Some more about Seward.

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.
Saint Augustine

Tomorrow we will pack away the stragling items left out in our time here at Seward. The bikes to the rack, the coats to the closet… the dog crate strapped to our table. We’ll pick up our grill, leveling blocks, and bag chairs. We’ll tuck away the travel mugs so they don’t roll off of our counter.

We’ll be sad to go.

It turns out that our ability to sit and watch the ebb and flow of the tide, weather, and marine travelers (bird, boat, and otter) is quite endless. Over and over again we exclaim to each other about the view outside our windows.. and each time we rush to look one more time… take one more picture.

Our theory is that this is why people come back time and time again. So many travelers on our route are on their 5th… 8th… 20th… 30th trip up here… and more than a few, just came back to finally stay for good. There is a part of us, a significant one, that understands that. It feels like with every week that passes we learn a tiny bit about Alaska, and just a bit more about ourselves.

We didn’t pack every day to the brim with activities here in Seward, although I think you could. Instead we kept an ongoing routine of watching our views with a spattering here and there of excursions… to the marine life center, to Exit Glacier, and on a fishing charter. Here is just a sampling of what we saw.

When the fishing boats come in, pictures are taken of the haul, and then to the cleaning tables. Everyone knows the routine here… from the deckhands to the birds.

This is Exit Glacier, just 8 miles outside of Seward. The drive is absolutely lovely with the surrounding forested mountains and river basin. The amount that this glacier is shrinking annually grows exponentially. Climate change is very real and happening at an alarming rate. Comparing pictures we took 10 years ago leave my stomach in my throat with worry.

This little walk on the way up to see Exit Glacier is a good one to feel the magnitude of nature around you.

Here are just a few shots from our front yard overlooking Resurrection Bay.

We did a bike ride with Iggy out to Miller’s Landing. So glad to not be hit by a speeding local on that gravel road. It seems like at some point I should point out that we don’t edit color on these pictures.. To do so would be an insult to nature.