"There and Back Again" - an eccentric Ryndam Alaska log, July 31-Aug 14

[fann1sh]

Disclosure and disclaimer: This is not a review or a blog, but a very long diary put together by adding together my journal plus 20/20 hindsight.

 

If you want a simple review, you'll find mine here:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=57282

 

Also, I'm going to post this log in sections. I'm not finished putting it together yet. Starting this thread is a way to insure I finish the "dam" thing.

 

Finally, I'm using Open Office for word processing, and it "cut and paste" into this thread in my normal font. Since my "normal" is everyone else's "just how blind is this woman?", I'll try to adjust the size with the edit function right after I post, so please give me a minute or 2.

 

Consider yourself warned.

 

************

 

PRE-CRUISE – THURDAY, JULY 30

"It can hardly be a coincidence that no language on Earth has ever produced the phrase, 'as pretty as an airport.' Airports are ugly. Some are very ugly. Some attain a degree of ugliness that can only be the result of a special effort.” (Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul)

Welcome to Detroit Metropolitan Airport, an excellent place to be leaving. Unfortunately, that meant I was heading towards another airport in Vancouver. *ugh* At least it all happened with a minimum of fuss.

As a Canadian citizen and resident, I crossed the border on the way to the airport. This meant passing a first time through Customs and Immigration. Then, a second time, on deplaning from my flight from Detroit to Vancouver. Then, a third time, to board the ship in Vancouver to visit Alaska.

There's a highly technical term for people who go through C&I three times on their way to a HAL cruise ship. The term is “complete morons”.

At least the wheelchair made the lines short.

I needed the wheelchair because of an injury. Personnel at both ends were incredibly helpful. Detroit staff encouraged tips, and got them. My Vancouver helper refused a gratuity, “just part of the airport services”.

O, Canada, my home and native land....

While I'd booked a solo cabin for the 14 day return Vancouver “Collector's Voyage” aboard Ryndam, friends were cruising for the first time, in another cabin, for only one week. We shared a pre-cruise room at the Fairmont Waterfront across the street from Canada Place. The room was nice, and the fact HAL took our bags from inside the room to the ship was even nicer.

[/left]

For anyone staying in the vicinity of Canada Place, may I recommend Tim Hortons? This chain (usually open 24/7) is a Canadian institution. I've never liked their “famous” donuts; try a muffin or a bagel instead. Coffee and steeped tea are very good, and made-to-order sandwiches are fast, cheap and hearty. Great for breakfast. This location is in a below-street level fountain courtyard adjacent to the Fairmont Waterfront, directly across from the terminal: 200 Burrard, Waterfront Centre.

July 30 was not “summer”. July 30 was summer. The sun was shining, and the thermometer read 33.8 C = 93F. Hey, you in the back, please don't yawn. Ninety three degrees is an all time Vancouver record. It makes locals' brains melt. In a city largely without air conditioning, it's practically a public emergency.

Maybe melted brains would explain the bad directions I got for visiting the Vancouver Aquarium. Once I debarked the city tour bus in Stanley Park at the Rose Garden, everyone agreed it was “over there”. How far, or exactly where “over there” was a matter of opinion, and I got plenty of different ones.

They were all wrong.

Not their fault: melted brains. No matter how far you limp, Vancouver Aquarium is worth the trip. You get up close and personal with beluga whales and calves, sea otters, harbour seals, and dolphins. I thought Jane, the dolphin, also had a melted brain, because she swam upside down. Upside down? Evidently she always does that when she's relaxed and happy, showing the world her white tummy.

"It's a Jane thing,” I concluded.

Time to get back to the hotel, and a good night's sleep before embarkation.

Vancouverites love summer. On The Left Coast, “summer” is defined as “when the rain lets you see more than 15 feet in front of you, and the temperature is five degrees warmer than winter.” That would be 22C/72F or, well....room temperature.

[fann1sh]

DAY 1 – FRIDAY, JULY 31 - VANCOUVER EMBARKATION

I am NOT dyslexic. I seldom get lost. And I've been to Vancouver before, even if it wasn't for a cruise. So, when I tottered down the ramp to the cruise terminal in search of a wheelchair, I was nonplussed by the maternal yet incensed HAL rep. “Nae, ya daft bairn, th' OTHER ramp! This is for motors and lorries!”

Now, anyone who calls me a “bairn” is either remarkably generous, or too shortsighted to spot my grey roots. But I responded to her tone of ringing authority, and blushed like a schoolgirl while I apologized.

Neither of us got run over. She summoned a wheelchair, and saw me through a smooth embarkation.

A steward wheeled me to the Lido pool area before retrieving the wheelchair. Along with being cheerful and efficient, it turned out he was also psychic. He dropped me at the wine tasting table.

After a quick snort..err...decorous sample of Four Emus Chardonnay, I sealed the deal for a 7 bottle Admiral's Package ($289 plus 15%). I tried other wines on the list over the next 14 days, but this remained my favourite.

Cabins were available around 2:30. I unlocked the door to cabin 354 on Lower Promenade deck, and was happy to find my Care Vacations rental wheelchair waiting for me.

Then I paced off the distance (well, OK...limped the distance). And was forced to admit I'd lied to my friends. The wraparound outside promenade deck was not thirty steps from my door.

