Alaska part 2
Our second stop was Juneau. But before we went there, we explored a branch of the inside passage that is also a protected wildlife area and part of the Tongass, called Tracy Arm.
Tracy Arm
The channel is actually quite massive, I got to put my zoom lense to good use.
Most of the waterfalls are winter melt-off, but some of them run all year long.
The ship was really steaming, lol. I just like this picture.
The farther in we went, the less Hemlock and Spruce there was, and it was replaced by rock and snow and, eventually, glaciers.
Yes, there are people in the pool. IDEK.
These thin floats of ice are called Plate ice. It's the FRESH water ice. It's lighter than the salt water so it comes to the top and it has a higher melting point, so it melts last. As we went through it we could hear it crunching. O_O
The ice isn't actually blue. It's refraction, just like parrot feathers. :) The ice is so dense only the blue waves are strong enough to penetrate to the other side.
Documentation that I was on a balcony taking these pictures.
Look at the REFLECTION. It's CRYSTAL clear. This was my favorite view on the whole trip - the Tracy Arm inlet.
I forget the name of this glacier. But - it's the glacier at the end of Tracy Arm. It's where we have to turn around and go back, lol.
Another fav. picture of mine. :)
Juneau
Juneau is across from Douglas. Our bus driver said he's from Juneau, unless he's in Douglas. Then he says he's from Douglas. *g* They have a long friendly rivalry going on, apparently.
This is the only bear I saw. My mom used to live in Kodiak, she saw bears there. BIG ONES. O_O
I went to a lot of fur shops. Before everyone rebels against me, I didn't buy anything. Mostly because I'm poor. And I've worked with animals my whole life and love them. But this stuff is all farmed, and COME ON, LOOKIT HOW PRETTY. *Is ready to catch flack*
Sunset-ish on the Juneau dock. 9:30 pm?
Whale Watching
Sailed out of Auke Bay
It didn't take us long to find the humpbacks.
What they do is blow, roll, roll, roll (however many times they want) and then DIVE. When they dive, they show the tail. If you see the tail, that whale won't be back up for a while.
We saw a few pairs of moms and calves. :)
THAR SHE BLOWS!
We also saw some Stellar Sea Lions. They were playing king of the hill. LOL.
These were the losers, awwww. ♥
There is a Bald Eagle on this rock watching us watching him watching us. That's right, eagle. I see you thar.
We were told we would not get to see the whales breach, because they don't do that unless it's mating timez.
Apparently no one told this whale that.
I think it drank a Red Bull.
I'll leave you with more moms and babies. :)
That's it for now! TBC!