Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts

Alaska's flag

Posted by Marcin at 1:52 PM Labels: Alaska

The Big Dipper and the North Star

Benny Benson memorial site, the designer of Alaska's flag.
Alaska's flag displaying the Big Dipper and the North Star
on a blue field is shown on the memorial stone.

In 1927, Alaska (not yet a state at that time) organized a competition for children to design a flag for Alaska territory. Since the US purchased Alaska from Russia, there was no official flag for that territory. From over 700 submitted designs, the blue field with the Big Dipper and the North Star submitted by Benny Benson, was original enough to win the competition.

Most of the other designs featured bears, northern lights or gold rush artifacts for the future Alaska's flag. First level of the Alaska's flag competition was a local school contest. Ten best local designs were submitted to the central competition in Juneau. Benny's design was chosen as the best and became the official flag of Alaska by decision of Alaska Territorial Legislature in May, 1927.

The winning design was not the only one prepared by Benny Benson. The original design has been modified by removing year 1867 from below the Big Dipper.

Benny Benson design for the Alaska's flag was submitted for the competition with the following description:

The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaskan flower. The North Star is for the future state of Alaska, the most northerly in the union. The Dipper is for the Great Bear—symbolizing strength.

Benny Benson and Seward, Alaska

Alaska's flag on a Kenai Fjords tour boat in Seward, Alaska

Benny Benson at the time of the Alaska's flag competition was a 13 year old boy living in the Jesse Lee Mission Home, an orphanage in Seward, Alaska. Benny was a native Alaskan and was born in 1913 to Russian-Aleut mother and Swedish father.

For the design of the Alaska's flag Benny was awarded a gold watch with his design engraved and $1000. The watch has been donated by him to Alaska State Museum in 1963.

Benny Benson spent most of his adult life in Kodiak, Alaska. Benson died in 1972. Seward celebrated his contribution to Alaska by setting his memorial site in the town.

See also:
Worlds most amazing hotels
Honeymoon in Alaska - Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

the largest earthquake and tsunami in North America

Posted by Marcin at 7:00 PM Labels: Alaska, earthquake, tsunami

The largest earthquake in North America

Very close to Seward, in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on Good Friday March 28, 1964 took place the largest earthquake recorded in North America. The magnitude of the earthquake reached 9.2. The earthquake caused a tsunamis more than 200 feet (60 meters) hight. Tsunamis reached Oregon and California causing fatalities. Despite a large magnitude of the earthquake only 131 people died, mostly as victims of the tsunamis. The largest damage was caused in Anchorage as a direct result of the earthquake. Other areas damage was mostly caused by tsunamis. The strength of the Alaskan earthquake has been noticed worldwide and as a result even level of wells in Africa has changed and boats sunk in Luisiana. The great Alaskan Earthquake is worldwide second largest earthquake ever recorded. Only the Great Chilean Earthquake that stroked in 1960 was larger and reached 9.5 on the magnitude scale.

View Americas largest earthquake in a larger map

On the map above the epicentrum of the Great Alaskan Earthquake is marked in green, in blue we marked Anchorage and Seward.

Alaska after the largest earthquake

Althout only 131 people died in the Great Alaskan Earthquake, large region suffered great damage. Anchorage suffered the most damage. About 30 blocks of commercial buildings in downtown Anchorage were heavily damaged. Smaller coastal towns, like Seward, suffered also great damage caused mainly by tsunamis. After the earthquake plans of towns were adjusted and new buildings or constructions have been put new more save areas. Damage in Alaska has been estimated at 2 billion dollars (at todays value). Results of the tsunamis are still visible as a death forest that is nowadays preserved. Salty water brought inland by tsunamis destroyed trees in large coastal area.

Tsunami hazard in Alaska

Alaska as one of the most seismically active region on the planet is at constant earthquake and tsunami hazard. Most of the earthquakes and vulcano eruptions do not cause big damage since the most active region of the Ring of Fire is sparsly populated. However, the southern Alaska is not only in danger of tsunamis and earthquakes caused in the region. As an coast open to the Pacific Ocean, it is in the tsunami hazard area of more distant earthquakes like those in Japan, Hawai, California or South America.

The tsunami hazard zone, the evacuation route and area are well marked in all tsunami hazard areas. Seward in Alaska has daily test of the tsunami alert, similar to other towns in the hazard zones. Below we show road signs used in Alaska for the hazard area.


Tsunami hazard zone US road sign.	Evacuation route, road sign from Alaska.	Evacuation area for tsunami hazard, Alaska.

honeymoon in Alaska - part 3

Posted by Marcin at 8:35 PM Labels: Alaska

Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward

The very south spot of the main street in Seward is a home for the Alaska SeaLife Center. If you do not have luck to see a puffin or seal from close distance then this is the perfect place to do that. The bird room can be viewed from above and from under the water. You will see diving puffins, among the fish native to Alaska. You will have opportunity to see and touch various starfish, see salmon in different stages of life, see sea lion and much more. Park rangers give lectures about Alaska and native Alaskans, and if you like you may feed birds or have a close octopus encounter.

Anchorage museum

At the end of our Alaska adventure we spent one day in Anchorage. During whole week we got very nice weather, except our Anchorage day. From wondering around the town in rain or visiting museum we have chosen the Anchorage museum. The museum is divided for many sections and is not only about Anchorage. There is a popular science section, history of Alaska, native Alaskan, Alaskan modern art. Museum is definitely worth visiting.

