Juneau, the Capital of Alaska: What an INTERESTING Week…

We have been in Juneau for seven days, arriving last Saturday, the 23rd, and it has certainly been quite a week. We took a fantastic glacier cruise on Tracy Arm Fjord where we saw incredibly beautiful icebergs and witnessed calving on Sawyer Glacier. We viewed Mendenhall Glacier, up close and spectacular. We spent several days taking in all the sights of this, the capital city of Alaska, and it’s environs, including two museums, The Capital and The Governor’s Mansion. Lastly, we had the “honor” of being here in Juneau today when the Governor, Sarah Palin, was named by John McCain to be his Vice Presidential running mate. It has been quite interesting (chaotic?) to say the least!

So, to start at the beginning:

Last Sunday we sailed on the 56’ Adventure Bound for a 9-hour cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord located within the Tongass National Forest. It was truly another day of indescribable beauty. We marveled at magnificent rivers of ice running many miles from icefields to the sea, we viewed some of the largest icebergs we’ve ever witnessed, saw waterfalls that dropped thousands of feet and witnessed incredible mountains surrounded by emerald green water. Believe us when we tell you that the attached photos cannot even begin to convey the awesome sights. One of the attached photos shows "calving" on Sawyer Glacier. Calving occurs when a colossal chunk of ice breaks off a thick ice shelf to become an iceberg. A glacier calves when there is insufficient ice below the water line of the glacier's facade to support the weight of the corresponding ice above the water line. The undermining is caused by the comparatively warm seawater, which slowly melts the ice it touches. Sawyer Glacier is a tidewater glacier which is a glacier that flows into the sea. As the ice reaches the sea pieces break off, or calve, forming icebergs. Most tidewater glaciers calve above sea level, which often results in a tremendous splash as the iceberg strikes the water. This is accompanied by very loud, thunderous sounds. Additionally, loud cracks and noises are frequently heard as the glacier "groans" and "growls" on it's journey to the sea.

We were due to follow that fantastic day with another exciting adventure: a helicopter ride landing on the Juneau Icefield and then experiencing a dog sled ride on the glacier. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and the trip was cancelled due to rain and heavy fog. As a matter of fact, the weather for most of the week has been rainy and foggy, however, with the exception of the glacier flight, we have not allowed it to deter us.

Juneau, a “metropolis” of about 30,000 people, is located on the Gastineau Channel, nestled on the side of the mountains, and is only accessible via sea or by air. Atop the surrounding mountains is the Juneau Ice Cap, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow; including the Mendenhall Glacier, which is visible from the local road system. As the capital of Alaska, the primary employer in Juneau, by a large margin, is government. Another significant contibutor to the local economy is the tourism industry, with several cruise ships docking in town daily during the summer months.

Imagine a state capital that has NO roads leading into or out of the city!! We spent Wednesday traveling the “entire” length (40 miles) of what the locals refer to as “The Road”. It is the sum total of the local highway system! We enjoyed a sunny and warm day - it ALMOST reached 70 degrees! We saw many, many eagles, a bear, whales, assorted sea birds and even a porcupine (as our photos will show). Part of our ‘road-trip’ included a visit to the Shrine of St Therese, the Patron Saint of Alaska. The peace and serenity of this special place, overlooking Lynn Canal, was magnificent. The last couple days have been spent taking in the sights of “downtown” Juneau including a GREAT State Museum, the Juneau-Douglas Museum, the State Capital, the Governor’s Mansion and many sights along the wharf, including the statue of Patsy Ann. Patsy Ann was a deaf bull terrier, born in Oregon in 1929. After coming to Juneau as a puppy, she demonstrated an uncanny instinct for when a ship was going to arrive at the town wharf. Her presence was a treat to those arriving, and she was often followed by townspeople. Having gained fame back in the "lower 48," Patsy Ann was named the "Official Greeter of Juneau" in 1934, and she continued to run to the docks for every ship arrival. She finally passed away in 1942 and her funeral was well-attended; her coffin was placed into the Gastineau Channel. In 1992, a statue was erected on the wharf where Patsy Ann so frequently sat to greet sailors. Attached is a photo of Patsy Ann.

The really BIG news today was, as we mentioned above, and we’re sure you have all heard, the announcement of the Governor being selected to run on the Republican Presidential ticket. As you can imagine, this is monumental news here in a state of only 600,000 people. The shock of the inhabitants is incredible. We’re not going to get into all the political scuttle-butt and ramifications but, let us suffice to say that the reactions have been “interesting”, to say the least. Ironic that yesterday we were in Gov. Palin’s office and believe us when we say “No one knew – or expected – this"!

So, as you can see, it has been another incredible week! Tomorrow we take the Ferry to Sitka where we will spend three days.

Below is the link to some photos of this week’s adventure. Next post will be from Sitka.

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Take care and stay safe,

P&J

Sailing South on The Inside Passage: Haines to Skagway and On To Juneau

Today is Sunday, August 24th and yesterday we arrived in Juneau, the capital of Alaska.

A week ago we drove from Whitehorse, Yukon Territory back into Alaska and on to Skagway. It was another GORGEOUS drive, this time on the Klondike Highway, where we passed Emerald Lake (which is the picture at the top of this Post). Yes, the colors are REAL; they result from blue-green light waves reflecting off the marl (white sediment) on the bottom. Further down the highway was the Yukon Suspension Bridge, which offered a dramatic bird’s-eye view of the Tutshi River. Next we drove through an area known as the Tormented Valley, which was VERY different from any topography we had encountered thus far. It is a rocky, desolate, “moonscape” of stunted trees and small lakes. Pictures of all these sights are included by going to the link below.