It was 28.

Bliss.

Lifeboat drill went much as usual, with the typical shirkers who made everyone else wait in the sun on an unseasonably hot day.

My bag was waiting for me when I got back from the drill. I also got my first glimpse of Hiddiyat, my room steward. It was darn near my last glance of him as well. He and his partner (whose name I never caught) kept my cabin invisibly pristine. Like magic. Gosh, I never knew how clean and tidy I was, until I boarded this ship!

Got everything stowed by 5 p.m., which was when we were supposed to slip lines. However, our departure was delayed for a HAL bus of passengers who were stuck in rush hour traffic. Vancouver is gearing up for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and road construction (Canadian translation: road removal) is everywhere. Great call by Captain Mark Rowden. The delay didn't inconvenience anyone, as somewhere around 0:dark hundred we apparently slipped through Seymour Narrows on schedule.

Back to our sailaway. I got wonderful shots of Lion's Gate Bridge, then noticed a fin off our port side. Followed by a second. A pair of dolphins jumped and capered for us, while escorting Ryndam out of the harbour.

Did I get wonderful shots of the dolphins? Of course not. That would require quick reflexes, and a camera that didn't grind “Grrr, grrr” every time I turned it on. The camera never quite broke during the cruise, but never quite took the pictures I wanted, either.

This camera hates me. I can tell from the way it grumbles, “Grrr, grrr”.

No, I'm not anthropomorphizing my camera. Listen to it!

“Grrr, grrr.”

Anyway...

Suddenly, it was 7:30 p.m., and time to get ready for Main seating dinner.

The story of my dinner table for 8 that first week reads like an Agatha Christie novel. People kept disappearing, never to be seen again. One couple didn't appear at all. Another didn't want to dress for formal nights, decided to eat in the buffet, and were absent after night 1. On night 4, the pair of women travelling together said they preferred open seating, and switched. That left just 2 of us. I asked Anne, my remaining companion, “Are you the murderer in this mystery? Or, is it me?” She announced she'd be dining in the Pinnacle the next night, so as last survivor, I was “it”. * sigh *

(Note to self: check to see if antiperspirant is working?)

The Maitre D' seated a couple who'd been late for 5:45 dinner with me on that night I was alone, and promised to find me an excellent table for the next week. He did. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

That first night, I went to bed after setting my clock back, anticipating my first full day at sea.

[Boytjie]

Could you please translate “bairn” from Canadian to American? :)

[fann1sh]

Could you please translate “bairn” from Canadian to American? :)

 

It's Scottish for "child". Vancouver and Victoria have a large Scottish contingent, who have proudly kept their accents pure (Canadian translation: incomprehensible).

 

Sorry, I thought everyone knew that one....with engineer Scott in Star Trek complaining about the strain to his engines, "me poor bairns!"

[TMWeddle]

Could you please translate “bairn” from Canadian to American? :)

 

"bairn" is Scot for child

 

Oooh you beat me by a minute. I'm enjoying hearing of your trip!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the link. I read your review.

We have sailed quite a few times on the Ryndam and loved the ship.

[Coolcruise02]

Thanks for your review. Can't wait for more of your "diary". :)

[IRL_Joanie]

DAY 1 – FRIDAY, JULY 31 - VANCOUVER EMBARKATION

The story of my dinner table for 8 that first week reads like an Agatha Christie novel. People kept disappearing, never to be seen again. One couple didn't appear at all. Another didn't want to dress for formal nights, decided to eat in the buffet, and were absent after night 1. On night 4, the pair of women travelling together said they preferred open seating, and switched. That left just 2 of us. I asked Anne, my remaining companion, “Are you the murderer in this mystery? Or, is it me?” She announced she'd be dining in the Pinnacle the next night, so as last survivor, I was “it”. * sigh *

(Note to self: check to see if antiperspirant is working?)

 

LOVE the way you tell a GREAT story!!!! Thankfully, I am learning NOT to have coffee around me while reading blogs like these (Yesterday spit coffee all over my monitor and keyboard while reading Dave's.)

 

Cannot wait for the next excerpt!!!

[fann1sh]

DAY 2 – SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 – AT SEA

You meet the most interesting people on HAL ships. I breakfasted with a former professor from the University of Michigan, and his equally academic wife. They'd taught archeology, but in retirement segued to dealing in southwestern art in New Mexico. Fascinating conversation to start a day.

Next I visited the library, and was pleasantly surprised. Some ships' collections seem frozen in time at the date of their inaugural. On Ryndam, I checked out hardbacks newly issued in the last 3 to 6 months. The variety of Large Print titles was also a pleasant surprise. HAL always has good libraries, but Ryndam exceeded my expectations.

Every day on a HAL ship has a high point. I am, of course, referring to team trivia. (Stop that groaning, right now!....Thank you.) My team was victorious – for the first and last time.

I will not mention this shame again.

Something I didn't know: ship's letter “dam” coffee mugs are being phased out. The few remaining will be handed out in the next month or so. Try not to break the ones you have.

