In addition to Earthquake Park and the boat launch, two additional stations were set up at the port. She's using what they call the 'big eyes.' (Anne Raup / ADN) So, a group of observers was set up on shore around Knik Arm watching for sea mammals, some with binoculars in hand.Īrika Garcia is one of the observers stationed around the Port of Alaska and the Knik Arm. Under federal rules, if certain species of sea mammals get too close to the noise, the work has to stop until they’re farther away. Workers were driving steel piles into the ground at the port Friday. The idea is to make sure marine mammals that sometimes are found in Knik Arm - especially the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales - aren’t disturbed by construction noises. Last Friday was a good day to see how it works.

These shipping containers near the Ship Creek boat launch and along the Coastal Trail near Earthquake Park are for observing marine mammals in Cook Inlet during construction at the Port of Alaska. Question: What are the Conex boxes with observation decks on top for? I have seen two locations: one at the city boat launch at the mouth of Ship Creek and the other in the parking area at Northern Lights and Postmark Drive. What do you want to know or want us to investigate about life in Alaska, stories behind the news or why things are the way they are? Let us know in the form at the bottom of the story. (Anne Raup / ADN)Ĭurious Alaska is a weekly feature powered by your questions. Observers at Earthquake Park near the Coastal Trail keep eyes on Knik Arm, looking for marine mammals during Port of Alaska dock construction on Tuesday.

Shipping container deck construction