Trip Report: ALASKA. Northbound Hubbard Glacier. Millennium. June 22, 2018.

[Anita Latte]

I'm thinking of hiring her for my next trip abroad! Anita, I hadn't seen this when I met you on the ship. Enjoying reading it now - and looking forward to seeing what you had to say about the cruise itself.

 

Thank you Eliza! I'm so glad that we met! Please feel free to chime in with any information about our cruise sailing that you think would be helpful here.

 

I've been in Boston this weekend. DS did a summer program at the Boston Conservatory. We flew up there to see his end of program concert and accompany him back home. More postings coming shortly!

[Anita Latte]

Back on board…

 

It was the perfect afternoon to enjoy the solarium. Thalassotherapy Pool time!

 

I believe that every afternoon from 3pm to 7pm…there is family time in the solarium, where the age limit is waived. Didn’t bother me.

 

We used the hot tubs. We used the pool.

 

We went into the changing rooms to use the saunas.

 

Funny how little used the saunas are on the ship. It was empty when I first arrived…I had that little warm room all to myself.

 

There is a large porthole window in the sauna…you can sit and watch the scenery go by. For sailing out of Ketchikan…now in progress…the lady’s side didn’t have much viewing variety. The shoreline was in the distance…the uninhabited, not too tall tree lined shore. The view was a little on the boring side…

 

My guys got to see more of the town from their sauna.

 

The sauna for this visit was cooler than typical. There’s a temperature gauge inside…comparing notes with DH, the men’s sauna was much hotter this day. It was warm enough to enjoy a nice bit of peace and quiet…and a huge break from the crowds…a rarity on a cruise ship. It was cool enough to not have the heat be the instigator for needing to leave the room.

 

I didn’t even break a sweat.

 

When another lady entered…obviously coming from the spa area…I opted to leave and let her have the same alone time that I had been enjoying.

 

I decided to try swimming OUTSIDE.

 

There were two dads with their two kids in the outside pool. The pool loungers had few people in them…the hot tubs had several people in them.

 

IDK why…but I wanted to SWIM. You can’t really swim in the Thalassotherapy Pool…so I got into that unheated water and I did some laps.

 

Oh my! That’s brisk!

 

Which made the Solarium offerings that much nicer to return to.

 

Our evening plans were simple. Dinner. The evening magician show. After a relaxing afternoon, my guys headed back to the room to shower and dress for the evening. I headed to the Ladies Changing Room for the same

 

Prior to sailing, I had scoped out the Ladies Changing Room on the deck plans…thinking we might take advantage of being fairly close to these available showers…only one deck away.

 

I liked using the shower in the changing room except for the lack of conditioner in any of the private showers…which had shampoo and shower gel wall dispensers. With the ship water…you really NEED conditioner…and the only conditioner was in the dual open shower by the sauna…

 

I made it work.

 

I wore my pool cover up back to the room and dressed for dinner in our stateroom.

 

Dinner was not memorable. What I remember about this day is how intent I was on photographing the scenery and sunset.

 

Between predinner cocktails…dinner…afterdinner cocktails…the magician…and going to the Cosmos Lounge for the Total 80s Music Game Show…I would step outside and take rounds of pictures.

 

A gorgeous evening. The rain had cleared. The clouds had stayed to add interest to the sky.

 

It was COLD…and WINDY on deck. A very strong wind. I had a death grip on my camera. Hair whipping across my face…brace yourself and do your best to hold the camera steady.

 

I didn’t know at the time…because I’m not the keeper of the Daily…there is a subheading on the Daily titled: NAVIGATIONAL POINTS OF INTEREST. Referring to that now…I was photographing the Snow Passage which we were sailing through at 8:00 PM according to the Daily.

 

These photos were all taken between 8:05 PM and 8:13 PM…during my first round of deck photography.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Anita Latte]

These were taken between 8:53 and 8:58 PM…popping out to Deck 4 AGAIN off the Rendezvous Lounge…right before the Illusionist show.

 

Doing my best to correlate these photos to my map…my best guess is that the land mass in the distance is Kuiu Island with the sun setting.

 

The sunset was supposed to be at 9:32 PM…so these photos are 30 minutes prior to sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing how looking in the other direction…the light is still so bright.

 

Rainbow!

 

Again…my best guess is that these are the Sumner Mountains.

 

 

 

The Illusionist on board was Ryan Joyce.

 

https://ryanjoyce.com

 

I have very little recollection of his performance. I asked DS…who has an excellent memory for such things what he remembered about Ryan Joyce.

 

Reminiscing with DS…there was a lot of levitating. A bit of audience interaction with envelops. And a camera guy that followed Joyce around…with the close-up filming being shown on the two screens so the audience could get up close and personal...at least visually...to the stage action.

