Arcadia in Alaska – College Fjord and Whittier.

North Pacific Ocean 31 May 2011.


Hello readers Nigel back with you.

Mount McKinley at 20,320 feet is the highest peak in North America and is 180 miles northwest of Whittier.

Today it’s my second of three blogs to cover the Alaska ports and scenic cruising of this region. Today I am going to talk about College Fjord and Whittier.

On 15 May we cruised in College Fjord - this was the furthest north we go on the entire voyage. We were roughly on the same latitude as the Shetland Islands, (so above mainland Britain), and on a par with Bergen in Norway or Helsinki in Finland. College Fjord is in the north of Prince William Sound and contains five tidewater glaciers, (glaciers that terminate in water), five large valley glaciers and dozens of smaller glaciers. It is an awe inspiring vast barren wilderness, nature and the elements are in charge in this environment. It was a great privilege to be in such a landscape, and the atmosphere on the open decks on board was one of respect for such beauty, tranquillity and drama.

College Fjord was discovered in 1899 during the Harriman Expedition, and included a Harvard and Amherst professor who subsequently named the glaciers after elite East Coast USA Colleges, Yale Glacier, Vassar Glacier, Harvard Glacier etc etc.

We were once again blessed with amazing weather; the passengers were very happy cruisers!

We could see eight glaciers at the same time at one point during the afternoon, breathtaking!

In 1964 College Fjord was the epicentre of the Good Friday Earthquake, the most powerful earthquake in US history.

We arrived at Whittier on 15 May at 10.00pm and remained until 6.30pm on 16 May; it is classed as a city up here in Alaska but only has a population of 170 people!

It is 62 miles from Alaska’s largest city Anchorage, and has been described as the ‘strangest town in Alaska’! It was named after the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier.

Whittier was the gateway for our passengers to travel to Anchorage or the spectacular Prince William Sound. Four shore excursions were on offer at the port, all were giving our passengers what will probably be a once in a lifetime chance to experience this part of Alaska.

During WW2 Whittier became the entry port for US soldiers into Alaska; it has an incredible sixteen and a half feet of rain each year, and twenty five feet of snow! Most of this rain and snow falls in the winter months but it can still snow here in May.

This shot was taken as we arrived at Whittier at 10.00pm on 15 May; this is just about the complete town!

I went off for a walk in Whittier and called in to the Anchor Inn for a bite to eat, I had a halibut burger, chips and a cup of coffee and I have to say it was very good indeed. It was full of our passengers soaking up the local atmosphere and having a chat to the locals.

The Buckner Building

This is the Buckner Building, for years it was the largest building in Alaska. It was completed for the US Army in 1953 and had 1000 apartments, a hospital, gym, swimming pool, bowling alley, theatre, shops, and restaurants. It was abandoned after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. It looks really spooky, almost like something out of a Stephen King novel!

Arcadia at her berth in Whittier.

The Begich Building.

Construction of the Begich Building began in 1948 and it opened in 1956. Originally the Army bachelor’s quarters and family housing, it is now a condominium and houses most of Whittier’s residents. In the winter the snow can be as high as the third floor windows!! They have a tunnel linking the Begich Building with the local school so that the children and teachers do not have to go outside in the winter months! 80 mile an hour winds here in the winter is normal!

Two bonus blog photos!

This is myself and passenger Mrs Anthea John taken on 20 May. Anthea would like to send her love to her daughter Meloney and grandsons Sam and Charlie who are all at home in England.

Myself and passengers Margaret and Keith Jennings taken on 21 May. They would like to send birthday wishes and love to grandson George who is very soon going to be one years old. They also would like to say hello to daughter Clair and son in law Mark.

All the very best.

Nigel