Turnagain Arm, by Madison

From the planning stage to each day on our trip the one thing I was most excited about was getting in touch with the nature. Being a self named ‘nature geek,’ this trip has been a wonder as Ian and I explored the different regions and ecosystems of North America. From crossing the Appalachian Mountains on day one to traversing the vast prairie in Saskatchewan, I have found beauty in all the places I have seen so far. As we have driven further west the scenery has become all the more incredible, the pinnacle of which is Turnagain Arm.

Less than a 15 minutes drive south of Anchorage is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Turnagain Arm is a tidal estuary that separates the mainland of Alaska from the Kenai Peninsula. It is accessed by the Seward Highway, and offers numerous spectacular views of the Kenai Mountains.

I was first introduced to Turnagain Arm by my colleague Dave, who had lived in Alaska. He graciously invited me to his house one evening to share his Alaskan experience and a multitude of pictures of this great land. After flipping through an album or two we came upon pictures that I deemed ‘unreal.’ Dave explained the pictures were from Turnagain Arm and that it was easily accessible from Anchorage. Needing proof of this mystical place’s existence, I told Ian that it was an absolute priority to visit it. I was glad to hear that we would drive through it on our way to Homer, a city at the bottom of the Kenai Peninsula.

A few minutes down the Seward Highway the road turned left and there it was. My mouth was gaping at the sublime confluence of water, mountains, and clouds. I immediately told Ian to pull over at the first scenic outpost. The car was put into park and I bolted out to the edge, overwhelmed by the state I was in, in a literal and figurative sense. This is what I came to Alaska to see.

Alaska has been everything I imagined it to be and more. Alaska is about extremes, extreme temperatures, light and darkness, austere wilderness, awe-inspiring vistas, and a rugged and friendly people. It is vast and overwhelming land. Alaska is a place where nature is unpredictable and unrelenting. Yet Alaska has centered me and has renewed and refreshed my spirit. People told me that when someone goes to Alaska they will always come back. I now understand why.