Tuesday, July 1: Kansas to Seattle

This trip was a repeat of a cruise that most people would describe as “once-in-a-lifetime”, but we’re very lucky people, so we went back a second time.  We ended up on the same cruise ship and the same itinerary, but started with a couple of days in Sitka, which we’d never visited before.

A word on the cruise line:  we used Uncruise, which was Innersea Discoveries 2 years ago (no change in ownership).  We LOVE this type of cruise- small ships, passionate crew with educational backgrounds in fields such as marine biology, very laid back (no one locks their staterooms), up close and personal with nature, and minimal extra costs beyond the inital price (other than tips, which are NOT automatically added to your bill).

The trip to Seattle took up most of Tuesday, thanks to a 7-hour layover in Denver (originally supposed to be 3 hours till United changed its schedule).  We coped by hanging out in the United Club even though we hated rewarding them for messing up our schedule by paying for day passes.  The “free” alcohol helped.  

The flight to Seattle was delayed, of course, but by only about half an hour.  Sadly, that exceeds my expectations for airlines these days.  Still, it was nearly 11 PM Seattle time when we checked into the Airport Marriott.

Wednesday, July 2: Seattle to Sitka

We are not in Kansas anymore.

We loved Sitka.  The fact that it was formerly a Russian settlement made it even more interesting to us.  I found the Raven's Peek B&B on TripAdvisor.com and it was a wonderful choice.  It took me awhile to get used to "Peek" instead of "Peak" in the name (yeah, I can be like that) but it turns out that the word was a reference to inquisitive ravens peeking around during the construction of the place. This was the view from our room.  The small structure just beyond the lower parking lot is almost finished and will soon be available for rent!  We loved this place- private, romantic and in a beautiful setting.

Below, our private deck overlooking the water.  A hot tub and sauna were nearby.

A visiting hummingbird.

There's a long and interesting story behind this raven sculpture and I'm sorry I couldn't get a better picture of it.  It hangs over the dining area at Raven's Peek and it's huge.  Mike, one of Raven's Peek's owners, saw the Tyrannosaurus Rex sculpture in the children's section of the Sitka Library (pictured on Thursday's blog)  and asked the sculptor if he'd create something for their new home.  The sculptor, a veteran and devout Christian who does what the Spirit moves him to do, designed this sculpture.  The feathers are made mostly from old vinyl LPs, converted through a painstaking process to realistic feathers.  The whole sculpture took 8 years and Mike and the sculptor did a lot of the work together, developing a deep friendship during that time.  

If you visit, ask for the whole story, pour yourself another cup of the excellent coffee (Mike roasts his own beans) and settle in for a good conversation. 

Thursday, July 3: Exploring Sitka

Sitka was a wonderful break in our trip.  They consider themselves a "working town" and, although there was a smaller ship in port when we were there, it didn't have the feel of a city that lived or died on cruise ship business.  They even have an Edward Jones office.

First, of course, we had to check out the children's section of the Sitka library to find the famous sculpture.  It was as impressive as we expected.

Below, a reminder that garbage needs to be protected against bear invasions.

Sitka was a Russian settlement and the Orthodox Cathedral, shown below, is still there, although the original was burned down in 1966.  The Bishop's House is now open to the public.

From downtown we went to the Raptor Center, a nonprofit that takes care of injured raptors (eagles, falcons and some ravens although the latter are not raptors).  They return as many as possible back to the wild.  Those that cannot be returned to the wild are sent to zoos or are trained to work with human handlers so they can be used in brief presentations to the public.  

Below- eagles learning to fly again in a screened enclosure.

There was a pleasant hiking trail behind the raptor center.

Finally, we stopped for lunch at the Sea Mountain Golf Course on our way back.  The waitress offered us the keys to a golf cart after lunch so we could explore- no charge.  I didn't tell her I'd never driven one before.  It was pretty interesting given the steep hills, but we returned it unscathed.

Even without golfing, we loved the course!

Friday, July 4: Sitka to Ketchikan

After another wonderful breakfast at Raven's Peek, we packed, drove to the airport and returned our rental car.  Sitka Airport was small and manageable, and we were soon on our way.  We arrived in Ketchikan in early afternoon and checked into the Best Western.  We'd been there on our last trip- it's a good, basic hotel with helpful staff and convenient stores nearby.

