Beluga Field Notes--Returning to Ship Creek

 

 

With today's observation period from 8:11 am to 10:11 am. on a rising tide at Ship Creek, this monitoring session is what I refer to as "the dawn patrol"--an early morning session with the sun just barely peeking over the crest of the Chugach Range.  Despite the early hour, the port was already busy.  As I approached the closed-for-the-winter boat ramp, I noticed three tugs returning to theit float adjacent to the ramp.  Three large cargo vessels were tied up to the wharf on the far end of the port.  I am sorry I was not able to witness the choreograph between the tugs and the most recent arrival  being wedged sideways into the wharf.  The sounds of port activity carried over still morning air as the vessels disgorged their cargoes, mostly shipping containers from what I can see from my vantage point.  A steady stream of tractor trailers were entering and leaving the port area on the bridge that fed into C Street in downtown Anchorage.  Across Knik Arm, Sleeping Lady lies cloaked in her blanket of white, the shifting light highlighting the topography.

A high overcast filtered the light from the early morning sun.  The flag on the causeway to the tugs' floating dock hung limp in the still morning air.  Ice entrained in the cuttent created by the rising tide passed the observation point for the entire two hours.  Just a week ago, the area had been completely covered by pack ice.  Now, the area was mostly open water.  At the mouth of Ship Creek, large dirty ice chunks remained where they grounded at the most recent highest tide.  They soon will be gone, mostly melted by the warming spring temperature and the perpetual tidal cycle of Cook Inlet.  With the huge rise and fall of the tides, Cook Inlet has been described as a "bathtub".  If that is the case, the remnant ice marks the ring around the tub.

While no beluga were observed during today's session, wildlife activity continues to increase along the shoreline.  The variety of birds seems to be increasing.  Shorebirds are becoming more numerous along water's edge, geese fly overhead as mallards flitter into the creek.  A lone eagle skimming the surface of Knik Arm caused a cacophony of warning among the gulls as it approaches the shoreline.  Just two weeks ago, the birds consisted mostly of the ever present raven.  I expect pretty soon we will see beluga in the area.  The observation station for the marine mammal observers associated with the Port of Anchorage construction monitoring has been moved to the edge of the breakwall in anticipation of their return.  They are directly opposite the location where we do our observations.

Like the wildlife, more people seem to be making their way back to the park and boat ramp area.  I spoke with more visitors today that I had seen in my last three sessions combined.  I spoke briefly with Norman, an elder who grew up in the Seldovia Village and the Aleutians.  He goes down to the boat ramp area every day.  He too has noticed an increase in activity.  All winter the statue inspired by Grandma Olga who fished the area when it was a Native fish camp has been a lone sentinel over the Inlet.  We beluga monitors have joined her perpetual vigil in the area--if only for two hours at a time.