Watching for the white whale

Sitting on a ledge above the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, John and I joined other volunteers to scan the waters of the Cook Inlet for beluga whales. It was a 30 degree F morning but with ample layers and a miraculous lack of wind, we sat comfortable behind our binoculars. We watched as six belugas fed at the mouth of Campbell Creek for nearly three hours before the retreating tide forced them to move on. 

The belugas of the Cook Inlet are a genetically distinct population and are federally listed as an endangered species. The beluga watch is conducted by volunteers of the Anchorage Coastal Beluga Survey and was created by the Friends of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge (FAR). Find out more information (here).