Alaska, September, 2018

Road Scholar, "Alaska Up Close"

When asked, "Did the trip meet up with my expectations", I said...  Well, I expected lots of rain all the time, I expected clouds of mosquitoes, and I expected cold weathewr, even to the point of snow on some days. So I had to admit that the trip did NOT meet up with my expectations. Put another way, I hoped there would be at least some days when I could see the mountain tops (there were LOTS), I hoped for some days free of mosquitoes (I saw a few mosquitoes on only one day), and although the days were often cool on deack, it often gor up into the sixties. And no snow. The scenery was fantastic, the food was absolutely super, the crew was helpful and pleasant, and I loved every moment of it! So the trip did exceed my hopes and expectations. We had unusually splendid weather, super clear September days, a bit of easy rain for a couple of hours on a few days.

Map
Here's the daily log kept on the boat...
Starts in Sitka, of the left side of the map.
Ends Day 8, Juneau.
Where we were!
Mounains of alaska?
I'll call this my first view of Alaska, from the airplane, of course.
Actually, I doi't know if it was Canada or Alaska,
but those mountains were impressive.
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Sitka
First view of Sitka. Airport is on the left, Sitka far right.
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Czthedral
Russian Orthodox Cathedral, in the center of town.
Burned down in 1966, all the icons and treasures were saved. Restoration still under way.  
I talked to one of the "old" guys who was there when the fire happened. History alive!
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Cathedral
Sitka Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
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Cathedral
Sitka, Russion Orthodox Cathedral.
We traveled a day early, so we had a bit of time to explore the cathedral.
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Sitka
Sitka is surrounded by mountains, and lots of boats. 
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Salmon run
This little stream was crowded with salmon.
After spending a couple of years in the ocean, they return to the place where they hatched.
Amazing!
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Park Sitka
Park in Sitka.
Sitka is a huge town by square miles, not so big by population.
Still it's the 4th largest in Alaska (by population).   
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Sitka
Sitka squeezes between the mountains and the sea.   
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Ship
Our boat, the Baranoff Dream, putting out kayaks on a fine calm sunny day.
A special deck made it easy and safe to launch and retrieve the kayaks.
There were six two-person kayaks; everyone had an opportunity to paddle.
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Whales
We saw quite a few whales. I was wishing that I had brought my telephoto lens.
Flukes, going down. Another blowing farther out. Humpback whales.  
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Reflections
Reflections in the water: trees and sky.   
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Bridge
On the Bridge. We were welcome there to chat and enjoy the view. 
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sundown
Sundown.  Sometimes the boat traveled all night to get to our next destination.
I resented missing that scenery, but definitely did enjoy our destinations.   
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lighthouse
Passing this lighthouse at dusk.
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Tracy Arm
Into the Tracy Arm.
Don't know why it's called that, but it was spectacular!   
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Tracy Arm map
Tracy Arm, computer display in the bridge.
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Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm
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South Branch glacier
Tracy Arm, South branch. There's a  glacier back there in the center of the picture.
The ice floes prevented us from getting close. 
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Glacier
This glacier was in the North part of the Tracy Arm.
We could get to the quarter mile limit.   
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Touritsts
Out in the DIB (inflatable boat), we had this picture taken, glacier in the background.   
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Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm.
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Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm.
The mountains come down to the sea very steeply. The trees cling to wherever they can.   
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Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm
Are they snow fields or glaciers on those mountains?
Some glaciers terminate in tidal waters, other do not.
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Tracy Arm
Tracy Arm, a highlight of the trip.   
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Whale
Whale, up close.  One day a whale breeched up close, during dinner.
Those whe happened to be looking that way saw it. I saw only the splash.    
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Railway
Train, out of Skagway.
Built in '98 for the gold rush.  It was built in only a year, so they say!
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Railway
The path taken by the gold rushers is still visible on the right.
They went up and back many times, usually in very cold weather.
I don't think anyone hikes it now; we saw no hikers.   
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ladies
Our ladies!   
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Skagway
Skagway.  Another town surrounded by nountains.
There is highway access to Skagway, none to Sitka or Juneau, or many other small towns.
Lots of people here (cruise ships) and not much traffic.    
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rainbow
This rainbow followed us up the channel, and so did the rain.
I could sit on the top deck under the cover and watch the rain scene go by. 
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Mountain tops
Mountain tops spewing clouds.
Very rugged. No wonder there's so few roads up there.   
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Sea Lions
Sea lions on the rocks.   
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Scene
Scenery passing the boat.
I stayed on the upper deck for hours to watch this.
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glacier
We watch this glacier as it calved big chunks into the ocean.
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Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier, near Juneau.
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Juneau houses
Juneau is crowded into the small space between the monntains and the sea.
Got good brakes?   
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Stairs
Getting from street to another in Juneau.
It's a vertical town!   
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Russian Orh Church
Tiny Russian Orthodox church in Juneau.   
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Church
Just like the one in Sitka, only smaller.   
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Frost
We didn't see weather THIS cold, but they did the night before we got to Juneau.
I saw this in the path to the waterfall at the Menbdenhall glacier.
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Glacier
Airplane windows are not always clean and clear, but I tried this anyway.
How huge these glaciers can be!
I was told that the Kenai glacier was about 2200 square miles.
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Glacier
Glacier. Really looks like it's flowing. Huge.
And I guess it is!
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all night
We had to do the red-eye on the way back.
I did get a LITTLE sleep!
Anyone recognize this place? Lots of lights in the towns even late at night.
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Home drive
We were tired! Off the plane at 6:00AM in Boston.
Into our driveway five hours later.
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Group photo
That's us, except for somebody standing right behind someone else.
I'm second from the left.