Family Cruise to Alaska

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Wednesday, 14 June 2006 - Arrived in Juneau early with mountains all around. Spent a busy day exploring , Cal on a photo tour and Mary on a rafting tour. Hiked to Mendenhall Glacier saw retreating ice and deep glacial lakes, then spotted Bald Eagles and seals from the boatyard. In the afternoon enjoyed a helicopter ride onto the Juneau Icefield walked on the glacier, and finished the day with a classic Alaskan salmon bake including a surprise reunion with an old friend from high school

Again we sailed during the night and woke up in port, this time Juneau. Gold discovered in Gold Creek by Richard Harris and Joe Juneau helped establish the town. In 1912 the capital was moved from Sitka to Juneau.

This was a busy day with Cal going one way on a photo tour and Mary going on a rafting tour. We were all over Juneau.

alaska2006 — From the deck of the ship was a beautiful view of the mountains surrounding Juneau.

alaska2006 — Virginia Ann and Cal on the rear deck with the mountains of Juneau in the background.

alaska2006 — Cal went off on his own with a photo excursion. The excursion began with a hike up to Mendenhall Glacier.

This stream was one of several we crossed on our path.

alaska2006 — Mendenhall Glacier has been retreating at the rate of 25 to 30 feet per year. During the hike to the glacier we passed markers showing where the glacier was back to the early 1900's. The glacier is 12 miles long stretching way back into the Juneau ice field.

alaska2006 — Mendenhall Glacier close up. The wall of ice is 100 feet high and the lake is 200 feet deep. The ice flows at a rate of 2 feet per day so after 12 miles the ice we are looking at is 150 years old.

alaska2006 — Virginia Ann, Liz, Mary and Cal at Mendenhall Glacier visitor center.

alaska2006 — After the Mendenhall Glacier the photo trip went to the channel islands of Juneau.

There were several Bald Eagles in the boatyard looking for easy fish.

alaska2006 — While Bald Eagles were flying about, Cal was able to get this shot of one flying in the boatyard.

alaska2006 — Once on the water the goal was to spot whales. We spotted several but only a few good pictures. Here is the classic shot of a tail while the whale dives.

Sadly a great picture was lost when a whale leaped from the water and crashed back down. There were 15 photographers including the guide and none of us get the shot of a whale in midair.

alaska2006 — Seals really like buoys. Here several take a nap with a glacier in the background.

alaska2006 — Back in the boatyard where the Bald Eagles continued to watch for a meal.

alaska2006 — In the afternoon we went on helicopter ride up to the Juneau ice field where many glaciers begin their journey to the sea.

Virginia Ann in the helicopter's front seat enjoying the view. The trip included a taped tour on the way out and then the pilot provided a running dialog on the sights.

alaska2006 — Here a glacier is growing and knocking down trees as it expands.

alaska2006 — Virginia Ann and Cal on the glacier. The helicopter landed on a small flat area and we were able to walk around for about a half hour. It was an amazing experience being on a river of ice.

Notice the overshoes. We were not allowed to bring anything with us but a camera, no purses or camera bags. This is to keep trash off the glacier.

alaska2006 — Glacier up close - the blue color is because the pressure of the ice flow compresses the ice into a crystalline form which is blue. The water is very pure. On the glacier we broke off some ice and it had no impurities.

alaska2006 — Another glacier closeup.

alaska2006 — A river of ice.

alaska2006 — The ice field in the distance and the first turns in the glacier in the foreground. In the ice fields the ice is all white with no cracks. Then as it flows around mountains it breaks up into ridges.

alaska2006 — Mary went on a raft trip along the river leading from the Mendenhall Glacier.

alaska2006 — This is Vernon and Melissa who Mary met on the rafting trip. They were great fun and joined us on the ship several times during the remainder of the cruise.

alaska2006 — In the evening we went to an Alaskan salmon bake. The site was along this stream. The food was great.

alaska2006 — Unbelievably Mary met Sarah, an old friend from High School at the salmon bake. Cal and Mary knew Sarah in High School.

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