Floating Thru Juneau

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Breakfast started again in the Lido, and again we had pretty much the same for breakfasts; which, we have been enjoying in the Lido, more so in fact that in the main dining room. I did indulge in some Eggs Benedict, and I probably should get them with salmon or crab meat; but, I simply enjoy the regular Eggs Benedict. And I of course had the Swiss Muesli as well. Sharon got the French Toast, since we are going out on the tour and some really crispy Turkey Bacon. Well her first piece was crispy and after she had eaten half of that she gave me the rest, and it was cooked perfectly. That’s when she realized that the other pieces she had gotten were not quite done the same, and it was back to eating turkey jerky for breakfast.

We stopped by the Explorer’s Lounge on the way back to our cabin to play today’s Sudoku Challenge. I finished both first; but, was a bit worried when my solution to the Hard puzzle required one of the more advanced elimination techniques not usually required of these puzzles. When Sharon finished her puzzles, I confirmed what I’d suspected, our answers weren’t the same, and then I confirmed what I’d feared, my answers weren’t right. Sharon then noted that “Gee, Isn’t that like two out of two days that I’ve beaten you?” I replied “That’s one way to look at it, I suppose. Or you could say that it’s two out of ten days that you’ve won.”

We got our picture taken by the eagle greeting passengers getting off of the Statendam. We’re on the tour taking the float trip by Mendenthal Glacier and traversing some Class 2 and Class 3 rapids. We had a very enthusiastic and engaging driver taking us up to the glacier lake that we started our float cruise on. On the way out of town, we encountered many eagles just standing in the open field, much as we had a week earlier on our whale watching tour that journeyed this same road out of Juneau. He told his one humorous story, obviously his favorite, as we drove past the International Airport. He told of a man and wife who came each year to the county fair, and each year the wife longingly eyed the helicopter ride that was being offered for $50 per couple. Although she would plead with her husband, and bat her eyes, it was all to no avail. The man refused each year balking at the price saying “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks!” After 20 years the pilot offering the helicopter rides went over to the couple and said, “What is the problem? I see you here every year, and we all know you want to go up in the helicopter.” The man just said “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks.” “Tell you what I’m going to do for you,” the pilot said. “I’ll give you a free flight, IF you don’t make a peep during the flight, not a single word.” The man agreed and they went up. The man and wife didn’t say a word, although the view from up there clearly took their breath away. The pilot thought, “Hmm. Maybe I underestimated them,” and began making wilder and wilder maneuvers, lunging forward suddenly, then screaming upwards towards the clouds, eventually doing a barrel roll, and dipping from side to side. But not a sound came over the headsets the pilot and his passengers were wearing. Eventually, the pilot conceded that they’d earned their free ride. Back on the ground the pilot said over the headset, “I’m impressed, how did you manage to keep quiet?” The woman replied over the headset, “It wasn’t easy when my husband fell out; but, Fifty bucks is fifty bucks!”

