Well, I'm glad you had a good time in Alaska!
The invitation is always open to stop by if you get back this way!
Thank you very much for that write up! Even though I've been up the Inside Passage and even lived in Juneau for a couple of years, I haven't made it (yet!) to all those places.
. Family is excited for it (did I mention I took 5 kids and 7 adults on the trip up?) but has expectations of a trip with more wildlife (they were dropped off in Ketchikan) so we will leave boat there for a while and fly up over a few months.
Isn`t the quote "I never drink water because fish **** in it"? (That should activate the cuss filter).As I pondered your comment thinking of a proper response was stumped till just a few moments ago a quote from W.C. Fields came to my attention."I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.."
- W. C. Fields
Al-Ketchikan (Bridge to Nowhere) Alaska
Somewhere in your dissertation you made mention of dirty water and that you hoped we (Alaskans) would do something about it. Could you elaborate? My first thought being that you had witnessed or partook of creek/stream water that was undulated with high water residue from some of our normal heavy rain conditions. This is asked as many of us have piped stream water directly into our rural homes or in our case, we collect water off the roof (Bird (Eagle mostly)dropping on rare occasion) treated with a dab of Clorox during the year (5000-+ gallon tanks),
Communities have treated water systems.
Thanks you guys!
It's threads like this that remind me why we live here.
Sometime look up a poem by an author who spent time here. The poem is called
The spell of the Yukon by Robert Service.
We were at San Diego Zoo a couple of months ago.
When we saw the polar bears I looked over at my wife and said " I'd bet I'm the only guy here today that has seen one of these in the wild." In reality I've been less than 10 feet from a polar bear in the wild.
Oops! Did I roll my eyes out loud?
Alaska Crab are so good because they eat the "Dead Fish Everywhere"
And trees don't fall in the Bayou? Bears "Crap" Deer "Crap" and do it "Everywhere"
and during the floods in New Orleans- Some mud?
Just saying folks, every place can and does have closets with items of distaste as viewed by the dis-taster.
Come again my forum acquaintances, take a bit more time to learn the "Why from enlighten life long residents,share some smoked salmon and clam chowder.
-
Al
a promise to the forum "Gods" the last word
We were surprised, primarily because of unreasonable expectations, that the water wasn't cleaner and much of the concerns we gathered about it came from lifelong Alaskan residents and from fisheries. Just the comment was contained within all my praise for the state.
That is the first time I have heard anything like this. To be honest it sounds like some folks having issue with the logging industry in Southeast Alaska.
Since your trip was limited to southeast Alaska, and since there is a very vocal minority down there that are anti everything, that's where I'll bet it came from.
The simple fact is that logging will impact nearby streams. Whether we are for or against logging in Alaska, streams are impacted in that localized vicinity.
I can assure you that while you saw a small portion of our state, in general, and of course there are exceptions, the water in Alaska is as it always has been.
Just like you described water takes on a tint based on what is in it.
Glacial water is grey due to the fine rock particles.
Water from peat swamps can be brown due to whatever particles the peat swamp puts in it.
Runoff has a brown tint from the soil particles.
The majority of streams carry some color, with glacier being the most prevalent.
Just like you described water takes on a tint based on what is in it.
Glacial water is grey due to the fine rock particles.
Water from peat swamps can be brown due to whatever particles the peat swamp puts in it.
Runoff has a brown tint from the soil particles.
The majority of streams carry some color, with glacier being the most prevalent.
My trip went to Seward and Kodiak and Valdez.
You're right as to the logs being more talked about in SE Alaska. Water quality seemed more an issue in Juneau than anywhere else we went. And the biggest complaints we heard from fishermen was in Wrangell.
We hit Alaska in Mid June and I don't know how much spring runoff there is at that time either. It was a beautiful state. Just in my imagination I figured it would be a state free of any water pollution issues.
Just remember that many of the reports of pollution you hear are propagated by a group of people that have an agenda for our state. An agenda paid for by big money from environmental groups that for the most part have never been here.
I don't need to tell you this but spring runoff isn't polluted. Its just spring runoff.
.
