Live from the Maasdam-14 night Alaska

[maureencruiser]

Tuesday

 

Tuesday was Homer. Doh!

 

First look at Homer.

 

 

I took the shuttle into town.

 

 

Dogs seemed to be the theme of this cruise. Besides Raylene, there were 2 other service dogs on the cruise. One of the Winos commented that there were more dogs than children aboard. I have seen one boy, around 8 years old. That is it.

 

Me, on the shuttle, stylin' in my new vest.

 

 

Homer was cute and quirky.

 

 

I really liked this.

 

 

 

[maureencruiser]

This mess reminded me of my cabin.

 

 

 

I did a little shopping in town.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to try Two Sisters' Bakery, I took the nature trail to get there.

 

 

 

 

On the beach, I stepped into sand that was just a little too soft. I knew it instantly. I had stepped in dog mess. Stupid dogs! Raylene, that better not have been you! :mad:

 

Connie's Cottage looks perfect.

 

 

 

It looks even better from behind.

 

[maureencruiser]

My dream house!

 

 

And, it has a dream view, as well.

 

 

What a sweet puppy! You weren't just down at the beach, were you?

 

 

Oh, no! Look at his eyes! Run! It's a devil dog!

 

 

At the bakery, I got a mocha.

 

 

And a sticky bun. Delicious.

 

[maureencruiser]

 

 

Words to live by.

 

Heading back to the ship, I saw an otter! A real one!

 

 

I took 200 pictures of him.

 

 

And, here they are! One at a time! :p

 

[maureencruiser]

The Maasdam from the shore.

 

 

The otter floated right at the shoreline, not a care in the world.

 

 

 

He sees me! Does he love me as much as I love him?

 

 

To show scale, Maasdam in background, otter in foreground. I wonder how many otters would fit in the Maasdam?

 

 

 

I had picked up some ivory pieces in town, an otter holding a crab and a seal. Did I mention that I like otters? :o

 

[erewhon]

Yes, in other words, I chose each item you see on my plate. :o:o

 

 

Thank you for your reply.

[Btimmer]

Great human interest pictures of my birth state and the ship we are about to board for a 2 month cruise. Keep it up!!

[#55worktoplay]

Maureen,

 

This is just awesome! Your pictures are amazing.

 

You have just put Alaska on my list of cruises to do!

 

Thanks

[easyboy]

Very nice photos. Thanks.

[maureencruiser]

Wednesday

 

Wednesday was Kodiak day

 

When a day starts like this

 

 

 

You know it's gonna be a great day.

 

 

I had arranged a bear watching tour with Kingfisher Aviation.

 

Me, in my hipwaders, ready to take on the world. Wait, what? I need hipwaders to watch bears?

 

 

My plane. There were 8 of us from the ship on the tour. 5 in one plane and the cool kids in this plane. By cool kids, of course, I mean people with knee injuries that make it hard to step up steep steps.

 

 

The Maasdam from my plane.

 

 

It was a beautiful day to fly. The pilot told us we were only the second ship all summer that they could actually take on the tour.

 

[maureencruiser]

Just gorgeous.

 

 

Where they took us to bear watch.

 

 

Our first bear.

 

 

We had to walk about half a mile to the prime viewing location. It involved crossing small streams, jagged rocks, etc. I was struggling in my floppy hipwaders. The pilot told us it was important that we all stick together and then he took off like he was shot from a cannon. I was lagging behind the group, thinking about how predators isolate the lame and the weak from the herd then move in for the kill. I was calling myself bear bait when one man from the group asked if I needed help.

 

He and his wife took my arm and we moved together as a team. He kept me steady when crossing the streams as I struggled. As I'm typing this now, I'm getting tears in my eyes thinking how he reached out when he saw me struggling. I will be eternally grateful to this man for helping me. I think I saw him the next day wearing a Fire Dept t-shirt. If that was him, that would explain his no man left behind attitude.

[maureencruiser]

This bear is thinking, Do I like to eat birds?

 

 

Hey, Ralph, how's the fishing today? Lousy, Ted, I haven't caught anything.

