Alaska June 11-18, 2012 - Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

Last year, we did the helicopter to the glacier. This year, we did the Port Adventure of bus to base of glacier, in combination with Whale Watching.

Here, DS stands by the water, with the glacier behind him....

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A small pool of water...

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The Visitor's Center - which I was only in for 5 minutes..

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...where they had a cart with a chunk of glacier ice for viewing

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...and the opportunity to see how mountain goat feet work

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Many locations for nice photos

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...including the rail area on the left

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... or the waterfall on the right. Those 3 "dots" at the base of the falls are people (for perspective)

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DN demonstrates her enthusiasm
(her response, whenever she was asked "What have you enjoyed most, so far?" was "everything")

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Some blue ice, adrift...

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The Big Picture - context for all the other pictures

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Whale Watching
Ketchican Snorkeling
Tracy Arm
Seattle (the day AFTER the cruise)
Glacier National Park
- Isaac Walton Inn
- Going to the Sun Tour
- More Amtrak
Palo Brunch (again)
Palo Dinner (again)



Subscribe!!!
 
Your first two ports are amazing!!! I had no clue they have an option to bike back down from White Rail Pass. That is something we would definitely be interested in!
 


OMG Ellen. You are doing an absolutely amazing job as always. Just love your pictures and I want to go with you and Tom next time you go to Alaska! Your trips just look amazing and you would make an awesome tour guide! The scenery you see is just. . . . . WOW!

Thank you so much for sharing your trip and pictures with us again. And I just cracked up laughing with your wine experience on the train. Anise versus Anus. Yep, still laughing. Even had to tell Bobby about that one and he laughed too!

Thanks for reporting your 2012 Alaskan Adventure. Can't wait to read/see more of it. And be sure to tell Tom we said Hello! :goodvibes
 
Great pictures as always Ellen. Looking forward to seeing/reading more of your Alaska adventure!
 
Sounds like it could be rugged, but this is one very comfortable excursion.

Picture of the boat - enclosed and heated downstairs - open (better for pictures) upstairs. Free to move around and have complimentary hot chocolate! This is a picture of a sister boat, but ours was the same. One noteworthy feature is that this is a pontoon design (no propeller in the water), so they are allowed to go closer to whales than boats WITH a propeller in the water.

Note, the eagle flying above!


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Leaving the harbor

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Spotting our first whale

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Getting the update on a decommissioned lighthouse, that is available for rent for $50/night. From here, it looks mighty romantic (to me)!

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Mother whale - named Flame - and her calf, spyhopping

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Flame dives, while calf continues to play


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Flame, diving again

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Eagle, in flight (picture a little fuzzy)

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On the lower left, there is a buoy - eagle on top, with about 6 seals on the base

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Close-up, with lighthouse in background

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Periodically, a seal in the water would prod one of the resting seals to get off...

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Another imperfect picture, but beautiful view of the wildlife and the scenery!

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3 Eagles, in the distance

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Whale

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Returning to Harbor - Alaskan Ferry

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Our own version of "Taste of Alaska"

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Of course, there are the ongoing chance to get family shots


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They grow up SO quickly, I love having these "snapshots in time"

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Also, that song from White Christmas - "Lord help the mister...." comes to mind!


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Our port in Ketchikan was brief and early! I wanted to book snorkeling last year, but could not find anyone to go with me. I don't need companionship to do something, but I don't insist on breaking with the group, especially when there were only 5 of us on the trip (2011). This year, DS24, who is scuba certified, agreed to go along.....

I don't have pictures of the bus - it looks like vintage 50's city bus in good repair - used because of the seats (that old, durable plastic doesn't retain moisture). We get preliminary instructions on the bus about or upcoming adventure.


Once at the dive shop, we suit up


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Walk down to the water's edge

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... and get guidelines from 1 of 4 scuba guides

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Starfish

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More sealife

Urchins


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Sea Cucumbers

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Starfish - yes, it is raining, but this is one excursion where that does not matter!

