Alaska - Victoria, BC - Day 7

Friday, September 7, 2012: The ship's last stop was Victoria, British Columbia, but we weren't scheduled to arrive until 5:00 pm.

While on my way to breakfast, I saw the Captain - now was my chance to meet a fellow Ashevillian to say hello! He was very approachable and friendly. I told him that I was also from Asheville, and he confessed that he didn't really live in Asheville proper, but people didn't usually know the little town outside of Asheville where he lives. Nice..the Captain was from Barnardsville. Which for anyone that has been to my house/property in Jupiter knows that it shares the same interstate exit as Barnardsville. So in reality, I traveled 3,300 miles to meet someone that lives 6 miles from me. Impressive! He asked for my cabin number a couple times which led me to think that maybe I would get a seat at the Captain's table for dinner, or room upgrade? A girl can dream, can't she? I mean..I had connections now! (hindsight - I have to laugh at myself.)


Beaming with the fantasy of what I would wear to dinner with the Captain - I made my way to breakfast.  The open seating on Norweigian was nice for the single traveler.  As I made my way to a table with only one other person, I asked the gentleman if he minded if I joined him.  Low and behold, it was the little drunk man from the elevator that I had met a few nights before.  He welcomed me to his table and confessed that he was glad to get food in his belly because he had accidentally gotten a little drunk the night before.  I was like..what?...that's the same story he told me three days ago at the elevator!  I wondered if he had drank his way through the whole trip?  Turns out, yes.  He had been schnookered the entire trip, and he hadn't even been off the ship for any excursions.  Personally, I thought this was such a waste of his money and time.  I admit - I judged him.  He was a perplexing man, and he seemed really kind so I engaged him further.  Turns out that he had experienced the death of his wife earlier in the year.  They had planned the trip together, and his family talked him into continuing with the vacation without her.  My heart broke for him!  He was so sad and miserable.  Wow..what a compelling story, and I would have probably stayed smashed myself given his position in life.  Even through the hangover and the gut-wrenching story - this little man still managed a bright smile.  He said I was the first person to stop and talk to him the whole week.  I asked him if he remembered meeting me on the elevator, and he said that he was a little drunk that night.  Ha - a little drunk was an understatement, but instead of judging again - I smiled back and told him not to worry about that.  I gave him a warm hug and went on about my day.  It's amazing how we just never know what other people are going through at any given time.

The arrival to Victoria was very scenic and beautiful.  Our ship docked alongside a lighthouse.  With no planned excursions, I picked up a walking map of the city and struck out on foot.  There were only a few hours to take in Victoria, so I headed towards the Parliament House.  On the way, I took a stroll throught the Wharf area.  It was lined with shrimping/fishing boats, floating houses, and several food stands offering freshly caught salmon and shrimp.  The skies were a rich blue with warm sunshine!  Ahh...bliss again.

After enjoying a finger-licking salmon taco - I watched a young boy feed mackerel fish to a seal.  The little boy had his face painted like a tiger and seemed to be adequately brave enough to handle the slimy fish and dangle it over the water with his grandpa holding his other hand.  The seal finally decided it was safe to come up to feed, and the young child received cheers from the dozens of onlookers watching the experience.

Needing to move on about my day, I utilized a water taxi to get to the heart of downtown.  There was an old building covered in ivy that intrigued me, but I didn't have time to explore in that direction.  Since I only had a couple hours left in Victoria, I headed towards the Parliament House of the Queen.  I had read that the Parliament House was a must-see, and especially at night when it was lit up. (All helpful excursion tips were found on www.cruisecritic.com.)  Stopping to photograph the grounds, I missed the open hours by 5 minutes.  Not to worry, I will just have to go back one day!

With my map in hand and dusk fast approaching, I made my way back towards the ship.  I'm glad I left when I did because it was a long walk with several zig-zags to the ship.  Not knowing the area and walking by myself, this was the only time I was nervous.  Finally, the ship came into view - and what a view it was!  Sunset at the lighthouse with the Pugent Sound for a backdrop.

I'm really glad I had the sunset to keep me busy for a while as it took my mind off the disappointment of not having a dinner invite from the Captain or a room upgrade.  I know..another ego lesson for this ol' gal. 

