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Kayaking
Traveling with a guide is strongly recommended for inexperienced paddlers.
The Kenai Fjords are exposed to the Gulf of Alaska, with only
a few protected coves. These are not waters for beginners!
Landings often involve surf, particularly when afternoon breezes
kick up from the south. Wind and rainfall can be excessive,
and summer storms often push an ocean swell of three feet
or more into the fjords.
Most kayakers access the park by water
taxi or charter
boat from Seward and get dropped off in Aialik Bay or
Northwestern Lagoon. Another alternative is to fly
in to the less visited Nuka Bay area from Homer. Paddling
directly from Seward is okay for day trips in Resurrection
Bay or overnight visits to Caines
Head or Bear Glacier but rounding Aialik Cape in a kayak
is not recommended. There are long stretches of exposed coastline
with no landing sites between Callisto Head and Aialik Cape,
and the waters around the Cape can be extremely treacherous.
Tips for Kayaking in the Fjords
Make sure you’re proficient at self rescue techniques
and carry a survival kit
including extra warm layers, food, water and emergency fire
starter to help prevent hypothermia.
Carry a marine radio – cell phone coverage is not available
in much of the park. In case of emergency Rangers and/or the
Coast Guard can be reached on Marine Channel 16.
Never approach within ½ mile of a tidewater glacier
and stay in deep water where waves from calving ice will pass
under you rather than breaking.
Remember – most of an iceberg is hidden below the waterline.
Do not approach them too closely as they regularly shift and
roll.
Carry a tide book and be aware of variations in tides –
make sure to store kayaks and gear above the high tide line.
When choosing a landing/camping site, use clues such as driftwood
accumulation, beach steepness and cobble size to judge what
the wave action is likely to be in storm conditions. Make
sure you will be able to launch from the beach in the morning
if the wind or weather changes overnight.
Do not land anywhere within 2 miles of a tidewater glacier.
Waves from calving ice can slam the shore with surprising
power, sweeping away kayaks and gear stored well above the
apparent high tide line.
Be prepared to wait out storms for several days. Better to
get home late than to risk paddling through potentially deadly
seas. When in doubt, stay on the beach.
Use caution when entering Northwestern Lagoon, James Lagoon
or McCarty Lagoon. Tidal currents can create standing waves,
boils and confusing eddies. It is best to enter these lagoons
at high, slack tide.
Pedersen Lagoon should only be entered at high slack tide.
Approach the mouth of the lagoon from the east, not the south,
as there is a submerged bar that causes breaking waves immediately
south of the entrance. Be sure to sit well offshore and analyze
conditions thoroughly before entering.
Excerpted and adapted from “The Complete Guide to
Kenai Fjords” copyright Greatland Graphics www.alaskacalendars.com
Last updated November 15, 2004
Comments: Web Manager
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