While I'm pretty shortsighted, I must admit I spotted no shocking wear and tear aboard Ryndam on my first full day aboard. My cabin was in perfect order. Towels and robes were pristine white. My friends on Main deck did have a couple tiles missing from their bathroom. Later, I failed to sniff out sewer odours on B/Deck 3 (while tendering) or Main/Deck 5 (for the port gangways). My room air conditioning was set at “meat locker” (phrase borrowed from RuthC) and averaged 68 F/20C. Perfect.

I don't usually say nice things about Microsoft, but I did enjoy the “techspert” classes. Windows Live has a pretty good free photo editing program. (I wonder who Microsoft stole it from? No, that's obviously wrong: they would have bought out the company that owned the software. :rolleyes: ) It's truly easier to learn editing tricks with hands on examples. Simple panoramic photos are a great feature. Definitely worth attending “Put Your Best Face Forward”, classes 1 and 2. Thanks to jtl513 and others who pointed out I could use open time on the laptops to edit photos/transfer them to a flash drive.

 

Royal Dutch Tea was very pleasant, but one aspect has changed since my last recollection of it. The tea isn't steeped and put in silver pots. Instead, you choose a tea bag, and hot water is poured over it. I tried to explain to a new acquaintance why this wasn't what I'd expected.

 

“The water is supposed to be boiling when it's poured over the tea. That way, it steeps properly.”

 

“The water was steaming.”

 

“Yes, but steaming is 180 degrees, which is fine for green tea. But for black tea, it's supposed to be 212 degrees, boiling. You see?”

 

“Yup. I see you're a tea snob.”

 

*sigh. * You'd think Starbucks coffee drinkers who insist on buying from their one-and-only barista would be more understanding.

 

Back in my cabin, I read a few pages, then got ready for my first formal night on Ryndam.

 

We all arrived on time, smartly turned out and looking great. (Well, except for that dumpy middle-aged broad I spotted in my cabin's mirror before I left.) Our excellent wine steward, Jess, appeared and began to pour champagne for everyone at the table. Tonight would have been table mate Anne's 50th wedding anniversary, if she hadn't lost her husband 2 years ago.

 

We toasted absent loved ones. Bittersweet.

 

Spent the rest of the evening with my “cruise virgin” friend in a quiet corner of the Exploration's cafe. One of the advantages of having a writer for a friend is you get to hear her read her latest novel aloud while it's still a first draft. To bed about 2 a.m., to get some sleep before our first port, Ketchikan.

[fann1sh]

DAY 3 – SUNDAY, AUGUST 2 – KETCHIKAN

 

This is supposed to be a journal or log. Until recently, that meant it was personal, with no explanations needed about the Cast of Characters.

 

However, diaries are now public performance art. (This would be a great place to make a sarcastic comment about “needy egos”, except, wait....that would be me transcribing my journal to the Internet, so....never mind.) At the risk of giving you Too Much Information, you need some background at this point.

 

My friend is Kelly, who lives in Michigan, about 80 miles/125 klicks from my home. Even though she's a writer, she still has a day job (at least for a while longer). She's a shipping manager in a chain bookstore. Kelly is my reason for being on this cruise, because she usually doesn't take real vacations. All her free time and days off are filled with the compulsive need to write. If I happen to show up on a day off while she's writing, she'll eventually notice me, and read me something.

 

However, Kelly's reason for being on this cruise is her mom. She's a smart and lively woman who's decided it's time to travel while she still can. She has some health and mobility challenges, and Kelly doesn't want her travelling alone. However, every vacation day spent with her mom is a day Kelly could have spent finishing the dreaded second novel. (Selling a first book is hard, but at least you have all the time in the world to do it. Writers who suddenly become published authors learn what comes after you've poured your heart, soul and pretty much every idea into the first book.)

 

So, I understood why Kelly was grumpy. She's almost never grumpy, and can be pretty silly when she tries it on for size.

 

“Why does the crew smile so much? There's just too much smiling going on. And why do they keep saying 'Good morning'? Why is it good?”

 

I glanced outside, while we docked under clear blue skies. And sun. In Ketchikan.

 

You know those coupon books they hand out in Vancouver? Mom has one. She plans on using every single coupon.”

 

Long before we could get to the gangway, I discovered I had a completely different problem that day. Unbearable pain is not a good way to wake up.

 

I'd managed to get upright and dressed, but my bad knee was incredibly sore. I hobbled around, put on a knee brace, filled my old fashioned ice bag from the bucket on the desk, and laid back down.

 

Rats. Darn. Drat. And much stronger words....

 

Sprayed on the topical pain reliever. Nope. OTC painkillers. No difference. Never mind, got to head up for breakfast.

 

Wow.

 

Maybe it was time to unfold the wheelchair, and break out the prescription painkillers.

 

Thirty minutes later, we were ready to disembark. My new prescription was supposed to be working by now. I dry swallowed a second pill, my maximum dose.

 

The gangway was too steep to ride down, so I pushed the wheelchair and hobbled behind, my purse and tote bag going for a ride in the seat. Just one foot in front of the other. Then again. Yes, a crew member offered to help. But I knew if I stopped moving, I'd never get started again.

 

We were on the pier. I looked up.

 

Something unwound inside me like an over coiled spring. I took a deep, clean breath. The pain started to recede. I finally saw the amazing blue sky, felt the cool breeze on a warm day. And I looked around me.

