http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , United States , Alaska , Inside Passage en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 22:25:01 +0000 Fri, 24 May 2013 22:25:01 +0000 Hello at last dear friends and familyI am sitting here in the greatest of luxury and happiness aboard the Alaskan ferry Columbia. I am in total bliss as I lie in my lounge chair on my thermarest with my grandmothers down comforter over me watching the most glorious land and waterscapes drift away behind us. Two humpbacked whales just bounded by minutes ago. I have not felt this relaxed and http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-781322.html This tour is by far one of our most popular tours. This is all individual travel within Alaska39s Inside Passage. We can take this same tour and change it to suit your taste. Any questions or comments just let me know. I39m more than happy to assist you and we have a total of 7 other Tour Specialists in our office standing by to help you.1495.00 PER PERSONDBLIncludes all Ferries Lodging http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-755848.html Today was a plain old sailing day. Kids packed off to Kids Club again about 10am and we spent the morning just watching the ocean pass us by. Had a game of dads against boys basketball before lunch. Those kids just don39t tire. Dads do. Hard to concentrate on the game given the setting.At 3pm the kids put on a talent show in the Crystal Room. Caitlin did her own little dance number and it w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-745998.html Decided to skip the text and just post some pictures that summarise our time in Alaska.scroll to bottom of page http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-745993.html Dropped anchor becoming a right old salt with all this naval lingo may invest in an eye patch and a parrot in Icy Straits Point this morning at dawn. You wont find it on the map. Look for Hoonan or Hoonah one or the other.Again the mist lifted but not as much so whole day was a little overcast but dry. The setting is really special. Heard other travellers comparing it to Milford Sound or Dusk http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-745332.html Last Day at SeaFinally we got treated blue skies and it was just in time for our last day at sea. Blue skies above and blue ocean all around it was so peaceful and the best way to end our cruise.. Entertainment included a staff talent show and a final comedy and musical show. At sunset there were a few Orca whales next to the ship and then what seemed to be hundreds of dolphins swimming just behi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-743627.html Icy Strait PointIcy Strait Point is close to Hoonah where one can find the the largest native Tlingit Indian settlement in Alaska. There is a historic mid 1900s salmon cannery which is now a museum andnot much else Oh I forgot the worlds largest ziprider is here too Its 163km long a 397m vertical drop and reaching up to 97kmph and 92m above t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-742059.html Day 5 The Tracy Arm Fjord Sept 4 2012Got up this morning to see our ship go through the Tracy Arm Fjord. Luckily for us the rainy weather held off until we left the glacier.After watching out the sides of the ship and taking many pictures of the glacier we headed up to our favorite spot on the ship which is the Viking lounge deck 11. Up there you can sit in very comfortable chairs and have a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-742012.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtMonday July 30 2012 Windfall Harbor to Gambier BayThe Garmin with its attendant sonar radar and chartplotter has about given up the ghost. I dont know whats wrong or how to fix it. I do have the Raymarine depthfinder but it gives me an alarm which I cant turn off. And the mascerator pump on the holding tank will not work and I spent t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-735188.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtSaturday July 28 2012 Tracy Arm Cove to Windfall Harborltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt I picked up a message on the SAT phone followed by a call to Keith brought news that Ruth is in the hospital with a pulmonary embolism. Our onboard doctor and friend encouraged us that now that she is being treated she is o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-734373.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtWednesday July 25 2012 Tracy Arm Cove to Fords Terror via North and South Sawyer Glaciers and Endicott Armltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt We mapped out a plan to go all the way up Tracy Arm view both glaciers come back and go up Endicott Arm as far as Fords Terror which required a 600 AM start in order t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-734356.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtSunday July 22 2012 Petersburg to Thomas Bayltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Nespers were delayed a little by fog somewhere in Alaska so Coalie our taxi driver took us on a tour of the parks and beaches surrounding Petersburg. Some of the high ground was muskeg boggy with little ponds that she said would swall http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-734337.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtJune 22 2012 Petersburgltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Weve been in town a couple of days and are headed out this afternoon with Tim and Denise aboard. Pictures show both sun and rain over the last couple of days. Weve resupplied done laundry posted blogs and put the grandkids on a plane for home. The boa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-732083.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtTuesday July 17th 2012 Red Bluff Bay to Cannery Cove in Pybus Bayltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt At 600 AM all is quiet and the morning sun flamed red off the bluffs as we exited into Chatham Straits and drew a single line to the entrance to the entrance of Chapin Bay. Since it was only twenty one miles we looked at other http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-731439.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtSunday July 16 2012 Red Bluff Bayltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Gwen and I put out shrimp pots closer to the Bays entrance and checked them once and moved them. I think we should have put them deeper. Kira and I kayaked over to find a mother bear and some cubs. Mom was very watchful and could see us from fa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-731208.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtSaturday July 15 2012 Sitka to Appleton Cove Twice a month a produce truck arrives by barge from Seattle and today is the day in Sitka. It was a small farmers market but the people were crowded around snapping up watermelon and sweet corn etc. while supplies lasted. Winds have kicked up outside the harbor which made pulling up t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-731204.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtWednesday July 12 2012 Hoonah to Baby Bear Cove Peril Straitltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Ruth had an 800 AM interview for a teaching job at WVHS and hearing one side of the conversation I conclude that she interviews very well. They called her back within an hour to tell her she had the job so there is joy on the lte http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-731200.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtTuesday July 11 2012 Neka Bay to Hoonahltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Rain pounded down all night but lessened by morning. A party of small explorers took Bullfrog and pushed up the Inlet found the river and went a long ways up into tide flats of rockweed and mussels and around corners skirting grass flats unt http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-730148.html ltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgtSaturday June 23 2012 Sandborn Canal to Tracy Arm Coveltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt There is not a cloud in the sky this morning as BJ and I sit reading and drinking coffee. I was up early enough to watch the bright sunlight spread across the peaks and seep down onto the water to rest on the bright white head o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-726684.html Thursday June 21 2012 Petersburgltstrong stylemsobidifontweight normalgt Today is the summer solstice the longest day of the year. I really cant say how long the days are. I went to bed at 1030 PM it was still light. There was plenty of light at 300 AM. I know that when the lights are out in the cabin its dark.It rained hard last night and by midmorning it and stopped and http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Alaska/Inside-Passage/blog-726678.html