We are shortly to board our flight to Heathrow from Vancouver. I think we’ve arrived and departed from this city by all options…ship, plane and train ! Seattle was chaotic this morning, a 20 minute flight taking many hours with waiting and delays. We had to pay for a lounge, which frankly wasn’t worth it, the sheer volume of noise set us both on edge. We were both glad to leave the USA and arrived in complete contrast, and total calm, back into Canada. Next stop UK and Prime Thyme. We hope to have dinner this Saturday night with the crew of nB Huffler, a blogger we’ve been following for years, who are staying near the Anchor Pub.

Our last full day of the cruise, and end of the Canadian / Alaskan part of our trip…..and an extra special one at that. We finally caught up with my third cousin Anabelle and her husband William. We last met 40 + years ago in England, we both vividly remember going for a drive in my Citroen 2CV to a pub, and I’ve always felt a bond with my Canadian cousin. It was so great that they flew across Canada to spend one day with us, and what’s more we recognised each other immediately!

The docking procedure seemed to take ages, but eventually the shuttle bus dropped us off at the Empress Hotel where Annabelle and William met us. After a stroll thru the city we picked up a vintage Leica lens and hood in a local camera shop, whilst William found a Pentax lens, being a keen photographer as well. Coffee and cake were followed by a bookshop, then it was Hazels turn in a Yarn shop called the beehive. A few skeins were purchased along with a pattern that both girls admired….so who’s going to finish theirs first ?

After a pit stop in their condo/hotel it was back to the Empress for a celebratory drink, the dinner at the Blue Crab over looking the harbour and watching the seaplanes land. A great ending to a great day, let’s hope we don’t wait as long before our next meeting ❤️❤️

We had a midday arrival today, and the town was overrun with 3 other cruise ships. Luckily our shore excursion was elsewhere….the misty fjords no less.

Our boat took us along conifer clad shores, with bays and islands similarly clad. Despite valiant attempts to find wildlife, nothing….after an hour of this I was beginning to think we’d picked the wrong tour.

New Eddystone Island marked the entrance to a change in scenery, as the shores closed in and mountains loomed ahead.

Then around a corner this majestic granite wall towered over us ! Just spectacular, with conifers clinging on and ribbon waterfalls.

We cruised around for 2 hours, trying to take it all in !

Then it was time to turn around and head back, a different way but just as spectacular. The tour included a local native artist, who gave a rambling, but informative view of his tribe, nation and society. So all in all a worthwhile trip after all. I just wish I’d bought all the camera gear, but the Leica V Lux doesn’t do to bad a job 👍 A day at sea tomorrow.

A late start this morning, as we had an afternoon shore excursion, and the ships crew had an exercise drill where all services were suspended.

So out of the ships mooring area to the main activities area via the free sky lift. There were numerous gift shops, but not a lot of original and/or local products available.

Onto our self drive ATV tour, with numerous waivers and discussion’s about safety, but then we were expected to fasten 4 point safety harness and GO….er the steering wheel is on the wrong side…..😁

We had 3 stops with a very informative guide explaining the local fauna, (bears and more bears), and flora. He also related two of the local tribes stories, which bought the excursion alive.

All too soon our 2.5 hours were up….but we did spot some Eagles, and a Whale on or return. Thankfully I’m feeling a lot better, and managed the excellent afternoon tea on our return.

Not much to write about today 😁 We sailed to the Hubbard Glacier in the perfect day……..blue skies with the wind gently blowing the ice to one side. This is extremely rare, so we got so close that there were small icebergs around us !

There was a small ship ahead of us, oh no it’s quite large…..it’s Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth. We’re smaller and shallower draft, so ‘scuse us as we muscle in front…..

We then proceeded to spin around right in front of the ice for an hour or so, photobombing all those shots taken from the QE

An early start saw us back on a train, this time the White Horse and Yukon Railroad. Our trip today was to follow the route the 49ers took getting to the Yukon goldfields from Skagway

Starting thru the conifer forests we climbed upwards towards the snow line, seeing the rail tracks in the distance, high up on the mountain.

The further we got the colder it was, with snow on the peaks flowing down gully’s towards us.