 

Wow.

 

There are prettier places I visited after Ketchikan, but there's nothing quite like your first sight of the Great Land. OK, maybe those painkillers had finally had time to work. But personally, I'd prescribe Alaska for pain. I started to enjoy myself, and pulled out my camera.

 

However, Kelly's mom was determined to buy things, especially for her grandkids. Coupons in hand, it was Samurai Shopping Time.

 

We shopped our way from one end of Front Street to the other. This is something I never, ever do. Any y'know what? It was fun.

 

Okay, maybe she could have got the kid's socks with huskies on them in Meijer's back in Michigan. But except for the coupon for blue diamonds, I think Kelly's mom bought it all.

 

Me? I got a $12 knapsack (with coupon) to replace the one that got kicked and ripped coming out of the plane's overhead compartment, and which even duct tape couldn't fix; two 6 packs of Pepsi (with coupon) since HAL is a Coke monopoly; and a box of 3 ply facial tissue (what? no coupon?) because I forgot I'm not crazy about HAL's brand.

 

Yes – a “break the bank” shopping day for me. At least I was able to help Kelly with their parcels.

 

Back at the ship, we scanned our boarding cards, and ran the parcels through the X-ray machine. I gathered up my own bag and one of Kelly's and headed for the elevator.

 

However, I was dimly aware there was a flurry behind us. A woman was missing her camera.

 

I suddenly remembered the camera sitting on the top layer of the bag in my hand that belonged to my friend. It had fallen in, and not knowing any better, I'd scooped it up with the rest of the things.

 

I earned a dirty glare for the mistake from the passenger behind me, and a mutter that might have been “camera thief”. Of course, I turned beet red.

 

Which I'm sure looked exactly like a confession.

 

Sailway. Dinner, at the Incredibly Shrinking Table. Then a movie I'm glad I didn't pay $10 to see: Duplicity, with Clive Owen and Julia Roberts. Cute, but definitely not $10 worth of cute.

 

By the way, I've just discovered 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. showtimes are new aboard Ryndam. This may even have just started with this voyage. So, I'd better get out and start to show my appreciation by putting my bottom in a seat at 10 p.m.

 

I'm a bit uneasy about my plans tomorrow for Haines. I've booked privately, not through the ship. The 3 of us have reservations for the first fast ferry to Skagway, with a SUV booked through Avis. I plan to drive the South Klondike Highway up to Emerald Lake in the Yukon. As a Canadian, I can't rent a U.S. vehicle and drive it through the border, so I need Kelly and her Michigan driver's license to get through the Canadian border crossing station. Hope it all works. Maybe I can switch our reservations from the 8 p.m. last ferry to the 6:30 one. I'd hate to push my luck, and miss the ship!

[happy cruzer]

Can I have more, please?

[cdkempton]

Wonderfully entertaining. Am really happy to hear of the changed show times. Hope they are still changed when we sail on the 28th!!! :):)

Keep it coming. :D

[fann1sh]

DAY 4 – MONDAY, AUGUST 3 – HAINES

Up and to the main dining room for a hearty breakfast, anticipating a long day. I'm paging through my copy of Murray's Guide to the South Klondike Highway. I hope we can squeeze out enough time to drive as far as Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. It would be great to get my picture taken in front of one of the Tim Horton's in Whitehorse, and drive through for a double-double (Canadian tranlation: coffee with twice too much cream plus twice too much sugar as anyone sane would order) or Timbits (Canadian translation: donut holes). Hard to explain this impulse to do something familiar in a wildly improbable place ....kind of like eating at a McDonald's in Moscow.

We're scheduled to arrive at Haines between 9:30 and 10:00 a.m. In the meantime, we're isolated in a blanket of grey. What looks like morning fog seems more like smoke when I'm out on deck. Very odd.

Shortly after 9 there's an announcement from the Captain. Due to engine trouble, which has been repaired, we'll be arriving in Haines behind schedule. Currently we're expected to dock around 11:30.

That's knocks for a loop our 11 a.m. Haines-Skagway fast ferry reservations. We seem to be out of cell phone range right now, and my provider will charge me almost $3 a minute for Alaska calls. Kelly's cell calls should be cheaper. We'll try again on her 'phone.

LATER....

We arrived in Haines around noon, and discovered the 1 p.m. fast ferry is fully booked with HAL tour groups. We can elbow our way onto the 2 p.m. ferry, which would put us in Skagway and in our Avis SUV no earlier than 3. That makes a trip to Emerald Lake and back just barely possible, if we take the last ferry at back to Haines at 8 p.m.

However, that doesn't solve our other problem which is getting more and more clear. Or should I say, less and less clear. It's this grey impenetrable air all around us.

Evidently, there are forest fires blazing in the Yukon. The weather has been relatively hot plus very dry most of the summer. No one is quite sure where the fires are, but it's very unusual for the wind to blow smoke south and west like this. The fires may be closer than we think. Visibility comes and goes, but is well under 100 feet. The odour is pine, but it's made acrid and cloying by the smoke, pressing down like a heavy blanket. It makes me cough, and my eyes water.