It was a rare sunny day (Ketchikan is in the middle of a temperate rain forest and gets over 300 inches of rain a year, so that's not to be taken for granted).  I ran a couple of miles down to the passenger ship pier; very interesting.    I think big-ship cruises might drive me crazy.  Here's one of the ships in port.  It's the SS Oosterdam.  It holds 1,800 passengers and another 800 or so crew.  There are ships bigger than this.

And here's ours, the Wilderness Discoverer, for comparison.

Ketchikan is a typical port town- most of the shops near the passenger port are owned by the major cruise lines and most pay a commission to the cruise lines on any sales.  This close to the cruise ships, Ketchikan and Juneau looked a lot alike:  tons of jewelry shops (many, such as Diamonds International and Tanzanite International are in the Caribbean ports as well), well-populated bars and restaurants, people wandering around with maps, places selling gourmet popcorn, fudge and Alaskan smoked salmon.  I stopped at a 2-story outdoor gear emporium to use the facilities and encountered people buying up piles of North Face and Patagonia clothing.  The Ketchikan public library had a branch in this area, but they closed it because it got crowded with cruise ship passengers who were interested only in the free Wi-fi.

Not into buying stuff?  How about an excursion?  From the brochure of one tour operator (costs per person, without tip and booked directly through them)

• "Flightseeing" by helicopter, plus "sled dog experience"- $489
• Fishing- $160 + $20 for license
• Two hours of flightseeing by amphibious plane- $229
• Ziplining $175
• Taku Glacier Lodge and feast (Wild Aalska King Salmon), including flight- $280 
• Walking tour- $45.  (Mine was free.  :-) )

The big cruise lines require that you book through them and the cost goes up accordingly.  How do they enforce it?  First, they take no responsibility if the operator gets you back to the dock too late to get back aboard ship, which is pretty understandable.  Second, the tour operators they use must agree that they won't book directly with their passengers- or they lose all business with the cruise line.  We like our way of cruising better!

Saturday, July 5: Tech Fails, Embarkation in Ketchikan

We’ve had technical challenges before on our trips, especially with cameras (including a trip to Greece where Ron’s expensive Nikon DSLR was left safe at home).   Today we had multiple problems.  Ron dropped his Nikon and it displayed a cryptical error message and refused to work.  I had a decent Olympus and hadn’t brought the charger because the battery stays charged for months at a time.  Well, except for now.  It had very little power left.  We had my iPhone, but really?  Capture the glories of Alaska with nothing but an iPhone camera? 

Fortunately I had seen a Radio Shack in my travels so we headed there.  (Any excuse to get Ron to exercise.)   They couldn’t help us with the Nikon- not surprising.  They had a “universal” battery charger and showed me how the display model worked.  They sold me a slightly different version but said it would be similar.  It wasn’t.  We found that out after we’d gotten onto the ship.  (Radio Shack in Overland Park probably got its first return from a Ketchikan store after we got home.)  Fortunately, we’d also bought an inexpensive Nikon CoolPix at Radio Shack. I’d had one before and it was user-friendly, portable and a lot better than the iPhone (not to mention less of a financial loss it dropped overboard).  So, while we didn’t have all the technology we would have hoped for, we had enough.  (You will note that all the date-stamped pictures from the CoolPix have the year listed as 2013.  Guess I got the year wrong when I programmed it.)

Below is a back view of the ship.  Note the American flag and the "Juneau" location below the name.  Yes, this is one of the few cruise lines that has US-flagged vessels and pays its crew according to US regulations.  This was important to us.  It also meant that we didn't need to include any foreign ports (although there are many fine Canadian ports!) in the itinerary, which is a requirement for foreign-flagged vessels.  Our cruise was completely within Alaska.

The kayak dock descends when the ship is at anchor and anyone can take one out- all part of the included services.

Sunday, July 6: El Capitan Cave

I'd taken this hike on our last cruise but was looking forward to doing it again.  There's a lot of altitude gain (fancy hiker talk for "uphill") but the wooden stairway makes it easier and protects the forest floor. 