I awoke at 2:00 am with a horrible sewer smell in my room. Yuck! It was awful. I called Guest Services and they sent someone up right away. Not finding the cause, they agreed to move me to another room. Since we were asked to pack our bags the night before arriving to Seattle for an early (7:00 am) disembarkment - I was already packed.   So, at 2:00 am, I followed the man down the hall to my new room. He put me in a Balcony Suite.  Ha.  I got a room upgrade afterall!  Yippee - too bad it only lasted 5 hours. 

That's the end of the cruise, and the end of week #1 of vacation.  I was sad that it was over, but I know in my heart I will be back again one day.  It was beautiful and an amazing experience - even traveling hans solo.

Now on to the rest of my vacation!

Alaska - Day 6

Thursday, September 6, 2012:  Thursday was a beautiful day at sea.  Enjoyed breakfast and mimosas outside in the bright sunshine on the back deck of the ship.  I stayed out there for hours watching the water trail off the back of the boat. It had a way of putting me into a relaxed trance of sorts - well, maybe the mimosas contributed as well (smile.)  Several dolphins followed the ship and there were a couple reports of whale sightings, but I was too busy soaking in my vacation-ness that nothing could pry my butt out of that chair. Ahh..bliss.

After the evening entertainment, the ship's key staff members were introduced on stage.  Imagine my surprise when the Captain was introduced as living in "beautiful Asheville, North Carolina."  Holy crap. Really?  I knew I had to meet him!

Alaska - Skagway - Day 5

Wednesday, September 5, 2012:  Welcome to Skagway, AK - it was the most North and East I ventured during the trip.  I was scheduled to ride a motor coach nearly 70 miles into the Yukon Territory of Canada, have lunch, and hop onto one of the most scenic trains in all the land: The White Pass Railway.

First up was Blake, our motor coach driver / photographer / singer / musician / comedian / advice giver.  Let's just say, 'he kept us entertained.'  I was amazed at how many people show up in these towns to work cruise ship tourists and then go back to where ever they came from during the winter.  Blake was from Bellingham, WA via Las Vegas.

Since Blake was partly photographer, he appreciated the fact that several of us wanted to stop as often as possible for photo opps.  This is one of my favorite stops - to see the train cross over the waterfall.

We saw several white dots on the mountainside, which we were told were mountain goats.  We caught a brief glimpse of the world's smallest dessert.  The sand was created when glaciers moved across the rocks. 

Another stop for photography brought us Emerald Lake.  It got its name from the color(s) of the water. I've never seen multiple shades of green when it wasn't from bacteria (thank you Lake Erie.)  This was supposedly glacier-fed water.  It was gorgeous!







We went through Canadian Customs - Blake had warned us about the Officers.  He wasn't lyin'.  Apparently, passports are supposed to be signed, but no one told me that.  Well no one until the Customs Officer..holy crap.  She scared me.  I was treated to a close encounter with 'said Officer.'  "Someone give this lady a pen." she said in her manly voice.  :)  Phew..I narrowly escaped Canadian jail I do believe.

Next up was our lunch destination at Carcross, YT.  The area was a hot bed of gold miners back in the day.  Now-a-days it's used as a tourist stop complete with gift shop and museum.  Here's my favorite museum photo:



This location also hosted an Iditarod Camp for dogs, a mule, old man, covered wagons, fake goats on the mountain, and a gift shop. Did I mention they had a gift shop? 

Here's an interesting shot that you don't see everyday:

After a BBQ lunch, we headed into the little town of Carcross.  We circled the block in the motor coach in about 45 seconds. 'Small town' doesn't even begin to describe this area, but it had everything you could ever need: post office, general store, tannery, taxidermist, fishing, blacksmith, and what appeared to be a 'bordello' of sorts - oh, and a gift shop. (I don't believe the last two are connected, but I can't be sure.)

 

whoa - don't lean out too far!

Next up: The White Pass Railway.  I had read that the best place to be on the train was the little platform between the cars, and to be prepared for cold temperatures.  So, I bundled up and headed outside.  It was cold (!) and I missed all the stories/details that came across the speakers, but was pleased with the clear photographs from the platform.  Here are a few of my favorites:

 

Once Blake picked us up from the train depot, we headed back towards the ship.  On the way back, we made an extra stop so we could photograph some clouds that had moved in.  Blake said he had never seen the clouds look this way.  It was pretty cool.  Here's what we saw:

 

The excursions for the day left no time to explore the town of Skagway. It seemed a bit interesting, so perhaps a return visit someday.