Kelly and her mom know how much I've been looking forward to a drive up the Klondike Highway, so they tell me it's my call. Really, it's not a hard one to make. Not much point in fighting our way through smoke to drive a scenic highway when you can't see a blasted thing. And without knowing where the fires are, we could be driving into a real disaster. So: we get refunds on the ferry, and call Skagway to cancel with Avis.

We consider – very briefly – the possibility of touring Haines, or continuing to Skagway for different sightseeing. However, the tours are jammed full of people who missed their early departure times. And, the smoke and narrowing visibility seems to be getting worse, not better.

Time to pronounce this an unscheduled “sea day”. I return to my cabin to recharge my batteries (otherwise known as a nap).

Am I disappointed? Not really. Many people on this cruise who originally considered it a “trip of a lifetime” are now talking about coming back. Me too. This only means I can't tick off “visiting the Yukon” from my life list quite yet.

AFTER DINNER....

The Incredible Shrinking Table continued to shrink. Comedian/juggler Tyler Linkin is very good, but I've been spoiled by some amazing performers at Renaissance Faires. Sad to say, I left early. (Don't tell!)

 

 

Tomorrow we dock in Juneau, and the three of us will take a HAL's own whale watching tour with Allen Marine.

[fann1sh]

DAY 5 – TUESDAY, AUGUST 4 – JUNEAU

Jeopardy quiz answer: “The Red Dog Saloon.”

Possible Jeopardy questions: “Where had you decided you'd never be caught dead in Alaska?”

Or: “Where didn't you dream of visiting before 9 a.m. in Juneau?”

Or, finally, “What was first on Kelly's mom's list of 'must see' places?”

Yup, they're all right.

The best things I can say? We were in and out very fast since it was so close to the ship; and there was no lineup in the gift shop. Done, checked off the list in under 10 minutes. Whew.

It was a glorious warm and sunny day in Juneau, around 74 F when we docked. The sky was clear and blue, and the view from Mount Roberts looked like it would be spectacular.

But the next stop on our Juneau Downtown Highlights was scheduled to be Hearthside Books at Franklin and Front Street. I told them I'd meet them there, and wandered ahead, waiting by the quaint Victorian style clock on a high pole outside the shop. I took a picture.

Then another – 20 minutes later.

How had I managed to lose 2 moderately large adults in a quiet block of stores?

It wasn't intentional, but it happened. I realized I had a sudden opportunity it would be foolish to waste. My companions had viewed the Mount Roberts aerial tram with a mixture of fascination and horror, since both were afraid of heights. Up I went.

Like Vancouver, Juneau was trapped in it's own version of a mini heat wave. Historic high for the day was 80F, and the thermometer was beginning to nudge close to that. Eighty isn't very warm, but in a crowded glass box with 60 near and dear strangers, it can start to feel hotter.

But the ride was brief, and the view truly spectacular. The air had only the barest hint of the smoke that dogged us yesterday. There was a cool breeze on the shaded open air observation platform.

At the Chilkat Theater, I watched the short documentary, Seeing Daylight, about Tlingit (klink-it) native heritage.

Headed back down, I was lucky enough to position myself against the forward window of the glass as we descended 1,800 feet. Great views of Ryndam and the other ships in the harbour. Got a few decent shots with my noisy (grrr, grrr) camera.

It was now around 11:30, and I headed back in the general direction of the ship. My objective was an alley beside the Juneau library parking structure. I'd heard a lot about Tracy's King Crab Shack, and we'd discussed having lunch here.

Kelly and her mom sat waiting at a picnic table right beside the stand. They'd had a successful shopping foray. When we'd missed each other at the rendezvous, they'd been certain I'd gone on the aerial tram. So, they'd shopped their way back to Tracy's, and arrived only 5 minutes before I did.

Lunch at Tracy's isn't elegant, but it features the best crab I've ever eaten. We sampled pretty much everything on the menu. The crab cakes were good, and the bisque was beautifully seasoned. However, it was the crab that was the star of the show. Kelly cracked and picked a leg. I decided to let someone else do the work for me, and ordered a crab cocktail. It took a while to be prepared but – oh, my! Did I mention this was the best crab I'd ever eaten?

When we finished it was time to board our bus to Auke Bay for whale watching with Allen Marine. Driver Carl gave us a narration about the Juneau sights we passed. Because we were early, he took a side trip and circled at the visitor's center for Mendenhall Glacier, slowing enough for many people to take pictures. I wasn't fast enough with my camera (grrr, grrr) but I knew I'd be back in the next few days.

Our catamaran was large and spacious, with a glassed lower cabin and an open air upper one. It was also very warm, sitting at anchor with lots of solar gain from the expanse of windows. However, as we got under way, 3 forward ports were opened, which provided a cool breeze inside the lower cabin. It was still much warmer than I would have preferred, but I forgot about that when we had amazing luck with wildlife sightings.

Did I also have amazing luck taking photos of the sightings with my camera? Grrr, grrr. Of course not.

We started out by spotting a pod of killer whales. Lots of dorsal fins and tails. Then, a full breach by one of the orcas!

Then we stopped at a channel marker or buoy on which lounged 6 sea lions. One in particular was a clown, stretching and posing for our cameras.

“Ahhh...aren't they cute?”

