Wow... just wow,,,
Alaska through three days has been amazing. I could fly home now and have it be worth my time here.
Friday we took the train from Anchorage to Seward, where we boarded the boat. That in amongst itself was worth the price of admission. Because not only did we see many glaciers, snow capped mountains, and rain forests, but along the Turnagain Arm, there were Beluga Whales feeding! The train slowed to a crawl and we were all treated to a great show. And that was just in the first hour of the trip. From there I spent much of the rest of the three hour ride hanging out one of the open vestibules, taking all kinds of photos and blowing through two sets of batteries in the process.
We arrive in Seward a little late due to slowing down allow pictures for all the sightseeing locations. We leave the train and we get our first glimpse of our home for the next week, Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas. It is a gorgeous vessel. We get through security with out much hassle due to our parents status with RCCL and board the ship. I didn't have much time to walk around due to it being so late and wanting to be able to talk to someone before we sail away from Seward. As we sail away, my dad and I stand up on the front portion of the upper deck and have a great view looking off the bow at the scenery as the light starts to fade. We reach the mouth of the fjord just as night falls. We run inside to have dinner at about 9:45pm and I am in bed soon after without exploring more of the ship as I am not quite yet on Alaska time.
Saturday dawned cool and cloudy with showers in the air as we cruised to the Hubbard Glacier. lumric and I got up some 90 minuets after the Pharoes are extinguished and we have breakfast. Seeing as we have some time to kill before what we want to do next, we check out the self-leveling pool tables that are on board. Let me tell you, they are funky. The ship was moving pretty good in the Gulf of Alaska and the table really kept level as the ship rolled around. We next went to play some mini-golf but was chased off that by a stray shower.
I may have a just a number of days left on board and I am sure there are many more sights to come, but what came next will forever be the highlight of the cruise, Hubbard Glacier. We cruised into the bay and the face of the glacier comes into view. Even at up to 6 miles out, it was a spectacular sight. Little did we know, how much better it would become. At about 3 miles out, there was quite the ice flow in the bay and I didn't think we would get past it, but the Captain found a way and we floated in closer.
At a around 1.5 miles out the show really began. I had my binoculars trained on a spot where I thought some activity could be. And sure enough, a huge chunk of the glacier calved off and crashed into the bay below. The thunder was heard at the ship and it was a sign for things to come for the next hour.
There were many smaller calvings and chunks of ice that were falling off the glacier the entire time we were there. There were a couple of huge chunks that broke away too. I would love to show them to you, but my internet connection is terrible right now and it would take too long to upload them.
Sadly, the last of my fresh batteries died soon after and I missed one last large calve off the middle face just as we were leaving the glacier. In any event, it is something I will certainly never forget.
Woke up as the ship was sailing between the islands of the Alaskan Archipelago. It was foggy, damp, and rather dreary actually. But it is expected in this part of Alaska. We ended up getting passes to see the Mendenhall Glacier. So for the first time in nearly 36 hours, we got off the ship and found ourselves on “dry” land. We were taken by bus to the Glacier Park and once again we were greeted by an incredible glacier. However, unlike Hubbard, Mendenhall is retreating up the valley so I am glad to have been able to see it while it still emptied into the water. There were quite a few icebergs in the river and a couple of spectacular waterfalls, but there was no calving at the glacier today. After spending 90 minuets and taking a number of photos, we headed back to town and went our separate ways. Not sure what I’ll do the rest of the day as I have to get batteries for the camera.
All in all, the food has been good and aside from the rain this morning, the weather has been OK. This sure beats Endgame any day of the week, that's for sure.
I have taken some 200+ photos in the past few days. I'll upload them and provide links once I get home to a better internet connection. (As I am writing this missive in the Juneau Public Library.
Take care the rest of the week as I may or may not be able to get back on line before we get to Seattle on Friday.
Friday we took the train from Anchorage to Seward, where we boarded the boat. That in amongst itself was worth the price of admission. Because not only did we see many glaciers, snow capped mountains, and rain forests, but along the Turnagain Arm, there were Beluga Whales feeding! The train slowed to a crawl and we were all treated to a great show. And that was just in the first hour of the trip. From there I spent much of the rest of the three hour ride hanging out one of the open vestibules, taking all kinds of photos and blowing through two sets of batteries in the process.
We arrive in Seward a little late due to slowing down allow pictures for all the sightseeing locations. We leave the train and we get our first glimpse of our home for the next week, Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas. It is a gorgeous vessel. We get through security with out much hassle due to our parents status with RCCL and board the ship. I didn't have much time to walk around due to it being so late and wanting to be able to talk to someone before we sail away from Seward. As we sail away, my dad and I stand up on the front portion of the upper deck and have a great view looking off the bow at the scenery as the light starts to fade. We reach the mouth of the fjord just as night falls. We run inside to have dinner at about 9:45pm and I am in bed soon after without exploring more of the ship as I am not quite yet on Alaska time.
Saturday dawned cool and cloudy with showers in the air as we cruised to the Hubbard Glacier. lumric and I got up some 90 minuets after the Pharoes are extinguished and we have breakfast. Seeing as we have some time to kill before what we want to do next, we check out the self-leveling pool tables that are on board. Let me tell you, they are funky. The ship was moving pretty good in the Gulf of Alaska and the table really kept level as the ship rolled around. We next went to play some mini-golf but was chased off that by a stray shower.
I may have a just a number of days left on board and I am sure there are many more sights to come, but what came next will forever be the highlight of the cruise, Hubbard Glacier. We cruised into the bay and the face of the glacier comes into view. Even at up to 6 miles out, it was a spectacular sight. Little did we know, how much better it would become. At about 3 miles out, there was quite the ice flow in the bay and I didn't think we would get past it, but the Captain found a way and we floated in closer.
At a around 1.5 miles out the show really began. I had my binoculars trained on a spot where I thought some activity could be. And sure enough, a huge chunk of the glacier calved off and crashed into the bay below. The thunder was heard at the ship and it was a sign for things to come for the next hour.
There were many smaller calvings and chunks of ice that were falling off the glacier the entire time we were there. There were a couple of huge chunks that broke away too. I would love to show them to you, but my internet connection is terrible right now and it would take too long to upload them.
Sadly, the last of my fresh batteries died soon after and I missed one last large calve off the middle face just as we were leaving the glacier. In any event, it is something I will certainly never forget.
Woke up as the ship was sailing between the islands of the Alaskan Archipelago. It was foggy, damp, and rather dreary actually. But it is expected in this part of Alaska. We ended up getting passes to see the Mendenhall Glacier. So for the first time in nearly 36 hours, we got off the ship and found ourselves on “dry” land. We were taken by bus to the Glacier Park and once again we were greeted by an incredible glacier. However, unlike Hubbard, Mendenhall is retreating up the valley so I am glad to have been able to see it while it still emptied into the water. There were quite a few icebergs in the river and a couple of spectacular waterfalls, but there was no calving at the glacier today. After spending 90 minuets and taking a number of photos, we headed back to town and went our separate ways. Not sure what I’ll do the rest of the day as I have to get batteries for the camera.
All in all, the food has been good and aside from the rain this morning, the weather has been OK. This sure beats Endgame any day of the week, that's for sure.
I have taken some 200+ photos in the past few days. I'll upload them and provide links once I get home to a better internet connection. (As I am writing this missive in the Juneau Public Library.
Take care the rest of the week as I may or may not be able to get back on line before we get to Seattle on Friday.