It was evening by the time we reached the camp, and we prepared for supper of sandwiches with Pastrami and pepper jack cheese, carrots and pecan pie. Alla was a bit chilly and decided to start a fire. We gathered deadwood of the ground which was damp and tried to light it with matches which didn’t do much good, luckily in our bear proof locker someone left lint, fire starting sticks and benzene.
Alla poured a hearty amount on the fire pit and I lit the match. The fire went upwards and I could feel the fire close to my skin ( I said this was an attempt on my life). But we had a fire, and fire starter roasted some marshmallows and alla kept feeding he fire with fire wood and more benzene (she poured enough to affect the world petroleum market).
It started to rain stronger and stronger, alla assumed this rain would end soon, I chose to go in to the tent. The rain ended sometime on the early hours on the next morning, pouring all night and coming in through our tent, drenching parts of our things. In the morning we woke up cold and damp, packed our stuff and fire started relit the fire.
We took the camper bus out of the park to Denali city (the area of many motels, shops and restaurant at the entrance to the park for much needed soup (corn chowder for me), tea or coffee and banana cake. We headed south towards anchorage through the amazing mountains and stopped at various view points to catch a glimpse of mount McKinley, or as the locals and natives call him, mount Denali (Means the Great one).
We took a detour to the town of Takleenka which is said to be the inspiration of the TV show ‘Northern Exposure’ which is a lot more touristic then it was then. I sampled caribou chilly and Alla had a Halibut burger, and after a local not so good ice cream we went on and found a glorious view point of the Great One, now that the clouds have cleared. We arrive late evening to anchorage and checked in to a hostel which forces you to leave your shoes by the door.
We woke up today and headed south toward Kenai peninsula, we passed Beluga point where the tides are most impressive (but not today) and you can see beluga whales (we didn’t) and drove towards Portage glacier. We walked up to the beginning of the glacier which had a Glacier cave where a river of glacier water flowed out of. We walked over pebbles to cross the brook and reached the entrance of the cave and took some cool shots (including a glacier French kiss).
We kept going south and this area became Switzerland, green hills, flowers all around, lakes that reflect the mountains beyond them, lilies in the water- awesome footage. But this area is more inhabited , so less wild life.
we reached the town of Seward on the edge of the peninsula (the drivable edge), stopped for new England clam chowder and decided to head down to the edge and look at the tides.
The weather is amazing today with a clear sun that let us see mount McKinley from a 100 miles away, the town lays on the pacific ocean in the end of a Fjord.
On the out skirts of the town we noticed commotion. Ten or twenty people were next to a huge raging water fall. The fall is 10-15 meters high and pounds the ground hard where it contacts the grounds. If you walk from the other side, you see a lovely rainbow from the vapors of the water fall and the freezing vapor hits your face hard and cold (but refreshing).
8 years ago in new Zealand, I went in for a swim in a glacier originated lake on the end of the 2nd day of the Ruthebern trail (the most beautiful place on earth). After 2 days of hiking (no showers) I needed that so I went in to the lake next to the 2nd day hut with a couple of other crazy female hikers (in our shorts) while Amit stays dry (and Jiffa) on the banks and takes a photo. Since then, I am asked on trips to enter lakes. I did that in our Slovenia trip, but the lake was muddy and yucky. Here I skipped a few option since the sun wasn’t completely out and I am not completely insane (just mostly insane).
I quickly decided that this was the place to go crazy, and I had to goad myself for a while and found that fire starter wanted to go in as well.
We changed to our nothing suits behind some hut and went in to the cold, cold, cold, cold water…. Fire starter went in first and ducked herself in the water and jumped out in freezing screams. I went in right behind, the cold water hits you hard, I tried to enter the water fall itself but it is hard to push against the pounding of the water and the cold is too much and quickly went out too.
Before we went in it was mildly chilly even with the strong sun, but now it was so warm and nice in the sun.
The damp fire starter and I exchanged looks and decided to try again! And we did, this time barely managing more than the last time, still the cold and strength of the waves pushed us back.
Oh, the screams part of Alla. I was shirking too, its cold!!! You won’t find many other people willing to do crazy things, and for some reason, woman do these kinds of thing less, so I am very lucky to have found a freezing fire starter.
Other people were watching, most did not go in. a group of teenagers goaded each other to go in and some of them did. We spoke with them and they were from Fairbanks (where the temperature is 40 below in the winter) and other Alaska cities so used to the cold. They said that the distance we went is was braver (I would say dumber) than what they did. Coming from a local that is a mighty compliment. They shook our hands and left happily refreshed.
We climbed up and enjoyed the sunlight and decided to take a dip in the pacific ocean which was right there. You may heard that the pacific is a warm ocean. Well it sure ain’t California out here. The Fjord is fed from the many glaciers in the area and snow melt water and it is mighty cold. We took a quick dip with Eran filming and swam for maybe 30 seconds before coming out. We could not proceed salty so we had to wash up in the water fall for the 3rd time. Again frosty fire went in first, took a quick washing dip and got out. I was feeling stupid by now managed to walk to the other side of the water fall (not under it though), climbed the edge of the fall, and entered the fall (avoiding the raging water that interrupted me before). I stood not under the main fall, but a secondary (the fall is split to 2 parts by a big rock) for maybe 15 seconds. The cold water pounded my scull. What a rush!!!
The crazy Russian had to change from the wet top and changed it in the car, while Amit was driving, with me providing cover with a pillow. I told you crazy, but so awesome. We changed the rest in a nearby campground.
We are driving north now, back to anchorage, for last city visit getting our bags ready for the departure tomorrow, not sure we have time for craziness, but I am sure we will manage something.
cheers
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