Farewell Alaska
As we slip into the abyss of fog and rain of the British Columbia Coast, we must say "Farewell" to Alaska. We have shared wonderful memories and unforgettable experiences with family and friends aboard Seventh Heaven. We witnessed our Earth being carved by the force of glacial ice as we flew over "The Juneau Ice Fields" a 1500 square mile remnant of the last ice age. We marveled at the power of the Earth's natural forces at the face of Le Conte Glacier as gigantic masses of ice were catapulted into the Azure Blue waters of the fjord. The creation of Natures ice carvings were for our eyes only, to be seen by us for just that moment in time, never to be seen again in that form.
We were swept back in time to our very evolutionary beginnings as we witnessed the natural selection process of "Survival of the Fittest" in the spawning salmon. There before us a perfect recycling of life. Salmon instinctively finding their way back from the ocean to the place of their birth, their bodies changing as they hit fresh water to fight for control over their progeny. All, benefit from their struggle as creatures partake in nourishment from this phenomenon. Only the strongest survive to carry on the next generation. Even the ground where this takes place benefits as Salmon DNA is found in trees two miles from the rivers and creeks.
Our hearts were warmed by the love and care for orphaned bears left to otherwise die when their mothers were killed. Fortress of the Bears" allowed us to see these magical creatures in ways that we would otherwise never be privileged to see. It gives those who might think differently about the needless killing of animals and their right to live and to be. It is a chance to see an intimate view into their behaviors with one another rather than just their interaction and relationship with Humans.
Our perspectives are forever changed as we experienced the grandeur and beauty of Alaska !
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| The endless wilderness of Grenville Channel. |
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| Storm front moving in |
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| Waterfalls cascade down the slopes of Princess Royal Channel. |
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| Mist appears along the shore as water from streams flow into the icy water of the channel. |
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| At Shearwater, this new memorial has been erected to commemorate the Bella Bella World War II Royal Canadian Air Force Station and the airmen, veterans and local aboriginal veterans who served for their country. |
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The Inuit People of the far north erect similar stone structures called "Inukshuk" meaning: "likeness of a person" on the treeless landscape of the Tundra as markers for direction.
This one has been added to the waterfront of Shearwater. It is a well known symbol in Canada.
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Butedale
From 1909 to it's closure in the 1950's, Butedale was founded as a fishing, mining and logging camp on Princess Royal Island. Once a bustling community of 400 people working at Western Packers Cannery it now has a population of one (1).
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| Circa 1930's |
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| 1940's |
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| 1940's |
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| 2008 |
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| August of 2013 |
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| Sunset At Duncanby, Rivers Inlet |
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| In the moring we will round Cape Caution to Port McNeill |
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