 

DS says that Joyce really liked himself a lot…he talked a lot about himself during his performance.

 

In the end…I don’t recall that he performed too many illusions…just a handful. If I use my photos as a guide…the show was less than 43 minutes long.

 

IIRC, this is a popular show. We were able to find seats arriving just before the later show started…but we had to hunt for them.

[Anita Latte]

After the show…we headed back to Rendezvous where Ocean’s 5, a dance band, was playing. We hung out there for a while…then headed up to Cosmos for the Totally 80s Music Game Show.

 

I remember the band being good.

 

The game show is a Starboard versus Port side format. Each side selects a representative who has the opportunity to consult with his side of the ship…and name the songs.

 

It was all good fun.

 

I ordered one of the specialty cocktails for the first time. The Cosmos Lounge has Zodiac sign named drinks. I had first read about them reading deladane’s recent review of her Southern Caribbean Cruise on the Eclipse. She photographed the menu in the lounge:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=56187897&postcount=578

 

I ordered the Pisces…you know…another coffee FLAVORED drink.

 

Served in the tiniest wine glass…a liquor glass shaped like a mini-champagne flute. The drink is more powerful that I gave it credit to be. It was tasty. It didn’t last long. I think I would have been upset if I had paid OOP for this drink. Not worth the cost…but with the beverage package…

 

Meanwhile…I was still completely distracted by the beauty on deck.

 

This is just 30 minutes past sunset…10:00 PM.

 

 

It’s impossible to capture all the different colors in the sky…the low lying clouds…everywhere you look…it’s just a picture waiting to happen...

 

 

 

Very few were on deck…the wind was fierce. It wasn't so much that it was cold...even though it was very cold...it was that the wind was strong...the wind made being on deck so unpleasant despite the beauty all around. I don't know if was possible to escape the wind... 10:35 PM.

 

 

One hour later...11:27 PM...

 

 

It looks dark in contrast to the lit ship...but looking off to the side:

 

 

These were taken walking back to the buffet for DH and DS' nightly snack.

 

After all...dinner was HOURS ago...we had eaten an earlier dinner tonight.

 

Tomorrow...we would arrive in Icy Strait Point!

[waverley7]

Enjoy this so much Anita, thank you for all your information! I love copy and paste!

 

Love your photo's!

[Anita Latte]

Enjoy this so much Anita, thank you for all your information! I love copy and paste!

 

Love your photo's!

 

Thank you Waverley! I really appreciate the feedback so much!

 

I see you're sailing on Millennium next May...what a wonderful thing to look forward to!

[Anita Latte]

Today we are in Icy Strait Point!

 

Today’s Today…or Daily:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bEzWbr0AFP0gakcsLEuuKj0frQOgAe9X/view?usp=sharing

 

Shall I describe Icy Strait Point?...ISP?

 

ISP is a private port…owned by an Alaskan Native owned corporation. It is not commercialized…though there is a gift shop and a few eateries in the general port area.

 

The nearby town of Hoonah is small town Alaska. Graduating classes of high school seniors MAY reach into the double digits…if the class is especially large that year.

 

ISP is a cruise ship’s opportunity to transport its passengers as close to “wild Alaska” as it can.

 

The dock is modern. Built recently to the tune of millions of dollars so that ISP could be a more consistent port…getting away from tender operation. The locals rely on the tourist trade for a significant portion of their income…thus the new dock was considered a good investment.

 

The dock can only accommodate one cruise ship at a time...however, the port may have more than one ship. While we were in ISP, a Seabourn vessel was also in port…tendering their passengers. The passenger capacity of the Seabourn was around 300…I don’t think the impact of the additional passengers was great.

 

My impression is that there will only be one “normal” sized…or over-sized…cruise ship at a time.

 

Everywhere the eye can see…looking away from ISP and Hoonah…you see very little, if any evidence of man. Coves and bays and straits…tree covered foreground…snow capped background. The varying shades of the hills and mountains are the evidence of the distance seen.

 

It’s a breath of fresh air!

 

After docking so early in Ketchikan…it’s refreshing to awake to a ship still in motion. To feel space in your morning because no plans can begin until after 10:00 AM when the ship officially makes port.

 

ISP is a relaxed day…it’s Alaska’s answer to the private beaches in the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

 

Waking naturally before 8:00 AM…I was eager to see what could be seen!

 

The Daily says a high of 62F…partly cloudy.

 

The ship indoors is a comfortable temperature, so I wear the same thing I wore in Ketchikan!

