Alaska 2024

National Geographic / Lindbland Alaska

Barbara and I joined our friends Pat and Jim to experience the Inner Passage of Alaska. This trip was on the heels of our Turkey trip (about a week) and a very different experience! This was incredible! A fairly small ship (100 participants and another 80 or so staff/crew) with a focus on nature and education.

The Trip

Our adventure started in Juneau Alaska – the capital of Alaska. We arrived a few days before the official tour – arriving on Wednesday night for the tour starting on Sunday. 3 full days of adventures. A delightful city that is impacted by the cruise ship industry. While it is a town of 32,000 it may have 6,000 visitors on any given day in the summer from the cruise ships. We arrived a few days before the official National Geographic tour began so we could explore Juneau. It was mostly grey and light rains. But this is a rainforest, so what would you expect?

View from our hotel room – there is an Eagle that “owns” the light post at the end of the dock.

On the first day we did a food tour “A Tour of Taste with Juneau Food Tours.” It was ok, it gave us a good first experience in the city. Pat/Jim arrived on Thursday. Friday was hiking, Saturday was driving around and the official ship launched on Sunday.

There is a tram that goes up the hill behind Juneau. The start is next to the cruise ship dock (surprise, surprise – it’s one of the most popular attraction for cruise ship participants!). You can see the trams going up/down behind the evil blight.

Top of the tram looking at the evil blights docked (the one on the right is the Disney blight) and there is one coming in.

Downtown Juneau

We spent a fair amount of time walking around Juneau and we began to learn about SEALASKA (South East Alaska). Especially the Tlingit (“Kling-kit”) native people. There are , and Tsimshian people. As usual, the natives were here for 10,000 years (or more). The Russians came in for the Otter skins (I REALLY understand the value of those Otter pelts. They are SO SOFT!) The Tlingit fought back, but eventually were driven off. But LOTS of Tlingit’s are in the region and very active in the community.

“The Tlingit of Sitka are part of the Shet’ka waan. In traditional Tlingit country, tribes (known as kwaans) control territories and the resources they contain. The clans that live within each kwaan organize into to moieties, or descent groups: Raven and Wolf/Eagle. Clans are made up of kingship-based clan houses. The Tlingit inherit their moiety and clan identify through their mother, and traditionally choose a spouse from the other moiety.”

From a sign in the cultural museum in Sitka.

Near the Cruise ship landing area are LOTS of shops. Of course the usual T-Shirt shops, but for some reason there were SO MANY jewelry shops. Do Cruisers like to buy jewelry? We didn’t buy any. There were also fudge shops, ice cream, food stands, place to buy chowder and crab legs. When the cruisers are not around, it’s a very nice town!

One of the big ships – Ovation of the Sea 16 levels holding almost 5,000 passengers.

At the whale project just north of downtown, a really great piece of art. The water effects came on every 15 minute or so (if the wind was down). “Tahku, the Alaska Whale Sculpture, is a life-scale bronze whale sculpture of a breaching humpback rising amidst waterworks from an infinity pool located on the waterfront.” Easy walking distance from our hotel.

From the tram, looking at Whale Sculpture park.

Pat and Jerry hiked up to the top of the tram and met Jim and Barbara (they took the easy way). It was about a 4+ mile hike with 1,700′ elevation gain. Fairly easy. We met a dumb grouse near the top.

We also walked up to see the site of the gold mine – well actually the building that housed the air pump for powering the equipment. Much like California, the main draw to Juneau was the gold rush.

The next day we took an Uber up to the airport and picked up a rental car to do a bit more traveling around. We went to the Mendenhall Glacier and the Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure.

Nugget falls

Devils Club – a delightful plant all over the place! Just don’t touch it, but it does have medicinal value so we purchased some paste. Makes everything better.

Did we mention it’s a rain forest? EVERYTHING likes to grow.

And as a surprise, Jerry and Barbara celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary! How the heck did that happen?

And then later in the trip, Jerry lost his wedding ring. Must have come off when he was removing a glove. Gone for good! Was it a sign?

National Geographic / Lindblad Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness

And on Sunday, we meet the staff and head to the ship.

This is our track from the ships bridge. The captain was very good about seeing animals or landscape and shifted the route to follow the needs…

On the floor in front of the Latte Machine… Our most important machine for the trip.

The lounge for presentations and hanging out.

The National Geographic Quest was our home for the next 7 days. I think there are 101 passengers and about 90 staff (including the crew, kitchen staff and the 10 or so naturalists). Our home was on the level above the yellow line, with a narrow balcony. It was on the other side, the third one from the right. Jim/Pat were one below us – two of the portholes near the back of the ship. The blue windows are the main meeting / viewing area. We met there for presentations, cocktail hour, and we would dash out to the front deck for viewing. We also could go up in the bridge at almost any time to watch from there (and to talk to the captain/crew). The back of the boat behind the blue glass was the dining room. It is a well designed ship!

