Alaska Cruise

Vancouver Wrangell Sitka Skagway Glacier Bay
At Sea Seward Valdez Yakutat Bay Juneau
Ketchikan Victoria Ship General Items Travel Log

Travel Log, page 3

6/14/02 AM Sitka

This cruise far exceeds my expectations. I was very skeptical of cruises, formal dinners, clothing restrictions, gambling and drinking. This cruise ship has no clothing restrictions, no gambling, and no evidence of excessive drinking. The people on this cruise want to be here to learn. The lectures and educational tours are very popular. Several people have told us that there is a different culture on this ship, compared with other cruises. It's great!

Unfortunately for the cruise line, but good for us, there are only 420 passengers out of a capacity of 739. It is easier to eat, attend lectures and activities, and disembark the ship, etc.

Today is Sitka, with a boat ride specifically looking for animals.

There is no dock here for cruise ships, so we will soon anchor. Tender ships will take us to shore.


6/14/02 PM Sitka

Today was almost too beautiful to describe. It brings tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat when I think about describing the scenes today.

The ship arrived in Sitka at 7:00am. We had breakfast on the ship, then took a tender to the dock in Sitka. There are three cruise ships in the bay (ours, one from Celibrity Lines, and Statesdam from Holland America). We walked through town and then about one mile out of town, to a raptor center. They rescue and provide medical help to raptors, often eagles. They take raptors to schools in all 50 states.

At noon we took a three hour trip on a fast boat, with about 40 people. We saw sea otters, humpback whales, a minke whale (spotted first by Mom/Mary), harbor seals, stellar sea lions, and eagles. The background for all this was snow covered mountains. It was warm and sunny; absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!! Breathtaking. Sea Otters, hunted for their hides, decreased to a low of 200 world-wide. They now number 100,000. Sea Otters have a pouch under each arm pit for storing a flat stone used for breaking shells for eating the meat.

It is now 3:45 Alaska time. In one hour there is a lecture on glaciers.

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