Alaska cruise 4 - I Know What You Mean

Sunday, July 12

Pete has always told me how beautiful Alaska is. After he spent last summer there, I could tell he missed it, but oh do I understand why now. Before this trip, I thought a person must be pretty special to want to live here. It's cold, it stays light or dark all the time and it's far away from everything. But it also gets warm (we've had weather in the mid-60s to low 70s), you have a ton of space and the air is so much clearer. Far from Charlotte's irritating humidity.

When Mamaw and I made it on deck this morning, we were surrounded by snow-capped mountains and green trees. It was one of those moments you know you need to soak in because it just doesn't happen that often. I must've taken five pictures from every angle, but I wanted to make sure I captured it (even though that's impossible to do entirely).

When we got off the ship in Juneau, we rode the tram up to Mount Roberts. I could handle that view every day. (Although I say that and still wonder if I could ever be content in one place my whole life.) Then back down the tram and a little bit of shopping before we boarded a bus for our Photo Safari by Land and Sea excursion. Our guide didn't look much older than me, but is a professional photographer. She's moving to Colorado this fall to do more work on a documentary.

Anyway, she and another guide, Mike, took us out on a boat for sightseeing at Auke Bay. She gave us some camera pointers and we spent most of the time trying to photograph humpback whales. At one point, there were several to raise up out of the water at one time, not far at all from another tourist boat. I saw it, but of course missed it with my camera. The guide (Jennifer) told us they were feeding on herring. There was also a baby humpback whale that kept jumping up and we decided he was showing off.

We had a chance to photograph bald eagles, too, but I'm not a bird person. I did, however, breathe in the pine smell as much as possible. Reminded me of Christmas.

The next stop was Mendenhaal Glacier. I don't remember the exact number of feet, but it's moved a LOT since 1916. (Did it move before that? I don't know.) There were markers where the glacier used to be and it's about a mile or so farther out now. It leads to the Juneau ice fields, which are HUGE. (According to the Hawaiian guy, Juneau is also the second largest city in the nation, but much, much less populated than most.)

The guide also offered walking sticks to everyone on our rainforest walk. Mamaw took one and I told her she looked like Moses, especially when she passed between two big rocks.

It's amazing how different one state is to another. And how massive everying in Alaska seems to be. Humongous mountains, crisp air and wildlife everywhere. Absolutely gorgeous. I told Mamaw I could get used to celebrating the Sabbath this way.

Tomorrow we have more excursions planned in Scagway. Mamaw looked at her schedule earlier and didn't realize she'd have to get up early again to be at the port in time. "Oh my mercy, that's 8:10!" she said. "I'll have to go home to get a rest."

Her first stop tomorrow will be a White Pass Summit train ride, then a trip up another mountain to a suspension bridge. The latter is dubbed "bridge and bake" on her ticket. "We're gonna bake a bridge," she predicted.

Well I have to go now. She's already asleep and getting up earlier than I think she needs to. She said she'll need more time if her hair "doesn't lay right" in the morning.