Below is a leopard-spotted banana slug.  Sarah, our guide, was positively thrilled to meet it.  She petted it and murmured sweetly to it till its little eye-stalks poked out from under its protective hood.  Yes, I DO love the crew on this ship!  That's Sarah's hand, by the way.  She claims that the goo the critter is secreting has medicinal values.

I didn't take pictures in the cave- the camera wouldn't really have captured it well.  We were led through by two park ranger interns, who said that their costs were paid by a grant from UnCruise.  Only about 500 people per year visit this cave, and few make it past the locked gates a short way into it.  We did.  One interesting feature was a basalt dike in a fault overhead.  Stones on the ground were partly smooth, well-worn river stones and partly sharp, jagged stones from earth movements.  Formations included curtain and drapery stalactites, columns (stalactites joining stalagmites), and one depression where the dripping water was eating into the cave rather than forming stalagmites, called the "devil's cup".  The stalactites are about 115,000 years old.

There is evidence that humans were in the cave about 4,800 years ago, including an obsidian projectile.  Since obsidian is not native to the area and the projectile showed no signs of wear, it must have come from trade and its use may have been ritual or sacrificial.

Monday, July 7: A Visit to the Medicine Man

Ron decided the previous night that his gout was getting worse.  Usually he enjoys dried cherries for a few days and something in them makes the attack subside but not this time.  (I apologize that I was not able to post a picture of his angrily-inflamed big toe but he wouldn't let me near it with a camera.)  

Bad news, but good timing.  Today we were scheduled to be in Klawock (population 854), which was the only day we weren't out in the middle of nowhere.  I spoke to a crew member Sunday night about getting medical attention for Ron and he asked earnestly if Ron would need to be airlifted somewhere.  No, thank God.  The captain did some checking and found the name of a nearby clinic.  I called and made an appointment for 9:30 AM.

This was our destination- the Alice Roberts Medical Center, an easy walk from the dock.  We arrived early and after Ron filled out some paperwork including questions about whether he was a migrant worker and what tribal affiliations he had and handed over his Medicare card, they took him into an examination room.  He ended up with a couple of cortisone injections and a prescription to be filled at the Whale's Tail Pharmacy in Craig, 7 miles away.  No problem.  A friendly taxi driver took us there.  The pharmacy already had 58 prescriptions called in but when we said we needed to be back on the boat in a couple of hours they put Ron's at the head of the queue, even finding a generic version that saved us $70.  The taxi driver, who had waited for us, was almost apologetic at charging $20 for the round trip.  I'm glad it wasn't NYC.  All in all, it was a good experience.  We'd done the Klawock tour on the last cruise, so we saw a different aspect of the area and Ron got the care he needed.  We got back to the boat in plenty of time, grateful to everyone who had helped us.

I spent the afternoon kayaking.  Ron spent the afternoon resting and avoiding the wonderful Alaskan beer.  Fortunately. Beefeaters Gin was not on the forbidden list.

UnCruise tries to get its food supplies from local sources and tonight was a perfect example; they purchased oysters from a couple who harvest them nearby.  The captain grilled most of them and they also supplied chicken wings for landlubbers. I had my oysters just the way I like 'em- raw with hot sauce.

Tuesday, July 8: Snorkeling in 40-something degree water

We docked at the Bay of Pillars and my first activity after breakfast was a shore walk. It started with a short skiff ride.

After studying more on geology since our last trip, I was very interested in the odd mix of rocks- some obviously river stones, worn smooth by centuries of water, some gravel, and random larger stones that showed less erosion.  I learned that Alaska is the result of many bits of land colliding with the North American plate over the ages; one mass. Wrangellia, started near the Equator and drifted for about 120 million years first.  This explains the variety of stones; many were formed elsewhere under different conditions, some are local, and some were random rubble left behind as the glaciers receded.

Below is an interesting variety of lichen that I never saw elsewhere.

Right after lunch I was scheduled for snorkeling.  I'd hesitated on this; had done it on the last trip and I mostly remembered being cold and wet.  Still, for $35, how could I turn it down?  Another twice-in-a-lifetime chance, I guess.  I was very glad I decided to take it.

