Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:56 pm
It is certainly something different, especially coming from South Africa 
The thundering and echoing must have been quite an experience!
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Alaska - a trip to remember
Page 13 of 16
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 11:15 am
Luckily it's winter here, otherwise I'd be freezing looking at your photos.
The thundering and echoing must have been quite an experience!
The thundering and echoing must have been quite an experience!
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:22 am
What an awesome experience 
But it sure looks freezing cold - head ache material
The glacier is a pretty colour Even with no sun the pics. are great
But it sure looks freezing cold - head ache material
The glacier is a pretty colour
Even with no sun the pics. are great Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 9:55 am
Lisbeth , Mel , Pooky ...
And stay with me , lots more to come
And stay with me , lots more to come
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:57 am
Got the cold shivers looking at those pics okie
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 4:07 pm
The visit to the glacier was certainly a highlight of our trip , and seeing it disappear in the mist behind us , left us with a feeling of loss , and yet , also , fulfilment .
But then , more excitement to come . The route back to Seward , took us through a number of those tiny little islands and rocky outcrops that line the Alaskan coast , and what a pleasant surprise , when this appeared in front of us .
These rocks rise/stand straight-up from the sea , and are populated by thousands upon thousands ( actually , millions ) of sea-birds of all kinds , and it is estimated that there are as many as 100 million birds inhabiting these shores .
There are gulls and cormorants , kittiwakes and fulmars , and shearwaters , and ,amongst many more , my favourite , namely puffins .
We also saw a couple of albatrosses , but these appeared and disappeared in the fogs , without any chance of taking a pic at all .
Now , about puffins .
Puffins are black and white coloured , with a bright-coloured parrot-like beak , and it looks like they wear old-style flying goggles . Their wings are relatively short , so they fly with very rapid beating , and also giving an impression of then flying quite fast . And they are so comical , not only in their looks , but often coming in to land on the cliff-face .
Whereas other birds , coming in to land , would do so grace-fully , sometimes almost hovering in the wind , and then softly steps onto the rock , a puffin would come straight in to land , and sit down very rapidly . But sometimes , it appears they sort of misjudge the speed or distance , and slam into the rock , losing there balance , and then have to recover a bit , shaking the head in order to get their bearings again . They are the clowns of those cliff-faces . Unfortunately no pics of them . We were not near enough to identify from the photographs .
.
But then , more excitement to come . The route back to Seward , took us through a number of those tiny little islands and rocky outcrops that line the Alaskan coast , and what a pleasant surprise , when this appeared in front of us .
These rocks rise/stand straight-up from the sea , and are populated by thousands upon thousands ( actually , millions ) of sea-birds of all kinds , and it is estimated that there are as many as 100 million birds inhabiting these shores .
There are gulls and cormorants , kittiwakes and fulmars , and shearwaters , and ,amongst many more , my favourite , namely puffins .
We also saw a couple of albatrosses , but these appeared and disappeared in the fogs , without any chance of taking a pic at all .
Now , about puffins .
Puffins are black and white coloured , with a bright-coloured parrot-like beak , and it looks like they wear old-style flying goggles . Their wings are relatively short , so they fly with very rapid beating , and also giving an impression of then flying quite fast . And they are so comical , not only in their looks , but often coming in to land on the cliff-face .
Whereas other birds , coming in to land , would do so grace-fully , sometimes almost hovering in the wind , and then softly steps onto the rock , a puffin would come straight in to land , and sit down very rapidly . But sometimes , it appears they sort of misjudge the speed or distance , and slam into the rock , losing there balance , and then have to recover a bit , shaking the head in order to get their bearings again . They are the clowns of those cliff-faces . Unfortunately no pics of them . We were not near enough to identify from the photographs .
.
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 4:09 pm
Birds birds birds
A green cauldron against the cliff . Can make you sea-sick looking at it .
A small outcrop even with a few trees
A green cauldron against the cliff . Can make you sea-sick looking at it .
A small outcrop even with a few trees
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 4:49 pm
lot and lot of birds
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:19 pm
Nice pics again Okie.
Glaciers are always a thrill to see up close.
Seabird breeding cliffs are spectacular, they have their own atmosphere.
Glaciers are always a thrill to see up close.
Seabird breeding cliffs are spectacular, they have their own atmosphere.
Re: Alaska - a trip to remember
Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 7:20 pm
.
And then , another big , pleasant surprise . Wow , just look at that .
These are Steller's sea lions . ( Remember , RP asked about this way way back on page 2 , I think )