ALASKA!!!!! Part 5 of 5 Last night on the ship then Juneau

The last night. Oh my... 

Dining crew lines up for introductions and hearty applause. My goodness, they fed us well!

Marty, Cultural Liaison, leads us to the last night's surprise dessert buffet

One last hug from one of our favorite dining crew, Ashley

Polar Plunge Award Ceremony

Yes, I am now a member of the Killer Whale Club!

Where we went and what all we saw!

 The ship docked and it was time to explore Juneau

One more trail - the Gold Creek Flume Trail

I ran, Kendall & Steve walked, and off the trail and into the neighborhood we found the niftiest Little Free Library decorated with bottle caps and dog license tags. And even better: inside there was a Mackinac Island fudge shop mystery book! (Of course I took it - and came back later to replace it with a book I'd brought along on the trip.)

A block from the Little Free Library - the capitol building!

 Juneau is filled with artistic touches
 

Steve attempts to pose for the painting

 Lots of museums too

Of course the basketry interested me - the finest weaving I've ever seen.

Leave it to Kitty to find the fish!

There was much to make us smile

The town is built along a mountain. Deal with it!

 

 ...and there you have it!

Very very happy voyagers!

ALASKA!!!!! Part 4 Glacier Bay National Park!

Cruise Days 6 and 7
Glacier Bay National Park: Magnificent! A park ranger and a Tlinget cultural liaison came on board and we were filled with information about the park and native history - and answered every question thrown their way. A great couple of days!

Kayaking up to Reid Glacier (Steve & I kayaked; Kendall photographed)

Lots of critters


 

Big Bear has a friend!

It's a sea otter - we saw lots - turns out they're hard to photograph

Simon, the ship's naturalist, is a great photographer!

 The very active Marjorie Glacier - calve (from above) and shoot (from below!)
 

Then it was time for some solid earth - and a hike (run for me!) at Glacier Bay National Park Headquarters on the Forest Trail plus a visit to the Tribal House.

 From the ocean-side and into the lush rain forest...

 

Wild blueberries!!!

Tree spirits

 

Tribal House

ALASKA!!!!! Part 3 Taku Harbor and lots to do!

Cruise Day 5 - Taku Harbor

What better way to start the day than with a run - a rarity while on the Chichigof Dream. But we woke up at the dock at Taku Harbor and the door (hatch?) was open! I asked if I could run: first crew member said sure; the night pilot said welllllll - we've been here when there were bears on the dock and bears scratching their backs against the tree stumps along the shore; then the captain came down and said just stay where there are other people around...which meant the dock. So a dock run it was! 'Twas a t-shaped dock, so down the long dock and back, turn right, u-turn to the end, u-turn to the other end, then a right back down the long dock. Over and over and over again. (Apparently Kendall and his camera were on bear watch from the upper deck!)

After running, kayaking!




























Then a bit of hiking

 

And the grand finale' for Taku harbor: The Polar Plunge!  Invigorating!!!