Stranded by the Tide at Aniakchak Bay, Alaska
The reflective surface of Aniakchak lagoon. I love bringing people here for the photographic opportunities. Sometimes, the best travel stories are from the times that don't go according to plan. I had one of those adventures today, at Aniakchak Bay. This spot is part of one of the most remote, and least visited, National Monuments and preserves in the country. The bay consist of a long stretch of beach, with big dunes, a river on one side, and a huge estuary on the other. I had been here once before, and had taken guests hiking deep into the estuary, which I wanted to do again. The entrance and dropoff were a breeze, and the hike in was as easy and picturesque as I remembered. It was the hike out that proved difficult. As we hiked in, we had marsh grass and dry bank to walk on. Or we could walk out on the wet mud of the estuary. This reflective mud is one of the most picturesque things about this bay. I took the whole group out in it for a picture at one point because it was so b...