Day 12 – Juneau & the Whales

OMG – what fun we had!!  We got so much tail!!  They were all humpbacks.  The orcas are migratory and sadly we didn’t see any.

We arrived to a semi-sunny day in Juneau.  Captain Jack met us at the pier and drove us to the other side of town where his boat was waiting.  Joey and Ryan are the crew on the M/V Scania.  As it turned out, we were the only guests for the day.  It’s very early in the season.  Later on, his boat will be filled with whale seekers every day.

We took off and didn’t have to go far before we encountered the first one.  I missed the best photo op of the day when he flashed us a huge tail right beside the boat.  What was I doing?  Climbing the ladder to the top level of the boat – which required both hands on the railing because the boat was rocking about.   And with that flash he was gone.  Oh well.  We saw plenty more, just not as close as that first one.

How does one find a whale, anyway?  You definitely increase your chances when you have lots of help.  Joey and Ryan were our spotters, and they were really good.  They continually scanned the area for the “blow”, or the exhalation of the whales.  It looks like the smoke from a campfire.  And if you’re close enough you can smell it – it reeks like rotten fish. 

Just after they exhale, they will hump their back as they submerge.  They only flash their tail when they dive deep to feed.  If they’re on the move, they will swim just below the surface.  Orcas have a large dorsal fin, which makes them easier to track.  Because the dorsal fin of the humpback is so small, they can play hide-and-seek very well.  They can stay under for up to 45 minutes, but mostly they were on a 10-minute cycle.  You just have to wait, and watch, and have lots of eyes on the water.  By the time you see the blow, aim the camera, and focus – well, it’s really hard to catch the body and tail flash. 

Captain Jack manned the radio and communicated with all the other tour guides in the area.  Any time someone spotted a whale, they shared the location.  We were able to relocate to new positions whenever we got word of a sighting.  I was so lucky to get these pictures!

The calves are born in Hawaii in January.  The mothers stay there with them until they are strong enough to travel the 3,000 miles to Alaska.  They come here for the excellent feeding ground.  We were fortunate to see this baby and mom… 

Captain Jack told us that most literature states the life expectancy of a humpback is 60 years.  Recent research indicates that it’s more like 150-200 years.  They have found whale carcasses with harpoon barbs dating back that long ago.  They aren’t sure if the bubble netting behavior is something learned recently, or if the old-timers are bringing back an old practice.

We took a short detour to see a colony of sea lions.  They like to hang out here and play “king of the buoy”.  These guys just cracked me up.  Aren't they adorable?

Then we went near shore where the moms give birth.  The whole shoreline was packed with them.  They literally crawled over each other.  I noticed one in the water who was leaping and playing.  I happened to catch this picture, and didn’t realize until I saw it on the screen that his mouth was open.  I think he was laughing while he played.  Can you see the pups on shore?

 And we saw the Mendenhall Glacier from the water…

Today was definitely the highlight of the trip.  Nature always entertains me.  Sadly, we didn't see any whales breech this time.  Maybe they'll honor me with that next time.  

 Stay tuned…

Days 10 & 11 - Turnaround and Sea Day

We had a relatively smooth transition to Rhapsody.  We bumped into some friends in the waiting area and had a nice visit.  They were boarding Radiance, however, so we won’t be seeing them on board.

There was actually some sunshine in Vancouver, but we didn’t have the opportunity to do any sightseeing.  We settled in and took a tour of the newly refurbished ship.  She’s absolutely beautiful!!!  What an incredible job they did – at a cost of $52 million.  The Centrum is breathtaking, complete with chandeliers that come down from 7 stories up with aerial artist performances.  The rooms were also redone.  They’re so nice now. 

Then we realized Captain Rob was the new master of the ship.  He’s our all-time favorite captain.  His dry sense of humor is entertaining.  He even recognized us, as he should since we’ve had the pleasure of dining with him several times.  We’ve seen a lot of other staff members who also remembered us from our 39 nights on Rhapsody in Australia.  We were sad to learn that Captain Stein has left the company, however. 

The next day was our sea day, and it was a wild one.  We had a strong side wind which causes the ship to awkwardly pitch.  It turned into a Bonine and green apple day for me.  By afternoon it was all better. 

Next stop – Juneau and the whales.  Stay tuned…

Day 9 - Sea Day

Wow, our last day on Radiance.  How fast the time flies when you're having fun.  Today was a sea day, cruising through the Inside Passage.  We had incredible scenery all day.  I heard there were 3 whales playing nearby, but I missed them.  I worked on my "secret project" all afternoon and made some fantastic progress. 

