Glaciers permeated mountains hidden behind the fog as katabatic winds cooled the air around the Dreamcatcher, our vessel for the week.  I joined nine other Alaskan teachers aboard the boat for Alaska Geographic’s Floating Teacher workshop eager to learn about the natural and native Alaskan histories of the Kenai.   This year Fiona, a national park ranger, took the lead with Kate, an Alaska Geographic kayak guide, keeping us safe while kayaking, hopefully with glaciers, seals, and whales all making plenty of appearances!

The two days prior to boarding the Dreamcatcher brought a series of classes and guest speakers arranged by Fiona.   We explored nature journaling, Alaskan natural history, fjord-estuary ecosystems, the Valdez Oil Spill, and countless other topics focused on finding ways to bring nature into students’ everyday lives.  Qutekcak and Yupiq elders shared their knowledge of Alaska along with local scientists, and park rangers.  The land portion of the course was top-notch, but I was especially excited to explore Kenai Fjords National Park with this crew.  I couldn’t wait for a unique opportunity to see Northwestern and Aialik Glacier kayaking past swaths of southcentral shoreline!

Dreamcatcher in Abra Cove, Aialik Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park

I had been excited about this teacher training since being accepted into the program a few months prior and began drafting this post from the galley of an azure-hulled masterpiece but would finish it on the couch at home.  If you’re looking for the best kenai fjords boat tour then charter the Dreamcatcher!  But any Kenai Fjords small boat tours will be incredible, both Major Marine and Kenai Fjords Tours offer excellent day trips that are much more affordable than chartering your own boat!  While in Seward, I highly recommend visiting the Alaska SeaLife Center; home of our first two days of class!

Small group Aialik Glacier kayaking tours can be booked in Seward with local guides like Liquid Adventures or whole boat charters like the Dreamcatcher.

Whale watching Enroute to Aialik Bay

Cruising out of Resurrection Bay we passed beautiful fjords and islands.  There were a few pods of Steller sea lions hauled out on the rocks; waves crashed below to give our ride more fluidity than some would like.  One dramatic landscape after another floated by as a pod of orcas teased us in the distance; swimming from a whale-watching boat to the Aialik Peninsula.  Seas calmed to a murmur when we finally turned the corner at Ailik Cape heading into Aialik Bay.

While en route to Aialik Bay, home of both Holgate and Aialik Glaciers, another boat chirped over the radio “Dreamcatcher, Dreamcatcher, do you copy?”

Captain Rob grabbed the radio and responded, smirking curiously at the tone of the inquiry.  The incoming hail sounded more friendly than foreboding.  “We were just admiring your vessel.  She’s got a beautiful hull! Is that three upper decks that we see?  Are you running private charters or personal use, what’s your heading?” chirped the mystery boat again.

humpback whale

Rob called back “Thank you, I built her myself!  We are a 79’ craft currently chartered by Alaska Geographic.  We we’ve been hired for the gambit but usually research or private charters these days.” Throughout the week we heard the story of how Rob, a retired elementary teacher, his daughter Katie, a current high school teacher, and their family built the Dreamcatcher.

At first, she was a roughly 40-foot boat, or was it 90-foot before chopping her back to 40 when they took her completely apart?  It was clear that this vessel was doing her best impression of Theseus and was at different times both larger and smaller than her current configuration. They cut her down to her current length due to newly enforced archaic regulations which their old Alaskan inspector casually remarked, “Oh yeah, we never worried about those up here!”

Envy bled through the radio as Rob boasted proudly about his ship.  Meanwhile, Fiona explained the dynamic aboard the Gyre, a research vessel we were partnering with for this expedition. We were assisting the scientists aboard the Gyre at research sites throughout Aialik Bay and Northwestern Fjord.  The Gyre was more a fishing vessel than a luxury houseboat like ours .  Their sleeping quarters in a converted fish storage and bow bunkroom with two slanted walls were hard to fathom with our bunkbed state rooms.  It became apparent that first-mate Star and sous chef Carol’s cookies were also a source of envy and we would inevitably deliver a few batches to some friendly sailors.

Alaska Natives suffered the sad tale all too familiar throughout American history with the local Sugt’stun language all but lost over the decades.  Back on land Elder Colette told us how native words are very descriptive.  Geographic names often describe a place and the Sugs’tun word, Aialik, certainly lives up to its name “the surprising place!”

