Begin your adventure in Seward, Alaska, at the head of Resurrection Bay. The “Gateway to the Kenai Fjords” is a destination in its own right. Share the water with seals, sea lions, porpoises, whales and rafts of seabirds. Spot for mountain goats on the 4,000-foot, snowcapped peaks rising from the shorelines. Enjoy the sparkling white-blue of Bear Glacier cascading to the water’s edge.

Resurrection gets its name from Alexandr Baranov, first governor of Russian America, who sought shelter for his ship from stormy seas in the Gulf of Alaska. When the storm subsided, it was Easter Sunday. Baranov named the bay and the river emptying into it to commemorate the occasion.  

During World War II, the U.S. Armed Forces built military fortifications to protect against Japanese invasion. The remnants of Fort McGilvray and its battery is a short hike up Caines Head, on the western side of the bay. Across the water is the Iron Doors, a concrete structure with one rusted iron door still standing. During the war, the outpost housed a searchlight on rail tracks used to scan the bay at its narrowest point to look for enemy ships. Another searchlight and radio installation were perched atop Barwell Island, heading east out of the bay. Rugged Island was the site of another artillery battery and observation point. These days, the islands of Resurrection Bay are active bird rookeries and sea lion haul outs.