My Awesome Alaskan Adventure: Statendam July 15 (long)

Originally, I just posted a link to this review on the HAL board, but I've had requests to put the full text here. All the underlined text are live links to more information.

You can see my photos here: My Statendam Alaska Photos

We booked all our excursions independently because after reading this forum, and paying particular attention to sage advice of Budget Queen and Yukon, I anticipated that we would have a higher quality, less crowded experience. Except for Anan, all of the excursions we did were available in similar form and price from the ship. I did not hear or overhear any gripes about the ship’s tours; quite the contrary, most people seemed pleased. I just think there is a qualitative difference to the independent tours that appeals to me.

Sunday: Vancouver and departure day.

US Direct was terrific. Absolutely seamless. This service is only available if you travel from the US to Vancouver on the same day you sail. You go straight from the plane to a ‘sealed coach’. (They literally put tape over the door.) You never are technically in Canada, and you get to skip customs and the crowded lines entirely. After an engaging drive from the airport to Canada Place, narrated by a very amusing driver, we got to the pier and were on the ship very quickly. Every HAL person we dealt with on the way was extremely pleasant and helpful. The rooms were ready very quickly and we departed on time. There were no particular health warnings, but I was glad to see Purell everywhere. We left Vancouver under dramatic, cloudy skies.

Monday: Sea Day: Inside Passage.

The weather turned beautiful and we spent much of the day on deck enjoying the view and looking for eagles and whales. Both the sunrise and sunset were breathtaking. We got to know the wonderful onboard naturalist, Ian. I met a member of this board, Bernie’s Mom, aka Jeannie, who also spent a lot of time on deck throughout the cruise.

A note to passionate whale watchers: Get up early! Earlier than you think. I’m told Orcas can frequently be found off Robson’s Bight. We were expected to pass this area around 5:00 – 5:30 am. However, the captain got there early and even though I was on deck with my binoculars at 5:00 am, I missed seeing the orcas by about 10 minutes. Moral of the story: Cruise captains can be more than punctual – if there is something you want to see, get there 30 minutes in advance.

Tuesday: Ketchikan: Anan Bear Observatory.

Wow! What a start to the shore portion of our cruise. Ketchikan was warm and sunny, an unexpected delight. We flew with Family Air to the Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory. There are a limited number of passes available to this site available through the National Forest Service. The air charters who fly there will check availability and arrange for the passes for you. This trip was a real splurge, but oh my, it was fantastic. After a very scenic 40 minute flight we arrived at an inlet where two eagles greeted us from tall pines. The ranger stationed at the inlet gave us a briefing about bear safety and then we walked 20 minutes up a relatively easy boardwalk path along a creek to the viewing platforms at the falls. We were pretty excited to see a bunch of fresh bear scat along the way. This should tell you a lot about me. ;). Near the end of the path two black bears crossed the path right in front of us. Thrilling!

The viewing platforms at the falls were almost sensory overload. Bears, eagles, ravens, leaping salmon, the rushing of the falls. It was amazing. There were two rangers at the falls to monitor the bear and human behavior and answer questions.

Anan gets mostly black bears, with the possibility of a brown bear now and then. We were lucky to see a youngish brown bear. He/she also happened to be a skilled fisher, and we enjoyed watching grab several fish. The choice of whether to go bear watching, where to go, and when depends entirely on the salmon run. You have to figure out where along your itinerary you intersect in time and space with the salmon run at the known bear locations. Unfortunately, I can’t point you to any simple, concise resource. I read the Alaska board a lot, phoned Family Air, and learned that for mid to late July, Anan was a good place to go. Of course, there are no guarantees and salmon quantities and timing can vary from year to year.

As the time comes to walk back to the inlet to meet the Family Air float plane, I fantasize about ditching the cruise and camping out here.

Wednesday: Juneau: Glaciers and Whales

Herbert Glacier with Coastal Helicopters.