 

I own merino wool shirts for this purpose… Short sleeved Icebreaker brand shirt, my technical fabric cargo pants, my running style Smartwool socks, my trail runners…and a ball cap…because I can’t be bothered to do more than pull my hair back into a pony tail.

 

I did wear fresh underwear.

 

I recall eagerly looking out our port hole window…

 

The land was so close…and TALL!

 

I know now…we were sailing through Chatham Strait…

 

DH and I headed up to the buffet for breakfast. I ate what I’ll call my Alaskan Benedict…spinach and smoked salmon.

 

And admired the view…

 

The water is so clear…such a deep blue…

 

 

Zooming in to see the small islands scattered around…

 

 

The WAKE! So fun to have a morning wake on a port day!

 

 

Partly cloudy indeed…you can see the bright patches on the land where the sun is fully shining through…and the shadows…

 

 

Zooming in…it looks like someone is setting out to go fishing:

 

 

After a leisurely breakfast…we headed down to Bacio...and enjoyed watching the ship arrive.

We were eager to get off the ship...to check out the area.

We headed back to the stateroom to see how DS was faring. Our planned excursion wasn’t until 2:00 PM…meeting 30 minutes prior…so we thought to let DS sleep for as long as he wanted…no pressure to get up this morning.

 

He was ready to get up…he wanted to walk on the Nature Trail with us.

 

I called Mom to see how their day was shaping up…Mom hadn’t had breakfast yet either…As she said, "DS and I are on the same page this morning!" Blu’s breakfast ended at 9:00 AM…so we all met up in the buffet for the late breakfast shift.

 

We all headed down to Bacio for some caffeine…

 

We finally got ourselves sorted and we headed off the ship!

[Anita Latte]

Leaving the ship...we encounter first hand the oddness of unknown ship rules...and the inconsistency of enforcement.

 

DS was allowed off the ship with his coffee drink...

Mom was NOT...

 

I guess we had a bit of a gap between we 3 and Mom and Dad...so we were on the dock...not quite knowing what the hold up was...

 

So I took some photos!

 

Love a photo of the ship looking up!

Looking away from the ship…towards land…we could see people walking along the shore. There’s a path with a wall of trees on one side and a very thin strip of rocky beach on the other. It goes along the shoreline for a ways…

 

A long mostly covered pier links the dock to the shore. IIRC, there was an open air shuttle available.

Walking across the pier…looking to the right…

Along the shoreline…immediately to the right of end of the pier…is this lovely building where an outdoor fire will be roaring in the pit throughout the day. I believe it’s an eatery.

The shoreline path to the right is a scenic route to the Cannery Museum area and continues along the shore to the town of Hoonah.

I believe the tallest mountain...almost hidden by the clump of trees...is Neka Mountain, elevation 2972 feet.

Still on the pier…looking to the left…this is the nature path along the shoreline.

At the end of the pier…the entrance to the Nature Trail:

[Italy52]

Anita, glad to see you are back posting; just catching up on your journey at my end. ISP, you are now in one of my favorite places. So peaceful and serene. Can't wait to hear your comments.

[Anita Latte]

Anita, glad to see you are back posting; just catching up on your journey at my end. ISP, you are now in one of my favorite places. So peaceful and serene. Can't wait to hear your comments.

 

Yes...we are back from a quick trip to Boston!

 

I love ISP. I agree with your adjectives...peaceful and serene.

[Anita Latte]

Along the shoreline…the Nature Trail is a wide, hard pack dirt trail with a dusting of gravel.

 

A fallen log border separates the trail from the shore side. It’s a shore…not a beach…very rocky…several are exploring the waterline.

 

The trees are towering overhead. There are several breaks in the plants crowding the path…you can glimpse the bluff hidden by the vegetation…and catch a view of the rocks, exposed tree roots, and appreciate how tall the trees are:

 

 

Some flowers are blooming…many are at eye level. The plants feel MASSIVE…leaves are huge. DH is in one of the "coves" at the base of the bluff. The forest is above...

 

 

The path turns…you climb up to the forest level..

 

 

You are in the midst of the Tongass National Forest! The forest is carpeted with moss...ferns and other large leaved foliage.

 

 

The path is now a soft bed of pine needles…cushy. DS and DH on the path…perspective for the height of the trees:

 

 

And yet…somehow…I guess someone plays Frisbee Golf in the forest? Super zoom!

 

 

This path is a delight.

 

You can linger at your leisure…soak in the atmosphere. It’s grandiose. It’s one of those places in the world that make you feel small.

 

The well maintained path…you are in the midst of a bit of wilderness…access has been provided but there is still that sense of being removed.

 

During this late morning hour…the nature path was relatively empty. There were few others present. There was a library atmosphere in the trees. We were using our inside voices...taking it all in.