By now we were reaching Dead Horse Gulch. The 49ers had to drag a ton of supplies up to the USA / Canada border before being allowed to proceed further. It saved a lot of miners later on, but thousands of horses died doing it, as a horse was cheaper than the hay it needed.

Once over the pass we were into a very bleak landscape. The 49ers had to build rafts and float down rivers and lakes, before making their way to Dawson City. Some did strike it rich, but many turned back, died or had to go elsewhere to seek their fortune.

After visiting a suspension bridge we made our way back to the ship, via a coach. The high markers are to guide the snow ploughs, (white and your ok, red and your dead), they can get 14 foot of snow in a single fall, and up to 40 foot over winter.

We cruised into our mooring this morning, passing whale sign and misty mountain tops.

Mickey, the Disney Ship was moored alongside with Seabourne Odyssey, so we anchored and tendered into port. Our mission today was whales, we’ve been on a number of whale watching ships and never spotted one….

Straight away we sighted a mother and calf humpback whale….success, we trailed a few others but apart from the back there’s not a lot to see. Onto the Sealions, roaring and splashing it was a good sized colony, and being upwind the smell wasn’t bad.

There were some spectacular views of 3 glaciers, including the Mendenhall Glacier we visited yesterday.

We finally got a fluke dive on the way home, but I missed it wth the camera due to feeling a bit rough…..yes I’ve got the cruise cold again, thankfully not Covid 19, but it’s a bit annoying getting one every cruise !

Juneau this afternoon had changed a bit….3 more Cruise ships had docked, including this block of flats with 5000 passengers. Not only was it too crowded, but hustlers were out totally spoiling any atmosphere. We still managed to find a wool store for H and some fisherman friends for me, so all good.

Welcome to Alaska and the USA ! First stop the appliance store for a razor, sorry sir can no do, but lots of handguns and shotguns for sale on the front counter ! He directed me to the hardware store, one electric razor left and duly purchased, phew my face feels a lot safer already.

Next up our premium Glacier experience. We were a bit unsure about booking this after our Athabasca Glacier visit in Canada. 10 of us were escorted onto a tin jet boat, thankfully the cabin provided some shelter from the drizzle, and it wasn’t overly warm. With twin Cummins 500hp diesels it got up on the plane, and we shot off into the mist.

The gloomy skies provided excellent light for photos, with any colour popping. Conifer trees crowded down to the water, with the bare rock crossed in quartz veins.

I spotted a line of white, ICE. We got closer and closer to some isolated icebergs….Titanic jokes abounded….

Then we were in the thick of it, yes the boat is built for this, as we bumped our way through bands of ice following a twisting river course.

Then around another corner was Mendenhall Glacier, with some impressive bergs bobbing around.

I think I took about 400 photos, a truely memorable trip ! To finish the day a bald Eagle perched on a pylon beneath us whilst having afternoon tea…

We had a good sail away from Vancouver yesterday, with smooth seas along the inner passage. I think the crew is new, as it’s not as slick service as when we were on Riviera, plus the ship is notably smaller so you have to queue a little. We’ve met some interesting people whilst having coffee or fixing internet problems, and bumping into ex Rocky Mountainer guests.

I started our first sea day with an hour long stationery bike ride, whilst Hazel knitted amongst the craft group in the Horizon’s lounge. This is a favourite haunt of ours, with a panoramic view over the bow. We both attended the “Gold” lecture as Alaska has such a history with the 3 gold rushes, and we’ll be visiting a number of old towns/ports involved in them.

I finished up with a couple of K’s around the walking track, 13 laps equals 1 nautical mile. The exercise was in anticipation of an excellent dinner in the speciality Italian diner Toscana, and it didn’t disappoint.

Tomorrow we will be in Wrangell, for our Premium Glacier Discovery tour, and hopefully find me a new razor….yes my brand new one from Australia fell apart this morning. The concierge gave me toiletries pack with an old fashioned razor blade, I’m recovering quite nicely from all the shaving nicks thank you !

Our view, and ride, this morning strolling along Canada Place

It’s fairly quiet this morning as she’s a small ship, compared to the 2500 block of floating flats……..as usual there’s a disclaimer on my blog posts due to interrupted wifi onboard. As we are boarding early I’ll try and get some interior shots whilst still in port.

Quick Update

All checked in and luggage sorted. It’s a lovely ship, cabin 7037 looks good.