Aialik Bay soothed the seas and brought a series of humpback dance moves.  Tree-filled cliffs rose with rocky crags cutting a unique pattern into each mountainside.  Peaks still dazzled above snowfields with avalanche chutes overhanging spring greenery.  Leaves were just emerging in early June with a snowier-than-usual winter pushing summer to come later than usual.  Aialik glacier stood watch at the end of the bay as bergie bits from this ice age remnant float harmlessly past the Dreamcatcher.

Flat water in Abra Cove meant it was time to get the kayaks down from their perch and test the waters with Kayak Kate!

Aialik Bay Kayaking Abra Cove

I boarded a double kayak with Matt, my bunkmate who spent the past few years teaching in villages across Alaska. Both of us were coincidentally Jersey boys and quite excited about all things Alaska.  Oh, and we trusted each other’s skill with a paddle.  I took the back in charge of the rudder and my camera in a dry bag (thanks to Kayak Kate!) 

Our flotilla consisted of four tandem and four single kayaks; it only took a moment for us to figure out the rhythm and we began paddling through a mirror as seals popped their heads out around us!  The aforementioned snowfields melted through an avalanche chute in the corner of the cove creating a waterfall. The late morning sun came out for one of its only appearances while we were Aialik Bay kayaking that week and the mountains held rain at bay.  

We paddled past vertical cliffs with terraced rock and waterfalls showering those who ventured close.  Kate warned us to stay away from snowfields with waterfalls creating natural allure.  Our cove came to an abrupt end as another deluge roared behind the snow.  We reversed course happy to find the seals curiously following us.  They were a little skittish but their curiosity got the best of them as they ventured closer and closer to our kayaks.  Tim named three of them, Larry, Barry and Terry.  The three brothers watched us carefully, diving if they got too close.

Concentric circles flowed out of their heart-shaped nose each time they came out of the water.   They inhaled deeply as their eyes pored over us for a half minute or more before diving time again.  I could have stayed at this lagoon watching seals play all day!

But, we didn’t have all day and the majesty of Abra Cove was just the tip of this trip’s iceberg.  As a consolation prize for leaving the seals, I convinced Matt to chase a forty-pound piece of brash ice. Tim agreed it should henceforth be known as Vanilla Ice and while lifting Vanilla aboard, I proved that my rain pants definitely were not waterproof. Thankfully the Dreamcatcher has a heated drying room!

That night we anchored in Coleman Bay and enjoyed another savory meal. With a gathering of teachers, it was no surprise that books should be one of the most popular topics at dinner.  Whether we were sharing lesson plans or discussing suggestions for a specific kid; literature was everywhere aboard the Dreamcatcher as we all settled into an unplugged life within the Kenai Fjords.  

Rob typically stayed at the helm in the bridge above the galley, but conversations up there followed suit with Shel Silverstein and Brian Jacques coming off his shelves.  Tim and I found a shared affinity for fantasy and sci-fi we discovered many of us use literature in the classroom to spark discussions on challenging topics like racism and civil rights.  Read-alouds like Maniac Magee, Ghost Boys, Walk Two Moons, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, and The Cay has either made an appearance in my classroom or may next year!    Book chats, nature journaling, and card games filled our evenings as we were continually grateful for the delicious meals, hot showers, and boot dryers. 

Aialik Bay Research with the Gyre

The next morning we split into three research groups, mine took a skiff back to Abra Cove.  Fiona, Chad, and Jayne were in my group meeting Heather, a scientist from the Gyre for a bivalve study.  The rest of our group split between two other research projects collecting data on intertidal organisms.  We got our hands dirty to gather samples for DNA, size, and quantitative analysis to compare to historical data and look for effects related to climate change.

A 100-meter tape was already laid out mimicking the low tide zero line with 12 randomly selected “quads.”  We recorded a quick visual analysis of the top layer before digging ¼ meter down yielding about two buckets and  1 m³ of silt, sediment, rock, and all kinds of critters.  We used a sieve to sift our diggings, collecting clams and mussels for a quantity and size extrapolation.  We also saved a handful of crabs and polychaete worms for DNA study in the oystercatcher’s food web.  

Truthfully we were just digging in the mud and I had a blast discovering vibrantly colored shells, snails, and worms that weren’t even part of the research.   I felt like a kid playing at the beach and we had enough hands helping out that a job that would typically take all day would be done in a few short hours.  That meanst more time to watch for wildlife! 