[jaapie]

Anita, we will be on Millennium next week. I am concerned about mosquitoes (if there is one within a hundred miles it will find me!). What was your experience with mosquitoes.

[Anita Latte]

Anita, we will be on Millennium next week. I am concerned about mosquitoes (if there is one within a hundred miles it will find me!). What was your experience with mosquitoes.

 

My experience with mosquitos was that they were noticeable when you went into a more natural area. Surprisingly, I don't recall being bothered on the nature trail in ISP...but in Juneau...we encountered mosquitos. So...if you are generally in town, on the water, or in the air...you should be fine...but if you are going to go on a hiking trail, then you probably want some repellent.

 

I was beyond pleased with my recent mosquito repellent purchase. Alpenglow. Made in Alaska. Not DEET. Worked very well for us.

 

I did see the brand in a store in Ketchikan...so you might be able to find it in stores in town. You might want to contact Alpenglow to see where you could purchase in store, as I think you might be too late to order it at this point.

 

http://www.alpenglowskincare.com

 

Or bring the one of your choice. We also encountered biting flies. So it would helpful for your repellent to also ward those off. Alaska has over 35 species of mosquitos so it's a very valid concern. I would be prepared if you are so susceptible.

 

Also...they seem to be less present when it's raining...or very windy...which makes sense.

 

Mom...would you agree about the mosquitos?

[Member123]

<clip>

 

Mom...would you agree about the mosquitos?

 

No lie... I am currently being terrorized (actually, emphatically) by a single mosquito who managed to make its way into my house and is periodically biting me throughout the day and making me miserable at night! How long do these demons from hell live? OK, that's an aside.

 

I didn't experience any mosquito agonies in Alaska, at all. Which is quite surprising, because I'm also one of those people with a body chemistry that mosquitos are attracted to... so, I can be quite miserable in a mosquito situation.

 

We went on several nature trails. The only area that I was freaked out at (and Anita might make mention when she gets to that day in her TR) was in Juneau. And, it wasn't all of Juneau, but simply the area where they went for fishing. OMG. But, I'll leave her to tell the tale. Personally, I just didn't venture too far down the path (missed the gorgeous scenery, but I have my priorities)... and was fine.

 

So, bottom line for me.... not a single mosquito bite. And, I didn't wear protective mosquito repellent clothing... and, I didn't spray myself with any repellent (which was one reason I didn't want to venture down the aforementioned path).

 

I'm not advocating a cavalier attitude about mosquitoes! I'm just saying that... on this particular trip... with these weather conditions... they were a non-threat. No worries.

[Anita Latte]

The nature trail is not a loop…it’s a one way along the shoreline and through the trees. You can enter by the shoreline…as we did. Or you can enter into the trees. Both access points are clearly marked.

 

 

Having been there now…and reviewing the ISP website…it’s a good representation of the port:

http://icystraitpoint.com/about-us/

 

The Port Guide has good history…and very generalized info regarding available excursions.

 

I’m quite curious as to the salmon stream fishing mentioned in the brochure. I didn’t research much into fishing at ISP…but now…I wonder. This is one of the few mentions of stream fishing I’ve come across. Most are boat charters…and others require flying. Huh. Wonder when their salmon runs are?

 

The Port Map is good. You can see what I mean by the shoreline access and the tree access points for the nature trail. We continued our wander toward the Excursion Hub…just to see how far that was.

 

The Zipline is overhead.

 

You can watch from below on this trail. Close enough for me! At this time…the zipline has NO APPEAL to me. Fun to see though. You see as far up the hill as conditions allow…and the lines go right over your head.

 

 

The Excursion Hub is right around the corner.

 

I’m not a worrier per se…I’m working hard to NOT worry and just DO. I wanted to see the lay of the land…but the lay of the land is REALLY simple in ISP. The signs are clear enough:

 

 

The map doesn’t show how the Excursion Hub can also be accessed from near the cannery museum.

 

We were ready for lunch.

 

Today was the day for burgers at the Pool Grill.

 

The burgers are decent burgers. One cook fits all…they aren’t made to order. They completely cover the bun…and they are a decent thickness to not dry out too much, even when cooked medium-well-ish. With toppings like sautéed mushrooms…among several hot and cold choices…you can create a tasty al fresco lunch.

 

As all such things do…fries depend on your timing. They are better when you are closer to when they were made. They appeared to be making small batches so the turnover was fairly frequent. I had happy fries.

 

It hit the spot today.

 

I think it helps to be truly hungry…and in the mood for a burger.

 

Latte time!

 

We all headed down to Bacio.

 

I don’t like to be late…and in fact, I like to be early. Early is on time for me.

