{"id":754,"date":"2021-10-20T03:33:34","date_gmt":"2021-10-20T07:33:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/?page_id=754"},"modified":"2026-02-01T05:53:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T10:53:09","slug":"alaska","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.tubridy.net\/newblog\/places\/alaska\/","title":{"rendered":"Alaska"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For my retirement celebration in 2019, I embarked on an exhilarating cruise to Alaska with my dear friend Laura Zweigbaum. You see, my parents had taken a similar cruise when they resided in California, and it had always been a dream of mine to experience it firsthand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cruise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We embarked on a seven-night sea voyage aboard the Norwegian Jewel, followed by a four-night land excursion. The cruise would take us northward through the Inside Passage, with stops at various ports and a day dedicated to exploring Glacier Bay National Park. Afterward, we would arrive in Seward, situated on the Kenai Peninsula, eight days later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside Passage<\/h3>\n\n\n
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We departed Vancouver late in the day, encountering stormy and dreary weather. The following day, we embarked on a sea voyage, crossing Queen Charlotte Sound before entering the Inside Passage. Our first stop was Ketchikan. Although the sky was overcast, the rain was light, offering a glimmer of hope for improved weather conditions at our first port.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Travel on Inside Passage<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ketchikan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n


Ketchikan, a harbor town nestled on Revillagigedo Island, is accessible only by air or water due to the absence of bridges connecting it to the mainland. The surrounding region is enveloped in a lush rainforest that receives an annual rainfall exceeding 150 inches, with a record-breaking high of over 200 inches. It appears that the local community relies heavily on this rainfall, and after five consecutive days without precipitation, they officially declare a drought, leading to a rapid depletion of their water supplies.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ketchikan Harbor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We spent time walking around downtown and had two excursions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saxman Village<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Taken at Saxman Village near Ketchikan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The first tour took us to nearby Saxman Village. In the late 1800s, Tlingits from the old villages of Cape Fox and Tongass sought out the Saxman site as a suitable location to construct a school and a church. The site, spanning just one square mile, was officially incorporated in 1929 and currently houses a population of approximately 400 individuals, predominantly Native Alaskans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tour took us to their lodge, adorned with totem carvings, where we witnessed traditional dances performed by the villagers. We gained insights into their people and history, marveled at the extensive collection of totem poles, and even had the opportunity to observe skilled carvers at work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Eddie does his best in a native dance in the lodge!

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After the tour, we returned to Ketchikan and had an early lunch of Dungeness crab at Annabelle\u2019s on Front Street. Very tasty!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duck Boat Tour <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

After lunch, we returned to the dock, shopping along the way and boarding our afternoon Ketchikan Duck Boat tour excursion. The duck boat is an amphibious tour bus. We started with a town tour by land and then headed to the harbor to take the plunge! Once wet, we toured the harbor. Our capable tour guide (a school drama major) kept us entertained and informed!<\/p>\n\n\n

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We visit the harbor in Ketchikan on the Duck Boat Tour<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

After the tour, we spent some time visiting the shops on the waterfront. Ketchikan is unique, as the first two streets closest to the water were built on piers!<\/p>\n\n\n

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A restaurant on the Ketchikan waterfront<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The only downside to the day was that I accidentally deleted some of the pictures from earlier. We enjoyed an \u201980s disco theater presentation that evening as the ship headed north for our next stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside Passage to Juneau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The following day, we found us working our way up the inside passage to Juneau. This was the most extended passage between ports, and there were opportunities to observe some of the activity that morning before docking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Juneau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We arrived in Juneau before lunch with moderate temperatures and dry, if not overcast, skies. Our only excursion for the day was whale watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whale Watching Tour<\/h4>\n\n\n
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Whale Watching in Stephens Passage near Juneau, Alaska<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Our excursion was with Allen Marine Tours, located about 10 miles north of Auke Bay, where the ferry terminal is located. The tour was on a sizeable three-deck catamaran that allowed for good viewing. We headed out Into Stephens Passage, and it wasn\u2019t long before we spotted humpback whales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Whale blowhole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We spent several hours spotting many whales \u2013 many of them mother and calf that made the long trek from their birthing grounds near Hawaii to feed in the rich waters of Alaska in the summertime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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