We were met in front of the Red Dog Saloon by the Coastal Helicopters van and driven past a large tidal flat at high tide to their heliport near the Juneau airport. Every thing was smooth, professional and friendly. We were weighed and divided into groups of six. If you did not have shoes with good traction, they provided grippy boots to wear over you shoes. Mom and I were lucky to be assigned to one of their newest helicopters that had larger viewing windows that the others. Our pilot and guide, Mitch was fantastic, knowledgeable and competent. We flew up to Herbert glacier passing Mendenhall glacier and some beautiful scenery on the way. We walked around, enjoyed the incredible view, and peered into crevasses. We were not crowded at all. We could see one other helicopter far in the distance. It was overcast, and that was a good thing in this case, because the blue of glacial ice is much more evident in soft overcast light. Mitch gave us a bonus and instead of flying straight back, we passed over the sources of the Herbert and Mendenhall glaciers, both high Juneau Ice Field. This was my mom’s first time on a helicopter and she loved it.

Mt Roberts Tram.

When we got back to the ship, we went to the Lido deck and got some sandwiches. We wrapped them in napkins, put them in our backpacks, and took them up to Mt Roberts on the tram. We had the most delightful, casual lunch sitting on a park bench overlooking the harbor. We strolled around and visited Spirit, the rehabbed eagle, who resides in a beautiful enclosure near the nature center. There is a nice gift shop up at the top of Mt Roberts that is very low on the tacky scale. I picked up a cool book on the role of the raven in northwestern native mythology.

Whale Watching with Harv and Marv.

Whales! Whales! Whales! I was overwhelmed and elated by this experience. It was an afternoon I will never forget. When I booked a whale watching tour, I knew we would see whales, but that a very common outcome was to see a few humps and spouts at a distance on a cloudy day. And believe me, that would have been fine. However, in my secret heart, I hoped that we would get a glimpse at a group of humpbacks bubble net feeding. Boy did I get my wish. It was a gorgeous day and we saw a group of approximately 15 humpbacks of all sizes feeding over and over. It was such a gorgeous day that I wore a t-shirt and got a little sunburned!

Let me back up to say that the Harv and Marv experience was top notch from start to finish. Their web site was informative, and I loved Jay’s photos. I was especially eager to do a whale tour with a pilot/guide who shared my interest in photography. I talked to Eileen (Mrs. Marv) a couple of times as I was working out the details of our itinerary and she was just lovely – helpful and informative. Eileen’s dad picked us up outside the Red Dog Saloon and drove us past the same tidal flats, this time at low tide. We saw tons of birds out there including dozens of eagles. Jay Beedle (aka Marv) greeted us at the pier, gave us a safety briefing, inquired about our priorities (max whales!), and we were off. The boat has a capacity of six, but our tour had only four. The two others were a pair of German photographers with Canon gear. That made four Canon shooters, including Jay and myself, on the trip. There was a lot of big white glass on that relatively small boat.

We zipped out to the part of Auke bay where whales had been observed feeding earlier in the day. Along the way Jay mentioned that he had taken a nap on the boat before our tour and had awoken to the sound of whale song. I asked if he had left his hydrophone on and he said no, he had been dreaming of whale song. I love this guy! We spot a group of whales, about 15 of them, near the shore. It’s amazing how close to shore the whales seem to go. But there are two things to remember: Distances are deceiving at sea, especially in Alaska where the scale of everything is very large, and the shorelines in this area are very steep, so the water is very deep right next to the land.

We watch with anticipation as the whales spout and do nothing in particular for about ten minutes. Was the feeding show over? But after they had all sounded for a few minutes, we noticed birds circling over the water and our hearts raced. It was the prelude to the great spectacle of humpbacks bubble net feeding. Wow! Wow! Wow! It was amazing to witness. The group, which included at least two babies and several very large adults, continued to feed for the remainder of our tour. Jay maneuvered the Haarvendam as the whales moved, always adhering to the 100 yard limit. He had an uncanny sense of when and where they would surface next, aided by hydrophones and years of experience.

I had heard the sound of whales exhaling before, that sort of wet, blowing sound that accompanies a spout. But I had never heard the kind of rapid inhaling, and grunts and groans associated with the extreme exertion of bubble net feeding. I wish I could describe it. It was powerful, loud and gripping.

