by The Turnagain Arm is a narrow body of water sitting south of Anchorage and north of the Kenai Peninsula. The Seward Highway extends along the its northern border, right on the edge. We drove along it twice on our adventures, and in spite of cold blustery days, it was still beautiful. Mountains on both sides rise up to 6,000 feet, with many glaciers still present.
The name derives from British explorer James Cook, who was seeking the fabled Northwest Passage in 1778. He headed up the waterway, only to be forced to “turn again” when there was no path through the continent.
If you’re visiting at the right time of year – unlike us – you can see Beluga Whales and lots of birds. You can also see evidence of the massive tides (up to 40 feet, the largest in the United States), with large mud flats visible when the tide is low.
One bit of craziness in the Arm is the bore tide, which creates a wave up to six feet tall, depending on the range of the tide for the day. Though there’s just one wave, it does attract surfers, kayakers, kiteboarders, and others who want to “catch a wave” in Alaska. Unlike almost everything else, we did manage to be there at the right time to see it on a “big” day.
