Alaska, Trains and Boats and Planes Day 5 Juneau

[Guest]

The Cast;
Me... Beryl (grumpys wife)
DH... Pete (love of my life, honest)
DSIL...Diane (nuttychick)
DB... Dave
27th May 2008

What a day! Started with Pete and Dave going on a trip by seaplane over the Glaciers. Diane and I didn't fancy a ride in a little plane so we played safe and stayed on board. We did go up on deck though and waved them off.



As we didn't go, and Pete found my new camera a bit awkward to use the following photo's of their trip are courtesy of my brother Dave.

















When they came back they told us what they had seen. Pete told me that hew will never forget the trip and the sight of the Glaciers from the air almost took his breath away. The snow looked like powder and was untouched and the lakes of water looked so blue and crystal clear. I hope, in the circumstances, he can remember this for a long time. I am so glad that he done this trip.
In the afternoon we all went on a Whale watching trip. This is something I really love as whales are a passion of mine. Well I wasn't disappointed. I have been lucky enough to have been Whale watching in Cape Cod Massachusetts, Monterrey Bay California and Telegraph Cove, Vancouver Island. Each time we have been, Diane and Dave have gone with us.
However, I do believe this one in Juneau was THE most wonderful setting you could ever ask for. The water was like a mill pond (always a blessing if you don't like boats, like me) and the setting, well, I always said that Yosemite National Park was the most beautiful place on earth I had ever been, I call it "Gods garden" but this trip in Juneau, well, I think it surpasses it for natural beauty. You are surrounded by mountains, snow covered mountains. At times, while we were waiting to spot a Whale, the silence was deafening. There must have been about 100 on our boat but you could have heard a pin drop. it was a setting I will have with me for the rest of my life.
We did indeed see "my" Whales, about five Humpbacks, although none of them were very active at the time we saw them.





We were also very lucky to see a brown bear,
The quility of the next two photo's isn't that good due to the fact that I need a tripod when I use the zoom.



to be continued;

[Guest]

We also saw quite a few very playful seals





We headed back to the dock just taking in the beauty of the mountains and the Glaciers,









After leaving the boat our coach took us back to town and we stopped at the Mount Roberts Tramway which I had promised Dave I would do. Now... if you knew me you would know that I don't like;
Boats
Sheer drops from the side of roads!
and
Litttle boxes that hang on a piece of string that go up and down the sides of mountains!
Guess what Mount Roberts Tramway is.
Well, I kept my promise and my eyes shut and we ended up at 1800 feet. See, the worse thing when you have gone up these things is that you have to come down again! Anyway it was worth it. The view was fantastic,

our ship;









this silly person threw himself off the top,



and this beauty was waiting at the top to see us,



Also, as a reward, ha ha, up at the top was a shop, what a surprise and guess what I found? A beautiful glass Beluga Whale ornament which was purchased for me by DH, grumpy, Pete xx

[Ste]

Amazing!

[ali-s]

I'm loving these reports, sounds a beautiful setting for a cruise.

[luxorsun71]

Wow Beryl,what an amazing day. The piccies are fantastic. Glad you saw your whales What a beautiful place and well done for going up in the cable car, must confess I'd be like you,keep my eyes shut till we got to the top

[*source*]

That sounds like one amazing day!

Were there many kids on the cruise Beryl...? We were speaking about this at breakfast this morning and thinking that we are really spoiled for wildlife up here anyway! We see seals daily and there are often otters about! We had killer whales swimming by last summer and some rare bird spotted nowhere else in the UK is apparently living here too! (I also had to get DH to come into the garden last night at midnight to help me get a lamb back to it's mother so they would both stop baa-ing and let me get some sleep! ) Aside from the wildlife is the experience still worth it?

[Dreamers]

Looks and sounds a wonderful experince, somewhere never really thought of until now, thank you, great pics

[Guest]

Breath taking scenery. I'm glad the bears and whales showed up for you. It really sounds like a trip of a lifetime and your enjoyment comes across. Thanks for sharing.

Susie xx

[Jools]

You wouldn't have got me in that tiny plane either What lovely photos Dave took though.

You were dead brave doing that tramway Another fantastic report.

[Guest]

wow beryl, what an amazing day, pete was so brave and you toothat scenery was out of this world, great job pal xxx