There were several boats watching whales that afternoon, ranging from small like ours, to medium and large. They all seemed to be communicating and coordinating. When I looked at one of my photos of the whales feeding, I saw that some shots included one of the medium-large boats in the background. Looking closely, I saw that people were packed shoulder to shoulder on that boat. Strangely, most of the people were facing away from the feeding. I can’t imagine what they were looking at, since there was really only one group of whales out there. I’m so glad I went with the small, nimble, uncrowded Haarvendam.

As our tour comes to an end, I fantasize about ditching the cruise and spending a week in Juneau going out with Harv and Marv every day. On the way back, Eileen’s dad stops at a salmon hatchery and gives us a brief tour. I thought that was very generous.

I can’t recommend Harv and Marvs enough. Truth be told, I haven’t gone on a Juneau-based whale tour with any other group, but I can’t imagine anything else being better from my point of view. Whale watching conditions, and the number and behavior of whales vary from day to day. With Harv and Marv, I feel confident that I’ll get the best whale watching experience available at any given time.

Thursday: Skagway: Drive to the Yukon

Harbor seals, eagles and numerous other birds greeted us as we docked in Skagway. We rented a car from Avis and took a leisurely drive all the way to Emerald Lake. It was sunny for the first third and cloudy/rainy for the inland portion. There was beautiful scenery all along the way. We didn’t see any wildlife except for birds. The town of Skagway struck me as kind of touristy.

Friday: Glacier Bay.

Our weather luck ran out and we had overcast with drizzle on and off for our cruise in Glacier Bay. But that didn’t stop the hardy group on the “scenery and wildlife to the max” track. Mom and I spent most of the day out on the bow with our fellow travelers and naturalist, Ian. We saw eagles (by now we were getting blasé about eagles – they’re everywhere) mountain goats, a couple of bears, humpbacks, sea otters, harbor seals, and many birds. I’m a novice birder and I added quite a few new birds to my life list. Luckily there was an advanced birder on board, who, like every birder I’ve ever met, was very generous with his knowledge and insight. He helped me spot and identify many new birds. Thanks, Paul from Minnesota!

The Statendam was the only ship in Glacier Bay that day, so we didn’t have to wait for or hurry for anyone. I think this is one of the advantages of the Statendam’s and Ryndam’s northbound itinerary. They have Glacier Bay to themselves on Fridays.

Saturday: College Fjord.

The bulk of the day was spent at sea in open water. We got to Prince William Sound in the afternoon, when we joined naturalist Ian and the usual suspects out on the bow. We passed a couple of large colonies of Stellar’s sea lions. We saw humpacks and orca from the ship, but at a distance. There were numerous birds. College Fjord was overcast and drizzling, like Glacier Bay. We saw a lot of harbor seals floating on the ice near the glaciers. The air is bracing and we feel our ‘northerness’. I savor it.

One small problem with this itinerary is that cruising College Fjord directly conflicts with dinner, especially the early seatings. There’s no way around it, we cruised here directly on open water from Glacier Bay. I went to dinner hoping to wolf down an appetizer and get out on deck. But this was the Master Chefs dinner. When I saw that it was going to be a drawn-out theatrical affair, I had to make a choice, which wasn’t too hard. I excused myself early and got outside. Mom stayed because she was hungrier than I was and a little tired of the cold. She later confided that she wish she had left.

Sunday: Seward: Alaska Sea Life Center, Alaska Saltwater Lodge.

Mom and did the express disembarkation and rolled our stuff off the Statendam and into a taxi. Easy as pie.

The taxi took us to the Alaska Saltwater Lodge, our home in the Seward area for the next two nights. This is a lovely place run by lovely people right on the beach at Lowell Point. It was about a10 minute drive from the harbor. The taxi cost us $15 plus tip. After that we took the shuttle back and forth to town from Millers Landing next door. It ran every hour and cost $5 each way.