 

I read a theory that asserted that when you were born in relation to you due date determines how on time you are…and what you prefer. DS and I were born well before our due dates…and we both like to be early. My roommate in college was notoriously late…and I think she might have been induced…

 

Our meet time was 1:30 PM for our 2:00 PM whale watching with Glacier Winds.

 

We were walking across the pier again at 1:13 PM…WAY early. Now you see the fire roaring on the patio at the Duck Point Smokehouse.

 

 

The Excursion Hub is a simple clearing, bordered by fallen logs. There are a few benches. IIRC…the Toyota is picking up for the Hoonah Whale Watching excursion…

 

 

I admit…I’m intrigued by the Jeeps…

 

 

Teresa from Glacier Winds met us at the Excursions Hub. She is open and friendly. Readily talking about herself and her family. She will be in Arizona later this year…so we talked all about that (Mom and Dad live in AZ)…and whatever else naturally came up in conversation as we waited for the last couple to arrive.

 

Teresa explained that conditions were a bit rough…saying it was safe…just rough. She verified that everyone was still good to go.

 

Teresa did her best to contact the no show couple. She phoned them several times. We waited as long as we could…but we left without them.

 

There were two other couples in addition to our party of 5. There was plenty of room in Teresa’s Van.

 

We were off for our whale watching adventure!

[Italy52]

Anita, excited to see that you chose Glacier Wind for whale watching. Shawn and Teresa are wonderful people; we have enjoyed all 7 of our whale watching excursions with them. Hope you had a wonderful experience with them --- we had insane bubble net feeding with them during our 2 trips in May --- hope you had the same, if not more during your trip.

[jaapie]

My experience with mosquitos was that they were noticeable when you went into a more natural area. Surprisingly, I don't recall being bothered on the nature trail in ISP...but in Juneau...we encountered mosquitos. So...if you are generally in town, on the water, or in the air...you should be fine...but if you are going to go on a hiking trail, then you probably want some repellent.

 

I was beyond pleased with my recent mosquito repellent purchase. Alpenglow. Made in Alaska. Not DEET. Worked very well for us.

 

I did see the brand in a store in Ketchikan...so you might be able to find it in stores in town. You might want to contact Alpenglow to see where you could purchase in store, as I think you might be too late to order it at this point.

 

http://www.alpenglowskincare.com

 

Or bring the one of your choice. We also encountered biting flies. So it would helpful for your repellent to also ward those off. Alaska has over 35 species of mosquitos so it's a very valid concern. I would be prepared if you are so susceptible.

 

Also...they seem to be less present when it's raining...or very windy...which makes sense.

 

Mom...would you agree about the mosquitos?

 

Thank you for the detailed reply, Anita.

[Anita Latte]

Glacier Winds

 

https://www.g-wind.com

 

I spoke with Teresa at length…discussing the different features of their two boats…determining which one would be the best for Mom. It’s a big ask to get Mom on a smaller boat. We need her to feel as secure as is possible on the smaller vessel.

 

We went with the gray boat. The sides of the boat seemed taller than the white one…also…there are rails all around the boat. And it boat itself and cabin seemed taller…like you might feel more above the water.

 

Seeing them in person…the white boats sits much lower in the water than the gray one…so Mom confirmed that we had indeed made the better choice for her comfort.

 

We learned though…that the white boat is made of fiberglass…compared to the aluminum of the gray boat. The white boat is a much quieter boat, according to Captain Shawn.

 

Shawn is as personable as his wife Teresa. Feel comfortable discussing any concerns with them. They are so easy to work with…really good people.

 

On this day…and it seems the norm…Shawn captains the gray boat. Their son, Casey, captains the white one. I’m sure that you can hear first hand all about their boats…and how they acquired them. Interesting stories.

 

All about how they have come to live in Hoonah.

 

It’s a leisurely day…going out on a boat…looking for whales...there's time for conversation.

 

You will be driven to the boat. And I mean…you will be driven to the boat…which is docked at a vehicle accessible dock.

 

 

Shawn will give a safety brief.

 

There is a private toilet on board.

 

Seats for 6. One seat is shotgun…right next to where the Captain stands and drives…Steers? Navigates?. Behind shotgun, there are two rows of double seats. Mom is shotgun...Dad is in the first double row...DS and I are behind him. The potty is at the back. Behind the captain is another single seat…DH sat there...and then a small sink cabinet…which is opposite the bathroom.

 

 

Captain Shawn designed the cabin himself.

 

There’s a side door and a back door. It makes for easy access for getting out on deck…which wraps all the way around the cabin of the boat.

 

It’s a great little boat!

 

All aboard…and we were off.

