Ellen's Trip to Alaska: 06/20/21

Short ocean video

Kenai River where I went fishing with Becky.

First stop, Becky and Linda's, so I could borrow a pair of hip-waders.

Now I put my wading boots over the hip-waders. Becky says the water we are going to be standing in is very cold, so I also have on long underwear shirt and pants, flannel-lined jeans, gortex pants, sweatshirt, down jacket and vest! I feel like I'm 4 years old and getting ready to go outside in a Chicago Snowstorm! I waddle to the car.

It's a long walk from the parking lot to the river. That's Becky waiting for me to catch up.

I can see the river from the trail.

In order to make it safe to get to the river, there is a maze of platforms and stairs. These structures also protect the river bank which is critical to long-term salmon survival . The eggs are fertilized near the bank and the baby salmon live there until they are ready to go to the ocean.

Down we go....

To get a sense of perspective look at this photo and the one above it. What's different?

Looking downriver. Becky is fishing with the other people on the other side of that rock.

The water was going fast! The gulls were waiting for tidbits like salmon heads.

Time to go home. Becky caught 4 salmon. Ellen caught at least 4 rocks!

What to after a long day of fishing? Walk down to the beach at Clam Gulch!

A shorebird's activities

This plant is called "Red Elderberry. It's flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds while its fruits are popular among birds, but it is poisonous to people.

Lupine grows everywhere here, but I never get tired of seeing it!

Thee are wild roses everywhere. The Native American ladies I talked to told me the flowers are edible. I ate some and thought they tasted kind of like lettuce. You'd have to eat lots of them to get full!

This is Lingoberry which is a species of blueberry. It is an excellent plant for birds. It's best to leave the berries on the plant over the winter because that makes them sweeter. The berries can be used to make jam.