Kenai Fjords is probably the most accessible national park in Alaska. Just a short 2 hour drive from Anchorage to the small (yet touristy) town of Seward gets visitors right up to the edge of the park. From there, you can head to the visitor center for hikes or take a day-long cruise through the park’s namesake fjords. However, as with every Alaska national park, there are always more rugged adventures for those willing to make the journey. 

 

My rugged adventure in Kenai Fjords was on a 2 day kayaking trip of the Bear Glacier lagoon. My inspiration for the trip came from National Geographic photographer Jonathan Irish, who kayaked Bear Glacier lagoon in his trek to visit all 59 (at the time) National Parks. Perched on the edge of, you guessed it, Bear Glacier, the lagoon is home to hundreds of massive icebergs that can be nicely kayaked through with calm waters. Seal colonies have made the lagoon their home and can regularly be seen relaxing on the bright blue icebergs, making kayaking a fun adventure. With no roads or airstrips to access the lagoon, I took a helicopter and landed on a flat section of the shore banks. Camp was already set up by the trip operators, giving me the whole day to explore the lagoon (which is actually divided by the National Park border). 

 

It didn’t take long before finding some of the resident seals on the icebergs. Because of the calm waters, Bear Glacier Lagoon is excellent for kayaking photography– I was able to keep all my gear dry by simply putting it on my lap and being careful of splashes. With extreme caution, I could even switch between medium angle and telephoto lenses. Being careful to not interfere with the seals, I slowly paddled near their icebergs and took some photos. With the massive bear glacier and surrounding peaks in the background, any photo angle is a good angle! Once I was done photographing the first set of seals, the tour continued paddling towards the mouth of Bear Glacier. Along the way, there were plenty more seals dotting the ice. Spotting them became almost like a game! Aside from the seals, many of the lagoons' icebergs were impressive on their own, spanning anywhere from a few feet long to the size of a small cruise ship. Recently flipped icebergs presented crystal blue patterns and sometimes even steep ledges and overpasses to explore. Because of the calm waters, almost the entire lagoon was within bounds of exploration. Once we maneuvered down the lagoon, we stopped on the shore and took a food break at the base of Bear Glacier. The way back was similar to the forward journey– more seals, cool icebergs and calm waters. Salmon dinner awaited at camp and then bedtime in my spacious heat retaining Alaskan tent.