Since we were going to be here for a few days, Don and I decided we would go kayaking in the ocean. A group called Pangaea has a kayak trip for all ages that goes to Duck Flats just outside of Valdez. So we decided to try it.
First, we could not wear cotton, which was a problem for me since all I had brought were jeans. But we found some of Don's pants that would work (but they certainly made quite the fashion statement!), and I had plenty of blouses that were not cotton, and he had the same, so we were off.
By the time we donned the rain pants, the rubber boots, the splash skirt, and the life vest, we all looked like the Michelin man! Never mind that we had to find a way to slip into the skinniness of a kayak. We found it to be somewhat confining, to say the least.
Once we figured out how to move the boat, Don figured out the steering and rudder system, and we got the paddling down, we headed out into the bay. At first we were not very fast, but within a few minutes, we were able to keep up with the youngsters. We learned about how tankers are filled from the Alaska pipeline and how rescue operations and tugboat operations work.
We arrived at a rookery for Kittiwake Gulls - which is on rocky islands in the bay - and were able to see the chicks in their nest. We explored another part of the bay before it was time to head back.
On the way back, more boats and ships were active, so it was a little more important that we pay attention to the goings-on around us. Also, the tide was coming in, so we had to paddle a little more aggressively.
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| The boat ahead of us is the Saga, which is featured on the show Deadliest Catch. |
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