This evening was busy saying good-bye to all our friends, both old and new.  Then I had the chore of packing everything for our move tomorrow morning.  We'll be going to Rhapsody, which will be docked right next to Radiance in Vancouver.  We're hoping for a smooth transition.  We had hoped to be able to go to Grouse Mountain tomorrow, but it doesn't look like the timing will work out.  We'll have to save that for another trip.

Some of the ports will be the same next week, but there will be different ones as well.  We'll be doing our whale watching tour in Juneau - I'm super excited about that.  And we'll take a train ride through the mountains and valleys in Skagway..  So that should also be a great photo op.

I'm really hoping the internet service is better next week.  My goodness, it was taking 20+ minutes to load each photo.  That really adds up!  I'll do my best to share my pix with you, tho.

So stay tuned...

Days 7 & 8 - Juneau & Ketchikan

Yesterday was our first day in Juneau.  We’ll be repeating this port next week, so we planned to scope it out this time around.  We walked in the rain all around the town.  Shopping is the biggest attraction here, so we did.  I got an onyx and gold whale tail set of pendant, earrings, bracelet, and ring that are beautiful.  We picked up a few other souvenirs also. 

Next trip to Juneau will be our whale watching tour with Captain Jack.  This is something we booked on our own, not with the cruise line.  He’s famous for being the only tour guide who puts a microphone into the water so you can hear them sing.  I’ve spoken with Jack a few times on the phone and he seems super nice.  We met his daughter in the store where I bought my jewelry.  We enjoyed talking with her and admiring all the photos on the wall in her store.  Now I’m even more excited about this tour.

Here’s a view of downtown Juneau:

There’s a tram that goes to the top of Mount Roberts.  It was snowing up there and the view was completely obscured, so we didn’t bother.  Maybe next time.

I LOVE waterfalls, so I have to include this one.

When we headed out of the port, we were headed into terrible weather - was rain mixed with sleet.

But just before we got to it, the sun was also trying to come out.  I knew there would be a rainbow somewhere, so I waited for it, and sure enough it came.

Today we’re in Ketchikan – the salmon capitol of the world.  They get an average of 360 inches of rain here every year – almost an inch a day!  We were sure it would be pouring all day.  Surprise!  We arrived to a beautiful, sunny day.  We bolted out as soon as we could to enjoy the sun.  Unfortunately it didn’t last.  We walked back in the rain with a really cold wind.  So we were glad we went out early.  I didn’t take very many pictures here.  We’ll be back here again next week, too.  

The internet is giving us fits - it's super slow and taking FOREVER to upload each photo.  Hopefully it will be better next week on Rhapsody and I can upload more.  

Stay tuned...

Day 6 - Hubbard Glacier

Today we cruised by the Hubbard Glacier.  Captain Sindre carefully maneuvered us through the ice field and got us as close to the glacier as he could.  He did a fantastic job – we didn’t suffer the fate of the Titanic and we were very close.  The ship that attempted this yesterday wasn’t so lucky – they had to turn back.  Once he got the ship into the bay and near the glacier, he did a slow spin so that everyone had an equal chance to view it.

Of course, I was among many who went to the helicopter pad on the bow and then moved around as I needed to for the best photo shots.  I took a whopping 508.  Boy was that a job to decide which ones to share with you!

I was awestruck from the first glimpse.  It’s so massive and so beautiful. 

Then I saw the first calf break loose.  The large chunks of ice slide down the glacier, hit the water like a diver, and then bounce back up.  They make a thunderous crash that the Tlinget tribe calls “White Thunder”.  It’s a sound comparable to a summer thunder storm in Denver.  I thought we’d be lucky to see just one – but it was more like one every few minutes.  We saw TONS of them, and each one was exciting and spectacular.  I did manage to get up close and personal with one of them – and the pictures are breathtaking.

When our time was finally up, Captain Sindre skillfully guided the ship back out through the ice field.  By then the sun was even out!!  I got my wish. 

I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to see a glacier.  I wonder if my grandchildren will be so lucky.  They are quickly vanishing.

Now we’re headed through open waters to Juneau.  I’ll be on the lookout for more whales, seals, and such. 