So, back to the ship for a hot shower!  I ventured out this evening to see a show on the ship. It was an 80's tribute to Rock.  Pretty cool I must say: Foreigner, Led Zepplin, and many others represented. The downside was having those songs stuck in my head. :)

On the way back to my cabin, a cruise employee stepped into the elevator.  She asked if I minded waiting for a slow gentleman to make his way to the elevator.  The man was frustrated because each time he saw an elevator door open, he would move towards it, but the door would close before he could get there because he was so slow.  Apparently, he had been trying to make an elevator for several minutes.  So the chipper little man entered, and said, "Will you show me where to get some dinner? I've accidentally gotten a little drunk and need to eat."  Ha..this man cracked me up.  He wasn't sloppy drunk, but the tipsy-ness combined with the slow movements (and the boat swaying) - oh goodness - what a hoot.  I stayed on the elevator with him until he reached the dining room.  He thanked me and went on his slow, little way.  (I saw him again - stay tuned!)

The following day was slotted to be 'at sea.'  I was thankful for a day off after three full days of excursioning - I was whooped.  It also dawned on me that we had reached the turning-around point of the trip.  It was a disappointing reality.  Aside from the sea legs, I was really enjoying the vacationing lifestyle via cruising.  I also met a couple who were making the same journey the following week (two back-to-back cruises.)  Ah..the life.

Here are some miscellaneous photos from Skagway:

 

 

Alaska - Juneau - Day 4

Tuesday, September 4, 2012:  Today's port was Juneau.  It's the capitol of Alaska, but has no roads in or out. People have to arrive by plane, boat, or birth canal. <smile>  The weather confirmed again that I was definitely in Alaska.  It was raining, foggy, and noticeably cooler.  Good thing I packed my full rain gear and thermals!  First up for the day was an early morning whale watching excursion in Auke Bay.  I'll not lie, I was quite skeptical about standing on a boat in the rain/fog searching for an animal that might or might not make an appearance.  The excursion company had a money-back guarantee that we would see whales - so off we went. 

Within 20 minutes, the first thing I noticed was a dab of blue sky!  The views were spectacular from the water.

 

Suddenly, the double-decker catamaran's engines shut down and we were instructed to look towards one o'clock (assuming the boat was a clock - which meant 1:00 pm was forward and right.)  Sure enough, I saw a rounded shape crest the water.  It was a Humpback Whale.  We watched it surface a few times (which takes about 5 minutes in between), then it finally flipped it's tail.  The catamaran's crew seemed pleased, so we moved on (I guess they got to keep their guarantee money today.)  My skepticism turned into curiosity really fast.  I decided that this large creature may be worthy of a photograph after all.

 

Soon after moving further into Auke Bay, we saw another Humpback Whale. This time I snapped a photo of the tail flip.  This photo is zoomed/enlarged quite a bit, because the Humpback's didn't get too close to the boat.

 



Our ship received word from another boat that they had located a pod of Orcas (Killer Whales.)  A pod is a collection of three or more whales swimming and feeding together.  We arrived to see the Orcas crest many times.  I was amazed at how close they were to the other boat.  What an amazing experience for the passengers on that boat.  Here's the scene I captured:

I didn't count how many whales we saw, but it was an awesome experience!  I'm a believer now.  Sometimes, it takes having a moment in nature where it's just me and the animal. I get to watch them as they go about their daily grind.  It's easy to become connected to the animal and mesmerized by the experience.  Wildlife is magical!



 







In addition to whales, we also were taken to an island full of seals.  They too, were unaffected by our presence.  They made weird honking noises and seemed to quarrel amongst themselves for the most part.  I'm not sure how they managed to 'waddle' up to the top of the rocks, but they did!  Here's what I saw:



Next on my agenda in Juneau was a glacier viewing excursion.  The Norwegian Jewel was scheduled to traverse the Inside Passage through Tracy Arm Fjord, but the closeness of the ship to the glacier depended upon the icebergs.  The catamaran boat was much smaller than the ship; therefore, it was able to get much closer to the glaciers.  So, we set out about 20 minutes prior to our large cruise ship's departure.  They explained to us that we would re-board our ship at Tracy Arm Fjord...which I wasn't too sure how would happen, but was game for the adventure.

