Anchorage to Girdwood, AK
After being in Eagle River and Anchorage for a few days, we are ready to be in the wilderness again - less traffic and less people. Although I like big cities and big city atmosphere, after driving the many miles through mostly wilderness, I am craving the quietness with only the sounds of wildlife.
We fo
und a beautiful pull off along the Turnagain Arm 41 miles south of Anchorage to spend some time at. We had thought we would just park there until the Bore Tide came through but as it happened, no one told us we couldn't stay there and it was so beautiful we decided to spend the night.
und a beautiful pull off along the Turnagain Arm 41 miles south of Anchorage to spend some time at. We had thought we would just park there until the Bore Tide came through but as it happened, no one told us we couldn't stay there and it was so beautiful we decided to spend the night. An easterly extension of Cook Inlet, Turnagain Arm was called Return by the Russians. Captain Hook seeking the fabled Northwest Passage in 1778, called it Turnagain River, and Captain Vancouver, doing a more thorough job of surveying in 1794 gave it the present name of Turnagain Arm. Turnagain Arm is known for having one of the world's remarkably high tides, with a range of more than 33 feet. The Bay of Fundy is the only body of water that surpassed this with tides of up to 54 feet. A bore tide is an abrupt rise of tidal water just after low tide, moving rapidly landward, formed by a flood tide surging into a constricted inlet such as Turnagain Arm. This foaming wall of water may reach a height of 6 feet and is dangerous to small craft. There are signs all over about not going out on the tidal flats because the bottom of the fjord is composed of silt and glacial deposits that are like quicksand in many places. If a person is there stuck and the tide comes in it spells disaster. When the water mixes with the bottom in those places, the silt deposits become like concrete.
Not
knowing when the bore tide was expected we were just sitting around - Ken 
outside, me inside as it was windy and a little chilly - when Ken came to the door and told me to look at the water. And sure enough, there was the bore coming in and it was amazing. It wasn't very tall, maybe about 2 feet in places, but amazing nonetheless. The pull off we were at gave us a real
ly good view as the water came in. The force of the tide caused waves and many whirlpools as it proceeded further into the fjord. 
knowing when the bore tide was expected we were just sitting around - Ken 
outside, me inside as it was windy and a little chilly - when Ken came to the door and told me to look at the water. And sure enough, there was the bore coming in and it was amazing. It wasn't very tall, maybe about 2 feet in places, but amazing nonetheless. The pull off we were at gave us a real
ly good view as the water came in. The force of the tide caused waves and many whirlpools as it proceeded further into the fjord. 
The pull 
off was also just above the Alaska Railroad tracks so we got to see the pass
enger trains between Anchorage and Seward up close. Not only did we experience the tide and the trains, in the distance we could finally see Mt. McKinley (Denali) in all its splendor along with the Alaskan Range. What a sight!
off was also just above the Alaska Railroad tracks so we got to see the pass
enger trains between Anchorage and Seward up close. Not only did we experience the tide and the trains, in the distance we could finally see Mt. McKinley (Denali) in all its splendor along with the Alaskan Range. What a sight!
Denali is 75 miles north of Anchorage and we are now 40 miles south for a total of 115 miles distance for this picture - still a magnificent view!
All in all, it was a great spot to stay but we will move on tomorrow to meet up with John and Fran at the Crow Creek Mine in Girdwood to try our hand at gold panning.
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