10-29-18

Captain Cook State Park, Alaska

Cook explored and mapped the coast all the way to the Bering Strait, on the way identifying what came to be known as Cook Inlet in Alaska. In a single visit, Cook charted the majority of the North American northwest coastline on world maps for the first time, determined the extent of Alaska, and closed the gaps in Russian (from the west) and Spanish (from the south) exploratory probes of the northern limits of the Pacific.

By the second week of August 1778, Cook was through the Bering Strait, sailing into the Chukchi Sea. He headed northeast up the coast of Alaska until he was blocked by sea ice. His furthest north was 70 degrees 44 minutes
^{Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook}

          Enough of the history, let's have a look from the bluff what "Cook Inlet" looks like during low tide.

^{Source: My camera Fullsize image}
          As you can see there are a lot of rather large rocks, (erratics), in the inlet. makes for some tricky boating in close to the shores. There is a very nice picnic/day use area with tables and fire pits, and a very nice campground area. If you have a four wheel drive vehicle there is a "road" to the beach. The ruts can be rather large in the "road" to the beach. People do use it and most of the times no problems. Lots of rocks, shells and other finds on the beach. The road/trail to the beach can be a bit tough to get back up if you have a lot of rocks with you though.

As promised, a bonus picture

^{Source: My camera Fullsize image}

          This was just a pinecone that I was using as a prop to practice with my camera setting. I think this cropped out pretty nice and I may use it in the next minimalism contest I see. Not sure yet. I do have others of the little guy, and it was kind of fun taking portrait type shots of it. I mean who ever heard of a portrait of a pinecone.

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