was taken through the rain.

This is a little closer look at the lodge. The dining room of the lodge looks out onto a large meadow that I just know I am going to look out and see moose or maybe even a bear wandering through. Apparently there is a mother bear and 3 cubs that have been hanging around the area lately. I would love to see them...in the daylight.

There isn't a fire going right now but this is the patio area with the firepit in the middle to hang out at to keep warm and visit. I am sure there is alot of story telling going on here.

And this cute little cabin is where I am staying. Beside the guest bedrooms in the lodge there are 5 of these little cabins. I get to stay in one of these. I even have my very own front porch where I just might grab a few minutes doing a little bit of the hand stitching I brought along...yes I even brought stitching to Alaska. I loved listening to the light rain all night on the tin roof.

This is little glimpse of the inside of the cabin. Very cute and cozy. Warm comfy flannel sheets on all the beds. It's hard to imagine flannel sheets coming from the 113 degree weather we were having before. Very cute and cozy.

I can't wait to see what is in store for me for me tomorrow. More to come tomorrow.....