On the lake we had a chance that we both took to use “the facilities”. We’re talking the “bring your own toilet paper type” of facilities. One elderly woman described it as being pretty gross, and she didn’t look like someone who would normally use such terms; but, her description was not far off base. We’d been advised to bring a dry pair of socks for after the float trip. I decided not to wear my jacket on the trip and leave it in a storage bin that would be transported to our finish. That may not have been my best choice, as it was to be quite chilly on the slow paddle across the lake. We donned a full length hardy rubber pant suit bib to keep ourselves and clothes mostly dry. We left our shoes in the storage bin and put on oversized rubber boots. It took some effort on my part to get Sharon’s boots on her. I normally take a size 10 ½ and I had trouble getting the size 12 boots on my feet. Next we were ready for the float vests. Sharon was all bundled up in these multiple layers, arms flailing helplessly, and it reminded me of the scene in “Christmas Story” when Ralfie’s younger brother was dressed to walk to school in a blizzard… how did Ralfie describe his helpless brother: “Sort of like a slug.” Sharon needed a little help rolling into the float boat. There were six cruisers and one tour guide in our boat, and Sharon and I who were the last to board wound up in the front seat (where it’s likely to be the wettest). It was serenely peaceful heading across the lake beneath overcast skies a wisp of a breeze coming off the Mendenhal Glacier in front of us. The recently formed lake (last 150 years) comes primarily from glacial melt and has a high concentration of silt. Although the bus driver had warned against drinking the silt-ridden water, the guide didn’t think there was anything wrong with it, noting that you can’t taste the silt. Still, there is so much silt that it impairs visibility in its murky waters, and even the salmon avoid it. On the far side a glacial falls abounded with water pouring into the lake. These falls are only about 75 years old, resulting from the glacier that is receding here at about 35 feet per year. The glacier had once extended all of the way to the falls. This area is a wilderness area, meaning that it is to be free of motors or engines or chainsaws and the like. Our guide told of someone who rode a jet ski up as close as you could get to the glacier, and the park ranger was not a happy camper when he caught up with that individual. On the far side of the lake at the entrance to the river we were surprised to be about a dozen and a half individuals, most on the side but some out in the river by some rocks marking the middle of the channel. And beyond that a couple of people were watching in what was clearly a motor boat. We then realized that some of the people were actually in the 34 degree water, and swimming short distances in the rapidly moving water. They appear to be a search and rescue squad out practicing. They appeared to finish as be moved into the channel that they’d been traversing, and all were up on the bank except for the two in the motorboat. We waved as we went by. The silt-laden water moved swiftly downstream and we made our way down the meandering stream, past homes with some incredible views. Several faced the glacier directly. Our guide said that these set of homes would sell for about $600,000.

At one point the Mendenhal Creek that we were on merged with another stream. During the upcoming summer salmon would be running here; although, none have been seen yet this year. The King Salmon would be the first to return. Our guide told us the “hand-trick” to remember the different types of salmon. First, the “Thumb”, rhymes with “Chum” hence “Chum Salmon”. Second, the fore finger is for poking someone in the eye; hence, “Sockeye Salmon”. The longest of your fingers, the middle finger, denotes “King Salmon”. The ring finger, think precious metal such as silver; so, “Silver salmon” and finally the pinkie finger for “Pink Salmon”. Just in case this is a trivia question someday, I suppose! Sharon took her camera on the float trip and we got quite a few pictures up to the point that we approached the rapids. Our guide offered to put cameras in his dry bag, and we decided to take him up on that. He had asked “How wet do you want to get?” Our group’s response was “Somewhat wet.” The choices are “Not wet at all,” or “Somewhat wet” or “Soaking wet”. I was in the middle group as well; but, if I had it to do over again, especially if it were a hot day, I would go with the “Soaking wet” option… I’m just saying. Our guide, said that he could live with that choice; which, I take it that he would have preferred a more adventurous group. The rapids began just beyond a bridge and the white water was quite turbulent; but, really no apparent rocks or obstacles to worry about to the uninitiated eyes. The guide had instructed us as to five different commands that he might find it necessary to employ. Cautioning us not to hold onto the black rope draped over and around the outside of the craft… “If you do grab on to this rope, you will go in the water.” The first command is “Bump”, which means that you better hold on to your seat. The second command was “Bounce” which means there may be a bump, and he wants us to expect a bump, hold on to our seats, and to bounce up and down to give the craft some extra momentum for clearing any shallow rocks (of which there did not appear to be any today). Another command might be “High-side” (either “Left” or “Right”) meaning that we were to shift our weight to one side or the other to help avoid flipping the craft. “Shift, without pushing anyone into the water”, he added. That’s his rule number one, “Don’t go into the water.” If you do, he was worried he might need to go in and get you. He said that if you do go into the water, float in the safe position, head and feet up with feet downstream to protect against hitting rocks. Get along the side of the craft he said, “Where I will dunk your head underwater once for not following Rule #1 and then a second time to get some momentum to pull you back onboard.” Through the first set of white water the front went up and then down into a void and some water poured over the front side chilling my bare forearm. The next one splashed Sharon square in the face. It was about this time our guide said, “Oh yes,… bump!” We went over the next bit of turbulent water sideways and the lady behind Sharon got drenched. One of the commands that he’d instructed us on was just for the two people behind us. “Oar” meant for them to lean forward to avoid getting hit by to oar movement, possibly due to control of the oar being lost. We then headed towards the up and down roller coaster like part of the rapids, with white water visible from side to side. Downstream from us an overhanging tree provided the perch for the photographer taking pictures of us as we bounced by. Then, just as quickly as it had started, the rapids calmed into a peaceful meandering stream making its way the last few files to the ocean. It seemed like the eagles were everywhere as we floated down. At one point 5 of them were circling over us for a long time and a few flew right over our heads in the raft. When we got to the stopping point they had some reindeer sausage and salmon treats while we waited for the bus driver. We had a difference driver on the way back and this one was very quiet. When we got back to the ship they were adjusting the gangway because of tides so we decided to take the time to head to the Alaska Fudge Company. We’re still enjoying the results of that visit.

