Shadowmeboy's Suntastic 10-Night Alaskan Anniversary Cruise Adventure

[QuattroRomeo]

Quite an extensive collection of indigenous art in the museum on your Sitka tour! Were you able to get something for your travel wall?

[shadowmeboy]

7 hours ago, drumming cruisers said:

YUM!

 

It was very yummy. If it wasn't so busy it would have been a little more enjoyable.

[shadowmeboy]

7 hours ago, drumming cruisers said:

Got some beautiful pictures of the ships.

 

Thank you!

[shadowmeboy]

7 hours ago, drumming cruisers said:

Gorgeous mountain shots

 

Thank you

[shadowmeboy]

6 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

Quite an extensive collection of indigenous art in the museum on your Sitka tour! Were you able to get something for your travel wall?

 

We got a small bear and eagle from the Fortress of the Bear and Raptor Centers Gift Shops. We also bought a 2024 Fortress of the Bear Calendar. We have so much Alaska on our travel wall having gone there so many times, that we are really picky on what we pick up for the travel wall, if anything, from Alaska. We have a couple of Native pieces incorporated into our Alaska items.

[shadowmeboy]

Day 7 - July 6th, 2023

Icy Strait Point (Hoonah), AK

 

 

Daily

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

I, as normal, was up early. I, as normal, was out in the Great Outdoors. 

 

 

Sailing through Icy Strait towards Hoonah

 

 

Glacier Bay National Park

 

 

Decent shot of the moon

 

 

 

An Alaska State Ferry

 

 

OMG! Look what I see!

 

 

 

 

As you can see, it was very peaceful out in the Great Outdoors.

 

 

 

Got to love a good zoom lens!

 

 

The majesty of Alaska

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Princess ship was joining the Encore in Glacier Bay on this day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Encore has turned into Glacier Bay and the Princess ship is following it.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

Alaska State Ferry heading to Hoonah

 

 

Wilderness Dock at Icy Strait Point

 

 

Adventure Dock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I knew Susan was going to have an awesome Ziplining experience today!

 

 

The Sun illuminating all the Skyglider Gondolas going up the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both ISP docks in one photo.

 

 

Top of the mountain

 

 

The original

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

This is why I love Alaska. This amazing scenery all while enjoying a cup of coffee!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spy an eagle in that tree!

 

 

 

 

Zoom lens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few more people are out on deck now

 

 

Double Eagles!

 

 

 

 

Finally, we got docked and it was time to get some breakfast!

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

Half Grapefruit with Cottage Cheese!

 

 

Yogurt Parfait

 

 

Loaded Breakfast potatoes

 

 

Eggs to Order with assorted sides

 

 

extra potatoes!

 

 

Port Photo!

[shadowmeboy]

Finally off the ship!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back in 2022, the week before we sailed on the Spirit. Wyland sailed on the Bliss and painted this mural with the kids of Hoonah.

 

 

 

Susan checked herself in to the Ziprider and filled out the liability waiver.

 

 

Then we got on the Skyglider. Her Ziprider ticket includes the Skyglider. I used the shorex credit to get it for free! Unlimited rides up and down for the day.

[shadowmeboy]

 

I spy the Norwegian Sun

 

 

Look at that dedication!

 

 

Selfie time?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Far better visibility than last year!

 

 

pano

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the Shoreex Staff was nice enough to take our photo up on top!

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sky Peak Snacks was not open on this day

 

 

 

The awesome Shoreex staff helping this couple get the wheelchair back up the hill.

[shadowmeboy]

 

The layout of ISP

 

 

 

I made my way down to the landing area of the Ziprider. 

 

It was time for Susan to Zip down the mountain!

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the top!

 

 

Away they go!

 

 

 

 

 

Here they come!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Susan has just taken the lead in this picture.

 

 

 

 

 

Susan is the first rider and has her arms out.

 

 

 

 

 

Her view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There she is

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the video from her ride!

[drumming cruisers]

3 hours ago, shadowmeboy said:

 

 

 

Alaska State Ferry heading to Hoonah

 

 

Wilderness Dock at Icy Strait Point

 

 

Adventure Dock

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. I knew Susan was going to have an awesome Ziplining experience today!