We arrived in Skagway on Saturday afternoon, the 16th, for a four-day stay. While there we toured the area, rich in Klondike Gold Rush history, and surrounded by amazing scenery. Skagway is located at the north end of Lynn Canal and was the beginning of the Chilkoot and White Pass Trails to the Yukon goldfields. It is the ancestral home of the Tlingits and its first white resident was Capt. William Moore whom we are sure is a distant relative of Judy Moore Barger! We also traveled on the White Pass & Yukon Railway which, even though the day was foggy, provided a beautiful ride up to the White Pass Summit in a bit more comfort than the early gold-seekers experienced! Another fun outing was the Yellow Streetcar Tour where we were introduced to many of the famous (and infamous) sights of Skagway. At the conclusion of our day we were “officially” inducted into the Artic Brotherhood, a fraternal organization of Alaska and Yukon pioneers. Local members of the Brotherhood built the headquarters and adorned the front with 8,833 pieces of driftwood and flotsam gathered from local beaches. The result, as you can see in one of the attached photos, is one of the most unique (and highly photographed) buildings in all of Alaska. Skagway is the northern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway and, after an enjoyable stay, we boarded the first of seven ferry connections we will make on our continued tour of the southcentral coast of Alaska.

First stop, Haines, located on the Chilkoot Inlet and ANOTHER location of spectacular beauty as the attached photos will attest to. Short drives allowed us to view a couple glaciers and more bears up-close-and-personal! We also made a stop at The Hammer Museum. Yep, there’s a museum for EVERYTHING; but this one was REALLY fun, with more than 1200 different types of hammers of all shapes and functions. We were thrilled to have an opportunity to watch and talk with Wayne Price, a local Tlinget artisan, who is carving a thirty foot totem for a high school in Juneau.

After a GREAT time in Haines we boarded the ferry again and sailed on to Juneau, where we will stay for a week. There will be another Post and some more spectacular (we’re sure) photos from here, so check back in a few days. For now, check out the link below and rest assured that we are having an AWESOME time.

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Take care and stay safe,
P&J

Full Circle Through the Interior - Now on to The Inside Passage

Today is Friday, August 15th and we are once again in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. A little over two months ago, on June 10th ,we left Whitehorse in a snowstorm – you remember those pictures! Today it was a gorgeous, 70-degree day with just a “hint” of Autumn in the air.

We have come full-circle and are back here to start our voyage on the Alaska Marine Highway through the Inside Passage. It has been an INCREDIBLE two months. We can barely fathom all of the absolutely AWESOME things that we have seen and done thus far. However, while we have completed a circuit of the Interior, our adventure is far from over. From here we will go southwest to Skagway and begin the trip by ferry down the Inside Passage. We will be stopping at Haines, Juneau, Sitka, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan and disembarking in Prince Rupert one month from now. These towns can ONLY be reached by either boat or plane; there are NO roads to the “Southeast” (as it is called). Juneau is the capital of Alaska. Can you imagine having a state capital that cannot be reached by automobile? This will be another adventure.

This past week we have taken a cruise on the Copper River, once again “visited” the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, witnessed the beginning of Autumn, had an ‘up-close’ encounter with a local black bear and viewed the World’s Largest Weather Vane, among other things.

Attached are a few pictures showing these events.

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Sorry that it has been a while since our last Post but we have not had sufficient Internet access and no cell service in Canada, thus, we’ve been unable to update this blog. Hopefully, as we return to Alaska, (in the good ole’ US of A) this will not be an issue.

Take care and stay safe,

P&J

The Awesomely Beautiful World of Glaciers and Icebergs...

We arrived in Valdez last Thursday and have had a great time in this village at the headwaters of Prince William Sound.

Valdez, also known as "Little Switzerland", is surrounded by five glaciers and the towering, snow-covered, Chugach mountains rising next to a beautiful blue sea. It all contributes to making it absolutely picturesque. The growth and settlement of Valdez was attributed to fur trading, salmon canning, and gold and copper mining. Throughout recent history it has certainly sustained its share of hardships. The residents are weary of Good Friday, and probably for good reason. In 1964 they were the closest locale to the devastating Alaska Earthquake which registered 9.2 on the Richter Scale and qualifies as the third strongest and single longest lasting earthquake in history. As a result of the devastation, the entire town was moved 4.5 miles to a safer location. Then good fortune appeared to shine on the residents of Valdez when, in the early 1970's, Valdez became the staging area for work on the lower portion of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. This enabled the Port of Valdez to be the terminus of the 799 mile pipeline which transports crude oil from Prudhoe Bay. Valdez harbor became the beginning of the marine shipping route. However, on March 24, 1989, AGAIN a Good Friday, the Exxon Valdez, an oil tanker owned by Exxon Corporation, ran aground in Prince William Sound. The tanker spilled an estimated 10.8 million gallons of crude oil which has been recorded as one of the largest spills in U.S. history and one of the largest ecological disasters. Fortunately, 19 years since, the area has recovered and is, once again, a truly gorgeous and pristine area.

On Sunday we took a cruise on the LuLu Belle to explore the Sound and view some of the glaciers and wildlife. We saw eagles, puffins, sea lions, seals, Dall porpoises and humpback whales. It was a great cruise and we've included some photos of the trip.

While here in Valdez we have also visited a couple museums, drove a scenic drive in Mineral Creek Canyon, viewed Bridal Falls, watched hundreds of salmon coming in to spawn and observed some bears eating salmon in the river.

Here is the link for this Post's photos. Enjoy and visit again as we are off to Glenallen tomorrow and exploration of Wrangell-St Elias national Park.

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Take care and stay safe,

P&J