 

Our view through the front of the cabin as we left the dock.

 

 

Shawn explained that the combination of high tide…with the wind going AGAINST the HIGH tide...was making it very rough. VERY rough.

 

He said that our day out on the water was as rough as it gets.

 

The views are spectacular. 360 degrees of ocean and mountain vistas.

 

 

 

It was partly cloudy, just as forecast. The sun would come and go. A light rain would come and go a couple times. I’ve lived in several places where people say, if you don’t like the weather…wait 10 minutes.

 

This was today.

 

My family was wearing a base layer and a warmth layer. I had added my fleece hoodie. We all had our raincoats, wind proof gloves and a warm hat. We added and removed layers and accessories as needed.

 

It was a bit rough as we were leaving the dock...and the sheltered waters in Port Fredrick...and then we hit more open water.

 

As rough as it gets indeed.

 

The boat was rocking like a rocking horse. We tilted up…and would slap down hard on the water. It was loud. The aluminum hitting the water. Up and down…up and down…slap…slap…slap. It was just a bit jarring...Shawn would alternate his speed...and we would pause...watching for whales.

 

I will hold no one in suspense. We did not see any bubble net feeding.

 

Shawn said there was bubble net feeding earlier that day. So the water conditions and the whale watching was better for the morning whale watching tour. Something to ask about…if you have options when making plans. I would ask about tides...and how that can affect the day.

 

We DID see whales.

 

Though they were hard to spot.

 

DH and I were making several jokes about whale LOOKING…whale HUNTING…

 

We say…here fishy, fishy, fishy…when we fish. We were saying…here whaly, whaly, whaly…

 

The tour operators talk to each other on their radios. It’s kind of fun to be a part of a separate collective all intent on the same mission. Cooperative. Not competitive.

 

Part of what made spotting the whales so difficult were the swells. We had white caps…it's difficult to see a spout in the midst of all the waves.

 

That’s what you are looking for…that spout…the first sign…that signal that there is a whale over there.

 

It was challenging…but finally…approaching Point Adolphus…we make our first sighting.

 

It’s not easy to photograph the spouts…nor the whales…especially when they are being so tricksy. I didn’t practice my burst mode on my camera…and then I forgot about it. I adopted the methodology of just holding my camera and taking photo after photo after photo…in the hopes that ONE of them would catch what I was looking at.

 

I didn’t want to be experiencing my whale watching tour by constantly looking at my tiny LED screen…so my photos are definitely not ones that will impress.

 

Nevertheless…here was our first whale spout!!

 

[Anita Latte]

One advantage though of being the second tour…Shawn could go to the general areas where he had spotted whales earlier in the day. We headed over to where a couple had been earlier.

 

I was thrilled to see that I actually caught two spouts in one shot!

 

 

There are binoculars available for everyone to use. Shawn says that sometimes you can bears along the shoreline… It’s certainly not an eye sore to be watching the shoreline…watching the water. We didn’t see any bears though.

 

We did see one of the whales they call Blanca. Her tail is completely white on the underside.

 

We neared where we had spotted a whale…who surfaced so close to us…probably too close.

 

The whales were a bit stingy with their tails. Sometimes, all you can see is their body.

 

First…the spout…and then…an elongated darkness on the surface of the water…rising up and taking form…you can see a bit of fin…as they sink again…you hope that they flip their tale at you!…but no. No tail for you.

 

We did see quite a few tails by the end of the day. We cheered with each one!

 

It may not have been the most perfect day of sighting whales…but it was still a fabulous day on the water. Nothing compares to getting on the smaller vessel and having unobstructed views.

 

I like seeing the play of light on the land…the sun shining on the green spot in the distance…

 

 

I had given my camera a break with the whales…but with our last sighting…I renewed my photography…my best whale body:

 

My best whale tail! LOL!

[Anita Latte]

Anita, excited to see that you chose Glacier Wind for whale watching. Shawn and Teresa are wonderful people; we have enjoyed all 7 of our whale watching excursions with them. Hope you had a wonderful experience with them --- we had insane bubble net feeding with them during our 2 trips in May --- hope you had the same, if not more during your trip.

 

Again...completely agree with you. Shawn and Teresa are wonderful people. We did have a wonderful experience with them. Sadly...as I said...no bubble feeding for us. Something to look forward to seeing in the future.

 

Shawn did talk about what happened earlier this year in May. There was bubble feeding right in Port Fredrick! He said it was the most unusual thing. I knew about it too from reading traveling1969's B2B trip report!

 

Thank you for the detailed reply, Anita.

 

I'm happy to help!

