Alaskan Sea-Duction

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Juneau

This is the capital of our great state of Alaska. No land access, ferry/boat or air, that's it. During the summer it seems all these towns are the same. The Cruise ship industry seems to get a foothold in these towns, buy up property and then sell tourist trinkets to its passengers. Items as shirts, hats overpriced restaurant and high end jewelry stores, all geared to its passengers. There really no difference between Ketchikan and Juneau.

Other than real Alaskans looking in at this craziness the ships try and sell all this as the "real" Alaska. Even the tour boats, floatplanes are not real Alaska as many come from Washington and Oregon. They try to pass off themselves as real Alaskans, until you look on their boat and the reservation number is something other than 907.

We enjoyed our stay here, but I do understand why some Alaskans hate the cruise industry. So to fix this we decided to ride the Alaska Marine Highway ferry to Skagway to ride the steam locomotive. As we pulled around the corner, two cruise ships. Dang.......

We have friends on the Columbia that have a boat just like the one with green. Theirs is in much better shape

Kay and Flowers

Fireweed. When the last flower on top blooms, summer is over

Tram to Mt. Roberts

Happy 4th!

Riding the tram

Looking South. We just came down this channel from waaaaay out that way.

Old native art in a tree

Hiking

Looking North

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The trails are nice up here

Eagles getting an updraft

Long way down

Best Friends

That's an airplane landing!

Hey DYC! My favorite place in Juneau

The guardian of the north, the Raven.....

I know some in DYC would be standing right next to me!!!!

Beaver with antlers.....mmmmm not sure

Inside the Red Dog

Friday, July 1, 2016

Chapter 25 Tracy Arm to Juneau

We awoke in "No Name Cove" with everyone gone except us and a boat called Alaskan Song. Didn't take long to figure out why. High tide had allowed some icebergs into the cove. They were on the other side of the cove but I wasn't taking any chances, so we pulled anchor. The plan was to go up Tracy Arm and view Sawyer Glacier. This arm was choked with ice just as of last week and getting up to the glacier was impossible. The arm had somewhat let some ice out, but it was still choked and very foggy, so Kay and I decided to proceed to Juneau and stop back here on the way back.

As we were leaving we had to watch the icebergs, but one we were north of Tracy Arm, we were in berg free waters. The run wasn't that long, 38 miles of so. We had a small breeze blowing us on, so we had some following seas. As we were approaching Grand Island there was a boat docked up in Taku Bay with a burned up main engine impellor. It seemed he had the wrong spare. No one in Juneau had one, so the USCG did some relaying for him to get one ordered. Be here in 3-4 days! So I asked if he needed any supplies and he was good to go.

As rounded Grand Island we could see way up Gastineau Channel. In the distance we could see cruise ships and Alaska's Capital Juneau!!! We have made it!!! Yee Haw!!! This channel is interesting as it is narrow with tall mountains on both sides! Snow on top of them and wow does it look like the Alaska I am used too.

We called the harbor master and was assigned a slip. Hotshot again. The wind was not my friend on this occasion. It took me 4 times to finally make it into the slip as it was a tight squeeze, but we didn't hit anything. We made it! Our trip goal! Now what to do about Skagway.

It is over a 100 mile run from Juneau to Skagway with very few places to get out of the weather. Lynn Channel is famous for its winds. The steam locomotive is a bucket list item I have dreamed about for a very long time. After looking at all the options we decided to leave ASD in Juneau and take the Alaska marine Highway ferry to Skagway on Sunday, ride the train on July 4th (how cool s that!!) and then take the ferry back to Juneau.

As I was sitting on the bow with my cigar and scotch later that day, I reflected on all the things that have happened and the hard work it took to make this cruise a dream come true. I had to crack a smile, say a small prayer. We had done it. Our dream did come true............