Step 1:  the first layer.  This is about 6 mm thick (so I'm not that fat, OK? ;-) ).  Having no problem making a spectacle of myself, I padded out into the lounge so Ron could help me fasten the velcro shoulder strips over my swimsuit.   

Step 2:  add the second layer, which is about the same length as a pair of shorts and provides more protection to vital organs.  Additional items include the boots, gloves and helmet, as well as the fins and goggles you get before jumping in.

I was a lot more comfortable on this trip; my guess is that I had a tighter-fitting suit so the layer of water between my body and the suit was thin enough that it could get heated. I had also asked this time about what we could and could not do without endangering the wildlife.  Last time I'd been afraid to ruffle through the kelp and look for critters; it turned out that that was OK.   
We were in the water for a little over an hour.   I wish I could post pictures of everything I saw, but when I'd considered buying a waterproof camera, the reviews of the moderately-priced ones seemed to be full of complaints that they quit working when submerged only a few feet.  Here's a partial list:

• A tiny white sea star (they no longer call them starfish since they're not really a fish)
• Two white anemones
• Two large blue sea stars (each about 10 inches across)
• One purple sea star
• One sea star that looked white with sparkling, iridescent patches.  Darn, I wish I'd had a camera!
• Some blue ribbon worms, the width of a tiny rubber band
• A few jellyfish- not a threat with all my layers of neoprene
• A hooded nudibranch.  I would not have known this but that evening they captured a very large one in a giant pickle jar and displayed it in the lounge before releasing it.  One of the naturalists on the staff was very excited about it.  I love their enthusiasm!

I thought I was staying with the group but at one point the skiff pilot came over and tactfully asked me to get back with the group because I was too far ahead.  I love the feeling of fins- a little motion and you're jet-propelled great distances.  Wanting to enhance my chances of surviving the expedition, I backtracked a little and rejoined the others.  

When the skiff pulled near us, I was the first back on, but everyone else soon clambered in.  We shared hot cocoa on the way back.  It was WORK pulling all that gear off so I could head back to our room!  The hot shower sure felt good.  So did the 2 cups of hot tea I had after that.

Alaskan King Crab legs were on the menu for dinner.  Yum.  Ron doesn't like them and I'd never pay restaurant prices, so I thoroughly enjoyed these.

Although this was not the menu for that day, I'm posting an example of what we were served.  (And yes, the date is wrong- I suspect they recycle their menus.)  I love the UnCruise line's attitudes on food.  Their cruises are not a 24/7 eating and drinking bacchanalia.  What they do serve is from fresh ingredients, well-prepared, without too many fussy foodie touches.  There are always vegetarian options and if nothing on the menu appeals to you, they'll find something in the kitchen that does.

Wednesday, July 9: Bushwhacking Hike

This morning I went out bushwhacking- the staff is very careful about letting you know how strenuous/hazardous each excursion will be so you can choose accordingly, but I'd done this level before.

This trip was rich with flowers- I'm always amazed at the beautiful varieties that survive the harsh Alaskan winters.  If I get ambitious I'll update this with species names, but here are the pictures in the meantime.

It got a little mucky in places!

Finally- a clearing.  This shot would have been more flattering if I'd taken the giant water bottle out of the front pouch of my jacket first.

Thursday, July 10: More Bushwhacking, Great whale-watching

I'd say this was the best day of the cruise for me, although it was a hard choice after the great snorkeling trip Tuesday.  Ron spent most of the day resting in the room because he had a bad cold, but at least had the passing view of Alaska to enjoy.

I started with another bushwhacking hike, this one on Roberts Island.  Most of the climb was practically straight up.  

The forests in Alaska are beautiful- you really get an idea of what nature is like when it's untouched by humans.  When a tree falls, the stump is covered by vegetation and it becomes a source for new growth.  The biologists in the group said that many of the lichens we encountered were a sign of very pure air; any kind of pollution prevents them from flourishing.   The tiny flowers below are orchids.

