Whittier
July 29, 2023
Spoiler alert — it was Epic!!
From Seward, we retraced our steps back to just before the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center on the Seward Highway and then turned on Portage Glacier Highway towards Whittier. Whittier is accessed by road only through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a 2.5-mile controlled one-lane tunnel with alternating train and vehicle traffic. We knew the tunnel schedule and had plenty of time, so we made an unplanned visit to the Begich Boggs visitor center. In addition to very informative exhibits, we especially enjoyed the award-winning movie. Curtains sweep aside at the end for a stunning panoramic view of Portage Lake. Next time, we plan to take the boat ride across to view Portage Glacier!
We took our turn going through the tunnel to Whittier—it is long, dark, and feels narrow even though a train travels through it.
Whittier is as small as we remembered it, though we did explore out to the end of Shotgun Cove Trail for a view across the Passage Canal.
Our jetski tour company kindly allowed us to stay in their parking lot, and we took the tunnel connecting the more industrial area to town where we wandered the shops and watched the activity at the boat ramp.
Next morning was our Jetski tour down Passage Canal, around Decision Point, and up Blackstone Bay to several tidewater glaciers. It is thirty miles one way over very cold water 🥶. Glacier Jetski was very serious about keeping us warm and safe. Our guides checked our clothing to be sure we had on the clothing layers they had requested before putting us in dry suits, life jackets, neoprene booties, and gloves. Our tour leaders could even talk to us on the one-way intercom in our helmets!
After a quick van ride and launching the jetskis, we climbed aboard and listened to the instructions to ride single file following the wake of the person ahead.
We started slow and stopped a time or two for sightseeing and equipment checks before reaching Decision Point. Big and small boats peek around the corner here to check out the waves, wind, and weather before deciding whether to continue. The waves were a bit bigger here as we navigated around the corner into Blackstone Bay. Blackstone Bay is a magical place with glaciers, waterfalls, icebergs, wildlife, and stunning views.
Photos cannot do it justice.
For the return trip, we all agreed that we were comfortable going faster—my jetski registered 55mph as we rode in wide swinging arcs back to our beach in Whittier! What a rush!! Glacier Jetski company and our tour guides were thoroughly professional, friendly, and deeply respectful of the special places they travel through. I could do this all season to see this beautiful place each day!!
Back on land we cleaned up and headed to town for dinner. We think we found the same place we ate last time we were here; at least the inside was familiar and it was on the water as we remembered. We enjoyed our halibut and chowder overlooking the marina and reliving our day’s adventure.
Our Alaska Marine Ferry trip to Valdez the next day didn’t depart until after lunch so we drove back out Shotgun Cove Trail to Lu Young Park. Cove Creek runs down into this protected cove and when we walked down to the beach we found spawning pink salmon.
We checked in at the ferry terminal and lined up behind another Hallmark camper.
It was an easy 5-hour passage to Valdez with clear weather and smooth seas.
We docked in Valdez where we’ll be for a week during Gold Rush Days!
Whittier Glacier and Whittier itself are named after John Greenleaf Whittier, one of the greatest poets of the nineteenth century.
Here is an excerpt from his poem
“The Worship of Nature”
The harp at Nature’s advent strung
Has never ceased to play
The song the stars of morning sung
Has never died away.
And prayer is made, and praise is given,
By all things near and far;
The ocean looketh up to heaven,
And mirrors every star.
Its waves are kneeling on the strand,
As kneels the human knee,
Their white locks bowing to the sand,
The priesthood of the sea!
They pour their glittering treasures forth,
Their gifts of pearl they bring,
And all the listening hills of earth
Take up the song they sing.
Exactly how Larry and I often feel when surrounded by the profound splendor of the world we get to explore!