Wed, June 18, 2008 Day 22

This is Ila writing tonight! We are putting the finishing touches on our day #22 of this trip. We left Anchorage around 9 am this morning to head on our way to Seward. We are traversing to the south of Alaska now. We traveled along the Turnagain Arm down the coastline. We had all "studied" our Milepost books and made several stops along the way. The tide was out so we didn't get to see the beluga whales but we have hopes of seeing them tomorrow. We did spot some Dall sheep (a momma, baby and ((we think)) daddy(s)). We found an ice cream shop along the way too. We stopped at a salmon weir where they count and determine the sex of every salmon that is released to go up to the lake. The young lady said she is "an expert of sorts" in being able to do all that. We stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. This was a 140-acre "contained" wildlife center. We saw a grizzly bear REALLY UP CLOSE but there was an electric fence between it and us. We also saw musk ox, wood bison, black bear, buffalo, moose, elk. It was the closest encounter we have had with most of the animals. After arriving in Seward, we went to the sea life center. It is inside and so much sea life. Very interesting place. It is actually a rehabilitation center for the sealife it contains. We had a good supper but then, that really isn't anything new. It seems the meals are always SO big/SO much! By the time I get home, I think I will be ready to cook for myself for a time! That probably won't last long! Tomorrow we are off on an 8-hour cruise and hope to see lots of things that we haven't seen yet but they make "no guarantees." Guess I'm not too exciting tonight!