July 11, 2014
Two hours of Whittier memories. Contented to see it in a different light.
My heart pumps like a dragon with a book of matches for the view of the iceberg we saw floating in Portage Lake before we entered the tunnel to Whittier. What a beauty.
Two hours of Whittier memories. Contented to see it in a different light.
My heart pumps like a dragon with a book of matches for the view of the iceberg we saw floating in Portage Lake before we entered the tunnel to Whittier. What a beauty.
We were only going to cruise by to take a few photos of this iceberg and use the bathroom before heading to Hope forty miles away. Bill must have seen the want in my eyes, the drool falling from my lips, heard Snowshoe Sam and Yella Tail pleading, felt Ittik kicking the back of his seat and the longing in Bob's desire to spend some time here. Look at that beauty!!! I couldn't wait for Bill to park and let the yearning to get as close as possible corrupt me.
HOLY TRUMPED UP PEAS AND JALAPENOS! It's freezing out here!!! The wind off the lake has drop the temps to the mid twenties, the rain is now coming at a forty degree angle, my zebra hat is ready to hang glide, my wrap was a piece of useless fabric flapping in the gusts. Poor fool of a lady getting out of her car as I quickly fired off ten shots, had on short shorts, a t-shirt and sandals. Like that windbreaker that was trying to escape her grasp was going to assist in keeping her warm. "Oh My Gawd!!" she bellowed, "My tits just fell off - Jeezus!!" I guffawed loudly. Danny was striding next to me and asked what that lady just said. I told him she said "OMG my zits just fell off." He found that quite humorous. Bill said he'd find a place to park while Danny, Bob and I went to the bathroom. We were going to explore the place, see how close my camera would allow me to get to this piece of wonderment. This is what I came to Alaska to see, wanted Bob to see. Alaska. Be there in a minute Bill (snickering....). Michelle and the rest of her boys were napping.
Ask and you shall find out. This berg calved two weeks ago from the Portage Glacier. It has been ten years since a piece of this nature has reached the Visitor's Center. The staff were elated. The young lady at the desk said it was twice this size when it arrived. The continuing rain is melting it. The berg is two stories high and about a city block wide, this does not include the base floating beneath the surface. Oh to be Jacques Cousteau right about now.
It must have been Senior Citizen Day or a butt-load of tour buses arrived. We all awaited our turns to take photos from the windows. There was one window in particular that didn't have as many raindrops on it that had a cue. I prefer the natural look and will submit the following photograph to National Geographic's Photo Contest 'Explore Your World'. And a few more. I have over thirty photos of this iceberg.
If the day had been clearer, my life jacket snugly upon my lusciousness, diver's gear attained and a rope around my waist, I would have walked on the ledge outside to take one hundred more photos.
Ask and you shall find out. This berg calved two weeks ago from the Portage Glacier. It has been ten years since a piece of this nature has reached the Visitor's Center. The staff were elated. The young lady at the desk said it was twice this size when it arrived. The continuing rain is melting it. The berg is two stories high and about a city block wide, this does not include the base floating beneath the surface. Oh to be Jacques Cousteau right about now.
It must have been Senior Citizen Day or a butt-load of tour buses arrived. We all awaited our turns to take photos from the windows. There was one window in particular that didn't have as many raindrops on it that had a cue. I prefer the natural look and will submit the following photograph to National Geographic's Photo Contest 'Explore Your World'. And a few more. I have over thirty photos of this iceberg.
If the day had been clearer, my life jacket snugly upon my lusciousness, diver's gear attained and a rope around my waist, I would have walked on the ledge outside to take one hundred more photos.
Ittik wanted me to photographer her like she was licking an ice cream cone or getting ready to stuff her mouth with cotton candy. She's so demanding sometimes. Bill and Shane were somewhere in the center. Bill illegally seeing museum items in the "pay to enter" section of the center, Shane found Bob to wander around with, especially around the gift center and the ice worm container. Danny was shouting "Aunt Catz, look at this! Aunt Catz, you feel that wave hit the building? Aunt Catz! Aunt Catz! This is totally wicked!" As usual looks of stupefaction followed us. I'm used to it. Really used to it. It amuses me greatly. The only color I see at this moment is various shades of blue.
Happy am I to witness a once in a lifetime iceberg of this size so near to land...for free.
The wind, rain and numb fingers beckon us to the truck for defrosting. I don't want to leave, as I could stay and stare and snap for hours. I have on me gig upon gig of digital memory card capacity (128). I want to use at least 64 of it on this iceberg. Yet we have another destination to reach. Hope, Alaska. Another piece of Alaska that stole my attention.
The wind, rain and numb fingers beckon us to the truck for defrosting. I don't want to leave, as I could stay and stare and snap for hours. I have on me gig upon gig of digital memory card capacity (128). I want to use at least 64 of it on this iceberg. Yet we have another destination to reach. Hope, Alaska. Another piece of Alaska that stole my attention.