We could see salmon leaping in the air about 25 yards from our window. Our downstairs room had an incredible view, but lacked a little privacy. You could hear people moving about next door and above. . I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again, but next time, I’ll try to get one of the upstairs rooms. They served a wonderful continental breakfast in the morning, including a terrific fresh fruit salad. This may not sound like a big deal, but I learned that fresh fruit is very expensive in Alaska. Just like salmon is here.

After a much needed nap, we went into town to the Alaska Sea Life Center. They have a fantastic aviary. I loved seeing puffins, murres, and other birds up close. You can also see a really impressive bull Stellar’s sea lion, an enormous octopus, lots of fish and more. It’s a beautiful facility. We walked to Cristo’s across the street and had a great pizza, then rode back the lodge and sacked out.

MONDAY: Kenai Fjords

Mom and I chose the all-day “Captain’s Choice” tour with Mariah Tours, a part of the Kenai Fjords Tour company. The Captains Choice tour caters to smaller groups and allows the captain to match the passenger’s interests with the conditions on that day when planning a route. We cruised on the “Misty” with Captain Dan Olsen and first mate Chris. The boat had a passenger capacity of 18; our group had 13. Dan asked the group what our priorities were and we were off. The weather was overcast and cool with drizzle on and off.

Not long after leaving the harbor we encountered a small group of Dall’s porpoise. One of them surfed our bow for several minutes. That was insanely great! This was a small boat, so we were leaning over the rail watching a porpoise race along only a few feet from our noses.

The Kenai Fjords National Park is awesome. I encourage anyone whose Alaska itinerary takes them to Seward or Whittier to spend an extra day on a boat tour there. We toured beautiful coves, especially Spire Cove and Cateract Cove. They were absolutely magical, especially in the mist, like a scene out of Lord of the Rings.

We went to Northwestern glacier, motoring slowly through lots of beautiful chunks of ice. Many of the ice floes near the glacier had harbor seals lounging on top. We saw the hard to find Kittlitz’s murrelet which makes its habitat only near glaciers. The glacier had a lot of snow near the top and we saw two avalanches thunder into the sea. Really cool!

There were tons of birds, often in big groups diving for fish in a ‘bait ball’. I saw several new birds that I’ve never seen before. Captain Dan and Chris were exceptionally good at identifying birds. I’m a novice birder, which means that half the time I only have a vague idea of what I’m looking at – especially in a new location. For example, I can tell a cormorant by its shape, but I never would have noticed the very uncommon red-faced cormorant without Captain Dan’s help.

We got fairly close looks at Orcas, including one very adorable baby. I learned that baby orcas have an orange tint. I could see it with the naked eye at the time, and even more clearly later in the photos. We passed a couple large colonies of Stellar’s sea lions. We saw all the varieties of puffins, and a number of other diving birds.

Chris served snacks throughout the day, and a terrific deli lunch. I had a lot of great food on the cruise, but Chris’s homemade vegetable soup, served piping hot after viewing the glacier in chilly weather, was one of my favorite meals of the whole trip. I recommend Kenai Fjords Tours, especially the all day captains choice tour, very highly. Not only was Captain Dan an excellent guide with 17 years of experience piloting boats, he was an expert in all the local wildlife and birds. He was actively involved in orca research and could identify several of the individuals by the nicks and markings on their dorsal fins. I feel compelled to share that he was also really adorable!

And of course, as we return to the harbor I fantasize about ditching the flight home and staying in Seward for a few more days to keep touring Kenai Fjords

We had an excellent dinner at Chinook’s on the waterfront at the recommendation of first mate, Chris.

TUESDAY: Drive to Anchorage and flight home.

We rented a car from Hertz and drove it the Anchorage airport. I looked into the train and bus shuttle, but none of these worked with our schedule. We would have had to leave Seward the afternoon before, and there was no way I was going to miss a full day tour of Kenai Fjords. Our ride was pleasantly scenic, but we didn't see any wildlife other than gulls.

Our cabin: We were in 791 on the starboard side, between midships and aft. It was spacious, comfortable, and clean. The storage was more than ample for the two of us. I don’t know about larger cabins/suites, but we had only one electrical outlet in our cabin - just one, not even a double outlet. It was on the vanity/desk. I’m very glad I brought a power strip and an extension cord for all my camera/computer gear.

