BEAUTIES! At this point I was SO excited to see LAND (none the day before) AND to see Alaska that I couldn't go back to sleep. I tried to bribe Lyle to get up and join me but he was too tired (remember I went to bed early from being sick and they all stayed up) so I went out on the back deck to sight see and watch the sun rise-GORGEOUS!
It was also while I was out this morning that I saw my first whale! It was beautiful to watch and I could even tell it was an Orca because of it's tall, black dorsal fin.
Around noon we pulled into our first port of the trip-Juneau, Alaska (tourist trap, but beautiful all the same!)
Dave and Lyle both want to claim that I saw a moose but I don't count it!
We did most of our shopping there and then the second half was spent on our first excursion to Mendenhall Glacier and a Salmon Bake.
the glacier was huge and beautiful!
the waterfall in the back in runoff-not from the glacier but from the snow in the mountains.
Off to the side of the park was a walk that went along the salmon run. These salmon were HUGE and bright red.
Lyle n I decided to go on the 3/4 mile walk because they said you could possibly see bear. Pretty cool! About two minutes in, just as I was thinking I wasn't comfortable being in the open with possible bear in the area, about 15 feet ahead of us three bear cubs walk out in front of us. We both freeze not knowing where the mother was (I was shaking and trying to talk Lyle in to turning back) and not far behind, the mother followed. She looked at us and then continued on across our path and down to the river. I was so shook up at this point but Lyle made me continue on and then do the walk AGAIN! The second time around we saw another bear but further away-thankfully! I didn't know if I could handle another encounter!
If you look close you can see the bear face.
Later, Wes and Katryna were on the same walkway and caught video of the mother bear catching fish for the babies.
We then headed to a Salmonbake where the locals grilled so amazing tasting salmon and we then there was a simple walk that took you to a little waterfall where some mining took place.
After a long and beautiful day, we got back on the ship and went back to our rooms to find this towel animal there to greet us.
1 comment:
Oh My! I think I would have cried if I had seen bear that close!
Too much of a wimp I am :-(
Dave looks so funny in that picture with his boys :-)
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