Kenai National Park & Seward area

I've seen a number of these water lily ponds over the last couple of weeks & finally found one to photograph.  


Both lakes & mountains are ubiquitous on the Kenai peninsula. 


Lunchtime found me in this classic Alasakan roadside lodge in Moose Pass (north of Seward). 


Much of the boat tour yesterday was in Kenai Fjords National park. Today, I took a look at its most famous inland spot, Exit Glacier. 
 

Seward is the beginning point of the Iditarod Trail. 


The biggest draw in town is the Alaskan Sea Life Center. 

 

This is Main Street in Seward & the side of a "suburban" hotel: the puffins are the tufted puffin & the horned puffin, the 2 local species. (Some of that narration from the boat tour yesterday stayed with me. 😊)

And the flowers here, both wild & cultivated, continue to catch my eye. 

This morning, a sea otter was swimming & floating right in front of my campsite. Later, I spotted 2 harbor seals, right where they are supposed to be, in the harbor. And eagles are spotted on any outing here.

*   *   *   *   *

Wildlife sightings

--> --> today: sea otters - 1          harbor seals - 2            bald eagles - 3

--> --> trip total so far: 

    black bears - 4          deer - 2                grizzlies - 1            moose - 6

    stone sheep - 8        elk - 1                   caribou - 15            bison - 42    

    Dall sheep - 11        porcupines -1         mountain goats - 1

    trumpeter swans - 7+        many bald eagles    black oyster catcher - 1 (rare)

    sea otters - 4             harbor seals - many     

    many sea stars & jelly fish        Dall's porpoise - ~12

    North Pacific Humpback whales - 2 pods of ~ 12 each

    Stellar's sea lions - 100+ including 60 pups (counted by scientists)

    puffins, horned & tufted - many          


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