We had a large window on the starboard side. If I book another cruise to Alaska, I will try the port side. I think the scenery is mostly equivalent, and we viewed the really great stuff from the bow anyway. However, the ships usually berth with the starboard side to the dock. When you are on one of the lower decks, you will likely have people walking right outside your window if you are on the starboard side.

The Ship: I think the ship is lovely. I don’t have recent cruise experience to compare it to, but it was tasteful, spacious and functional. I think the cruise was sold out but I rarely felt crowded. A few times the elevators got really packed. I love the wraparound lower promenade deck, and many passengers, including myself enjoyed exercising and strolling there. The bow area was very large and the rails were just the right height to feel secure, but have great visibility. The Van Gogh showroom has beautiful mosaics in the theme of “Starry Night”.

The Captain: Captain Peter Bos really impressed me. After reading the Alaska forum, I learned that wildlife announcements on Alaska cruises weren’t as common as they used to be. Captain Bos was an exception. He made announcements when humpbacks, orcas, and other unusual wildlife was visible. Even better, he would make announcements telling us in advance that we were entering an area where sightings were likely. He challenged the passengers to spot a bear on shore on the way to Glacier Bay before he did. The first spotter, not me, sadly, won a bottle of wine.

He chose really interesting, scenic routes through beautiful narrows when more direct routes would have been easier and faster. At the Mariner’s reception, which I attended with my mother, a passenger who has many days on HAL remarked on the captain’s enthusiasm for wildlife, scenic routing and Alaskan beauty in general. The crowd burst into applause. Apparently, frequent HAL cruisers realized that Captain Bos was exceptional. People at the reception agreed that he was the best Captain they had ever had. I don’t have any recent cruises to compare too, but Captain Bos far exceeded the expectations I formed in my pre-cruise research. I understand Captain Bos is scheduled to go to the Noordam next.

The Staff: Overall, everyone was excellent – friendly and competent. The only small problem I had was with our room steward, who twice asked, nearly insisted, that we not be in our room so he could meet his schedule. The first time, we complied, but the second time annoyed us and just wasn’t convenient. We didn’t spend a lot of time in our room, but when we wanted to be there, I didn’t like being made to feel that it was inconvenient for him. It was a small irritation in the scheme of things, though.

The Naturalist: Ian Denton was a delight. He’s a real asset to the line. Ian is a well traveled Aussie, who is an expert in Alaskan wildlife, geology, history and culture (among other things). He was out on deck during all the scenic passages and when wildlife sightings were likely. His lectures were lively, fun, informative, and well attended.

The Food: I thought it was great. I didn’t dislike any of the meals and I truly loved some of them. The scallops were outstanding. I actually had two servings. The salads were all very good, fresh and crisp, which is not that easy to do in an institutional kitchen. We had a fantastic window table for four in the upper dining room at the early seating (5:30 pm). Our dinner companions were lovely. I really like the upper dining area; it seems less crowded and quieter. I thought the Saturday night Master Chef’s dinner was silly and overdone. I ducked out after 15 minutes of dancing, singing and processions without even getting an appetizer. Lots of people seemed to like it, though. It just wasn’t my style and it felt forced.

We ate breakfast and lunch in the Lido. A couple times, the lines got a little long, but nothing really objectionable. I was very pleased with the quality of food in the Lido, especially the fresh fruit and salads. There were lots of juices to choose from at breakfast. The orange juice tasted fresh squeezed to me.

I only gained a pound. I call that a victory.

Packing: Mom and I each managed to get everything* into one large rolling nylon suitcase. (* I had an additional smaller, carry-on size rolling case that held all my camera gear and computer stuff.) We were able to manage it all ourselves, which was really convenient, especially for disembarkation.

I took several silk long sleeve undershirts which turned out to be a great idea. On the colder, windier days, I wore three silk undershirts, a medium weight polar fleece sweater, and a rain jacket. That’s five layers, but it wasn’t bulky at all. I was really comfortable because those silk layers are really thin and smooth. I also had silk long underwear for the cold days. I found that space bags were useful for my polar fleece items.

