Alaska Railroad Monument.

Back at our hotel, there is a Saturday Market in full swing that we explore for a time before freshening up and then driving to Earthquake Park. A number of exhibits here relate to the major earthquake (9.2 on the Richter Scale) that devastated the area on Good Friday, March 27th 1964. We also drive to the light plane airfield, Lake Hood, and WalMart before thoroughly enjoying our evening meals at the Royal Fork Buffet.

 

Today is spent cruising Prince William Sound, the northern extent of the Gulf of Alaska, which rivals the southeast of Alaska for the steepest fjords and the most spectacular coastlines and glaciers. The sound is a marvellous wilderness of islands, inlets, fjords, lush rainforests, and towering mountains. The cruise departs from the port of Whittier, which we reach by driving 60-miles, mainly along the bank of the spectacular Turnagain Arm.

(above and below): Turnagain Arm, an extension of the Cook Inlet, has some of the highest tides in the world. These tides probably hindered Captain Cook's search here for the Northwest Passage, thus giving the stretch of water its name.

A unique feature of the drive to Whittier is that the port can only be reached by driving through a train tunnel. The train tunnel was constructed during the Second World War and has recently been converted so that both trains and cars (not at the same time) can use it. We enter the 2½-mile tunnel at 9:30am.

The less than attractive port of Whittier, with its Second World War constructions,

is the starting point of our cruise of Prince William Sound.

The seven-hour cruise, covering some 80 miles, departs at 11am in the MV Tanaina.

Kittiwakes.

A waterside cabin has a wolf as a deterrent to bears.

Fishing in the Sound is both by Purse Seining and rod. The catch is pink salmon,

many of which we see jumping from the water close to the Wally Noerenburg Hatchery.

Our route through Prince William Sound takes us initially along the narrow Passage Canal with a view of the lake-fed Tebenkof Glacier. An early (and excellent) lunch of lightly seasoned baked halibut with pasta and vegetables is served before we pass to the south of Esther Island. The MV Tanaina's course provides us with stunning views of Prince William Sound, particularly the extensive number of glaciers and the surrounding majestic mountain ranges.