BICYCLING ALASKA-Page 5
(of 6 pages)
INTO VALDEZ AND COLUMBIA GLACIER!
The harbor at Valdez.
From my journal... (July 17th;Day-34)..."Somewhere along the route Roy and Kurt asked if I'd like to join them as a third hand for a few days in the boat up to Columbia glacier where they have several scientific camps stationed. There was no hesitation with my answer!
This is the RV Growler which we would be living on for the next week. The RV stands for "Research Vessel" and you would understand the name "Growler" if you could hear it's diesel engine!
The Growler is part of the U.S. Geological Survey.
Roy, the captain in charge at the wheel.
Yours truely, the first mate at the wheel!
Kurt managing rope just out of the Valdez harbor.
A few sea lions sunning on a buoy on our way to the glacier in Prince William Sound.!
Our home for a few days anchored in a calm, still spot.
Keeping plenty of fresh ice in our food coolers was easy with tons of ice floating in the salt water near the base of the glacier!
One of Roys weather stations set up on an island across the bay from the glacier
Roy checking the data collected while he was away!
Here's Kurt as I photographed him on one of our regular evening outings to a nearby island. During the day a helicopter took Roy and Kurt up onto the glacier and I spent a lot of my free time exploring the nearby wilderness, then usually had a hot meal waiting for all of us when the day was done. It's such a tough life!
"At 10:00 p.m. the ferry "Bartlet" pulls into the Valdez harbor and we have supper at a nearby restaurant where I enjoy baked halibut. After supper we cross the harbor to a bar for a drink and some planning then find ourselves to bed at a late hour aboard the docked RV Growler."
Continue the journey on Page 6!...