Mom and I each invested in waterproof shoes. These turned out to be an excellent choice. They are relatively light weight like running shoes. I never had to worry about my feet getting soaked in the drizzle, and there were times in Seward or on excursions when we had to step through muck and puddles.

You will need good socks, a warm hat, and gloves. I took the kind with no fingers so I could still use my camera.

I managed to feel comfortable and appropriate on formal nights while taking up hardly any packing space. I took a long black jersey knit skirt and a silky velvet long sleeve blouse. I wore flat shoes and back tights (which doubled as a warm layer). I didn’t care that I wore the same thing on both formal nights.

Binoculars: I took the Olympus 8x42s that I’ve had for years and a new pair of Zen-ray Summit 10x42s; both were waterproof. My mom used the Olympus and I used the Zen-rays. I was happy to have the extra reach of the Zen-rays. On the Kenai tour we were moving between a warm cabin and a cold exterior. Another passenger’s binoculars fogged up a little on the inside. Neither of mine did. I was extremely happy with Zen-rays and I consider them an excellent value. If wildlife is a priority for you on an Alaska cruise, you will need binoculars.

Camera: I took my Canon dSLR and several lenses: 100-400 IS zoom, 24-105 IS zoom, 17-40 zoom, 100 f2.8 macro, 1.4x teleconverter. I took a 580 flash and never used it. I used the 100-400 for all the wildlife shots. I used the 24-105 for almost everything else. I never used the 100 prime and only used the 17-14 once. I never ended up using the 1.4 teleconverter. In many cases there just wasn’t enough light to give up that extra stop. When there was enough light, the conditions were changing fast enough (ie, light and shade areas at Anan) it didn’t make sense to keep changing back and forth. Sometimes the weather discouraged me. I took the Kata Rain Cover which looks nutty (and took as much space in my suitcase as my “formal wear”), but allowed me to go out and shoot in Seward during a moderate rain. I did not take, nor did I miss having a monopod or tripod. For the excursions I took, agility and mobility were key. There were times when I wished I had a tiny point and shoot in my pocket. But overall, I was happy with my set up, except for the stuff I toted and never used. I took 5 2GB cards and downloaded on to my laptop every night. I never had to deal with any customs issues because of US direct in Vancouver.

Apologies and thanks: I apologize for the length of this review and the delay in posting it. When I returned home, I had a bunch of unexpected business and personal stuff that required my attention. I want to thank the excellent contributors on the HAL and Alaska boards that helped me plan our cruise. I couldn’t have done it without you. My dear mom and I had a truly memorable time in Alaska. I can’t wait to go back.

You can see my photos here: My Statendam Alaska Photos

YEAH!

It is so deserving of it's place here on the Alaska board!

FABULOUS REVIEW!

FABULOUS PHOTOS!

:) :) :)

WOW!

You are one great photographer! I am now so impatient to get over there and see all of these wondrous sights. Thanks for a great review and photo collection.

Thanks for posting it. Yes, this definitely deserves its place in Alaska board. Another piece of classic well done! I really your experience of whale watching with H&M

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful review and fantastic photos.

You were truly blessed to see so much of the beautiful wildlife in Alaska.

Thank you again

Gill

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful review and fantastic photos.

You were truly blessed to see so much of the beautiful wildlife in Alaska.

Thank you again

Gill

Hola CostaFox!

I was delighted to hear from you all the way from Spain. What part of southern Spain is your home?

I would like to suggest that the poster of this thread, who happens to be a marvelous photographer, post her photo of CAPT. DAN here, as well.

One thread is not big enough for the beauty of that man!:)

Okay,

back to your regular scheduled program...

I would like to suggest that the poster of this thread, who happens to be a marvelous photographer, post her photo of CAPT. DAN here, as well.

 

One thread is not big enough for the beauty of that man!:)

 

Okay,

back to your regular scheduled program...

