Arrived in Anchorage on Monday evening amidst smokey air from newly reinvigorated wildfires in the region. Before leaving home we had suggested to people that we wanted to see Alaska before the glaciers melted, but had certainly not expected to arrive in a state on fire! Traveled 2 1/2 hours Tuesday morning by bus to embark on the ship in Seward. The drive was incredible along Turnagain Bay — almost ephemeral with the smoke partially hiding the mountains and landscape in muted beauty. This drive is considered to be one of the top 5 most scenic drives in the world! 

Smoke covered mountains on our drive to Seward

Sailed out of Seward on Tuesday evening toward Kenai Fjord and Aialik Glacier, part of the Harding Ice Field. The ship anchored off of Aialik Glacier for the day, with zodiac and kayaking expeditions throughout the day to view the glacier up close. What an incredible experience! Passed by glistening flows of small ice sculptures in the water, witnessed multiple calvings of the thundering glacier, and watched the playful otters and harbor seals. The immensity of the glacier is absolutely awe-inspiring! Makes you realize that we are just one small piece of the universe’s wonder! Once back on the ship from the zodiac expedition, we had a delightful time watching a pair of walruses on a small piece of ice float closer and closer to the ship until they slid into the frigid water and disappeared. 

Zodiac to Aiklik Glacier

Set sail early Tuesday evening toward Sitka. We had a day “at sea” in the Gulf of Alaska – due to arrive in Sitka on Thursday morning. And what a wild day it was! The seas were pretty rough – perhaps 8-10 foot waves. My sea bands and Bonine saved me from a miserable day at sea (others on the ship were not so lucky). Ended up as a lazy day of reading, ecology lectures and napping. With no WiFi or connectivity we also enjoyed being unplugged. 

Grateful my sea bands did their thing in the relatively rough seas in the Gulf of Alaska

Keith and I explored Sitka on our own, walking in the beautiful forest and coastal paths at the Sitka National Historic Park very close to downtown. It was a gray, gentle rain day… but we dressed for the weather and explored on foot. It felt good to be on land after being on the ship for 2 days. The activity of the bald eagles was incredible in the park- first there were crows chasing bald eagles in flight- perhaps luring them away from their nests. Then we saw bald eagles feasting on fish by the shore. Awe- inspiring! When we returned to the ship we were delighted by a Native Tlingit dance company. 

Sitka and Tlingit dancers

Saturday we arrived in Juneau and had a photography excursion to whale watch and hike to an outlook over the Mendenhall Glacier. The boat ride was amazing— saw Sasha and Flame, two of the humpback whales that swim around Juneau in the summer to feed. They identify the whales by their tail markings. We also saw a playful colony of sea lions on Little Island, along with an otter (not often seen in these waters), harbor seals and oyster catcher birds.

 

The short hike near Mendenhall Glacier felt like we entered a world eons old. We walked on land that the glacier had inhabited less than 100 years ago. Moss and lichen were abundant as the first new life to cover the glacial rock. Then Alder, Sitka Spruce, and Western Hemlock grow in the new forest. Fascinating, mysterious and beautiful! And we saw sockeye salmon spawning in a small steam! According to our guide, they were just making it up stream the last few days because the weather has been dry and the streams low! Wow!