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Same starfish, back in its natural setting

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I was surprised at the variety, abundance and color of the underwater life

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Starfish

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Jellyfish (there were everywhere, but we were told that we had so little skin exposed, it should not be a problem)

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Plants

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Oh wow! Your diving pictures are awesome! I would have never guessed so many wonderful opportunities for colorful and abundant sea life in Alaska. :thumbsup2 And your whale watching excursions looks wonderful. Love that they use pontoons for this. Must get to Alaska and enjoy all of this myself!
 
I really loved those excursion pictures! I have read about the snorkeling before but never seen pictures of it. It looked neat! How cold was it?

And so many eagles...wow. I didn't realize they'd be so easy to see! Counting down till next year!
 
Who would have thought of snorkeling in Alaska? Not me. But your pictures are amazing. How colorful. Glad you got to experience this.

And the whale watching photos were really cool too. Love the eagles. On occassion during the winter we might have some on the river by our house.
 
Love it! Thanks so much. I can't wait to go in September!!! :cool1::cool1:
You're welcome - we look forward to YOUR report!
Your first two ports are amazing!!! I had no clue they have an option to bike back down from White Rail Pass. That is something we would definitely be interested in!
Love it! Thanks so much. I can't wait to go in September!!! :cool1::cool1:
I think it is a must-do for anyone who likes bikes - or wants something different. There are more pictures and details contained within last year's trip report (link in first post, I think)
OMG Ellen. You are doing an absolutely amazing job as always. Just love your pictures and I want to go with you and Tom next time you go to Alaska! Your trips just look amazing and you would make an awesome tour guide! The scenery you see is just. . . . . WOW!

Thank you so much for sharing your trip and pictures with us again. And I just cracked up laughing with your wine experience on the train. Anise versus Anus. Yep, still laughing. Even had to tell Bobby about that one and he laughed too!

Thanks for reporting your 2012 Alaskan Adventure. Can't wait to read/see more of it. And be sure to tell Tom we said Hello! :goodvibes
Glad you could join - we still chuckle about the "wine notes"...
Great pictures as always Ellen. Looking forward to seeing/reading more of your Alaska adventure!
Thanks!
Oh wow! Your diving pictures are awesome! I would have never guessed so many wonderful opportunities for colorful and abundant sea life in Alaska. :thumbsup2 And your whale watching excursions looks wonderful. Love that they use pontoons for this. Must get to Alaska and enjoy all of this myself!
Book your Alaska cruise during your upcoming trip (making reference to your signature line...)
I really loved those excursion pictures! I have read about the snorkeling before but never seen pictures of it. It looked neat! How cold was it?

And so many eagles...wow. I didn't realize they'd be so easy to see! Counting down till next year!
Water was cool, but not freezing. Wet suits kept us warm. I could only really feel the cold on my forehead (forgot about it over time) and my fingers - I have really skinny wrists and water would leak in - but even that would not discourage me from going again! In Juneau, as we bused from port to glacier, we passed a river (creek?) bed, with the tide out - there had to have been 80+ eagles perched in the bed - even the driver was surprised.
 
Even with overcast sky, and many wonderful pictures from last year, I still ended up taking over 200 photos in Tracy Arm, a small subset of which you will see here.

Approaching Tracy Arm - I told myself that I was NOT going to spend 4 hours at the front of the ship this time. Instead, I spent 6, starting with this photo...

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People on deck, getting ready to watch the scenery go by. This year, the deck chairs were out and cast members were handing out small fleece blankets and warm beverages.

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Sailing by our first hanging glacier

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Always impressive blues and greens...

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This formation has a name as well - I wasn't paying attention - something about a bowl - we saw them in Glacier Natl Park the following week (pictures WILL be posted)

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Mountains, trees, ice

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The ice starts to get bigger

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We turn the corner, and there, in the distance, is a small patch of pale blue - Sawyer Glacier!

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Approach

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Interesting Ice (endless variations)

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Two eagles perched on top of tree (two white dots, about 60% down the picture, and about 60% the distance to the right)

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2012 version of "iconic Mickey Glacier...

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