We headed for the Dive-In to grab our typical lunch, and then to the Crow’s Nest to stake out our area for Team Trivia. Our teammates John and Leah came up with “Johnson” as the Canadian sprinter that was disqualified during the 1968 Olympic Games, and I came up with “Ben”. And our teenage teammate Katrina confirmed “MC Hammer” as the rapper, a name that Leah thought might be right; but, Sharon and I were lost. I knew which state is allowed to fly its flag at the same height as the US Flag, so I was disappointed when Ross turned this into a multiple choice question: Florida, Texas, Alaska, or Hawaii. Everyone guessed “Texas”. Sharon knew what country has the longest stretch of straight railway (about 250 miles), and I think our team was the only one to get this one right. It probably would have been the US, if not for a law requiring turns at least every twenty miles. Russia and China were popular choices, and I think one team picked Zimbabwe because of Ross’s nationality. As Sharon and I learned on a previous cruise it’s near Perth and the Outback in Australia. We got all fifteen regular questions right and it came down to the bonus question: “What performer in the Berlin Opera House received the most repeated curtain calls (over 150) in 1988?” The clue was clearly “opera house”, so our choice of Michael Jackson was probably not well founded. Our teammate did come up with Pavarotti, but it was after Ross had said “Pencil’s Up.” We lost this to two teams who got the bonus right but missed “Australia” and they had to vie in the tiebreaker, “How long is the Great Wall of China?” They chose 1,200 miles and 3,000 miles. Who do you think was closer? The answer was 1,350 miles!

We were seated promptly this evening, sitting for the first time in the center section and dining with one other couple. I think Sharon has been getting tired of sitting with just me these past two evenings; so, she’ll have new friends to make tonight. I had the bay shrimp salad for my first course and Sharon ordered me the five onion soup, which was creamy and quite good. I also wanted to try the lentil and cannellini bean soup and the lady dining with us noted that I must like soups. Sharon confirmed “You have no idea.” The bean soup, with cinnamon, was also very tasty, and one that I’d never had before; nor, had I imagined that cinnamon would work with beans, but this was very nice. I tried the vegetarian curry cutlet; while, Sharon had the everyday steak and baked potato. My dish was tasty; but, not quite the spiciness I was hoping for, and the vegetable cutlet was interesting and a little bit heavy. I ate most of it but not all. We both had the Baked Alaska with coffee ice cream and white chocolate fudge. The Baked Alaska’s are made each dinner with a different type of ice cream and a choice of three different sauces. The other two sauces tonight were a whiskey caramel and a raspberry sauce. Tonight they served the Baked Alaska in a crème Brule ramekin.

Tonight’s Show featured the four male singers around a story where three of them have just lost the fourth person in their quartet, and one of them has invited a friend to audition. The go through various 1950’s and 1960’s songs, touching on the Beach Boys and having a good time. In the end, they go on stage at the venue that they are playing and give a great performance from the Four Seans.



The casino didn’t open until well after the show ended this evening, so Sharon and I simply went to bed.

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