Valdez, AK

Valdez is the most northerly ice-free port in the Western Hemisphere. We arrived at the Blessing House B&B late Saturday night; it proved to be a true blessing to us. Breakfast was provided, and we had use of the kitchen and many other amenities throughout the day. From our bedroom window we could view three beautiful glaciers. We attended services by the First Baptist Church early on Sunday aboard the Lulu Belle. Another Christian couple told us of a beautiful, spotless yacht built by its captain 30 years ago for chartered fishing expeditions and/or sightseeing in Prince William Sound. However, on the Lord’s Day, the captain donates the boat and his service to the church. The message was uplifting, and we had a lovely cruise beginning with eerie fog and ending in bright sunshine.

One highlight of our three days was Jerry's bringing in his limit of six 8-10 pound silver salmon. The biggest one broke his line after a long hard fight, so he said. While he was fishing, Gloria was watching a large number of active aggressive chum salmon as the females attempted to lay their eggs. When the female turns on its side, it is using a fin to dig a nest. She lays her eggs and moves away so the male can cover them with his sperm; she returns, covers the eggs, and swims away only to die a short time later. The male lives only a short time also. Hundreds of fish were pushing, biting, and shoving in the pond, and there were many dead ones nearby. Out of the 2500 eggs a female lays only five or six adult salmon survive to spawn the next year or two.