The Ice Cubes of Alaska

The summer of 2023 was a great adventure and fulfillment of lifelong dreams. We had travelled to Alaska.

Our Alaskan journey was epic; if we could, we would immediately pack our bags and head that way. It was an experience that can never be repeated.

When Charlene and I first discovered the joys of travel, we would talk of places we would like to see. At first, we limited ourselves to destinations that were only a couple of hours away, but that quickly changed. First to overnight trips, then to weekend trips, and finally to week-long vacations.

Because we did not mind being in a car for hours on end, distance and time to wherever no longer mattered. As long as we would get there and have time to enjoy what we were doing, there was no limit to how far we could go. For example, we drove 13 hours to see a waterfall Charlene was tagged in.

The fantasy talk of seeing Alaska slowly started to become real. A dream turned into something attainable. Then…

We are going to Alaska!

With this proclamation, I began researching this distant land that was once too far to go. I found places to see on the way, planned rest stops, places to eat, fuel stops and the most significant thing, a new vehicle.

We had a Prius. It’s a fantastic car for touring. Fuel efficient and fun to drive. Perfect for us.

Except it wasn’t.

We became more adventurous, and we discovered camping and loved it. The roads we were taking were not made with a Prius in mind, so we needed something with a little more clearance and the ability to get us out of situations that (fortunately) we were lucky to avoid.

We went off to our local Toyota, and we bought a Rav4. We traded in our beloved Prius for a vehicle with more storage and better off-road capabilities.

The only thing we needed to do was plan a date to go.

Then COVID-19 happened.

What a stupid time to have the panic of this pandemic ruin our plans. How dare this happen.

Our plans were on hold for years. Borders would open, attractions would open, then all to close again in the hysteria.

But once the panic and paranoia subsided and reasonable minds came to the forefront, we could enjoy travelling again.

At a visit to my parents, the topic of Alaska came up. We had dismissed this as an unreachable dream, but why? I questioned why we were going to wait anymore. Our Rav4, which we bought for the trip, is getting older. We are getting older. Why are we waiting for this trip of a lifetime? Why not do it this summer?

I believe I shocked Charlene with this statement. I was serious. For the following weeks, every free moment after work, I researched, planned, wrote new plans, fretted, fussed and finally, I had something that would work.

We would take six weeks off to do something we had both dreamed of for years.

For Charlene, the main focus of this journey was to see icebergs. We have seen massive, beautiful pictures of icebergs gracefully floating by, which we had to see with our own eyes.

Where do icebergs come from?

Glaciers.

With this in mind, I focused on glaciers and finding glaciers to look at and even explore. Glaciers in the mountains. Glaciers on the roadway. Glaciers in the sea.

Alaska for Charlene was to see icebergs. She was so excited to see these large blocks of ice. We would begin our journey to Alaska, and within three weeks, we arrived at Seward, where we boarded a boat and took a fantastic ocean tour toward Kenai Fjords National Park.

This would be the third boat tour we have ever done and the best tour ever. It was filled with stunning scenic views, wildlife and ice. We would witness seals, puffins and other birds, humpbacks and killer whales feeding, thousands of jellyfish, a lone bear enjoying a feast of berries, and a majestic glacier.

While we travelled on the boat, we would see this glacier from a distance. The tour’s focal point was to go up to it and see this large sheet of ice meet the sea. It had a brilliant hue of blue and made the most interesting groans. Large cracks and pops could be heard, travelling like lightning through the ice. The sound would resonate and echo. We could see part of the glacier break away, calving into the water. The sound of the splash was delayed because of our distance. It was amazing. This journey on a boat to see this glacier and the surroundings it was in, and the experience was the whole purpose of our coming to Alaska.

At least, for me, it was.

In planning our trip, I became so focused on glaciers that I should have paid more attention to the iceberg aspect that Charlene wanted to see. Yes, we saw icebergs, I would tell my wife while we watched the glacier from the boat. It is just that they are smaller than advertised. We wanted to see ones the size of houses, but because it was summer, the water was warmer, and whatever came off the glacier was insignificant in size.

Charlene was crest-fallen. We both would look at the water and watch the small blocks of ice float past the boat. “These are just ice cubes,” Charlene told me in disappointment. The ice cubes of Alaska were dissatisfying to her since we all have seen the pictures of massive bergs off the east coast. She left this destination a little saddened about missing the one key sight she wanted to see.

But I reminded her we still got to see jellyfish, whales and the views. It is such a wonder to behold.

Our journey from this point on was to head back. We have never been this far from home before. As with each time we return to where we live, there is a bit of sadness because our tour is ending. There was still the better part of three weeks to go before we would walk into our house.

We arrived too late in the season to see icebergs in Alaska. If we wanted to see Alaskan icebergs, we would have had to travel farther and earlier. The best place to see icebergs is in Iceberg Alley in Newfoundland during the late spring and early summer (April to June). Someday, I will make a plan to fulfill this dream that Charlene holds.

Now, to find the time.

To find this and all the other locations we have visited, check out Featured Map for directions on how to get here.
To see the original map of our Alaska trip, click here. Some of the places we could not go to (for various reasons), and some areas we added which need to be included in this map. To see those, click on the Featured Map.
The original itinerary for this trip can be seen here. It does not include sites that we added on.