Too Much Happening

The Alaska Marine Highway system is absolutely amazing! We have been on and off the ferries for a week now and we keep having wonderful experiences. The beautiful sunny weather that greeted us in Ketchikan has continued all week; a real gift for this part of the world. As a result we have been able to see the superb scenery. We have also been treated to an up close and personal interaction with First Citizen and Native American culture that is not often possible for casual travelers. 

First a word about my “hero”. Our FB friends saw my post about Butch backing the travel trailer down the ramp (at low tide) and onto the ferry at Ketchikan. He achieved Rock Star status with the other passengers and earned his 15 minutes of fame. Because of an event in Juneau, the ferry was going to fill to capacity during stops between Ketchikan and Juneau. The crew and loading staff were trying to get it loaded for optimum space and they asked Butch if he could back on.  He said he could and off we went with the entire population watching. He was cool but I was a wreck!

The event in Juneau is the bi-annual Celebration, an occasion for the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people to get together to “Weave traditional knowledge into our future”. Thousands of people attend and there are venues all over town. From Ketchikan to Juneau, the ferry was picking up native peoples and our ferry was like a huge cultural fair. The dancers and singers practiced on the Solarium deck and even without their costumes, they were extraordinary. It was so cute to watch the little ones dancing on their own and the mothers and fathers dancing with their babies. At each stop, new groups came on and they would engage in “call-and- response” singing to greet each other. In the observation lounge the women spread out beautiful textiles that they were working on for the festival. Some were still making costumes, others weaving baskets or making jewelry. The teenagers were mostly talking on their cell phones or playing video games but they were sweet kids and we enjoyed them.

We also had a good time getting to know Ron and Nancy Sanford, who are professional travel writers and photographers who specialize in Denali. They have a lovely book, “Denali…..after 50 years” that tells the story, with photographs, of their time there (1963-2012). They have a one week permit to take their vehicle into the back country and were on their way to take advantage of it. We hope to meet up again.

Our cabin on the ferry for the overnight run was very comfortable. It had its own little bathroom with shower and a nice big window. The cafeteria meals were definitely not gourmet but were good enough. This is a great way to travel.

Continuing to Juneau for more marvels. We are camped at a National Forest CG at Mendenhall Glacier Lake. It has full facilities and about three other campers! We took the two mile walk up to the waterfall and the base of the Glacier along with four or five tour buses full of other people but it was fun. It is possible to put canoes & kayaks on the lake and paddle up to the glacier as well. On Thursday we flew over to Gustavus to meet the shuttle van for Glacier Bay National Park. We spent the night at the NP Lodge in order to get on the all-day Glacier Bay tour boat. This was truly a PEAK experience.

The Lodge is lovely with great (but pricey) meals and the NP Visitor’s Center is upstairs. They have lots of exhibits, movies, and Ranger programs. We went for a hike, had dinner on the porch overlooking the Bay, and caught the evening Ranger presentation on the geology of the park.  Friday was an absolutely flawless day. Mountain peaks 100 miles away looked as if you could touch them and the boat trip was incredible. In addition to constant breathtaking scenery we saw lots of whales, sea otters, seals, birds of all kinds (including puffins), mountain goats and a very fine grizzly bear. It is no wonder this bay is called the Galapagos of the North.  It is teeming with wildlife. It is also highly restricted and access is limited to 25 boats per day, of which only two can be cruise ships. Many of the most spectacular coves are off limits to the larger boats (which couldn’t turn around in them anyway).

Tlinget young lady dancing.

First group of dancer-singers (later the deck was full)

 

Dancers in costume

 

Our cabin on the ferry

 

Our room at Glacier Bay Lodge

 

Cove on Glacier Bay

We returned to Juneau last night and the flight back was also spectacular. Our TT was intact and we were happy to crawl back in our own bed. This morning we awoke to pouring rain. ‘Nough said!