AD 2017 Q4

LOCAL DIVING
PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
are Luke’s Wall, Octipillars, Razor’s Edge and
Manomi’s Rocks. Dive sites are chosen based on
tides, currents and visibility, and each features unique
topography and various coldwater fish such as sculpin,
decorated warbonnets, numerous species of rockfish,
halibut and the magnificently colorful Irish lord. You
might even spot a wolf-eel or a giant Pacific octopus
(GPO) hiding among the rock formations. There is also
a diverse array of nudibranchs, shrimp, crabs, scallops
and small bottom-dwelling fish that will satisfy any
macro photographers in the group.
One of easiest dive sites is right off the dock at
Ravencroft Lodge. The eel grass and sand bottom
teem with hooded nudibranchs, lingcod, copper
rockfish, decorator crabs, helmet crabs and an old
mining cart that fell off the original dock more than
100 years ago.
My time in Port Fidalgo reminds me of my
childhood summer camp trips, roughing it in the
wilderness, getting away from it all, doing fun activities
during the day to connect with nature, meeting new
people and sitting around the campfire or lodge telling
tales. Even in the long Alaskan summer days with more
than 20 hours of daylight, there seems to never be
enough time to do everything you want to do. Before
you know it, summer camp is over, and you have to
pack up, say goodbye and head home. But you leave
with lasting memories, perhaps some amazing pictures
of salmon sharks and a strong desire to return and
relive those adventures in the wild. AD
HOW TO DIVE IT
GETTING THERE
Most major cities offer multiple daily flights to Anchorage,
Alaska, in the summer. From Anchorage you can connect via
local airlines to Valdez, where it is recommended that you
arrive at least a day before being picked up for your transfer
to Port Fidalgo.
Instead of flying,
you could make
the six- to sevenhour
scenic drive
to Valdez. Take
your time, and
stop frequently to
view the glaciers,
flower-covered
meadows, lakes,
marshes, rivers
and mountain
overlooks, and
Prince William
Sound
Bligh
Island
Port
Fidalgo
Valdez
watch for wildlife. When you reach Valdez, there is plenty to
see and do, but book your accommodations early because
they tend to fill up quickly.
CONDITIONS
The waters of Port Fidalgo are quite cold and range from the
mid- to high-50s°F at the surface to high 40s°F at depth.
Brave and/or cold-tolerant people might find a 7 mm or
8 mm wetsuit with hood and gloves sufficient for snorkeling
with the sharks on the surface. But a drysuit is definitely
recommended for scuba diving. Visibility ranges from 10-40
feet during the summer months.
From top: A mother and baby sea otter are spotted
during an afternoon wildlife cruise along the shores of
Port Fidalgo. A stream near Port Fidalgo teems with
spawning salmon, providing a unique photo opportunity.
TOPSIDE
Head to the local salmon stream to photograph the chum and
pink salmon swimming upstream to spawn. Bald eagles are
common in the area, and you can visit one of many nearby
nesting areas by boat to photograph eagles in the trees,
soaring overhead or swooping down to snatch a herring out
of the water. Sometimes the boat will just cruise the shoreline
in search of wildlife such as river otters, elusive black bears,
sea otters floating on their backs (perhaps with babies on
their chests) and seals poking their heads just above the
water. You can also take an excursion to nearby Columbia
Glacier or the local Steller sea lion colony.
40 | FALL 2017