Review and Photos of Denali May 18-19 and Carnival Spirit Cruise SB, May 20-27, 2009

[Falcons07]

 

In Sitka, we are scheduled to do a trip with Captain Davey to see Sea Otters and whales. It is a small boat...only takes 6 passengers so we're very excited. We have to meet him at 7:30 am though so I'm hoping they won't hold us up getting off. (We did book it privately - not through the ship). He said it works out fine though so I'm trusting that all will go well.

 

 

 

Did you enjoy the Chilkoot Tours 7.5 hour tour? We are also scheduled to do that and have included the 15 minute dog carting too (for my daughter!).

 

Thanks again!

 

HI,

 

We were on the cruise with Bimmermom..she is absolutely delightful !

 

As for getting off the ship early in Sitka, they gave out' Tender numbers' early in the morning in one of the lounges. I do know that some people who were not on Carnival tours were at the lounge early and were able to get their 'sticker' for the first tender. But as Bimmermom said, Capt. Davey will wait.. so don't worry.

 

As for Chilkoot, we were on that tour with the Bimmermom family:p

Hope you get Sean as your tour guide , he was great. Be sure to sit on the left side of the train if you can !

 

Have a wonderful time, Terry

[bimmermom]

Ravie -- Make yourself go someday -- pictures just aren't adequate enough for the beauty in Alaska.

 

Ramona -- Yes, my daughter is in the AU shirt, so WAR EAGLE! What does your hubby teach? DD is in Animal Science/PreVet. I think you will fall in love with Alaska and the Spirit.

 

I'm still plugging away on photos and should have some more up shortly.

[rm4778]

WAR EAGLE! He is in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

 

I know we will love Alaska and from what I've seen, the Spirit looks great, too---your pictures are spectacular.

Ramona

[vegs1]

HI,

 

We were on the cruise with Bimmermom..she is absolutely delightful !

 

As for getting off the ship early in Sitka, they gave out' Tender numbers' early in the morning in one of the lounges. I do know that some people who were not on Carnival tours were at the lounge early and were able to get their 'sticker' for the first tender. But as Bimmermom said, Capt. Davey will wait.. so don't worry.

 

As for Chilkoot, we were on that tour with the Bimmermom family:p

Hope you get Sean as your tour guide , he was great. Be sure to sit on the left side of the train if you can !

 

Have a wonderful time, Terry

 

Thanks for the info on tendering, Terry. I don't think we'll have a problem and I'm not one to worry about it anyway...what happens, happens! We are just really excited as its not far off now.

 

If I could just get the packing thing down, I'd be great!

[dolfndreams]

Thank you so much for responding so quickly. I think I'll be happy that we booked the late dining as well. I hate having to hurry to get to dinner and I guess if worse comes to worse, we'll go to the buffet.

 

In Sitka, we are scheduled to do a trip with Captain Davey to see Sea Otters and whales. It is a small boat...only takes 6 passengers so we're very excited. We have to meet him at 7:30 am though so I'm hoping they won't hold us up getting off. (We did book it privately - not through the ship). He said it works out fine though so I'm trusting that all will go well.

 

Is there any other tips or regrets that you can pass along to us? Anything you wish you would have brought? And by the way...your photos are amazing. You are quite the skilled photographer!

 

Did you enjoy the Chilkoot Tours 7.5 hour tour? We are also scheduled to do that and have included the 15 minute dog carting too (for my daughter!). Can't wait!

 

Thanks again!

 

First wonderful review and pictures. I got to do a cruise last year in Alaska but haven't done the inland portion. New things to dream for.

 

Also wanted to say to above that I did the tour with Captain Davey last year in Sitka and he is delightful. There were only 3 of us as passengers that trip (and his beautiful giant poodle who hangs out at the front of the boat jus enjoying the ride, made for great pictures:)

 

You are going to love this tour. Beautiful country and a very knowledgable and friendly captain.

Nan

[bimmermom]

Friday, May 22 - Sitka

 

This day greeted us with sunny skies yet again. Standing on our balcony, I watched the many dots of forested islands go by on either side of our approach to the old Russian town of Sitka. There were too many little islands to count, many of them with colorful houses and many without. The charming little town of Sitka itself is located on Baranof Island with a long-dormant volcano and Sitka landmark called Mt. Edgecumb prominent out in the bay on another yet island. This is such a picturesque setting!