I had my camera with me and took frequent breaks to enjoy the view when a humpback whale started splashing in our cove!  Seals stayed near the shore, but two sea lions swam toward the whale.  Then the impossible happened, the sea lions started playing with the humpback diving in and out of the whale’s fins and tail!  They looked like old friends enjoying a summer swim.

Back onshore we were careful not to step on morning sun and sunflower stars hiding beneath the kelp and rocks.  We were about to dig the next quad when I spotted a black bear climbing down the snowbank!  It turned to cross an avalanche runout and swam past the snowy waterfalls from yesterday’s kayak.  We radioed the nearby group about the bear and they took a quick break from digging to board their skiff.  The bear was oblivious to us all and kept climbing vertically to the mountain pass above.

Another pristine meal awaited us on the boat thanks to Star and Carol as we swapped stories of digging, tidepooling and overturning rocks.  Matt shared a tall tale about an octopus bigger than his head!  Carol wanted most of all to see an octopus when and Matt admitted the eight-legged critter was much smaller and actually a baby.  We shared our whale and sea lion encounter when Carol’s team mentioned a whale-watching detour after one site took longer to locate via skiff.

After lunch, we cleaned up and met the scientists in Pedersen Bay.  Most of us were on a beach combing mission to find otter remains and a variety of scat for analysis.  Moira and Hilary volunteered to take the science skiff on a longer oystercatcher soiree.

Mild waves sloshed up the rocky shore resonating percussive rhythms rolling out to sea.  A nearby bob of seals watched as we strolled along.  Not much missed the purview of our two dozen eyes.  Dead sea stars and anemones, plus a few live ones which we tossed to the water.  A few white scat samples signaled wolf or coyote; hopefully, not domestic canine since they aren’t allowed in the national park.  Half-eaten fish heads and sea stars were some of the highlights before word of a bear filtered our way. 

Two black bears appeared on the far beach capturing our gaze before someone heard rustling nearby.  Another black bear appeared in the grove of trees to the right.  It saw our group quickly disappearing into the thicket before someone else mentioned a steaming pile of bear scat when Jessica waved everyone forward!

Pedersen Glacier

Matt and I hustled over to see the desiccated bones of an elderly sea otter.  Heather was explaining how the worn-down teeth indicate an older animal.  Asymmetric wear signaled a preferred side or perhaps a tooth injury.  One tooth was missing entirely and the rest of the dental exam convinced Heather, our lead scientist, that this was an older otter, but she couldn’t pinpoint a cause of death with so few remains.  The skeleton was picked clean of meat but had a brown-black residue coating large swaths of bone.  Heather collected the fresh skull and we set up some scopes to watch otter feeding behaviors.

We radioed for our ride and while Star was fabricating yet another delicious dinner and we learned that Moira and Hilary’s team hadn’t radioed to be picked up yet.  Apparently, their crew were delayed departing and we were told not to worry.  Fiona knew Hilary and Moira could have stopped earlier; team had stopped back at the Dreamcatcher while we were watching otters so we were more curious than worried.  They finally arrived at the end of our meal as someone pulled out a deck of cards.  

Shivering with smiles, Hilary and Moira walked in equally excited about the oystercatcher clutches; they found countless nests, most with 3 eggs, one with 4 eggs, and another with 2 eggs and a rock!  They weighed eggs to calculate how far along the chicks were without harming them.  Hilary and Moira quickly filled their stomachs as Fiona let us know a storm was coming and we would have to be flexible with tomorrow.  Depending on the weather we could get stuck onboard, do some research, kayak, or even head to Northwestern Fjord. We would just have to wait and see what the weather brought in the morning.  

Oystercatcher nest with 3 eggs.

Cards seemingly shuffled themselves as someone asked me if I wanted to play Phase 10.  Realizing none of these educators knew my affinity for board games (especially winning board games) I was a little more arrogant than intended when I declared “I don’t play games, I win them,” with a smirk.  “Deal me in!”  Carol taught me the rules and a few others filtered out to the movie room or a lounge chair with a good book.  Laughter and chatter could be heard from the bridge too as card shuffling techniques intensified before the waves lulled us to sleep in Coleman Cove.

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A Rainy Kayak at Aialik Glacier

Morning reports of the storm arriving in the gulf brought rain down our fjord and a morning to sleep in.  I took the chance to process photos and couldn’t believe the seal and kayak compositions with stunning backgrounds you saw above.  I quickly shared them around the boat and checked in with Fiona about the upcoming reading from Last Child in the Woods.  Another hand of cards came out before we realized the optimism about calm seas for an Aialik glacier kayak tour!