Stay tuned…

Days 3, 4, & 5 - Ship and Icy Strait Point

Life is great on board the Radiance of the Seas.  We’ve seen lots of people that we’ve cruised with before and it’s always fun to reconnect.  The ship is even more beautiful after her “facelift” last year.  

Yesterday was a sea day as we sailed through the Inside Passage.  It rained almost all day, so I didn’t get the camera out in it.  I got a good start on my new secret project and I’m feeling fantastic about it.

As a wannabe insomniac, I’m finding the 4:55 AM sunrise a little challenging.  We have a large window over our bed which lets a lot of light in.  I’m already feeling a little sleep deprived.

Today we arrived in Icy Strait Point.  The little village is called Hoonah.  The day started out with a steady drizzle.  I have to say I hope we get to see some of Alaska without the veil of drizzle.  It sure is getting old.  Fortunately it let up just in time for our tour, although the day remained gray.   The water reflects the sky, so it also looks dull gray.  We went to the Spasski River for a Bear and Wildlife Search.  This is the river where the salmon swim upstream to spawn, and the bears come there to catch them.  The only animals we saw were 2 mosquitoes and a red squirrel - and I couldn’t even manage a picture of them!  I was disappointed we didn’t see more, but the river and the forest were beautiful.  Here are a few pictures…

We did see an abandoned eagle’s nest.  The eagles abandoned it because another tree fell against this tree which made it possible for martins and minks to climb up and get the eggs.  I thought the way the light was shining on the moss was interesting.

 When we got back to the pier, we saw this bald eagle soaring above us. 

Then we saw this silly raven stealing French fries from the table outside a café. 

The highlight of the day for me came when we got back on the ship.  I went out to the bow on the helicopter pad and got some great pictures of a seal with a fish in his mouth.  A bird was dive-bombing him, trying to steal his fish.  I love nature!!

And of course, I got some whale shots – a tail, a double-header, and then one shot with a whale, a whale spout, an eagle, a passing ship, and a mountain background.

I had a great time taking pictures (433 to be exact).   Tomorrow is the Hubbard Glacier, assuming we can see it through the rain.

Stay tuned…

Days 1 & 2 - Vancouver

Well, I managed to complete the packing process including everything I thought we would need.  We had a quiet flight and a safe arrival.  The hotel is perfectly located in the heart of downtown Vancouver.  It's quite nice, although small.

We had planned to have dinner with my friend Helen last night, but unfortunately she was unable to make it.  We were all very sad, but it simply couldn't be helped.  All the more reason to plan another trip here!  We had a nice dinner at a pub next door to the hotel. 

I think I should have named our blog "Drizzly Greetings".  It's been a rainy stretch of days here and not forecast to change until well after we have sailed away.  It let up for a short while yesterday - long enough for us to walk a few blocks to China Town. 

We were searching for the world's narrowest building, but apparently it's so narrow that we walked right past it.  It's only 6 feet wide.  We expected it to be a free-standing building, but it's actually attached to another building.  Here's a few shots of it that we took today when we walked back there.  These were taken with my old camera because I didn't want to get the new one out in the rain.

Here's a view from the front, which is why we missed it last night.  But when viewed closely you can see how no more than 2 people can stand side by side in each office.

Some other interesting features include the Chinese-influenced iron gate and the glass sidewalk. 

Today we awoke to a steady drizzle that never let up.  We waited until noon so it could warm up a bit before we ventured out to Gas Town, the oldest area of Vancouver.  They have preserved the world's first steam clock - and I LOVE clocks.  The cool, damp weather allowed me to capture a great shot of the steam coming out the top.

The other main historical site of Gas Town is the statue of "Gassy Jack". 

His name was really John Deighton.  In the mid-1800's he opened the first saloon in the area, where all the lumberjacks and miners would gather.  He earned his nickname for his "gassy monologues".  The saloon burned down in the fire of 1886.

We saw two funny signs - one for Bruce and one for me.

 

I must say, if I ever had a store it would definitely sell chocolate and ice cream!  

I love these 2 shots...

 

We wanted to go to Stanley Park, but decided not to in the rain.  Perhaps we will be able to see it on our turn-around day next week.  We had a nice Chinese dinner tonight.  Now it's time to shift gears and get ready to board Radiance of the Seas tomorrow.  Hopefully I haven't spoiled you with all these pictures.  When I'm writing from the ship it takes too long to upload them.  So there'll be fewer of them, but hopefully better quality from the new camera.

Stay tuned....