Skagway, Alaska - Waterfalls

As we were leaving Skagway, I noticed some large water falls that were running down the mountains. With all of the snow on the mountain and then the melt off in the spring there are a lot of these all over. Some of the falls were hidden by the trees, some you would see at the bottom where they spilled onto the shore. This one ran from the top to the bottom and emptied into the bay.

Juneau, Alaska - Baby Orca

Juneau, Alaska - Eagle

Same eagle, different pose.

Orcas

Leaving Juneau

The weather for our day in Juneau was beautiful and bright. Here is what our departure looked like.

Hubbard Glacier

This is a shot of Hubbard Glacier on the right and the black to the left is Turner Glacier (I think).

Juneau - Orcas

Three baby orcas playing as the pod cruises along. This image has been cropped.

Hubbard Ice Floe

Another example of the beautiful blue color that comes out of the glacial ice. This photo was not adjusted, the blue is much brighter than the mist covered mountains behind.

Hubbard Glacier - Panorama

This is two photos merged together and one was adjusted to match the lighting of the other. Seeing the glacier was amazing; you can hear it moan and pop. The blue part of the glacier didn't calve while we were there, but a part of the black stuff did. The light here was terrible as there was low cloud cover and a heavy mist, but you can still see the beautiful blue colors in the glacier. What is really amazing about the glacier is how huge it is! Take a look at this map (Wikipedia map) and see how large the glacier really is. We only saw a very small part of the glacier at the leading edge that calves into Disenchantment Bay.

Orca - Under water

As I mentioned in a previous post, orca watching is a lot more fun than humpbacks. On our trip with Orca Enterprises, the whales came right up to the boat! This pod of whales had two or three babys that were jumping out of the water and swimming on their backs. It was a great trip.

Juneau, Alaska - Whale Tail

Juneau, Alaska - Eagle

Juneau Alaska - Humpback Whale

While in Juneau, we went on a whale watching trip with Captain Larry - Orca Enterprises. We read a lot of great reviews for this tour group and they came through for us. Now, here is my take on whale watching. First, don't go on the cruise excursion because they are generally larger boats with lots of people and it is harder to get a good look. Second, humpback whale watching is not very exciting if all they are doing is swimming along and feeding. We were told that the humpbacks don't bubble feed this time of year in Alaska and they generally breach in Hawaii, not Alaska. So, watching humpback runs like this - you see the dorsal, dorsal, dorsal, dorsal, dorsal, full back, TAIL! and dive. Then you wait until they come up and repeat. You never really get a good look at the whale. Yes, it is beautiful and you should see them. I really wanted to see them bubble feed and breach...and so we are going to Hawaii to see that! In short, this photo is the highlight of humpback watching. Now, if you want super cool whale watching...Orcas!

British Columbia, CA

This was on our way back from the Inside Passage, heading to British Columbia. The nights are amazing as the sun sets (but not really). The low clouds made it look dark, but behind the clouds the light was fresh and bright!

Hoonah - Parking

Imagine getting up every day and heading across the street to the dock to head off to work. I would imagine that the winters here are very rough, but the day we were there was nice (overcast, but nice) and the surrounding mountains, harbor and wildlife are amazing.

Hoonah - Ocean Front

Hoonah was a beautiful place, as was all of Alaska. It was interesting to consider that this ocean front property any other place in the US (or the world) would be priced at a premium, well beyond the means of the people that lived in this fishing village. But, as it is, they have their own view of the harbor and enjoy the fruits of the ocean.

Hoonah - Wild Life

The first stop on our cruise was Hoonah. Hoonah was a small town with a salmon processing plant turned into a small indoor shopping area and a fish-n-chips restaurant. We saw a bunch of bald eagles there. This photo is wildlife at it's best. No, not the young bald eagle on the phone pole, the group of Malaysians grabbing their cameras to get a shot.

Granville Island Market

We spent a day in Vancouver, BC before we left on our cruise. We have been here before and enjoy walking around the city and Granville Island. Granville Island has some shops, a market with a lot of different food stalls (baked goods, fresh fruit, summer rolls, etc.).

Granville Island - Juggler

This kid was doing a show in the square at Granville Island. Some of his stuff was pretty funny.

How to Enjoy a Cruise

Ok, this is just my way, your mileage may vary. Get a balcony room, sit outside with a beautiful woman, put your feet up, and enjoy the breeze and the view. Look for whales, porpoises, or just watch the waves. Breath deeply and be rested for the disco after dinner.

Carnival Cruise - Leaving New York

We went on a cruise in August on the Carnival Victory. The ship left from New York, stopped in St. John, New Brunswick, and in Halifax, Nova Scotia before returning to New York. When you see New York City on television they do a great job of getting the right shot and showing the glitz. The harbor was very dirty, but the view of the city was much better as we departed. Take a look at my Flickr folder for more photos of New York Harbor.