Alaska · Every Frame is a Desktop Wallpaper

Last winter I flew to Alaska for the aurora and side-tripped to the tiny harbor town of Seward. My regret? I hadn’t booked a winter fjord cruise—so this summer I came back, scored a full-day boat, and finally tasted Kenai Fjords National Park in 4K sunlight. Spoiler: I left with 3,000 photos and one dropped jaw. ▫️ THE ROUTE Seward has a dozen operators—half-day, 6-hr, 8-hr, midnight sun. I chose the 10 a.m.–7 p.m. “flagship” cruise (Major Marine) that includes: Simple breakfast-on-board Fox Island salmon/prime-rib buffet dinner Two-storey vessel = indoor tables + outdoor decks = no wind-chill while you edit pics Big stops: Holgate, Aialik, Pedersen glaciers (each ~20 min approach) + Chiswell Islands for bird cities. ▫️ GLACIER MONEY-SHOT Boat slows to idle ¼ mile from Aialik—then the captain spins 360° so every side gets the view. Color: cobalt-to-turquoise ombré that no filter can fake. Sound: when a house-sized serac calves the boom hits your ribcage before your eyes see the splash—nature’s Dolby Atmos. Timing: June–July = most active calving (long daylight warms ice face). ▫️ WILDLIFE BINGO I tallied seven species in one day: Steller sea lions piled on rocks like sacks of potatoes 🦭 Harbor seals floating with heads cocked = living emoji Puffins airborne footballs, beaks glowing traffic-cone orange Humpback mother & calf bubble-net feeding (captain kills engine, you hear only whale breath) 🐳 Orca male 6-ft dorsal slicing fog like a black sail Dall’s porpoise surfing the bow wave at 25 mph Sea otters belly-up, cracking clams on their chests—horizontal chill champions 🦦 ▫️ PHOTO & OUTFIT Dress code: cute knit sweater + wind-shell jacket = stylish but functional. Shell = hood + cinch-cord = blocks 30 mph ocean gusts. Rubber sole boots—deck gets slick with fish-gut spray. Gear: Binoculars 8×42 (boat rents $10, bring your own = no queue) Tele-photo 200 mm+ – compresses berg textures, keeps whales legal distance Extra battery in pocket – cold wind drains fast even in July Pro tip: claim starboard (right) side outbound—captain always parks port-side to glaciers, so you shoot over the rail sans crowd. ▫️ MOTION-SICKNESS Take non-drowsy Dramamine 1 h before sailing; swells build once you exit Resurrection Bay. Indoor tables have less rock, but fresh air + horizon view = best stomach strategy. 🧡 TAKEAWAY Kenai Fjords is the easiest “greatest-hits” day in Alaska: blue ice, whale breath, otter belly-flops—no hiking required. Pop the pill, charge the battery, and let the Last Frontier overwrite your camera roll. #US #Seward #Alaska