The Seward Highway runs alongside Turnagain Arm for several miles. It’s truly one of the prettiest drives I’ve taken. It is here that I first saw a bore tide.

As we traveled this highway to catch the train and head to Whittier for the passengers. Then road alongside the inlet on the train as we journeyed to Denali, we got to witness the bore tides a few times.

Bore tides are amazing to see, as the wave travels as one long wave, all the way into the inlet. That’s the short version! (Here is a link if you wish to read more about bore tides).

A good way for me to understand the tides is this.

Surfers come from all over the world to ride the bore tide. Usually a tidal wave is relatively short lived and the surfer rides the wave quickly.

With the bore tide, it’s more of a cross country ride as the wave travels such a long distance. With skill, the surfer can ride the wave for miles.

Only once time did we see anyone attempting to ride it. I posted a picture below. It was taken from the train so it isn’t the best. But you can see the length of the tide.