The weather had finally begun to cooperate.  Although it was cooler, the rain had stopped! Yay!  I met some very nice people on this excursion and we all really enjoyed the glaciers.

We went to Sawyer Glacier first.  Even on the approach, we started seeing floating icebergs.  The Fjord was a deep, deep river of blue/green glacier water which met steep mountains with rock faced surfaces mixed with the varying tones of moss.  The mountains easily towered 2,000 feet above us. What a view!  We navigated many icebergs and what felt like narrow passageways until finally, we saw the glacier.  It was a color of turquoise and Carolina blue mixed together.  The glacier itself was basically a large vertical wall of blue ice with a hint of snow covering.  I'm using this particular photo because there was another vessel (the same size as ours) close to the glacier. Maybe it helps put the glacier's size into perspective...maybe.



 

The catamaran driver took us to a large waterfall in the Fjord.  I was surprised at how close he got us!

 



We made our way to the South Glacier, and this was the location where we were to meet our cruise ship.  The entrance to the South Glacier had a lot more icebergs than the previous.  Even our little catamaran boat had to navigate slowly.  We did hit one, and the eerie sound it made while the ice was scraping down the side of the boat left us very weary <think Titanic>  Here's a shot of the cruise ship coming through the Fjord, it gives me goosebumps remembering back:

 

Once our cruise ship drew closer, I began worrying about how we would go from the little catamaran to the large cruise ship.  As we approached the ship, I looked up to discover that just about every passenger was outside and leaned over the railings of every deck watching us!  It was like seeing long-lost family again.  Everyone was waving, and the energy we shared revolved around the wonderment of how in the hell we were going to switch boats in a narrow passage full of icebergs while we were moving!  It was an amazing experience, and our catamaran driver sure did earn his wages.  He pulled up along side the cruise ship, and we saw a door open in the lowest level of the ship.  A chain link gate came down which secured onto the catamaran.  We then began unloading from the catamaran into the galley of the ship.  Sadly, I didn't get any photos of this because I had packed away my gear (in fear of us having to make a jump for it I suppose.)  Hindsight is always 20/20! 

 

What a truly amazing day I had been blessed with.  A hot shower, dinner, and conversation about "being on the little boat" made this day a definite highlight on my trip.





icebergs near the South Glacier

ice actively calving off from the Sawyer Glacier
 

 

 





Alaska - Ketchikan - Days 1, 2, and 3

A kind invitation to join my Uncle Durward and Aunt Bonnie in Seattle while they visited my cousin, Tonia (their daughter), turned into a two-week trip for me since I decided to take an Alaskan Cruise while in the area.  Additional posts will come from my time in Seattle and also the Olympic Peninsula.  I jotted notes along the way and will share them here.

Friday, August 31, 2012:  arrived in Seattle safe and sound. The hotel only had a smoking room available.  It's amazing how used to a non-smoking environment I've become (thanks Asheville!) that I don't even think to request non-smoking anything when making reservations.

Saturday, September 1, 2012:  shuttle to pier, checked-in and went out on deck to enjoy the fresh BBQ cookout and take some photos leaving Seattle.  The breathtaking Mt. Rainer made an appearance as you can see here:

 

Sunday, September 2, 2012:   This was a day at sea.  Very grateful that I had the anti-seasick patch today.  It was a very windy, rainy day which created 6-8' waves.  Feeling somewhat medicated, I used this opportunity to rest.  I didn't realize how tired I was. The ship's nautical information was broadcast on the in-room TV and I was able to keep up with the weather, location of the ship, and more importantly - how much further to our first port.

 

Monday, September 3, 2012:  The ship arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska to rain and fog.  Typical "Alaskan" weather I suspected.  I was up in time for the sunrise, only that I couldn't see it.

 

Ketchikan was the 'Bear Expedition and Rainforest experience." The guide was not keen on me dragging all the camera equipment through the rainforest, but I wasn't leaving my tripod behind.  She also didn't appreciate my wanting to photograph every little twig in the forest.  In fact, we had a special talk about the importance of me sticking with the group.  All it took was me seeing a bear in an open environment to get the message (loud and clear!)