Honestly, the one I didn't figure out was on the state site talking about pollution some of the lakes and the petroleum content (now this started in 1994) and blaming it on the number of boats, especially the two cycles. I know they tested and found it high, I just had to wonder where this massive onslaught of leaky boats was or if they'd all run away. I sure figured if boats were causing too much petroleum content in the water then we were in some big trouble in Fort Lauderdale.
That one is suprising. Any chance you could PM or post a link? I am very curious.
My guess is that they are talking about Big Lake, but thats just a guess. Big Lake is probably the most developed lake in the area, but most lakes in populated areas are ringed by houses and every house has at least one boat and generally more parked out front.
Yes, thinking about it I could see increased petrolium levels on our lakes in habitated areas. Even though I live on a lake, I never really think of lake pollution. Our lake is very clear, and holds some gigantic native rainbow trout, and I for one am glad that few people fish for them, or I suppose even know they are there.
Good guess. Big Lake was one. Lake Lucille.
Here is the link to the Waters in the Spotlight.
State of Alaska - Department of Water - WQSAR - Non-Point Source Water Pollution Control - Waters in the Spotlight
I was actually quite impressed that the state is highlighting and address areas. Every state should have such a program and the transparency. The lake I grew up on has problems.
Just for comparison, here is the NC listing and it's Mercury, PCB's and Dioxin.
NC DPH: Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology: Current N.C. Fish Consumption Advisories
In Florida it's Nutrient Pollution.
Hopefully as the older PWC's age out of use being replaced by more enviromentally firendly four stroke units the problem will mitigate itself.
Then you have old Al- When my 2 cycle 6 hp Evenrudes fails, I find another old good runner 2 cycle for $200/300 bucks on Craiglist and am off again tooting and pallooting.
In all seriousness, somewhere recently I read where the 2 cycle tech improvements have the 2 cycle bettering the 4 cycle in pollution control and fuel burn (Gas and Diesel). At any rate, improvements are being made. At some point even I will make the move. Trust me, I recently acquired a Iphone. This from a rotary dial cell phone!!
Al
That is the first time I have heard anything like this. To be honest it sounds like some folks having issue with the logging industry in Southeast Alaska.
Since your trip was limited to southeast Alaska, and since there is a very vocal minority down there that are anti everything, that's where I'll bet it came from.
The simple fact is that logging will impact nearby streams. Whether we are for or against logging in Alaska, streams are impacted in that localized vicinity.
I can assure you that while you saw a small portion of our state, in general, and of course there are exceptions, the water in Alaska is as it always has been.
Just like you described water takes on a tint based on what is in it.
Glacial water is grey due to the fine rock particles.
Water from peat swamps can be brown due to whatever particles the peat swamp puts in it.
Runoff has a brown tint from the soil particles.
The majority of streams carry some color, with glacier being the most prevalent.
BandB,
Having kept my boat in Wrangell for the last two years, what were the fishermen complaining about? The water in Wrangell goes from very clear and pristine looking, to murky and filled with debris. All of that is a function of tides and the Stikine River.
As Al said earlier, the amount of debris in the water in southeast Alaska is directly related to the tide levels. On the highest of the high tides, trees and debris that were safely on beach in November may be floating again in March.
Tom
They were complaining about murky and filled with debris. Saying it use to be clearer. But then fishermen will complain most everywhere about something others are doing to ruin things. They care passionately so they do.
The reasons for debris is typical for all places from the Tenn Tom to the lake I grew up on. We'd have a week every spring you thought the lake was horrible. Muddy from water off the banks, debris pulled into the lake. It would quickly go from lake to lake down the river. I'd say there was a difference from the beginning of our trip to the end.
I loved Alaska. The mention of surprise that the water wasn't perfect and pristine was one sentence out of 29 paragraphs and many other posts and I think since it's become far too much of the focus. It wasn't meant to be some huge condemnation. As to the water quality problems, Alaska has some like every state, probably less than most. I guess I was surprised there was any issue. Certainly the problems contributed to two many 2 stroke engines wasn't one I'd ever expected. Alaska is still beautiful. We enjoyed our trip immensely. It was one comment as to something that surprised me a bit, really from a misconception. It was my thought at that time but among so many thoughts I had during the two months we traveled about 4500 miles.