Today was really a remarkable day that started out slowly with just washing the RV and the jeep. That task done I called Pearl my sister. They were with us in the beginning of the trip and are now in Montana. Have a great time there.
Later we took a cruise ship ( the small tour boat kind) around Prince William Sound and then out to the Columbia Glacier. I will probably put thins into three blogs just to get everything in.
First, Valdez is the northen most free water port in AK. They have about 4000 permenant residents and ge up to 24' of snow in winter and 56" of rain in summer. Today was picture perfect sunny weather. Valdez is the end point of the Alaska pipeline and they ship about 750,000 barrels of oil a day thru the terminal here.
Valdez was completely destroyed by the Alaska earthquake and Tsunami in the 70's ((.4 on the Rickter scale)and is now completely rebuilt in a different part of the bay.
Today was the first day of commercial salmon fishing here for pink salmon and there were dozens of boats out in the sound. They use sceine nets to catch the fish. The net is let out from the main boat and a smaller boat carries it perhaps 300 - 500 yards away and then forms a big loop. Next the net circle is completed and the bottom of the net is pulled tight like a drawstring purse and then hauled in.
We did see wildlife today including some great whale pictures and sea otters, sea lions, puffin birds, eagles and seals.
All in all a great day.
Lorne
1 Campsite
2 Campsite from the tour boat
3 Bev in the tour boat
4 Valdez terminal or town?
5 Eagle in flight
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