I popped my head up to the bridge for a better view as we traveled to the end of Aialik Bay into what felt like spitting distance of Aialik Glacier.  The rain continued as a beach and backup hike along the lateral morraine came within sight.  The monsoon kept Aialik bay from reflecting a mirror of blue ice but didn’t dissuade anyone from some Aialik kayaking. I joined suit and borrowed a set of the Dreamcatcher’s Guidewear when I realized my rain gear wouldn’t keep my insides dry. 

Before launching our armada, Kate reminded us all to keep our “nose over our navel for center of gravity, trust the bouyancy of the boats and paddle slowly through ice!  Try to stay calm if something unexpected happens.”  She taught us the 45° trick to see if we were too close to an iceberg but generally cautioned everyone to stay away from anything bigger than a kayak.   A wintery mix precipitated as paddles cut through the water, occasionally interrupted by a stubborn piece of brash ice.  The larger bergie bits and the few growlers mixed in were easy to avoid.  

An island opposite the glacier was our first heading.   Kittiwakes and seals had already claimed this land for themselves as they hovered safely around a cave in the rocks.  Bubbles gurgled along the perimeter of a blue berg on our right as we passed and the cave came further into view.  The calm eddie and haul out we hoped for was churning against massive boulders.  We paused to reevaluate as Aialik Glacier began singing to us.  

A thunderous boom resonated through the bay in surround sound as our heads swiveled to the glacier; Aialik was calving right behind us!  I saw the ice crash between the beach and a big rock and helplessly told everyone to look near the big rock. “Which rock?” someone snarkily replied.  A few ooo’ed while others chuckled.  

“Big rock is the one on the left, small rock on the right, beach all the way on the left; orient based on those and shout out what you see,” I called out some smaller splashes to the left of the big rock and remembered my first boat captain’s remarks “Small calves often precede a bigger one.”  I shouted “Big rock”  as another sheet of ice tumbled into the water and we all kept our eyes peeled.  

Brash ice filled in slowing our headway as and calving continued when suddenly I noticed the wildlife again!  Two seals played near another iceberg a handful of gulls sat atop the largest growler in sight.  Sounds of ice calving and bumping into boats interrupted distant seals barking at each other.

A few of us focused on the seal inching closer when a nearby piece of ice rolled releasing a deeper blue to glisten in the cloudy skies.  A few of us gasped in unison lucky enough to see the glacier calve before hearing it!  This one looked like it might cause a wave; Fiona and Kate reminded everyone to keep the bow of our boats pointed at the wave.  But the ice didn’t sink beneath the waves, it landed on solid ground piling up on the beach at low tide.

For the next hour, we paddled lazily among the ice completely oblivious to the deluge soaking us from above.  Entranced by nature with seals and ice.  Countless more icebergs calved while the marine mammals bobbed among the ice, progressively closer to our kayaks.  Between the weather and our early start, we shared a silent bond knowing that we were the only ones witnessing this beautiful display by mother nature.  

Selfie with a seal

Eventually, we gave in to the rain and the aches of sitting in a kayak.  We were wet to the core and had seen everything we could have asked for in Aialik Bay.  It was time to head back to the boat where a warm meal and laughter awaited. Over dinner, we reminisced about the wonder of these past few days exploring Aialik Bay and its diverse fjord-estuary ecosystem.  The native Sugs’tun meaning certainly holds true, Aialik Bay is a surprising place hidden in plain sight at Kenai Fjords National Park.

The Dreamcatcher

The Dreamcatcher happened to be a family of teachers!  Captain Rob and Kate, his deckhand daughter, built the vessel with their family spending summers running a variety of Alaska Dream Ventures.  The smell of freshly baked cookies and grilled cheese permeated the air while I began writing this post as Star, first-mate, head chef, and married to Captain Rob served lunch with her sous chef Carol.

Captain Rob made sure everyone understood the 1:10:1 rule of Alaskan waters on our first night in Seward.  In these frigid waters, you’ve got 1 minute for your brain to recover from the shock of going in; expect a lot of sputtering but breathe through it and remain calm. You will regain control!  When you regain control, focus on finding a safe place to float and get spotted by rescuers.  You have 10 minutes before blood leaves your extremities to save your heart.  Without a PFD your body will shut down and likely to drown.  With a pfd, hypothermia will still set in after 1 hour; but with an immersion suit, you can survive up to 36 hours awaiting rescue!