 

As requested, a link to Captain Dan

He is part of the Kenai Fjords section of my Alaska trip photos. See link below.

Your review just got that much better!

:D :D :D :D

Thanks for posting...we are hoping to follow a similar plan. I am glad it worked out so well for you.

Tuesday: Ketchikan: Anan Bear Observatory.

Wow! What a start to the shore portion of our cruise. Ketchikan was warm and sunny, an unexpected delight. We flew with Family AirCOLOR] to the [/colorme. ;). Near the end of the path two black bears crossed the path right in front of us. Thrilling!

Great review!! We were on the Infinity week of July 15 and also went to Anan on Tuesday. I have to agree, that although expensive, this was definitely the highlight of our trip. I was thrilled that this was something my 13 year old daughter was able to experience and will always have as a memory. What time were you at Anan? We were there from 11 to 4, saw the grizzly (my daughter actually spotted it peaking out of the woods and then coming into the area), but did not get to see any cubs.

We went whale watching with Harv and Marv as well (on Thursday). Gotta love these boards for recommendations. You definitely saw much more whales then we did.

AMAZING PHOTOS!!!! Thank you so much for sharing them.

We are leaving for Alaska tomorrow and have booked with Harv and Marvs and after your photos I cant wait!!!:D

Great review!! We were on the Infinity week of July 15 and also went to Anan on Tuesday. I have to agree, that although expensive, this was definitely the highlight of our trip. I was thrilled that this was something my 13 year old daughter was able to experience and will always have as a memory. What time were you at Anan? We were there from 11 to 4, saw the grizzly (my daughter actually spotted it peaking out of the woods and then coming into the area), but did not get to see any cubs.

 

We went whale watching with Harv and Marv as well (on Thursday). Gotta love these boards for recommendations. You definitely saw much more whales then we did.

That is so cool that you were at Anan at the same time! We were there from about 9:00 am to 12:30. Sadly, the Statendam has a short day in Ketchikan. The mother and cubs were near the outhouse when we saw them.

Wow! What a start to the shore portion of our cruise. Ketchikan was warm and sunny, an unexpected delight. We flew with Family Air to the Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory. There are a limited number of passes available to this site available through the National Forest Service. The air charters who fly there will check availability and arrange for the passes for you. This trip was a real splurge, but oh my, it was fantastic. After a very scenic 40 minute flight we arrived at an inlet where two eagles greeted us from tall pines. The ranger stationed at the inlet gave us a briefing about bear safety and then we walked 20 minutes up a relatively easy boardwalk path along a creek to the viewing platforms at the falls. We were pretty excited to see a bunch of fresh bear scat along the way. This should tell you a lot about me. ;). Near the end of the path two black bears crossed the path right in front of us. Thrilling!

 

The viewing platforms at the falls were almost sensory overload. Bears, eagles, ravens, leaping salmon, the rushing of the falls. It was amazing. There were two rangers at the falls to monitor the bear and human behavior and answer questions.

Your photos are absolutely stunning! I only want to quietly hide away my camera and newly acquired cheap lens so nobody can see.

How early did you book your tour with familyair? We are planning to take similar bear watching tour next year. We don't want to rush in decision too quick for fear of running out bear permit.

I printed your entire post on 9 pages for my copycat itineray reference in the future! Thanks for this great work and I don't know what you are apologetic for.:)

I took the Kata Rain Cover which looks nutty (and took as much space in my suitcase as my “formal wear”), but allowed me to go out and shoot in Seward during a moderate rain. I

photodoodle, I don't know how I missed this great piece of information even after reading your review twice (probably getting carried away and drooling over your array of lenses). I also have a 17-40 F/4 lens which I find it very useful for indoor group portraits, as well the 580EX flash (yeah, I have to admit, I need some serious work on flash photograph). My friend just let me have fun with his 24-105IS for a few days. Yeah, they are way, way better than my 28-105.