Naturalist Ann pointed out they're not nearly as cute if you're paddling by in a kayak. They'll growl and bare their teeth in menace. At 600 to 800 pounds, that's a lot of menace. They've even been known to attack small boats.

Next we got a glimpse of Dall's porpoises. After surfacing for air, their fins disappeared, and Ann explained we'd likely not spot them again. These fast sea mammals never stay in one place for long.

Finally, we encountered a pod of humpback whales while bubble net feeding. This is a co-operative hunting strategy used if a large school of herring is in the area. One whale hunter will circle the school, breathing out a wall of bubbles which will appear solid to the fish. Then a second will “sing”, frightening the school, and making them compact in a tighter formation. Others will drive the herring up from underneath, closer to the surface. The pod will finally open their maws wide, and scoop up 15 tons of water and fish from different points of the circle. The plates of baleen suspended in their mouths (instead of teeth) filter out the water so they can expel it, while they ingest the fish.

Ann passed around a small baleen plate for everyone to examine. Then we shadowed the pod for a while, lowering a hydrophone to listen to the pod's “conversation”. Again, lots of dorsal fins and tails. Suddenly, one of the pod made a full breach, to let a small fishing boat know it was getting too close. Wow!

Evidently our combination of very fine weather, plus uncommon orca sightings, bubble net feeding, and two full breaches made the crew consider this the “best” excursion so far this season.

Our return bus just made it back for 5:30 “all aboard”. Didn't really realize how sticky I'd gotten until I got to my cabin. After a cool shower, I spread out on the bed to absorb the sights and sounds of an amazing day.

Tomorrow we visit Sitka, and the Raptor Center.

[oliverbc]

We do a B/B Sept 11 and I can hardly wait. I am enjoying your writing so much and know I would enjoy your company and sense of humour.Please keep writing. We love tream trivia and have been lucky enough to win luggage tags to last our family for several generations. Thanks again for starting my day on such a happy note.

[coffeeclutch1]

I'm enjoying your thread, I might say, it's time you go buy a new camera.

[cp556]

How enjoyable your blog is! More, please.

 

Esp since we'll be aboard Ryndam in a couple of weeks. More about the ship, please!!

[raskul]

This is so good - we need more!

[fann1sh]

I didn't intend to tease you, like some opera diva waiting for her encore. Real life has intruded in the past 3 days. My refrigerator broke, and needed to be replaced. My cat tried to strangle herself on a "break away" collar - which didn't. (She's fine, but I'm getting a different brand this time). So, here's the next installment, and hopefully I'll be able to keep them coming quicker. Apologies.

****************



DAY 6 – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5 – SITKA

Breakfast in the Lido just isn't my style. It says something about how quickly I got spoiled on Ryndam that I couldn't pull a meal together on my own. Got yogurt, got tea. Found table. Go back for milk. Take milk to table. Go back for muffin. Take muffin to table. Butter? Where was the butter? Never mind, muffins don't need butter.

While it would have been easier with a tray (*giggle*) I did manage to eat.

The Lido windows were very clean. A boon and window washing team were cleaning them yesterday on the dock in Juneau. Maybe getting ready for scenic viewing at Hubbard Glacier? No, probably just “the spotless fleet”.

It was fine day for tendering in Sitka: bright, sunny, warm. The sound was as smooth as glass. I'm told some years, only 2 days per summer are this fine. Some town shops have been known to put out signs: Closed for sun. (I suspect this seldom happens when there are ships in port.) Even though tendering meant going down a dozen steep stairs, it was handled very well for those of us who limp. Extra help everywhere. Two crew members, one at each elbow, made sure I could handle the step into the tender. It was a sign of how much better my knee was feeling that I thought, “I look like I need help? Did I forget to put makeup on today, or are those darn grey roots showing again?”

If you're planning a future shore excursion in Sitka through Sitka Tours, consider packing a local pin or pins for your guide. This town's guides follow the Russian practice of exchanging (or in this case, requesting) travel pins in friendship, and most have hundreds blazoned on their red tunics. Our driver and guide was Kerry, a local Baptist minister.

I'd read all about Sitka before arriving. I'm omnivorous when it comes to reading. I like mystery, history, science fiction, popular physics, but will settle for reading the ingredients on a cereal box if there's nothing else around. So, I'd read quite a lot of Alaskan history before stepping aboard ship, and had revisited Michener's Alaska. I might be an Alaska newbie, but historic Sitka was no stranger to me.

I wasn't disappointed. Castle Hill, where half a million square miles changed hands on October 18, 1867, was exactly as I visualized it. The old Russian blockhouse still sits above what used to be the Tlingit reserve, site of massacre under the Tsar. Chilling.

The Raptor Center brought a welcome change of mood. It's wonderful to see injured birds rehabilitated, to be released again to the wild. The “flight training” indoor enclosure featured one way glass. But the highlight of the tour was sitting in the auditorium and meeting Volta. This male bald eagle had a partial amputation, which meant he now served as an education bird. Meg, his trainer, fed him tasty morsels, and explained a bit about him. Despite his majestic size, he only weighed 10 pounds.

