Skagway - Thursday September 8. This
is one of my favorite days. I highly recommend the Glacier Point Wilderness
Adventure. These excursions do cost extra but are worth the bucks spent. How
else to truly experience Alaska? You have to get out there...into the rugged
wild...albeit with guides. Prior to coming on a big trip like this I do
recommend walking. Get into some semblance of shape - you'll want to keep up and be worthy.
7:30 am and off the boat. We board a
harbor boat with Elise, our young perky guide, and twenty other intrepid
explorers. Captain Dan pushes back and we zoom for 1-1/2 hours through fjords,
inlets, passing waterfalls, mountains, misty clouds, and harbor seals lounging
on shore. It's not too choppy. Yes, I took my dramamine.
On land we meet our dudes - the wilderness guides. These are twenty
something guys who are college grads and not ready to settle down. They work
hard in Alaska from May through end of September. They enjoy hiking, nature,
and sharing this wilderness with
tourists. They've obviously done their research and their enthusiasm is
contagious.
So, first stop is to put on waterproof boots. Then we hike on a narrow tree
rooted path downhill to a river. Canoes await and we board. Matt is our guide -
a dreadlocked white dude from the Midwest. He's very laid back and cool. We paddle a bit and then he kicks on the
motor. We zoom to the glacier.
The scale of this area is monumental. You think you are close to a glacier
but you are a mile or so away. Chunks of ice float by. Matt stops briefly and
hauls in a big chunk - it is crystal clear. The purity here is reassuring.
Mankind has not ruined everything.
Canoe lands and we slog ashore to walk about a mile on river walk. It's not
easy - hence, you should have trained a bit for this. Blue ice gleamed. Stunning
turquoise blue shades. Lapis hues take your breath away. Rocks are the size of buildings. This glacier
is HUGE. I'm out of adjectives to describe this. Any pictures you see - they are true and
more. Breathtakingly fabulous.
It was all exhiliarating. We
lingered - hating to return to the
canoe, paddling back, boarding our harbor boat and returning to Skagway. Refreshed and tired for a good
reason, we stumbled back to the ship by 3:30 for a nap.
I can't emphasize enough - book excursions. Get out there. Chat with your
guides - it's an engaging group of young folks
seeing the world and learning a lot.
So, nighttime on the ship. Dinner - brie appetizer, trout with spaghetti,
and a strawberry mousse. This is not buffet. The sit-down dinners are really
nice.
7 pm - Pub Trivia. Victory!
8 pm - Mike Bliss - comedy, juggling, and magic. We are amused
9 pm - Group Trivia. Alas a tie...that's okay
10 pm - Goodnight
