the ship. It was no where near as nice as the Canadian Ferry, but we did have better weather. From the boat, we saw a mother and calf humpback whale, and several times we saw a group of something small surfacing (but always too quick to identify - too small to be dolphins, but that would have been my guess). This Ferry has made several stops along the way, and we can get off for an hour while in port - unfortunately there's not much to see within walking distance of the ferry terminal. Eileen and I played scrabble for the first time. It's probably been over twenty years since I've played - turns out it is surprisingly fun (as long as you have a book to read while waiting for your opponent).We arrive in Juneau, Alaska - it feels kind of strange to be here. We were here thirteen years ago on a kayaking trip, but we arrived by plane - Now we're here again, but this time we drove the whole way north. Mendenhal Glacier is the primary landmark
here - It dominates the horizon at times - A huge wall of blue ice filling the valley. We find the beautiful Mendenhal campground only half full - usually at capacity in years past - this is the first evidence that folks are staying home because of the high price of gasoline - good for us! One day we take a hike/bike to a spectacular spot overlooking the glacier and ice field behind it. It is so much more vast when you see it from above. The next day, we kayak on the lake (filled with icebergs) over to the face of the glacier. While tidewater glaciers are frequently calving violently down into the ocean, this lake glacier lacks the salt water and tidal forces so it is relatively stable. This means we could kayak right up to the massive blue walls. The scale is very hard to gauge, but it was breathtaking. Tonight we sleep at the ferry station for a 4:45am line up.Next stop Haines...
No comments:
Post a Comment