Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise 2018

Tuesday Sitka to Seward at Sea Well that was something!  We survived the first of two nights at sea and awoke to chunks of ice the size of boxcars floating by our cabin slider.  Visibility still obscured by a low and angry blanket of clouds but a much smoother ride.    I sat by myself for 90 minutes in the coffee bar organizing photos and jotting notes.  Lots of folks suffered last night.  I will spare you the details.  Nace and I did remarkably well and reunited for breakfast on the top deck.  Our treat for today was a drive by and 360 degree spin of the ship providing a very close view of the Hubbard Glacier, the source of the chunks encountered earlier.  Those who kept their sea legs gathered at every rail and enjoyed a peek at this magnificent example of natural grandeur.  A sound very much like thunder was punctuated seconds later by visual confirmation of another calving of hundreds of tons of ice.  Really ...

We had NO satellite internet yesterday, enveloped by fog and mountains. It is 5 am local time and we have been at sea since dinner yesterday and still running in a bit rougher seas.  Nothing major but enough that you do get some periodic surprises that impart the gait of a drunk as you bounce off the hallway walls.  We are surrounded by water at the moment with no views of anything by shades of thick gray low and ominous clouds.   Rod Glenda and Nace surrenders their previously chosen, waterborne excursion for something more stable since the weather warning was not favorable.  I am scheduled for mountain biking around noon and praying that the weather clears and the rain holds off.   Nace and I observed the docking process which continues to be a great source of fascination.  Not much to see from the ship thus far as we are a few miles from downtown Sitka.   I have a few minutes to scribble some random observatio...

I am doing this now with distant memory with some deterioration due to alcohol indulgence.  Sunday we awoke to find ourselves dockside with a completely vertical view of granite outside our cabin balcony.  The four of us were going on a White Pass mountain tour.  This area of Alaska has gold rush history and apparently the desire to possess this shiny element was so powerful that people would risk their lives to obtain it.   We were treated to a comfy coach tour up to the top of this mountainous area.  Our driver was a seriously funny tour-guide who kept us laughing while we made our way upward through the various climatic eco-zones.  The scenery was spectacular and punctuated with occasional glimpses of the train tracks hugging the opposite mountainside.  Jaren, our driver and aspiring comedian reminded us of every rickety looking bridge that we would be experiencing first hand when we rode off the mountain in the narrow gauge...

Felt like a new guy this morning after a good night of rest and abstinence.  We are still underway and will not arrive in Juneau until 10 am.  Nace and I perched ourselves in the Observation Lounge and were treated to panoramic views of lush forested peaks, low fog, high fog and bright blue skies.  Quite spectacular.   Today the guys and girls go our separate ways.  Nace and Glenda are going on a guided garden and glacier tour.  Rod and I will take a helicopter to the Mendenhall glacier and learn how to hike on ice.   Having no firsthand experience with their experience I can only say that Rod and I totally excursion shamed Nace and Glenda when we reunited and reviewed our day over drinks before dinner.  It was really quite hysterical and both Glenda and Nace laughed so hard they cried trying to make us wish we had gone on their rather lame excursion.  Truly they had a very nice experience but I am out of superlatives to d...