Alaska in August
By jhbren
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We've been back from Alaska for just a week, and I miss it. But we brought back over 6000 photos, and have managed to sort, label, winnow, and dh has printed the 200 "best of" collection.
Journaling:
In summer of 2009, we escaped the heat and humidity of Maryland, and headed to Alaska. Cruise West’s Coastal Odyssey tour sailed from Whittier, cruised the northwest coast, crossed the Gulf of Alaska, and threaded the Inside Passage to Vancouver, British Columbia. Even in Alaska, some days were hot – up to 87°F on the aft deck. The Spirit of Oceanus can navigate waters that larger ships can’t visit, and took its passengers close to amazing glaciers. In Barry Arm, off Prince William Sound, we climbed into zodiacs, and explored the fields of ice spreading from Cascade, Barry, and Coxe Glaciers, as we searched for harbor seals resting on bergie bits, and kept one eye on the glaciers to spot calving, splashing ice. During the cruise, we spotted sea otters feasting on sea urchins, and many varieties of birds, including gulls, terns, kittiwakes, puffins, and murres. Dave and I took the sea kayaking excursion in Sitka, and paddled about three and a half miles, up into a small river with spawning salmon and hungry eagles, and across Sitka Sound, against the wind. In Endicott Arm and Frederick Sound, we spotted humpback whales, and approached them in zodiacs. And in Misty Fjords, the zodiacs allowed us to see a brown bear fishing for salmon, about 35 yards away.
Alaska is my favorite destination for COOL adventures!
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