[Italy52]

Anita, sorry that your seas were so rocky. Thanks for mentioning the name of the whale (Blanca), I will have to take a look at our whale tails to see if she is in one of the pictures that we took.

 

 

With regard to the bubble net feeding, believe it or not, it took us a total of 13 whale watching tours in Icy Strait before we ever saw this activity -- we got lucky this past May.

[Anita Latte]

A last glimpse of Icy Strait…the Strait...not the port...

 

 

Back to Hoonah.

 

We headed into the harbor…the seas were rough enough that debarking would be much easier in the protected waters of the harbor.

 

This was a treat…being able to sail through the no wake zone and into their slip.

 

Notice the sunshine!

 

We followed a Coast Guard vessel entering the harbor.

 

 

I like boats. I like harbors. I like reading boat names especially and harbors give a great opportunity to read many boat names. My favorite of the day:

 

 

I’m unaccustomed to seeing harbors in the midst of terrain…I’m used to the flatlands and sea level surroundings. The harbor with the hills and the one snow tipped peak in the distance was very picturesque.

 

I like this shot with the eagle flying overhead.

 

 

There’s so much opportunity for conversation during the tour. Not only do you talk about things pertinent to the tour…the area…the sights…etc…but we talked about our up and coming touring plans.

 

It turns out that Casey used to live in Juneau. For four years IIRC…and he did A LOT of fishing…he would be a great resource for us. Shawn recommended that we pick his brain…

 

When we all met up again…DH spent a good bit of time talking with Casey. Teresa had our email address already…Casey was kind enough to offer to write us an email that night with information on fishing locations in Juneau. Score! SO incredibly friendly and helpful! We were very excited to get some “insider” help…as all our plans were based on our internet research. We would be in Juneau the following day.

 

A harbor view…

 

 

As we were leaving the harbor docks…Teresa pointed out an eagle’s nest in a tree on the far side of the parking lot. She said that eagles return to their nests year after year…so once you know where an eagle’s nest is…you will always be able to find them.

 

Super zoom!

 

Our first official eagle sighting!

 

 

Our weather was as expected. The rain wasn’t bothersome at all. It was more of a drizzle than a rain. The partly cloudy day…if you can tell from the pictures that I have included…was a bonus. I think we were fortunate to have bursts of sunshine throughout the day. It’s a mood lifter. The cloud cover was equally welcome…it’s easier on the eyes constantly scanning the water…

 

The condition of the seas was unfortunate. I was so proud of Mom on this day!!! I don’t know how you could avoid this possibility in the future except to learn more about high tide times…and the effect of the wind with the different tide levels. I think Teresa and Shawn would be the best source for that…it’s something I would ask them about when booking with them in the future.

 

And if you ask them about it…mention that you read about the family of 5 that dealt with the high tide and the wind. If you mention Arizona and how we were going fishing in Juneau…they will probably remember us.

 

Because they’re cool people like that.

 

I was calling Teresa to give her my portion of the final payment due…she was headed out to go fishing with Shawn. She answered her phone anyway. It’s fun and refreshing to be in direct contact with such wonderful people doing their best to provide a great tour and give great customer service.

 

That’s what it is. A great tour. Great customer service.

 

We had a wonderful time with them. I wouldn’t hesitate to go on another tour with them in the future. I would probably do as I did…and book them as soon as I had booked a cruise that included ISP.

 

Remember to call to give payment…there’s fee if you use the online service.

 

A couple or two decided to walk back to the ship.

 

We opted for the ride Teresa offered.

 

She pointed out her home and where Casey lives. Talked a bit more about life in Hoonah along the drive back to the port area.

 

The drop off location is different than the pickup location. We had skirted the port…walking a more direct route to the excursion hub. The drop off is close to the water…perfectly suited to allow for a leisurely walk along the shore and to see what all can be seen along the way.

[Anita Latte]

Anita, sorry that your seas were so rocky. Thanks for mentioning the name of the whale (Blanca), I will have to take a look at our whale tails to see if she is in one of the pictures that we took.

 

 

With regard to the bubble net feeding, believe it or not, it took us a total of 13 whale watching tours in Icy Strait before we ever saw this activity -- we got lucky this past May.

 

I do believe it! It's a common enough thing for the whales to do, but timing when they do it with when you are touring isn't a given. It's so special that you were finally able to see it.

 

Blanca is well known in the area...I guess they have seen her for so many years...the tour operators named her as well as others so that they can talk about them more easily when on the radios during the tours.

[Anita Latte]

According to the time stamp on my photos…we were dropped off around 5:40 PM.

