Solomon Gulch Hatchery




The salmon were running, which attracted 3 sea lions at the late morning low tide, & 3 dozen by the early evening high tide. 


                                              Solomon Gulch

Valdez Historical Museum 

This is a beautiful museum housed in a main building & an annex. Like most of the local history museums in Alaska, it is well organized & has lovely artifacts. 


                                       


These airplane skis are a real tribute to man's ingenuity. 


The original town was largely wiped out by the 1964 tsunami caused by a huge earthquake. A new townsite was developed, & the remaining buildings were moved here. This bar survived, & a diorama spanning many cases shows the original town. 



misc

The harbor here is extensive. It includes a fish cleaning station, a new harbor, & a small boat harbor, in addition to the larger commercial boats & warehouses. 



The conditions here in the summer make growing flowers easy, so lovely flower pots are everywhere. 

Some unscrupulous folks took advantage of the gold fever during the Klondike Goldrush & advertised an "all American route" to the Klondike. While the route did avoid going through Canada, it required going over a big glacier, & many died. This mural memorialized the route. 

These ladies welcome visitors to the Fat Mermaid Restaurant. 


from my campsite (taken on different days)






*   *   *   *   *

Wildlife sightings (not counting those in the conservation preserve or the aquarium)

--> --> today:       sea lions - ~ 3 dozen                       sea otters - 3

--> --> trip total so far: 

    black bears - 4          deer - 2                grizzlies - 1            moose - 7

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

    Dall sheep - 11        porcupines -1         mountain goats - 1

    trumpeter swans - 27+        many bald eagles    black oyster catcher - 1 (rare)

    sea otters - 27             harbor seals - many     

    many sea stars & jelly fish        Dall's porpoise - ~ 20

    North Pacific Humpback whales - 2 pods of ~ 12 each + 1

    Stellar's sea lions - many, 100+ incl 60 pups in 1 spot (counted by scientists)

    puffins, horned & tufted - many   

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