Float Plane Base at Lake Hood, Anchorage, AK

Maybe Denali?   We flew by this impressive peak today.   This one peak was significantly larger than all the rest.   Unfortunately, the plane had no WiFi or tracker, so I was dead reckoning our position with scant data.   Regardless, it was surely impressive.

We abandoned Blue Redd in Auke Bay for the duration of our Denali side-trip.   I’m sure she will miss us.   We added extra dock lines, secured everything, powered off most breakers, and closed most thru-hulls to make sure she should be there when we get back.   It feels like I’m abandoning my child….  There is probably a professional diagnosis for this condition….  Boat Owner comes to mind.

At JNU, Juneau International Airport.   It was very crowded today.
We landed in ANC, Anchorage International Airport.  This is a much larger airport than JNU.   Three terminals of 16 gates each (I think).
The main concourse at ANC.
How cool.   Home, big and small, with float planes in their backyards.
We went for a walk around Lake Hood.   They proclaim this the busiest float planes base in the world.   Who am I to disagree?   There were multiple float planes taking off and landing the entire time we walked around the lake (about a 4.5 mile loop).

We got our steps in!  12,000 of them.
Well, they have to move these planes on trailers, so here is an integrated truck/trailer with the truck facing forward.
And here is one with the truck facing backwards.   We both saw this and it took a long second to figure out that something was weird with this…
The path around Lake Hood takes you on active taxiways, around hangars, and across runways.   You’ve got to be watchful and alert as plane have the right-of-way.   That included no swimming (not gonna happen with me) nor walking across when it is iced over.

It is a veritable plane parking lot, like I’d see at the local mall, but planes rather than cars.

We dined at Kinley’s Restaurant tonight.   It was very highly rated (4.9) so we thought we’d give it a go.   We were not disappointed.   The food was well prepared from the oysters Au gratin to Karen’s salmon and my halibut cheeks.  They even had a 2019 Cerretto Barolo on the wine list, so of course, I had to try it.

All very good and we are happy, fatter, campers.











Tomorrow we are off to Seward, AK for a few days before we hit Denali.   If I have connectivity I’ll probably post again tomorrow evening.

Unnuaqhatkut (According to Gemini, that is “Good Night” in Inuktitut, the language of the Innuit).   I have no way of knowing or verifying that.   AI is never wrong, right?

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 4, 2026 at 12:08 AM

    I never actually noticed that before, but you DO have halibut cheeks … especially when you smile 😊-CM

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Selene Rendezvous West, Maintenance, and Cruising Towards Anacortes

Image
  Playing with propane again.   My manifold was all bolted down so it cannot move.  Last year when we closed out the season it was all fine.   When we got aboard a few days ago, Karen said she smelled propane. Leaping into action, I chased the smell to the propane locker.   After much fiddling, I discovered it was both the manifold and the regulator.   The manifold fittings were all loose and if I held the flashlight at just the right angle, I could see the density waves of propane flowing out of the regulator vent.   How can this happen?    Regardless, it is now all fixed and my locker is clean (soapy water at close to 50/50 mix is a pretty good, if not goopy cleaner).   All tightened, fittings are taped with yellow teflon tape + blue PFTE compound, tightened hand-tight + 1 turn with a wrench.   So far, we haven't smelled more propane nor have we blown up. My next project is to replace this domest...
Read more

Pitter-Patter...

Image
  That's the sound of the steady rain and they tink & plink into the water, or pitter-patter according to Google Gemini.   It is entrancingly beautiful. Today started out just as the weather forecasters had promised.   The rain cleared-up by 1100 (11:00am) and the winds died down to an acceptable 15 knots. We left Green Island Anchorage and headed north.   We passed this point (Kwakume Point in Fitz Hugh Sound) where there were 3 humpbacks breaching, fin-slapping, and spy-hopping.   Unfortunately, they were too far away to capture with the camera. To be clear, we do not chase the whales nor approach them.   They have to come to us - that is their choice. Yup, that's Captain Karen at the helm. You always have to keep vigilant for logs and rafts of kelp that float around. Today, this stuff was everywhere, it was difficult to steer clear of it all.  Perhaps the storms over the last few days washed this out of the mountains or ...
Read more

Prescription Postponement

Image
  A mature and an immature bald eagle.   I'm going to guess, mom & kid, but I don't know my bald eagles very well. As I mentioned in my blog from yesterday, we delayed our departure for a day in the hope that the local Safeway Pharmacy would get my prescription delivered.   And they did!   I got a call from the Pharmacist, Norma, who said they had just received it.   I can't say enough kind things about Norma; she was super helpful and very courteous to me. It rained on & off for most of the day.  That meant inside chores. There is always work to be done aboard. Then we spent the afternoon reading on the fly bridge and listening to the soft white noise of the rain. I was voluntold that I was chef for the day.   Cool.  That usually means something Chinese.   Here, I'm preparing tonight's sumptuous repast by chopping green beans, red peppers, red onions, scallions, shallots, ginger, tons of garlic, and chic...
Read more