Route of Cruise
This cruise took place between May 22 and June 5, 2001
The trip started from Vancouver, BC, Canada. We traveled through the Inside Passage stopping at Metlakatla, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, Seward, Kodiak Is., Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria BC (on Vancouver Is.), ending back at Vancouver.
Margerie Glacier
At the head of Glacier Bay. The weather on this day was typical of most of the cruise...calm and sunny.
Margerie Glacier
We had exceptional weather for May (normally rainy). Warmer than normal temperatures caused "calving" of glaciers. All of a sudden, you hear a loud "crack" and before you could take a photo, a large chuck of glacier had broken away.
Margerie Glacier
The captain came out to watch the "calving".
Receding Glacier
We saw lots of evidence of climate changes in past century. Glaciers have receded considerably as seen here.
Resurrection Bay
Took an excursion boat from Seward out on Resurrection Bay. Lots of Stellar Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Kittiwakes, Cormorants, Puffins and other sea birds.
Cliff Nesters
Our excursion (on Glacier Queen) out on Resurrection Bay included visiting some cliffs with nesting kittiwakes and murres and cormorants (not shown).
Enroute Kodiak Is.
In late May, the sun sets around midnight. Very hard to go to bed at normal times since it would still be light. Luckily, there was plenty of entertainment until midnight. Kodiak Island was our turn around point before we headed back across the Gulf of Alaska to stop at more ports along the Alexander Archipelago.
Nightly Entertainment
Each evening there were a variety of "acts" usually followed by dancing into the late hours.
Piano Bar on Ship
Each evening there were various types of entertainment, including late evening music in a lounge. A nice way to end the day.
View from Kodiak Is.
This was the furtherest west we went on the cruise. Spent the day on the island (took a historical tour then walked around). Then we headed back across the Gulf of Alaska to return to the Alexander Archipelago and eventually return to Vancouver. The only storm of the trip was on the day that it took us to cross the Gulf of Alaska.
Port of Sitka
Only stop on the cruise that our ship couldn't dock (too shallow). Passengers were ferried ashore in small boats which continuously ran while we were in Sitka.
Totems at Sitka
The natives of Sitka are known for their highly decorative totems. These were in a park on the edge of town.
Rain Forest
While ashore in Sitka, I walked through the Sitka National Park, part of the Tongass National Forest. This park is at the edge of town.
Nature Walk
This was a 3-hour excursion through the rain forest on Douglas Island, across the channel from Juneau. Part of Tongass National Forest. One of several side trips available on our stop at Juneau.
Ketchikan
Not our ship. Sometimes there was not enough dock space so passengers had to be brought ashore by small boats like one seen departing this ship.
Ketchikan
Port of Ketchikan.
There were 3 other cruise ships in port, one of which could not dock (no space). Our ship can be seen at center of photo.
Victoria
We traveled through Victoria to visit Butchart Gardens, north of the city.
Butchart Gardens
On our return to Vancouver, we stopped at Butchart Gardens, north of Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. These were previously mining pits.
Butterfly Garden
On the way back from Butchart Gardens, we stopped at a tropical butterfly garden. Very warm and humid (inside gardens).