“What are you feeding him?”, someone asked. “Nice, fresh rat”, Meg replied. “The volunteers cut it up for him.” Note to self: recommend these volunteers for a public service commendation.

I will try to insert an image (or link to an image) of Volta here. Wild turkeys might have been more pervasive in Benjamin Franklin's 18th century America, but aren't you glad the majestic eagle won out as America's symbol?

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2329236140105503019DEkxuA



 

 

Back on the bus, I considered my dilemma. I like wine. I especially like good, inexpensive, dry white wine with bubbles. In Canada we're allowed, by special dispensation from Reims, to call this “Canadian champagne”. Is this because of a very special relationship Canada has with France? No, it's because the French know most of the swill sold under that name could never be mistaken for real champagne.

The French have an evil sense of humour.

I am not looking for Canadian champagne. I'm looking for a quality bottle of sparkling wine to share with Anne at table tonight. Her bottle of blanc de blanc in honour of her anniversary wasn't actually champagne, and was brought from home. I'd like something comparable. I've looked at the HAL wine list, and can't find any of my favourites. So, now I'm looking for a wine store.

And have to ask a Baptist minister where to find one.

Perhaps there's something wrong with this plan?

Instead, another local told me about Salty Sal's: on Lincoln Street, close to the post office; if I got as far as St. Michael's Russian Orthodox church, turn around and come back.

I did go too far, but St. Michael's was an objective, too. The walk was wonderful. Sitka reminded me of a lot of other friendly small towns, just more scenic and charming.

On my way back I found Salty Sal's, and plunked down my money for a bottle of Chandon. Took the free shuttle back to the ship. And what exciting things did I do once aboard? Lost miserably at team trivia...then napped.

What can I say? I'm a really party gal.

At 8 p.m. I shared my last dinner with Anne at the Incredible Shrinking Table. Tomorrow I had reservations in the Pinnacle Grill with my friend Kelly and her mom. Because Kelly is allergic to mushrooms, and they figure prominently on the Master Chef menu, I figured it was a good night to skip out. The fact the Master Chef “performance” is cringe worthy was only a minor issue. (Yeah, riiiight.)

Wine waiter Jess gently pointed out my Chandon (which he'd chilled to perfection) was available on the HAL list. I admitted I'd suspected that. However, when this great white hunter sets out in search of big wine game, she's reluctant to come back empty handed. Jess grinned at my explanation, and no corkage was charged.

It was a pleasant final dinner with my remaining table companion. All the wine got consumed, and I weaved my way back to my cabin, anticipating tomorrow's day of scenic viewing at Hubbard Glacier.

[fann1sh]

For those who share my odd sense of humour, like to read, and want a "no brain strain" book for Alaska, consider Mary Janice Davidson's The Royal Treatment. It's a romance set in an alternative universe - where Alaska was freed from the Tsar by Alexandr Baronov in a coup, and became a separate country. Silly fun, against a Juneau background. Protagonist is a cruise ship's cook, who quits, and then....

[Himself]

Thanks for your reports. I enjoyed them.

[paryea]

Next installment please! I'm getting so excited about my upcoming 2 week on Statendam reading your wonderful story. Keep it coming!

[aliaschief]

Enjoying your review and looking forward to the next installment. Thanks for all the obvious effort you have put into this review.

[fann1sh]

oops - double post

[fann1sh]

DAY 7 – THURSDAY, AUGUST 6 – HUBBARD GLACIER

I was up at 6 a.m. in anticipation of a great sail in to Yakutat Bay for my first visit to Hubbard Glacier. I walked those 28 steps to the promenade deck door, and held my breath as I pushed it open.

My eyes met a heavy, rolling fog and very low visibility. What a fizzle!

This wasn't the Yukon wildfire smoke which had dogged us all cruise, but a genuine fog. I wondered if it would clear in time for our scenic viewing, and decided to head back to bed, at least for a few minutes.

Shortly later a phone call from Kelly roused me, and we agreed to meet in the Lido for breakfast.

Kelly's mom found a table on port side, and settled in. As we sipped our drinks, the fog began to thin just a bit. We hear that Captain Rowden almost decided against proceeding through Yakutat and Disenchantment Bay, but had gone ahead hoping visibility would improve. While far from a scenic sail in, we could see things through the murk.

I spotted my first growlers and bergy bits. Turned on my camera – grrr, grrr – click. Click. Click click clickclink.

“How many pictures can you take of blue ice?” Kelly asked.

“Plenty.”

While her mom was determined to sit by the Lido window, Kelly and I worked our way forward to the spa, then on the outside viewing platform there. Temperature was about 50 F/10C, with a brisk wind.

Radiance of the Seas made it to the glacier before us, so featured in my panorama shots. Without the Royal Caribbean behemoth sitting there, I would have had no idea of scale, as the fog seemed to tease and deceive about distance. But this is the sort of thing the word "vast" should be reserved for. Awe inspiring? Oh, yes. I just wished it was a clearer day. Eventually, even I had to admit I've gotten enough pictures of blue ice in fog. We wandered back past the Lido pool, and I got a glimpse of another kind of natural phenomena.

Yes, it was a poolside shopping frenzy: 3 T shirts for $20!

