Alaska 2024

Anchorage (Alaska)

27th June

An early morning photo of The Log Cabin visitor information centre while we were waiting for our tour along the Turnagain arm of the Cook Inlet.

Baluga Point lookout over the Turnagain Arm. Captain Cook was looking for the Northwest Passage. After the party exploring found it was not the passage, William Bligh, Cook's sailing master named it Turnagain after having been turned back in the Knik arm.

Moose
These photos of animals were taken at the Alaska Wildlife Consevation Centre.

Brown bears.

Caribou.

Elk.

Wood Bison.

Chugach mountains from the Wildlife Centre.

Muskox calf just a few days old.

Black bear and ravens just before the bear entered his den.

A photo stop in Portage valley.

Portage lake. The glacier is no longer visible from the road.

Our lunch stop was at Girdwood Brewery in the small town of Girdwood. The brewery does not have a restaurant but a rotation of food trucks visit. Our guide was very happy that the "The Hungry Deckhand" was there and we all had massive toasted sandwiches. I also had a glass of "House IPA".

The Hungry Deckhand and Izakaya (Japanese food) are todays food trucks.

Homer (Alaska)

28th June

This morning the crew had a "man Overboard" drill. Lowering the 6 person rescue boat. We saw the mannequin which weighs 80kg being load on to a tender. It was dropped off as the tender took passengers ashore.

The reacue boat heading to the "man". The tiny yellow dot at the left of the photo.

Hauling the "man" onboard.

Racing back to the ship.

This is the ramp at the tender dock. A challenge for some people.

We are anchored off the end of Homer spit. It is a holiday destination from May to September.
These are some of the shops at the end.

Homer on our way to wine tasting.

Bear Creek Winery.
They started out making fruit wines and now also make fruit/wine blends.
We bought a bottle of their 20th Aniversary wine. A blend of Bordeaux and high bush Cranberry.

We had 5 wines to taste and we were given a 2oz shot each time.

Once again the transport was by school bus.

Heading back to the ship in the tender we were in these seats underneath the pilot. There is not much headroom when you are sitting down.

Glacier Bay (Alaska)

30th June

Scenic cruising of Glacier Bay National Park today.
These clouds were just hanging above the water.

We saw whales diving after blowing.

This is how otters swim. On their backs looking at us. Some have babies on their stomachs.

At the end of the bay is Margerie Glacier.
On the right a sight seeing boat gives an idea of how large the glacier is.

Looking across the pool deck to the glacier.

Sailing down Glacier Bay in the afternoon.

Haines (Alaska)

1st July

We are docked in Haines.
We have a White Pass and Yukon Route Railway tour in Skagway. The ferry to Skagway leaves from this pier.

This is what we saw when we reached Skagway. Now we know why we are docked in Haines.

Our carriage on the White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railway.

The old cantilever bridge. Replace in 1969 by a new bridge and tunnel.

The boarder post at the summit (2,888ft). The summit is at the USA/Canada boarder.
The train does not stop, it loops round and goes back down to Skagway

Heading back down from the summit.

The train emerging onto a trestle bridge.

The ships in Skagway harbour as we decend.

The train stopped in Skagway to let us off. (To go shopping).

On the way back to Haines these seals were pointed out to us.

Two more photos of Haines.

Juneau (Alaska)

2nd July

A couple of photos in Juneau before the Ovation of the Seas docks and blocks our view.

Today we have a small group photo tour.
We are speeding out to see the whales.

This is our guide, Julian, giving us a talk on parts of the whale.

Here is the first whale we saw. It was identified as 'Kelp' by the guide and the captain.

We moved on to another site where there were more whales.

In the group was this mother and calf.

The next three photos are not mine. I missed this.
Photos supplied by Lorrie Johnson.

On the way back to the harbour the captain, Jenna, took us to see these seals on the Bell Buoy.

This is the boat we went whale watching on. Captain Jenna assisting the last passenger off.

After the whale watch we went on a walk through the Mendenhall Rain Forest.
These are Groundcones, a parasitic plant that looks like pine cones.

This is a photo taken in the late 1930s of the Mendenhall Glacier. It is on a sign by the path.

The shelter in the 1930s photo can just be seen on the right of this photo.
All this has grown since then.

After walking along the path past other glacier termination markers we eventually came to where we could see the Mendenhall Glacier.
It is at the back of the photo in the mist.

Misty Fjords (Alaska)

4th July

We woke up this morning to see us slowly moving through a town. It was Ketchikan. Last night there was a call for the medical team and today we briefly stopped so the passenger could be taken to hospital.

We are docking infront of Discovery Princess.

Leaving Ketchikan after transferring the patient.

In Misty Fjord.

Lunch on the balcony.
After the photo was taken the ship turned and we had to move out of the wind.

More photos in the fjord.

This is as far as we went up the fjord.
Some passengers took a tour on a small boat and went up the fjord and disappeared to the right.

The small boat tour getting a close look at the cliff.

Punchbowl Cove in Misty Fjord.
The passengers who took the tour reboarded the ship here in the cove.

Prince Rupert (Alaska)

5th July

The train for our tour waiting at the station.
We boarded at the ferry terminal. The building just past the station.

We stopped at Cassiar to pick up passengers.

The weather cleared as we followed the Skeena River to Terrace.

At Terrace we got off the train and boarded a coach to take us back to Prince Rupert.

On the way back we stopped at Exchamsiks Provincial Park where we had a walk.

And tasted blueberriers while walking.

After our walk we had lunch.
This is a packed 'Salmon in a Bun' lunch for one.

Our picnic lunch.

Continuing our journey back to Prince Rupert.

Crossing the short bridge thats connects Prince Rupert to the mainland.

Back in Prince Rupert on a walk in town.

Pacific Mariner's Memorial Park.

At Sea. Last Day

6th July

Our last day on board starts with breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill.

We had Avocado Toast. Poached egg with avocado on toast.

We had breakfast several times in the Grill. But the service takes a long time so we mostly had a quick self service breakfast in the lounge.

Sun set.

Debarkation

7th July

And here we are back at the start with the Majestic Princess unloading passengers as well.

And Mt. Rainier is still here.

We spent the morning in Seattle as our flight to San Francisco does not leave till 17:45.
This is McGraw Square where we sat for a while before heading to the airport.

Having a go at taking a selfie in the square.

Our train arriving at the station. It was unsettling that there was nothing to stop you walking across to the other platform.

Leaving the Alaska Air terminal with Mt. Rainier in the background.

And finally the mountain from the aircraft just after take-off.