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Between Anchorage and Seward, at mile 79 of Seward Highway you will find Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center which is a great place to see animals that you may have missed in your Alaska adventure. You will find adult moose, muskoxen, elk, brown and black bears, bisons and much more. Center is also home for orphaned moose calves and brown bear cubs. You can drive around the center or leave your car and take a walk and watch animals.


Moose	Muskoxen	Elk

Brown bear	Brown bear cubs	Bisons

Food and drinks in Alaska

I like fish and chips with beer so Alaska was heaven for me :-) Fish and chips is available with any fish you want and you can be sure that is fresh and comes from a local fisherman. From halibut, salmon and cod to rock fish, all delicious. Selection or beers that are brewed in Alaska is also very nice. All have a unique flavor and you should probably try them all, Alaskan Summer Ale was my favorite.


Halibut and chips	Selection of alaskan draught beers

We will be back!

Our trip to Alaska was a wonderful experience. An escape from a city life to small quite town surrounded by beautiful nature. Weather you are a mountain or ocean lover, Seward has both of them separated by a small cozy town. I strongly recommend it for everyone! We certainly will go back!


Cormorant and seagull	Kenaj fjords tour boat at Fox Island	Kenaj fjord national park

Bird view point at the Seward highway	Three window point	Seward

See also :
Honeymoon in Alaska - part 1
Honeymoon in Alaska - part 2

honeymoon in Alaska - part 2

Posted by Marcin at 8:39 PM Labels: Alaska

Fishing in Seward

For everyone who likes finishing and for all who just enjoy being in a small but very busy fishing port, Seward is an excellent place. There is many sport finishing companies that will take you for whole or a half day fishing tour in the local fjords. We have not gone for a finishing tour but we have seen many times boats coming back to the port. If you happen to be in the Seward port around 6PM you will see big fish and happy fisherman all around. Most of people catch halibut, rock fish and various salmons. There are two fish cleaning spots in the Seward port and around those places people gather, hang the biggest fish that has been caught and take pictures. If you decide to go for one of these trips, you wont have to worry about anything else but catching the biggest fish you can. The rest will be done for you. Fish be will be cleaned, packed and frozen for you to take it home :-)

Exit glacier

Just few kilometers from Seward lies Exit glacier. It is not in a walking distance from Seward, but many companies are running shuttles that will get you to the glacier and after an hour pick you and get you back to Seward. Exit glacier is part of the national park and the park rangers make guided trips from the bottom of the hill to the glacier. It is fun to walk with a park ranger. They will tell you the history of the glacier, park and probably few stories about animal encounters. There are two two paths up the hill, both get you to the glacier. However, if you turn right then you get then faster and easier. On your way from Seward to Exit glacier or on your way back to town you should see marks of the glacier extent during different periods of time. You may be surprised how much did the glacier shrink during the last decades.

See also:
Honeymoon in Alaska - part 1
Honeymoon in Alaska - part 3

honeymoon in Alaska - part 1

Posted by Marcin at 9:19 PM Labels: Alaska

Together with my wife, we decided to go for our honeymoon to Alaska. We got married in July so there was no better time to go there. We did not take a cruise but instead we decided to go to one town and spend a few days tere. We flew in to Anchorage, spent a night there and in morning we went to Seward.

From Anchorage to Seward

We decided to take a bus from Anchorage to Seward. After that we have been told that trip by train is much more scenic and one may spot an animal much easier. However, the bus trip is just fine. Although, one is on a highway, it leads between the ocean and mountains for almost the whole way. Bus ride takes about 3 hours. Highway from Anchorage to Seward is considered as one of the most scenic highways in the US. Part of the road goes through a dead forest, remnants of the forest killed by a salt water brought by a tsunami after a great earthquake in 1964. If you happen to drive the Seward highway, you will have many opportunities for birds and beluga whales watching.


Alaska dead forest. Residue of a forest killed and preserved in this form by the salty water brought to land by a tsunami wave.	Alaska railroad, train operating between Anchorage and Seward. Alaska railroad.	View from a bird watching point in the Seward highway.

Seward, Alaska

Seward is a town with population around 3000 people but during the summer number of residents grows to more that 10000. Main street leds from the Seward highway through a small boat harbor to downtown area. The bus and train arrive to Seward and depart from the neighborhood of the harbor. Most of the town life is concentrated around the harbor. There grocery store is hard to find and is located at the north of the town (about 15 min walk north from the harbor). Most of the attractions and turist companies are located in the harbor. Following the main street will lead to the southern part of the Seward, where downtown is located (about 15 min walk south from the harbor).


Sculpture on the main street of Seward.	Alaska flag designer, Benny Benson memorial stone.	Main street of Seward.

Kenai Fjords

Kenai Fjords National Park and Kenai Fjords Tours organize boat tours on the fjords. This is one of the biggest attractions. The tour takes whole day, starts in the Resurrection Bay and follows in the neighboring fjords. You will certainly spot many animals like orca whales, humpback whales, sea lions, seals, sea otters and various birds. Most of the tours will take you to glaciers and best spots for marine wildlife and scenery. Tours end on the Fox island where you will be served a steak and salmon "all you can eat" buffet.