 

Referring back to the map…we were dropped off at the Security Gate. The view:

 

 

You can catch a glimpse of the path along the shoreline. As the crow flies…the distance is much shorter…but the shoreline twists and turns. The clearly marked signage confirms that you are headed in the right direction:

 

 

We didn’t walk the distance. We rode with Teresa both ways…It would be a lovely walk though.

 

While driving, I did notice the often-mentioned totem carving building. If your knees are up for it…it’s all very walkable and things would be easy to find and see.

 

We weren't in a hurry to get back to the ship. We headed into a gift shop. The gift shop and the cannery museum are all under one roof. Once you enter one or the other…you just wind your way around.

 

The cannery museum area displays the whole process. I entered the display from the gift shop side…my approach had me beginning at the end. Though the machinery is pretty self-explanatory…there is signage that details the use of each machine and more information.

 

My brain was tired…I wasn’t up to reading much at this point. The display was still informative without all the reading. I still don’t understand the yellow…I understood the red…but the yellow stumped me. I joked that it was for a mom to be able to talk about ketchup and mustard…

 

There are other tidbits of information all throughout…I did read individual things that caught my interest:

 

 

I recall a hallway like area where the five different types of salmon were “talked about” with all kinds of signage and pictures.

 

In various areas…the walls were covered with historical photos and more information. You could read and learn a lot about the Gold Rush, for example. And many other Alaska centric topics.

 

One thing that stuck with me…how a teenager named Bennie won the contest for the design of the Alaska State Flag.

 

It was cool and windy…Mom and Dad headed back to the ship.

 

I found an artistic postcard…it was getting well on to dinner time…we 3 headed back in a leisurely fashion.

 

Stopping to take several photos along the way…

 

I think if the weather were conducive…it would be a treat to sit on this dock and just watch the activity of the port…

 

 

There were many places to hang out…I wouldn’t mind spending more time along the beachy shore…

 

 

Walk along the boardwalk…

 

 

I’m following along with a live Alaska report right now…and I think there’s more to the woodchip fire…something to look forward to on another visit to ISP!

[Anita Latte]

Even in a somewhat leisurely fashion…it was only a 10-minute walk back to the pier…

 

 

A parting shot of beach…

 

 

A parting shot of the Nature Trail along the shoreline…you can see the Seabourn ship:

 

 

Within 15 minutes we were back in our room…I took these photos from our stateroom. The tender is from the Seabourn…looking more forward and to the left:

 

 

More toward the right:

 

 

We were all tired. We didn’t bother changing for dinner this evening. I don’t recall having to wait to be seated.

 

Tonight was a good dinner night.

 

About the food general…

 

I was just talking with Mom today about the food on our cruise. It’s wasn’t horrible…though it could be less than wonderful and not something you would enjoy eating.

 

You have to work the menu. I think it helps if you have seen any kind of cooking reality shows…get a feel for what may or may not be successful for banquet dining. It’s a production to serve the MDR. Don’t think…what am I in the mood to eat? It’s more…What will the dining room prepare well?

 

Choose that.

 

Your server is the best source for what the dining room is preparing well that evening…as previously discussed in this thread.

 

I found ALL the fish dishes to be on point. I enjoyed every single one.

 

Tonight was Alaskan Cod. I started with Butternut Squash soup (surprise) and the Grilled Asparagus Salad. I actually had dessert…the Tiramisu…which was more like a tribute to Tiramisu than a traditional one, but tasted fine.

 

About service…

 

Our service was slow. We mixed up when we went in for dinner each night…but it felt like we were shutting down service each night. The tables would be empty around us…servers were clearing and setting the tables and doing a bunch of “housekeeping”…lots of clanking of dishes and other not so lovely ambient noise.

 

DH commented that dinner would always take FOR. EVER.

 

This night…I was tired.

 

The day was exhausting for me. I realized after the fact…being on the water was like doing a balance board work out for 3 hours. My own knee was feeling it.

 

I don’t even recall where we were…but I just announced that it was time for me to go to the stateroom. I needed to ice my knee. I had brought large ZipLoc bags just for this purpose. I bid everyone good night.

 

At this point in the night…the only available ice is behind the large beverage station at the main entrance to the buffet. All the other dispensers were empty. That area was roped off so I needed help…which I received…to fill my two bags. I had an extra bag for DH to use.

 

FYI…I use a pillowcase as the buffer for icing when traveling.

 

When DH and DS came back to the room…I swear they were talking about pizza from the buffet? There was one night that I didn’t go with them…and they served Tikki Chicken pizza…which DS declared was the BEST. SO good.

 

DH spent some time getting our fishing gear sorted for the next day.

 

We were docking in Juneau at 7:00 AM. We had a rental car reserved for pick up at 8:30 AM. We set our alarms accordingly.

 

Lights out on ISP.