And we were off. This is what the start of the tour on Sunday evening looked like. This was taken at 7:25pm. Maybe we’re a bit north of our “normal” sunset?

And finally sunset – at 9:05pm!!

Monday

Before breakfast we get the call to come to the bow and watch Orcas (Killer Whales). Well AND Humpback, but humpback are pretty common, so really come see the Killer Whales.

Ended up not seeing Killer whales on this first call to view, but we did see a number of humpbacks. I was taking a picture of the pretty lighthouse and up pops a whale. Not a great shot, but I’m happy.

So the whales are identifiable by their back fin. The edge shape and markings under are unique – so you can submit photos to “happywhale.com” and get feedback on a particular whale and track it as it’s spotted everywhere!!

Eagles. There are eagles EVERYWHERE. Not as bad as pigeons, but close. Maybe more ravens, and they are everywhere too. This one was perched near the lighthouse and spotted another eagle flying by. He called out his territorial squawk then got up and chased the other one (who, by the way, was just passing through). Really pissed. Went back to his tree to wait for the next invader.

We finally see the Killer Whales and get marginal pictures of them. But then they are gone and we head off to the Glacier!!

We spotted yet another blight passing by headed up to Juneau. Not caring that there are lots of animals nearby.

Nick and Lisa trying to get the microphone system to work on the deck. Barbara is standing behind them in the red hat.

The afternoon we head up to Dawes Glacier. We split the 100 participants into two groups and each group taking zodiacs out to get closer to the glacier at different times. We went first.

Things did not look great as we approached the region. Weather has been OK, but will this be all we see?

Weather was fine (but cold) as we take the zodiac out to see the ice. Veronica was our leader and we learn the style of wearing the PFDs.

We are about a mile? Two miles? from the glacier. The captain didn’t know the condition of the ice so was very cautious – it was the first time into this area this year.

Here is a map of where I took pictures during our visit. The yellow dot is the picture in the Veronica zodiac. The map is a Google map (part of Lightroom) and it thinks the glacier is MUCH further out. Or Veronica can drive a boat over ice.

We get close to the glacier wall and come in contact with icebergs that are a beautiful blue.

My favorite animal – Harbor Seals. They like to live on the ice close to the glacier – seems it’s safer to protect them against the evil killer whales. And they are so damn cute!

Eric leads one of the other zodiacs and is holding up a large invisible globe of air.

More harbor seals (actually the same as above, but from a different angle and with the dark one in frame).

And Dawes glacier does with it does best – perform! We saw a few calving and it was amazing! The sound was really striking and the wave following it was fairly strong!

Probably better in video, but you get the drift…

A better perspective on the size of the glacier

Tuesday

For our second full day we head to Petersburg. It’s a small fishing town in the middle of the inland passage

We docked – it was fun watching the docking procedure just after sunrise.

This is a day of activities on the shore. We were able to sign up for Bicycle rides, hikes, cultural walks, photography walks and zodiac tours. Barbara did the cultural walk with Will and won the “best of” event. I did the bicycle ride, photo walk and zodiac ride (with Barbara).

Lisa on the photo walk

Clearly the best is Loki’s Crane Service with their mascot in the passenger seat. His picture was below him…

On the biking tour

As one tour guide put it, “There are three ways to get to these cities: Fly, Boat or birth canal.” This container barge was the delivery method for all sorts of things – boats, trucks and food.

Things are different when the tide swing can be 15-25′. Boat repair is done at low tide – just leave the boat tied up!

The city has a strong viking / Norway heritage. So why not have a viking ship? (On a trailer).

Did we mention LOTS of fishing?

Wednesday

And we are out kayaking and hiking (depending on which group the order).

Megan with a banana slug. Different color from the ones we have in Bay Area

During the evening the ship pulled up to a delightful waterfall , so we all rushed out and took selfies!

The kayaks are pretty primitive and didn’t steer well. We did a double and after the adventure Barbara was pretty anti-kayaking.

The area was heavily logged in the past so the trees are pretty much the same size. Some big cables left behind.

Thursday

Another day with hiking and kayaking. And a delightful warm day!!

We went hiking first and went out to see a military gun used during WWII to protect against the Japanese. All rusted. Nice view!

Did I mention that it was a beautiful day?

Some of our group decided to take a “Polar Plunge” and get in the cold water. Decidedly crazy.

Kayaking was next and this time a much better experience.

Starfish were everywhere. So many pretty colors

Lisa taking pictures.

Then came the afternoon zodiac tour for wildlife and did we win!! In the distance Alex (our amazing naturalist / zodiac driver) spotted breaching humpback whales