Whittier - Cordova

We left Seward on Thursday, August 19. Our destination was Portage and Whittier. In Whittier, we will sail via the Alaska Marine Highway to Cordova.

WHITTIER

You can drive through Portage Valley to see one of Alaska's most popular attractions, Portage Glacier, or continue to Whittier to access the marine wonders of Prince William Sound. Turn-of-the-century prospectors used Portage Valley to travel between Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet. They would drag their supplies over the pass en route to the Kenai gold fields. During WWII, the army built a railroad tunnel to Whittier, and it was opened to car traffic in 2000. The Portage to Whittier Tunnel is billed as the longest highway tunnel, and combined vehicle-railway tunnel in North America, two and one half miles.

From Whittier you can take a day cruise into Prince William Sound, and see spectacular tidewater glaciers, waterfalls, seabird colonies, seals, otters, porpoises, whales, and more. Besides cruises, you will find a variety of soft-adventure activities-including hiking, kayaking, and fishing. With a brand new terminal and dock, cruise ships are calling at Whittier for the first time in 15 years. Glaciers are viewed in abundance here; you can see five right from town.

CORDOVA

Cordova is an interesting community, Founded in the early 20th century as a result of a large copper ore discovery; transportation of the ore to market required the construction of an 196 mile railroad from the mine to the coast, Cordova would be the marine terminal. Kennecott Copper Corporation was born and Cordova thrived. Today Cordova is a small fishing community with fewer than 2500 year-around inhabitants, and inaccessible, except by air or sea. Little of the early railroad still exists. We drove fifty miles on a gravel road to see the only remnant, the "Million Dollar Bridge"; quite an engineering marvel considering it was built in 1908. Adjacent to the bridge is Childs Glacier, the rumble and thunder caused by the calving ice make it a truly breath taking sight.

Today, fishing is the only industry; tourists have yet to arrive. I notice the majority of the fishing boats seem to be gill-netters. The salmon fishery is primary with Herring struggling.