Alaska Day 7: Making out with Salmon

 Our time in Alaska came abruptly.  I convinced Brady to make some calls and reserve a salmon fishing trip for his birthday the following week.  He and Zachary took off early to make it happen.  We parked the giant RV under the shade at the fishing port, and the kids and I slept a few more hours.

Zachary was the envy of every person on that boat, hooking 3 salmon and 6 other fish while most other poles came up empty.

He was told your first salmon gets a big kiss and he delivered!

Eagle swoops down to get a fish thrown out by the captain:

It's okay, Brady.  We are happy you caught a few fish, too.  No salmon for you, but Zac will provide the meat for our sushi bowls!  Happy Birthday!

Meanwhile, the kids and I walked from the RV to the aquarium--a 3-mile, one way destination.  When I arrived at the park, I realized I had the RV keys so my fishy boys were stranded.  With no way to get back to the port, I left my phone with the kids at the park and raced back to give Brady the keys.  He dropped me back off at the car.  Kate handled the situation beautifully.  It was a very area with many moms.  They hung out on swings and chased each other around, and when she got anxious about 15 minutes in, we talked on the phone while I ran some of the fastest mile splits of my life as an adult.  Brady took me back to the park and I ended up getting the kids to the aquarium while the boys showered.

Heading back to Anchorage with happy and sad hearts.  Alaska!  Family!  What a dreamy week.

We capped it off with pizza and cookies, making our top three lists and eating CRUMBL cookies.

Owen's Top 3:

1.  Belly flopping on tundra on our trail-less hike up Cathedral Mountain in Denali.

2.  Bear sighting from the bus.

3.  Getting his souvenir stuffed animals.

Kate's Top 3:

1.  Alyeska--the whole day!  Playing in the snow and then the amazing lunch, followed by the Conversation Center.

2.  Trail-less hiking: being on top of a mountain and doing handstands.

3.  26 Glacier Boat ride: seeing otters, glaciers, and drinking cocoa.

Zachary's Top 3:

1.  Fishing charter with Dad--catching 3 salmon and 3 rock fish!

2.  Trail-less hiking: roaming and exploration.

3.  26 Glacier boat ride: the 3 stops where we really spent time watching the glaciers.

Mom's Top 3:

1.  Trail-less hiking at Cathedral.  Watching kids' wonderment as they explored.

2.  Resurrection Bay: the fire, mountains, wildlife, water and eagles.  

3.  3 calving glaciers on the 26 Glacier cruise (with a bonus that I did not get sick!).

Dad's Top 3:

1.  Trail-less hiking on Cathedral.

2.  Resurrection Bay: skipping rocks, s'mores, campfire, and the cloudless sky overlooking the bay.

3.  Seeing Zac catch his first every fish: a salmon!  And then his second.  And then his third.  Watching Zac kiss his fish.

Honorable Mentions:

• Harding Icefield (Kate)
• Harry and the Hendersons giggles (Brady)
• Wildlife: peeled eyes on the way to camp in Denali (me)
• Sleeping in the Walmart parking lot after arrival and eating at the top of Harding Icefield (me).
• Owen talking to the sea life lady about the sharks they rescued after he saw them on a show before Alaska.  She was so impressed!  (Owen)

SCARY Moments:

• Zachary listening to "wolves" howl at night.
• Owen thinking of Harry and Henderson the last night 
• When Dad almost missed the shuttle bus.
• Kate sighting bear poop.
• Brady seeing police lights in the rear view mirror.
• Me freaking out when Brady was getting pulled over.
• Brady waking up with a stuffed eagle staring him down a half inch from his face at 5:57am.
• Me leaving my suitcase 20 feet away while moving things around when Brady asked me where it was...

WORST Moments:

• Zachary: needing to poop at the top of Harding.
• Kate: bugs at Harding.
• Me: Second night in Denali with a nasty infection.
• Brady: Savage River Trail with a very sore knee.
• Owen: Harry nightmares.

FUNNIEST Moments:

• Zachary telling his created story at Harding.
• Owen: When Mom warned him about a not-steep hill.
• Brady: Watching Kate crawling on the ice doing a "seal slide."
• Karen: Zac going balls-to-the-wall full speed for tundra belly flops.  Zac swimming in the snow to catch up to us.
• Brady: When Zac was carrying the salmon bag and it broke.
• Kate: When she asked through the bar of a restaurant, then into the kitchen, and finally into the bathroom...the men's bathroom.
• All: following the same couple around Whittier on a hike and the 26 Glacier Cruise, and then landing right next to them at a giant RV park.

Goodbye, Alaska, but not forever.