 

We were on a swinging suspension bridge roughly 20 feet above the very active bears.  Here's an area where we viewed and photographed the bears:

 

Here are a few shots I managed to get even though I was shooting in the rain/fog, was shaking from nerves, and had 10 other people on the swaying bridge with me <insert disclaimer for unclear photographs.>  These are my favorites - shot with Nikon D5100 70mm-300mm:

 

 

 

 

 

All said and done we saw about 12 bears total (several small cubs, and plenty of adults.)  They seemed content to focus on the salmon in the river instead of the group of people above.  Have you heard the saying that you don't have to be the fastest runner, you just can't be the slowest to avoid getting eaten by a bear?  Well, I was staking out my competition on this excursion for sure!

 

The next stop was at a 'petting zoo' for lack of a better term.  We were introduced to reindeer (a.k.a. miniature caribou.)  Even typing the word reindeer feels make-believe.  Santa had reindeer in the Christmas books, and we all (or most of us) know about that.  So, in reality I guess no one ever clued me in that reindeer are real creatures.  I thought *until this trip* that reindeer were made up in the books.  Boy was I surprised.

 

 

 

Next was a walk by the salmon hatchery.  Did you know that salmon 'born' at the hatchery still swim back upstream to the hatchery to spawn?  The workers create a make-shift spawning course for the fish.  Once they arrive, the hatchery collects the eggs, and begins the process of raising them until release.  The spawning course begins with a drainage pipe from the river (it's the same river that the bears were in.)  If the salmon don't land in the pipe they hit the wall and bounce back into the river to try again.  Here are two photos: one shows a successful jump, and the second shows a salmon hitting the wall.

 

This one made it:  

 

This one didn't make it (ouch!):

 



Headed back toward the ship.  Had a few minutes to shop in the little town before departing.  Of course I snapped photos as I went along.  Creek Street was really pretty, but due to the rain/fog, my photos weren't so impressive. 

 

Saw a seal munching on a salmon near the ship.  Life is pretty tretcherous for salmon around here.

 

Made a few acquaintenances throughout the day.  Adjusting well to no internet service.  The salad bar on the ship is really yummy.  Sometimes the hot food reminds me of hospital food.  The ship is clean, and everyone gets hosed with sanitizer before entering the ship and restaurants.  They squirt and say, "washy, washy, happy, happy."  Passengers laughed, but we were all glad for the germ control.  Thanks Norweigen!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome!

Welcome to my ramblings about photography.  Being a photographer is something we all possess, right?  I mean aren't we all photographers on 'some' level?  Cameras are so accessible these days that almost everyone has snapped the button at some point in their lives.
 
Remembering back to Christmas 1981, I was so excited to have received my very first camera: a Kodak 110.  It was the wide, 'thin' pocket camera of the times and used an enclosed film canister with easy one-touch rewind. I thought I was "The Shit."  Really, what other 12 year old had such a fancy camera?
 
I began my quest to be a photographer at that moment.  I told myself that I was going to take some amazing pictures.  Low and behold, photos of the carpet, my bike, my brother, and my folks didn't quite seem to be amazing on the output.  Plus, my mother put me on a 'film budget' due to film developing costs (with no great results on my part), and the high purchasing costs of film turned film-getting into birthday presents, or saving up my $2.50/week allowances.
 
Over the years, the cameras improved, but my photography didn't.  I wanted to learn about photography; however once I began to read photography books, the overwhelming information about ISOs, Aperture f-stops, and varying shutter speeds were too daunting to this beginner.  I soon became the regular 'take your camera on vacation and/or special events' type of photographer that encompasses most of us.
 
In 2010, I began noticing people with nice cameras.  I still wanted to learn what all those buttons controlled, so I started asking questions.  Soon after, I began browsing cameras to purchase.  A friend suggested the Nikon D5100 as a good starting point for a beginner.  So, I set my sights on studying the D5100, and began dreaming.
 
On Christmas Eve, 2011 - my camera dreams came true.  My Dad gifted me with a Nikon D5100!  WOW-what a gift! (Thanks again, Dad!)  It was a kit that included two lenses: 18mm-55mm and a 55mm-200mm.  I was ecstatic, and could barely wait for the battery to charge.
 
And once again I heard that little voice in my head chattering about the amazing pictures I was going to take.  And so the journey began.