 

 

 

 

We had booked the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest (thru Carnival) for that morning. We boarded the Allen Marine boat, the St. Michael, directly from the Spirit. Sitka is a tender port and if you choose this excursion first thing in the morning, you will not go to Sitka until after your excursion is over around 12:30 pm. So off we went into the many inlets and bays surrounding Sitka in search of wildlife. And there was so much wildlife to see! Of course, sea otters were everywhere. Floating on their backs, waving flippers, protecting their babies. Rafts of otters were everywhere. The St. Michael stopped many times for us to take photos.

 

 

 

 

The boat also featured a native young Sitkan named Rose to serve as our naturalist. She was terrific! Rose had grown up in Sitka and told us many insider stories: how the kids in Sitka learn to drive boats before cars, how they explore the many islands for fun and how they learn at an early age to respect the beauty and animals around them.

 

Rose, our guide on the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest

[bimmermom]

Rose also shared an interesting story with us about April Fool's 1974. It seems that a local Sitka prankster named Porky had had hundreds of old tires dropped into Mt. Edgecumb's crater via airplane and then torched them. He was successful in fooling the inhabitants that the old volcano had come back to life and they were all in a panic! I'm not too sure how popular Porky was in Sitka after that big event :)

 

 

 

The St. Michael boat is quite comfortable, with lots of benchs for seats and excellent outside viewing areas. There is also an upper deck for more viewing and seating. You are also provided with binoculars, although we had brought our ever-faithful Zen-rays.

 

We not only saw the cute otters, but several whales: a gray whale and a couple of humpback whales. The captain will stop the boat and wait patiently for the whale to surface and then he will steer toward it so you can get as close as possible. I often heard the blow (like a very loud exhale or sneeze) before seeing the water and then the whale would emerge!

 

Next up on for our viewing pleasure were eagles and sea gulls perched on many of the rocks. We also were steered close to a forested island to observe a huge eagle sitting on her nest high above us. The eagle just watched us and didn't seem disturbed by our presence.

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were given some snacks of local delicacies. My favorite was the smoked salmon, served on little crackers, and I made a mental note to buy some canned smoked salmon somewhere in Alaska to take home with me.

 

I think I need to advise anybody who is prone to sickseaness to be sure and take your bonine or ginger tabs or whatever it is you normally take for motion problems. The day we were on the boat, while sunny, the water was quite choppy and the boat does have a smell of diesel, especially if you are in the back. It may not bother you at all but it never hurts to be prepared!

[bimmermom]

 

 

After our 3 hour excursion, we got back to Sitka around 12:30. The boat took us to the tender ramp under Sitka's O'Connell bridge. From there we walked around the little shops, oohing and ahing over the pretty Christmas ornaments and Russian nesting dolls and faberge eggs. Our first big stop is St. Michael's Cathedral, as we were given an entrance ticket to the church as part of our tour. It is a lovely little church, with many elaborate Russian Orthodox icons on display. You can feel the rich history in this holy place - don't miss it if you are in Sitka.

 

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

 

 

 

After visiting the cathedral, we were ready for lunch and only stopped briefly here and there to peer into the shop windows. There were lots of folks walking around and many have dogs with them. I was a little surprised at the crowds, considering that our ship and only one other, the Seven Seas Mariner, were there that day.

 

We decided to stop at the Westmark Hotel restaurant which was located in the middle of the action and had great views of the street below. I ordered the salmon mousse appetizer with gourmet crackers, hubby got key lime pie, and dd the chowder soup. All were delicious. I recommend eating here and spending a little time watching the crowds go by below if you are ready for a break.

 

After lunch we decided to get a cab to go the Raptor Rehab Center. In retrospect, we could have easily walked over to the Center, but did not realize that at the time. Our cab driver turned out to be quite a local character with several tattoos and a huge photo of is most recent deer kill (he hunts with cross-bows) on his dash. It cost us $8 to get to the Raptor Center from the Westmark, but considering that a rainshower had started, we were glad we had taken the cab.

 

The Raptor Rehabiltation Center is definitely an interesting place and not to be missed. DD had worked in a Raptor Center back at her university, so she was excited to be visiting Alaska's foremost raptor rehab center.