The Dreamcatcher has a full complement of safety precautions, both coast guard recommended, and a few extras like the waterproof, insulated, and buoyant neoprene immersion suits.  Everyone managed to squirm into an immersion suit in about a minute laughing and hoping we’d never need to put them on in an emergency!

The Dreamcatcher was built around the essentials, plenty of bathrooms WITH showers.  Don’t forget freezers and a fridge in a galley that would make many homeowners jealous.  Rob and Katie literally started by placing the main appliances and building the framing out from there.  They added a movie room with five lazy boys, and a reading room with four more recliners flanked by the galley, some staterooms, and crew quarters on the main deck.  The crow’s nest holds nearly a dozen sea kayaks above the upper deck with a gear closet, heated drying room, picnic table, and barbecue grill.  My bunk was below deck along with a washer-dryer and three other bunk bed state rooms.

Each stateroom sports a private bathroom and shower!  It’s the nicest boat I’ve stayed on and they’ve taken researchers, private and corporate charters everywhere from Juneau to the Aleutian Islands.  They frequently run bear charters to Katmai National Park and, for one week are excited to host educators for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

My goal is to finish another post about Northwestern Fjord from the days immediately following kayaking around Aialik Bay.  Be sure to subscribe or follow me on social media so you know when that post is realeased!

About Aialik Glacier

• What type of glacier is Aialik Glacier?

  Aialik Glacier is a tidewater glacier.  Aialik Glacier calves all year but the best viewing opportunities are summer months, especially May, June, and July.

•  How big is Aialik Glacier?

  The tidewater face of Aialik Glacier is about 1.5 miles wide.  Aialik Glacier is approximately 3.5 miles long and connects to the Harding Icefield.  Aialik glacier size is constantly changing but the information in this article is from 2023.

• Where is Aialik Glacier?

  Aialik Glacier is in Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward, Alaska.  Aialik Bay is also home to Holgate Glacier.  An Aialik Glacier tour is available out of Seward.

• Is Aialik Glacier safe?

  Glaciers are volatile by nature and can be lethal.  Keep your distance and it is best practice to hire a guide anytime you’re traveling near a glacier.

• Bear Glacier vs. Aialik Glacier?

  Both glaciers are gorgeous with pros and cons!  Aialik Glacier is a tidewater glacier that is further from Seward than Bear Glacier.  You are more likely to see calving and seals at Aialik since it empties into the tidal waters.  Bear Glacier calves into a lagoon where most of its icebergs get trapped and is closer to Seward.

Important Information for Aialik Bay Alaska
Kenai Fjords National Park

Aialik Bay Cabin can be reserved on Recreation.gov.

An Aialik Bay Map can be found at NPS.gov

Kenai Fjords boat cruises frequently sell out during the summer months.  Shoulder season in April or May is a great time visit Aialik Bay and the rest of Kenai Fjords national park.  I always tell visitors to take the longest Kenai Fjords boat cruise they can handle, both in duration and expense.

Aialik Glacier & Wildlife Day Trip

Most Kenai Fjords small boat tours combine both wildlife and glacier viewing.  Wildlife is never a guarantee but there are large populations of a diverse set of wildlife endemic to Alaska in Kenai Fjords NP.   Fjord-estuary ecosystems are abundant with wildlife like whales, seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals.

Is there a lodge in Aialik Bay?

Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge is the only Aialik Bay Lodge and the only Kenai Fjords national park lodge.

Recommended Reading for Alaska Travel & Hiking

• Hiking to Erie Mine and Bonanza Mine in Wrangell St Elias National Park
• Day Trips in Anchorage
• Kesugi Ridge in Denali State Park
• Day Trip in Prince William Sound 
• Hiking Pepper Peak – Summers at Eklutna Lake
• Amazing Denali Views while Hiking the Curry Ridge Trail
• Winning the Denali Park Road Lottery
• Backpack through Denali National Park
• Camp at Grewingk Glacier
• Cross a frozen lake to Portage Glacier
• Ski to Skookum Glacier
• Aurora Hunting in Fairbanks for New Years Eve
• Biking to Knik GlacierCrust Skiing Broad Pass – Denali State Park

Thank you for reading! If you scrolled this far down I hope you’ve already subscribed and are excited to read my next story. Be sure to share this post using the buttons on the left or pin the images!