 

 

 

 

Trying to catch the fish.

 

 

 

 

 

[maureencruiser]

This one got out of the water at one point and went behind the straw. I thought she was doing what bears normally do in the woods. :D

 

 

 

 

It wasn't until I looked at the pictures on my laptop that I saw what she was really doing. She had a baby safely stashed in the straw.

 

 

A nice picture.

 

 

She's coming right at me!

 

 

Eventually, those 2 moved away and this lighter colored bear and her two cubs took the stage.

 

[maureencruiser]

Look at those claws.

 

 

C'mon Mom, we're hungry, get us a fish.

 

 

Goldie was fabulous, she would stand up to look for the fish.

 

 

 

 

 

She would actually walk a few steps

 

 

Great Mom, Goldie!

 

 

 

I took so many pictures, it's great when I click through them, it's like a movie about bears fishing and walking around like humans.

[Caribbean Chris]

These bear photos are mind-blowers! You've outdone yourself.

 

Meant to tell you today that our Anchorage shuttle driver pointed out the sled dog statue, and I'm very glad you tracked it down since the rest of the locals apparently were not aware of its existence!

[Cruise_More_Often]

Maureen, DH and I want to do this cruise in 2018. Will you come back with us???? I am seriously laughing out loud at your posts (except for the touching one about the fireman guy). You are an absolute hoot! Your pictures are wonderful. I hope you've warmed up by now.

[Setting sail for fun]

I have been laughing out loud reading your posts! DH will think I am crazy.

 

So glad you had help crossing the stream. Nice to know there are still kind people willing to help.

[vino100]

Thanks for sharing your cruise with us and your amazing bear pictures. I am so jealous. :D

[alibabacruisers]

Hi Maureen! I just found this thread and am so glad I did! You have an infectiously interesting way of telling a story all complete with commentary, jokes, and pictures! I have been thinking of taking an Alaska cruise, including sailing roundtrip from Seattle, like the one you have been describing and you are the best salewoman! Thank you so much for taking time out of your cruise to share your experience with all of us! I appreciate it immensely! :)

[erewhon]

Wonderful bear photos, thank you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The bear pictures are fantastic!!

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Great pictures

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[maureencruiser]

Thursday

 

Thursday was cruising Hubbard Glacier

 

They were offering a chance to do a Polar Bear Plunge in front of the glacier, how could I refuse?

 

Here I am looking confident, warming up. Notice the looky-loos a deck above, wearing their hooded sweatshirts, what wimps!

 

 

Now, immediately after this picture was taken, I found out we were actually going to jump into the water. I assumed we would get in, they would take our picture, we would get out. I cannot swim, I don't like my head being underwater and I have never jumped into a body of water in my life. I have walked in, waded in, gone down ladders in, but, never jumped.

 

I ended up staking out a spot at the shallow end, next to the ladder, so that when I jumped, I could hold the ladder. That's how I ended up being the only polar bear with a dry head.

 

Here's the group, getting our polar bear on. Look at those white legs, I must be the only true polar bear here, the rest must be grizzlies.

 

 

Here I am, happy to be alive.

 

 

So, the lady who I recruited to be my photographer was laying on a deck chair in jeans, a sweatshirt and 3 blankets. I made her give me the blankets.

 

[maureencruiser]

Then, after a hot shower, it was time to see the glacier.

 

 

It was beautiful.

 

 

 

 

The sheer size of it was stunning. The Captain said we got within 1/2 a mile of it, the closest he'd been all season.

 

 

I loved the blueness of it.

 

 

Me, freezing again.

 

[maureencruiser]

Since Lisa-Ann (TheSecondSister) had shown me how to set my camera to continuous shooting for the whale watch, I had realized I had lots of other settings to play with. One was called Vivid, which promised to emphasize colors. This seemed like a good place to try it out.

 

 

I liked it.

 

 

 

 

Since I was so captivated by the blueness of the glaciers, this was perfect for me.

 

 

I know it's "cheating", but I love it.