Juneau
Our cruising vacation with 20 family members and friends started in Juneau. The weather on our first day was sunny with the purest blue sky. This is rare in rainy, misty Junenau. And on the boat, we were very lucky to have zero rain for all six days.
The Mendenhall Glacier is just outside Juneau, and we enjoyed a great hike to a waterfall. The Alaska state museum was also a good stop. And there’s plenty of shopping for trinkets in downtown Juneau (but don’t blink or you’ll miss it).
In the late afternoon, it was time to embark the good ship “Wilderness Legacy” for our 7-day voyage!
For wildlife, check out this album And thanks to Audrey for sharing some of her photos in this collection.
Kayaking in Calm Bays
Our travel company, “Un-Cruise,” emphasizes getting off the boat every day for adventures. Typically, we had choices of kayaking, meandering on a shore, bushwhacking through the temperate rain forest, or taking a motored ride in a zodiac boat. All were great options, but I loved kayaking the best.
Southeast Alaska is vast, calm, peaceful, and quiet. On a kayak, you are alone with a great wilderness to explore. On the first day, we saw abundant starfish, anemones, shellfish, and kelp. Click for bigger pictures, right arrow for next.
Hiking in the Rain Forest
Bushwhacking was just that, as there few paths through the rainforest. On the first day, we crossed a “muskeg”–a peat bog. It was soft and squishy, often compressing by 12 inches under our boots. We found blueberries, cloudberries, watermelon berries, salmonberries, and more. All edible and delicious. We found an old cabin. We did a rigorous hike along a steeply cascading creek and waterfall. Click for bigger pictures, right arrow for next.
Aprés Activity
On board, we had nightly talks by experts about what we were experiencing. We also had a delicious hot breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. There was a large lounge with ample games. And a favorite place to relax at the end of a busy day was in the hot tub on the top deck.
Baird Glacier
Our first glacier stop was at Baird, a very unusual glacier because a bay of very large icebergs is trapped behind a rocky moraine. Many of our crew chose the zodiac ride for a closeup of the huge icebergs. I joined the hardy few who hiked across the rocky moraine for a overview of Baird Glacier
Beach Party
Séamus, our trip leader, announced that one afternoon would have no choice for activities. We were all going to disembark for a beach party. Our family made wonderful rock art, played chess, wove flower crowns, enjoyed the libations, and got a great group photo.
Click for bigger pictures, right arrow for next.
Glacier Bay National Park
The last day was among the amazing glaciers at Glacier Bay National Park. Enjoy the views!
Check out the newest skincare regime - “Glacial Facials!”
Karen the Greatest
The trip was a tribute to my sister, Karen-the-Greatest. Karen planned this wonderful adventure for all the family and friends, but sadly passed away two months before the trip. We are grateful for everything about her and for this magical trip. xx
Trip Map
