This is why you came to Alaska: Paddle in the ice! This all day adventure gets you up close and personal with the BIG GLACIERS of Alaska. Huge waterfalls, large calving icebergs, and the constant thunder of the glaciers cracking and moving are the highlight of this adventure. Paddle sea kayaks among icebergs calving from the glaciers of Blackstone Bay. It is common to see otters, seals, sea lions, gull rookeries.
Itinerary:
Depart Anchorage at 7:30 am and drive the Seward Hwy to the 2 .5 long Whittier Tunnel. The tunnel is one-way so we need to make the 8:30 am tunnel. [for a history of the tunnel] Upon arrival in Whittier we load the water taxi with kayaks for the 45 minute trip out to Blackstone. Many of our clients claim that the drive and motor launch ride have already met their expectations and we have not even started to paddle yet!
Upon arrival at the beach, we off load, spend time reviewing proper paddle technique and off we go. We paddle for about 1.5 hrs past the 300 foot waterfall coming off of Northland Glacier and several Kittiwake Rookeries to a small beach for lunch. After lunch we take a small hike to obtain breath taking views of Blackstone Glacier only a quarter of a mile away… you can feel the cold of the ice.
After lunch we are off to Beloit Glacier to paddle among the ice flows, grab a few pieces of ice for your water bottle or just scoop some up and lick away. UMMMM that salt water coating is tasty. Where you find ice; you usually find seals. Not always, but very common to find seals in this bay.
From Beloit Glacier we are heading to Lawarance Glacier which is our pick up spot. Lawrence Glacier is not a tidewater glacier, it has melted up the shore. So, we land, pack up our gear, and while we wait for the water taxi we take a hike up to the face and “take a shower” under the water fall coming off the ice face, chilly, and not required, but lots of fun.
Details:
price: 2-3 $350/person 4 or more $300/person
what’s included:
guides, kayaks, transport (round trip Anchorage), tunnel fees, parking fees, water taxi fees, lunch.
We prefer single kayaks. We have doubles but most of our trips use solos. Never kayaked? Worried about being solo, do not worry, most of our clientele are beginners. This fjord is tucked 8 miles back, we seldom have much wind.
time: Anchorage pick up: 7 am, return 7 pm
for a fantastic photo blog of Blackstone go to:http://www.endurefun.com/photos/v/Summer2004/BlackstoneBayKayaking/aaa_006.jpg.html