Made it to the top!  The trip back down was actually a little more strenuous.  It didn't help that at one point the guide surprised a nest of angry, winged things that may have been hornets or wasps or bees.  We retreated before we could find out what they were.

We'd started out in fog so thick that there was only 1/4 mile of visibility.  Even after we emerged from the forest, there was a mist that made the landscape look surreal.  On the way back, we saw a whale about 50 feet from the boat, but it was there and gone before I could get a picture! As we arrived  near the ship, which was clearly visible now, the Captain playfully tooted the foghorn anyway.

The island had an interesting mix of rocks.  The layers below are schist, but there were also patches of basalt in "waves: where it had solidified, and random rocks from other areas left behind by the glaciers.

That was just the morning!  After lunch I took a nap and then went out in a kayak for awhile.  The water was so clear that I could see the marine life below including some beautiful sea stars.  

Below is Five Fingers Lighthouse.  When we came thought two years ago, it was the site of a study of whale behavior, so named because most of the scientists on the project were women.  One of them had come on the ship to talk about their work, and I swear she attracted whales- they kept showing up around the ship as she talked.  Sadly, the project lost its funding so the lighthouse is unused.

We had the best whale-watching of the whole trip that night; fortunately, many were kind enough to show up on the side of our stateroom, so Ron had a good view of them without even getting out of bed.  Not every picture came out well, but here are a few.  The first two are humpbacks building a "bubble net" to trap fish- a complex teamwork project that shows how intelligent whales are.  The bottom one had to be cropped and enlarged a lot but yes, it's an orca.   

Friday, July 11: Sawyer Glacier

Today was Glacier Day.  During the night the Captain headed for Dawes' Glacier but encountered so many "bergy bits" that it slowed us down to the point we'd get there too late in the day.  (Which would explain the random "clunk" noises I heard during the night.)  He changed course and went for Sawyer Glacier instead.  You can see the U-turn on the map below.

We woke to far cooler air, water with little floating bits of ice in the water, and spectacular crevasses carved out by previous glacial action.  Waterfalls starting hundreds of feet above our heads were all around us.

Below, Ron enjoys a good book and views of Sawyer Glacier from the lounge.  You can see why we like small ships.  Everyone gets a window seat.

Here's a view of us from the deck with a better picture of the glacier.  Sawyer Glacier is 200 feet high (it looked higher) and eight miles long.  As our skiffs went out, they were almost invisible when they got close to the glacier; even then, they stayed 1/2 mile out because the chunks of ice breaking off at random ("calving") can cause enough turbulence to upset a small skiff.

I went out on one of the skiffs for a better view.  It did get cold out there!  Below is a picture of one of the spectacular waterfalls behind our ship.  The color of the water had changed; it was murkier due to the glacial silt content, and thus not a good place for fish.

Saturday, July 12: Embarkation, Juneau to Seattle

We anchored somewhere out of Juneau Friday night and at 4:30 AM we pulled up the anchor chain and cruised into Juneau.  (Note:  Anchor chains are very noisy.)

This seemed like it should have been a leisurely day, but it wasn't, probably because of so many intervals of waiting.  We disembarked at 8:30 after breakfast and headed to Centennial Hall, where they had a conference room set up with tables and chairs for those who wanted to wait it out till the first shuttle to the airport at 11:15.  Ron parked himself there with a good book and I went exploring.

This is typical weather for Alaska in the summer.  The experts tell you to prepare for rain and consider yourself blessed if you get sunshine.  We've been VERY blessed on both our trips to have had a minimum of days like this.

I mostly marveled at the gaudy bling in the jewelry stores near the port area; I love good jewelry but this was a mix of inexpensive materials made to look expensive (sterling silver settings, stones that were heat-treated to neon colors) or were so oversized you'd need a bodyguard to avoid being mugged.  I guess that's what sells, or they wouldn't put it in the window.

Finally, we headed to the airport, waited some more, and got on our flight to Seattle.  It was short and uneventful, and we gratefully checked into the Marriott again, enjoying the contrast between the size of our stateroom on the ship and the hotel room.  I went for a swim but realized I was pretty worn out after half an hour.  We had a light dinner from room service and went to sleep.