Anyway, almost got carried away again. For the lens element rain cover, did you get their 704 or 702 model? I couldn't find the price on the website you have a link on (I thought I was internet shopping savvy, going almost 95% e-shopping except grocery and dinning out :D). thanks

For the lens element rain cover, did you get their 704 or 702 model? I couldn't find the price on the website you have a link on (I thought I was internet shopping savvy, going almost 95% e-shopping except grocery and dinning out :D). thanks

Hi Dave,

I got both. The 704 is an attachment to the 702 that allows you to cover long zoom lenses. You can find them at major online photo retailers.

Jackie

Jackie, Thank you. I found them on bhphoto, for a total of around $100 for both of them. It seems like a good deal. It will be too late for this trip. But at least I have a better option to protect my camera/lens from rains other than using my ski jacket sleeve.

Your photos are absolutely stunning! I only want to quietly hide away my camera and newly acquired cheap lens so nobody can see.

 

How early did you book your tour with familyair? We are planning to take similar bear watching tour next year. We don't want to rush in decision too quick for fear of running out bear permit.

 

I printed your entire post on 9 pages for my copycat itineray reference in the future! Thanks for this great work and I don't know what you are apologetic for.:)

We booked about 6-8 weeks before we went, but we got the last two permits available for that day. Whew! Remember, Anan might not be the best place to go at the time of year you are cruising. Optimal locations vary by time.

Re hiding your camera: no no no!:eek: Shoot and shoot some more. I was using a point and shoot for everything only a few years ago. It's not about the camera or the lens. Trust me on this. It's about seeing the beauty around you and learning to use the tools you have to capture and express what moves you.

Jackie, Thank you. I found them on bhphoto, for a total of around $100 for both of them. It seems like a good deal. It will be too late for this trip. But at least I have a better option to protect my camera/lens from rains other than using my ski jacket sleeve.

When are you leaving? Must be any day now. OMG, I'm so jealous. I just can't wait to go back.

Hola CostaFox!

I was delighted to hear from you all the way from Spain. What part of southern Spain is your home?

Hola Photodoodle

We live very close to the Spanish border with Gibraltar and both of us work on the famous Rock of Gibraltar.

We are booked on the repositioning cruise for the Serenade of the Seas next May and are flying from Malaga to Madrid to Dublin to San Francisco, which will be a very exciting adventure for us. Returning from Vancouver to London to Malaga three weeks later. We cannot wait for our trip to start as this will be our first time out of Europe.

Best Wishes

Gill

Jackie, I am sitting here at airport terminal, waiting for my flight to anchorage. :D:D see you later

We booked about 6-8 weeks before we went, but we got the last two permits available for that day. Whew! Remember, Anan might not be the best place to go at the time of year you are cruising. Optimal locations vary by time.

 

Re hiding your camera: no no no!:eek: Shoot and shoot some more. I was using a point and shoot for everything only a few years ago. It's not about the camera or the lens. Trust me on this. It's about seeing the beauty around you and learning to use the tools you have to capture and express what moves you.

Your work definitely inspires me to take out my camera more often. I am glad I still have close to 10 months to brush up my camera skills. Thank you so much!!!!

How was the Alaska Saltwater Lodge? Would you recommend it?

How was the Alaska Saltwater Lodge? Would you recommend it?

I liked it and I would stay there again. It's a lodge or a bed & breakfast, not a hotel, so I would not recommend it for someone who wanted a conveniently located "downtown" hotel. However, it's at a beautiful location right on the dark basalt beach of Resurection Bay. The $5 shuttle into town available from Millers Landing right next door made it convenient to get into town. So I would recommend it to people who wanted a scenic, slightly out of the way, comfy place to stay.

I liked it and I would stay there again. It's a lodge or a bed & breakfast, not a hotel, so I would not recommend it for someone who wanted a conveniently located "downtown" hotel. However, it's at a beautiful location right on the dark basalt beach of Resurection Bay. The $5 shuttle into town available from Millers Landing right next door made it convenient to get into town. So I would recommend it to people who wanted a scenic, slightly out of the way, comfy place to stay.

Thanks for the great review. I do have one question when researching my travel plan: Is it possible to walk from the saltwater lodge to town, or shuttle is a must?