 

 

We very much enjoyed our stay at the Center. There are many birds outside, including golden and bald eagles and snowy eagles housed in cleverly constructed habitants with deep woods and scenery all around them. Inside the center, we toured the impressive facilities that feature surgery, ex-ray rooms, exhibits and a large theatre. We saw a presentation given by a young trainer and her beautiful eagle "Sitka." We were asked not to clap or we might upset Sitka. During the entire presentation, she remained calm and relaxed and gazed out at all of us. She was stunning! After the presentation, dd stopped to chat with some of the young people who work there. The staff seems to love their work and are eager to share their knowledge with tourists.

 

 

[bimmermom]

 

 

When we left, we took a short loop through the woods behind the Center, despite a the sign warning that brown bears could be present! Yikes! That is not the way I want to see a bear up close and personal. No worries, there weren't any bears on the trail that day and we ended up back on the road to town. While I had really wanted to walk back through Sitka's National Park with the totem pole displays, it had now started to drizzle again and we decided to take another taxi back to the tender boats.

 

 

 

 

Waiting for our tender, we saw a golden eagle (I think) swoop down into the water and catch a fish with its feet. Wow, it was fast but I managed to snap a photo of the event. Eagles are all over the waterfront at Sitka.

 

 

 

While heading back to the Spirit, we all agreed that it had been another fantastic day of excursion and exploration. We also agreed that the Sea Otter Quest and Sitka's Raptor Center and Sitka itself had been just as amazing as the previous Alaskan tours we had undertaken in the days before. Each was unique and each was just as awesome as the one before. This was already an incredible journey and we still had big plans for Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Vancouver!

[pmc097]

Great Pics. Brought back great memories of our Alaska cruise last year. It looks like you had great weather. Our's wasn't so great but it didn't stop us from doing what we wanted to do. Great job on the review.

[bimmermom]

 

As the ship was leaving Sitka, I took the following photos from the balcony...and as I post these photos, I am trying to figure out how and when to get back to Alaska, especially Sitka.

 

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

 

 

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

[lollylew]

My hubby made a promise to me that we would cruise Alaska for our 15th anniversary (which is still 4 yrs away) but after reading about your trip and all the wonderful, beautiful pictures, I'm not sure I can wait!! :mad: So So pretty!! :)

[larry the lobster]

These pictures and your stories are wonderful and breathtaking!! I want more!!

[bimmermom]

Thanks, Larry and everybody! Here is more...

 

We got up very early on this morning, because we knew we had to be at the Adventure Bound dock as early as possible. Fortunately, it turned out to be another fine day in terms of weather. There were just a few clouds in the sky. We hoofed it off the ship and made our way down to the Adventure Bound. Whew, it wasn't very far, maybe just a half mile or so, but I was still very nervous that we weren't going to make it on time.

 

We arrived about 7:15 am and met Capt Steve Weber, Adventure Bound's owner and captain. I had been in touch with Winona, his wife, via telephone and e-mails since last fall, so I already had paid for the 3 of us and had my boarding passes in hand. WOW! At last we were going to Tracy Arm Fjord and the Sawyer glaciers, an excursion I had read so much about.

 

This is the sight I saw from our balcony as the Spirit was docking in Juneau.

 

 

 

Captain Steve Weber and the Adventure Bound

 

 

We settled in at a table in the front of the boat, right below the captain's bridge and next to the snack bar. As luck would have it, we happen to be seated across from a couple from Texas, who, we discover during the trip, were also on our CC roll call! (you guys ready to cruise again, huh?)

 

For the most part, however, the Adventure Bound takes Juneau residents and their friends/visitors to Tracy Arm since most cruise ships aren't in port long enough for this very early and very long journey (about 9 to 10 hours). The fact that the southbound Spirit was in port at Juneau from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm was one of the very reasons that I had selected this particular cruise. And here we were at long last!

 

As we departed the dock with a full boat (looked like the Adventure Bound holds around 50 or so, with seating provided by long padded benches and also some table and boothes), we again saw lots of eagles and, of course, sea gulls. There is a full walk-around deck outside and a few chairs to sit on in the back as well as seating on the front.

 

It was a long boat ride along the Stephens Passage to actually get to the entrance to Tracy Arm. Hubby sat up front and chatted with the captain for a good bit of the time and dd took a long nap in her seat. I went out occasionally to admire the scenery, knowing there was even more beautiful scenery to come! Capt Steve and the young ladies who assist him pointed out highlights along the way.

 

After about 2 hours, we got to the entrance of Tracy Arm where there was a strong whirlpool that the captain had to navigate with care. The boat did quite a bit of rocking around for a few moments, but Steve handled the waves with ease. I definitely felt safe and secure despite being way out in the middle of nowhere on a much smaller vessel than the Spirit. After all, Capt Steve has been doing this for decades and knows these parts like the back of his hand!