 

 

The Sun illuminating all the Skyglider Gondolas going up the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both ISP docks in one photo.

 

 

Top of the mountain

 

 

The original

 

 

 

beautiful pictures. What kind of camera do you use?

[QuattroRomeo]

Susan certainly earned that shirt! And kudos to the maintenance folk who must climb those narrow ladders up the cable car poles..especially the ones that lean over...OMG

[shadowmeboy]

7 hours ago, drumming cruisers said:

beautiful pictures. What kind of camera do you use?

 

As I mention in my opening page, I mention my photos come from my Canon EOS 90D, my iPhone 10R, my GoPro Hero 7 Black or my GoPro Hero Black 9, along with some shots from Susan's Samsung phone.

 

Since it was a beautiful day, no rain, and at distance. I was using the Canon EOS 90D with zoom lens for most of the shots.

 

I shoot raw in my canon, so I have more control of the edit. ISP morning took me several days to edit due to how bright the sun was and the layering effect it had on the air. The best example, is the picture of the Encore 

 

 

I had to edit the whole picture. Then edit the sky. Then edit the near deck area to get the correct shadowing and sun glimmers on the chairs. Then I had to make the Encore lighter, because the port side of the ship facing me is in the shadow of the sun, and a camera is no match to the human eye. We can filter all these things in our eyes and brain, but a camera can't.

 

If I wasn't shooting raw, I wouldn't have that much control. This is one of my favorite photos.

[shadowmeboy]

6 hours ago, QuattroRomeo said:

Susan certainly earned that shirt! And kudos to the maintenance folk who must climb those narrow ladders up the cable car poles..especially the ones that lean over...OMG

Yes, she did and this was her second time doing the ZipRider. She did it last year in the rain. Although, last year she did not know about the gift shop at the exit of the ZipRider where you can buy a Tshirt saying you survived or got zipped until she exited the shop, so we had her prepared with money this time around.

 

OMG... You wouldn't catch me on those poles. I am amazed they poured the concrete footings and placed a couple of those towers on the side of the cliff.

[shadowmeboy]

 

After Susan got done on the ZipRider, we headed towards the Cannery.

 

 

 

 

 

pano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cannery is great because it shows how can used to be done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We ended up buying canned salmon here in Icy Strait Point. Their cans were $6.99/can. In Sitka and Ketchikan, cans the same size were going for $10 to $12 each.

[shadowmeboy]

 

Supply barge arriving into Hoonah. This is how most supplies arrive into these remote villages.

 

 

 

 

 

We headed to the Cookhouse for Lunch. I had the Halibut Fish & Chips in 2016 and loved it. They weren't open in 2022 when we were here.

 

 

 

We both got the Halibut Fish & Chips!

 

 

PS - You get free refills on Soda pop.

 

 

Alaska State Ferry departing Hoonah

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its a race!

 

 

 

Spider webs full of cottonwood

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Eagle on the Pier

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

We headed back over to Wilderness landing

 

 

 

 

Susan took our purchases and extra stuff back to the stateroom.

 

 

 

Then we headed up to the top of the Mountain again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a gorgeous day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, Susan decided to go on the forest walk. I decided to enjoy the shady bench and the fast 5G cell phone coverage I had from the AT&T Cell tower on top of the mountain! 

 

 

 

Plus I didn't want to be bear bait!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afterwards, we headed back down the lift.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were one of the last people down the Skyglider for the day.

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time in Icy Strait Point!

 

 

 

 

 

Time for some drinks!

 

 

 

Alaska State Ferry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Away from Icy Strait Point we go

[shadowmeboy]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I turned and looked behind us and look what I saw!

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Picture Time!

 

 

 

 

Teppanyaki for dinner tonight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miso Soup

 

 

Seaweed Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shadowmeboy]

 

Cooking the fried rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got the fruit dessert

 

 

Susan got the Wasabi Dessert.

 

 

 

 

The Sun has a very small Teppanyaki. They have 4 grills. So if you are sailing the Sun, make your Teppanyaki reservations early.