We just got back from a trip to Anchorage Alaska. It was a wonderful trip and we had terrific weather. The purpose of the trip was to attend Tim & Angel’s engagement party, but we also did a lot of hiking and driftwood searching. The surprise find was a huge cache of shale rock that we hope to incorporate into some fanciful Alaska shale pottery.
Tim & Angel
Our Alaska Trip was planned around Tim and Angel’s engagement party. Tim and Angel will be married in July 2017 and this was an opportunity for us to meet more of Angel’s family and friends. We had a great time and made some lifelong friends. Tim has adopted Alaska and it suits him perfectly. He loves to hunt and fish and is a marvelous cook. Angel was born and raised in Alaska and loves the same things Tim loves, but she also works with fisheries and is a yoga instructor. They make a great pair.
Willow Alaska
Our first trip was to Nancy Lake in Willow Alaska, Angel’s parents have a cabin on the lake and we took their boat out for a little fishing and sightseeing. We only caught a baby salmon, but we had a chance to cast, take pictures and walk the shore. We also got to spend some time with some new dog friends.
Whittier & Turnagain Arm
Tim took us on a hike near Whittier. To get to Whittier from Anchorage you have to drive down a road that follows Turnagain Arm and take a long tunnel which is also used by the railroad. It is only wide enough for a single vehicle so they change directions every 1/2 hour. It was very much like a ferry system with a schedule and everything.
Turnagain Arm was named by William Bligh of HMS Bounty fame. Bligh served as Cook’s Sailing Master on his 3rd and final voyage, the aim of which was discovery of the Northwest Passage. They originally believed that Turnagain Arm was the mouth of a river. This was the second false trail they encountered in the area. Because of his frustration the second body of water was given the name “Turn Again”. Early maps label Turnagain Arm as the “Turnagain River”.
2 minute trip through the tunnel
Tim took us to a great little trail in Whittier where they go to collect berries in the Fall. At the top of our hike was a wonderful rushing stream. Tim says they often soak in the pond created by a dip in the stream at the top in the summertime. The stream was running very heavily this time of year. But, Tim surprised us with a GREAT (I can’t stress this enough), GREAT, cup of hot coffee at the top.
David picked through lots of fallen branches while we were up there, looking for some great new knobs for his pots. Something we did find that was unexpected was a great stash of shale that we brought home for use in some new knobs. I can’t wait to see how they turn out.
We had so much fun! If you want to follow along with our adventures I encourage you to sign up for our newsletter so you can see the latest of what is happening.
Please share your experiences and comments below! We love to hear from people.
Thank you,
Suzi & David Wilson
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