Some deals were pretty good: wooden boxes, lithographed with Tlingit symbols, contained a quarter pound of Alaskan smoked salmon (airtight in foiled shrink wrap) - $5.

I looked at boxes marked with eagles, and others stamped with ravens. Then I remembered Tlingit tradition: the Raven moiety must marry Eagles, and Eagles must marry Ravens. A joking, trickster female friend was engaged to marry her steadfast sweetheart in October. Raven...Eagle...perfect souvenir gifts, one box for each of them with the appropriate sigil, and complete with a story to explain.

A sea day meant I had time for that wonderful ship activity not mentioned on the daily program: checking out other people's cabins. It's very helpful of the stewards to leave the doors open during cleaning, isn't it?

I trolled past the Neptune Lounge, where the door was unlocked, and was able to leave my name and address for table mate Anne. Duty done, I got down to the serious business of snooping. The suites were certainly roomy and inviting. It's hard to check out wear and tear from a cabin door, but nothing looked out of place. Headed aft to peek in some balcony cabins, but my old favourite, A048, wasn't being cleaned. Rats! Out the doors to the Sea View pool, which was completely abandoned, except for a crew member smoking a cigarette. This wasn't the day to judge how well this wonderful pool is used, since it was the coldest by far of our trip.

Back inside, and down to Main deck, I passed my friend Kelly's cabin, and snooped along her hallway. Still no sewer smells. (Yes, my nose is sensitive – if there had been a stink here today, I'd know it.) No complaints from Kelly about being able to hear the early morning crowd power walk on the promenade, which was over her head. None of the outside cabins seemed any different from my inside, except for sunlight. I felt smug about the money I'd saved, with a clever choice of convenient Lower Prom cabin (and the credit really belonging to helpful RuthC).

 

Later, it was time once again for team trivia. I've mentioned before we only won a single game at the very beginning of my cruise, but it wasn't for lack of trying. If we'd had team names, ours should have been “The Bridesmaids”. We lost so many tiebreakers, it hurt. Who knew Medieval armour only weighed 50 pounds? Of course Jeopardy! features a total of 61 questions (6 different categories per board you idiot, not 5!) My team members (membership was fluid) didn't believe there were only 14 letters in the Polynesian alphabet, and had trouble with the idea Canada is the country with the largest bald eagle population. On the other hand, I was stubbornly wrong about Canada having the most conifers (Russia does), and probably other questions where I “knew” the answer. With teams usually as large as 8, it isn't hard to find someone on the team who knows the right answer. The problem is convincing everyone else it is right!

It was great trivia was held in a great big Crow's Nest on Sport's Deck/12 that wasn't shared with the Explorations Cafe. On the last day of each leg, players filled both port and starboard sides – don't know how things could be managed with smaller Crow's Nests.

Cruise director Matt Allen was the best CD I've ever seen. He was especially adept at dealing with unruly “children” at team trivia. (He once taught school, and it shows.) We all marked our own score sheets, after swearing not to cheat, “so help me 'dam' ships.”

Because I'd won a free bingo card earlier in the week, later in the day I used it to play the “Win a Free Cruise” game. No luck, but again Matt distinguished himself as a bingo caller. A few jokes, but he didn't make the mistake of thinking people had come to listen to his stand up comedy routine (many CD's do).

Our reservations for dinner in the Pinnacle were for 7:30. The Pinnacle on Ryndam is quietly elegant, with clean modern lines and the look of wood paneling. The style was different from other Pinnacle Grills I'm more familiar with: the rococo Italian of Volendam which began its life as Marco Polo; the elaborate silver chairs of Zuiderdam, which look so uncomfortable, but fit like a glove. And while the layout resembled Maasdam's Pinnacle Grill, my memory of its décor is different. Hmmmm. Maybe I have a new hobby? Collecting not just different HAL ships, but Pinnacles as well? That could be fun.

The Pinnacle menu can be a challenge for me. I'm allergic to beef (or the way most is raised and fed). Pinnacle is a red meat lover's dream, and sometimes I've been tempted. However, venison (yum, Bambi) was served a couple nights ago in the main dining room so I felt no urge. I opted for a lobster tail and baked potato. Kelly and her mom ordered haunches of raw meat.

It was their last night aboard, and they were deep into packing and getting ready for their train trip to Anchorage tomorrow. Unfortunately, they were headed straight home, rather than having the time to do a land tour. Their Friday night flight wouldn't get them into Detroit until Saturday, and Kelly was due at work on Monday. Moreover, they had to disembark at 0:dark hundred tomorrow, well before I'd even be aware of the new day in my cave/cabin.

When our main courses arrived, my lobster tail was perfectly cooked, and my baked potato warm and inviting. However, Kelly's haunch of raw meat was well done. The offending piece of meat was whisked away, and in due course replaced by one which had merely been seared and run through a warm kitchen to “cook”. Evidently it was perfect.

Through the meal, we heard music, shouts and ruckus from the main dining room, as the Master Chef's dinner ran its course. Something to look forward to next week :rolleyes:.

It was hard to say goodbye after dinner, but we did manage to sit down and share photos so far, transferred via my camera and her laptop to a flash drive.

To bed, to sleep in. Tomorrow, on my first real solo day, I'd explore Kenai Fjords for 6 hours by catamaran.