 

Once we actually got into the Arm, the waters became calm. Soon we started seeing the most incredibly beautiful icebergs, that became more numerous as we proceeded into the Arm. They became larger and bluer and each one had a unique shape. It was like looking at clouds and making out various shapes - dd and I kept seeing a dinosaur here or an elephant there. One iceberg even looked just like a cruise ship! Another looked like a huge ruffled dress and another just like a layered wedding cake.

 

I had read that the icebergs in Tracy Arm are the largest in Alaska and display the deepest blue colorings. Seeing is believing! I will include photos for you below, but even these can't do justice to the real sight.

 

The Tracy Arm icebergs are simply stunning and, no, these photos were not color-enhanced all!

 

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

[bimmermom]

Added to the wonders of the icebergs, the surrounding mountains and wildlife of Tracy Arm are spectacular. As opposed to the more open, large gulf areas of Prince William Sound that we had experienced a few days ago, this fjord was narrow and winding. All around you are steep cliffs and canyons, tall peaks full of snow, and deep forests. Everything is gigantic beyond measure.

 

We couldn't decide where to look first, so we kept going from one side of the ship to the other and front to back. Each time you look, there is another breathtaking vista. Waterfalls are everywhere. Captain Steve maneuvered the boat close to several of them so we could get a glass of water or just take pictures or feel the water spray on on your face.

 

The majesty of Tracy Arm in pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bimmermom]

[bimmermom]

When we got closer, Capt Steve was disappointed that the water in front of South Sawyer glacier had become way too icy and clogged with icebergs for the Adventure Bound to penetrate on that day (even though he had made it the day before). He stopped as close as he could so we could take photos of the taller of the 2 Sawyer glaciers from a safe distance. It is an indescribable sight!

 

There were seals and seal babies all around, floating on the icebergs that were newly calved from the glacier. I think Steve said the seals like it in this area because the orcas, their natural predators, don't come this far into the Arm.

 

South Sawyer Glacier far in the distance

 

 

 

We couldn't get much closer than this to South Sawyer

 

 

 

Seals and Sea Lions are so cute!

 

 

 

The captain next very slowly and very carefully urged the Adventure Bound through an extremely icy area as we made our way to the other (North) Sawyer glacier. Along the way, the deep blue of the icebergs was almost surreal and there were too many to photograph, but I tried anyway! (I had to sort through 800+ shots to pick my favorites and they were all beautiful!)

 

We also encountered a National Geographic cruise boat, The Sea Lion, going in the opposite direction. There were a couple of inflatable rafts launched from that ship and we waved at them.

 

 

National Geographic raft in Tracy Arm

 

[bimmermom]

After a short time, we did manage to get to North Sawyer Glacier, which I believe, is the smaller of the two glaciers in Tracy Arm, but no less spectacular. Waterfalls and unusual rock formations were all around us as we approached the glacier. More cute little seals and bigger sea lions peered at us with curiosity and a couple of them put on a little swimming show for us before diving out of sight.

 

There were some beautiful black and white birds with red feet paddling around in the water and fishing for food. They would dive in if they saw a fish and bob back up. The Adventure Bound got right up to them before they would take flight.

 

Fishin' for food

 

 

 

Steve got us up right to North Sawyer glacier and let us drift around for an hour or so. It was a photographer's dream! He turned the boat so that the folks who stayed inside would all get closeup views of the glacier and the surroundings. Many of us (dd for only a short time, she stayed inside and watched mostly from the large window) stayed out on the observation deck to take photos and watch for calving.

 

It was very, very cold! My all-weather pants, long-sleeved shirt, down vest and squall jacket plus wool socks and ear muffs (oh and did I mention silk long-johns?) were a blessing on this part of the journey because it was really cold. We were fortunate to witness calving that day. The whipping and cracking sounds echoed off those steep canyon walls, sometimes but not always followed by the cascade of ice chunks. During the hour we were there, I would guess the glacier calved maybe 10 times or so. The chunks weren't large ones but still very impressive.

[bimmermom]

 

 

 

Sawyer Glacier was loud and active that afternoon

 

 

 

 

[jrmende63]

your red-footed bird looks like the Puffins we saw in the Sitka sound when we were out with Sitka Secrets in 2006.