Miracle 10 Day Alaska, 6/10... Mostly Photographic and Disappointing Review

[TxTeach79]

Hey, there we are! Right on time! Our chariot awaits 

 

[cruisingguy007]

Double post.

Edited June 24, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[TxTeach79]

3 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

Wow, memories! Rainier was my Grandpas favorite beer lol. Also my first taste of beer as a young buck. Still remember that day in Trout Lake, WA where they retired. My Grandma would have had a conniption fit. 😆  

 

Used to get those Red Dogs for like $6 a 12-pack back in the days too. Couple of Mad Dogg 2020's and you had a party! 

you are speaking my language now! 😂😂 that’s awesome. It was classic old school stuff for sure!

 

and I definitely made promises to God more than a couple of times after messing around with MD 20/20s…. In those Red Dog/Keystone/Lone Star glory days… the wallet was light and the beer was lighter 

Edited June 24, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

Our chariot was a large bus. A large bus with great AC. I like strong AC even when it’s chilly, you see. 
 

anyway, we got a mini tour on the way to our whale watching harbor, which was nice! Learned a little about Juneau and got a glimpse of Mendenhall Glacier on the way. 
 

 

whoa. A 2002 Tundra. I got excited - first vehicle I got after college. 175k miles on that sucker. She was a gem! 
 

[TxTeach79]

Onto the whale watching craft we go! 
 

 

the boat next to us is named like my good ol’ pup Ranger, who I lost in February after 15 great years. Another good little omen. ❤️ 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by TxTeach79

[TxTeach79]

Oh hell yeah, the boat’s toilet has a gas pedal. This is gonna be one high powered flush!

 

[TxTeach79]

Off we go! (Our identical neighbor boat ahead of us) 

 

 

immediate eagle action. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Off we go 

 

 

so we saw a ton - TON! of humpbacks. I got some pics, none that great. I tried to balance the moment with getting pics and actually being present and taking it all in. It was a blast, though. Had a great guide and a cool open back deck when could stand on when we’d come across activity. 
 

[TxTeach79]

Big whale action! 
 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Randomly coming across sea Lion buoy was a highlight. Someone asked “why is that big one almost white?”…. And our guide said he’s actually the same color as all the others, but he’s been laying on the buoy so long he’s dried off. I felt that down deep inside. 
 

 

[TxTeach79]

From the whale watching trip, we loaded back up on another bus and headed to the Gold Creek Salmon Bake for dinner.

 

 

when you enter, you go past the first little stand and they spoon you up a cup of VERY good chowder. (b went back for seconds) 

 

[TxTeach79]

There’s a buffet set up in the middle 

 

 

and a bar on site, taking cash and cards

 

[TxTeach79]

I was stoked to see the grilling process. You go through the buffet line for everything else, then walk right up to the cooks to get your salmon 

 

 

full spread. the beans, cornbread, and au gratin potatoes were all delicious as well. 
 

[TxTeach79]

They had the coho (is that right? The silver?) salmon going first, and then broke the sockeye out. I couldn’t stop. #cantstopwontstop

 

 

 

 

the coho salmon (long skinnier ones) has this brown sugar and butter glaze they rub on right when you take it off of the grill. Delicious. 

[TxTeach79]

I couldn’t get enough of watching them prepare and cook the fish. (Note the glaze in the pot)

 

 

sockeye ready to go on 

 

[TxTeach79]

We sat to eat in the little area to the left, backing right up to a beautiful flowing stream 

 

 

 

it literally felt like you’re in some amazing part of Frontierland at Disney, but it’s real 

[TxTeach79]

Then, you can take a short walk down a path behind the dining area..

 

 

past the bear bench…

 

 

and to a beautiful waterfall you can walk right up to. The mist feels amazing (but cold!) 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

More from the grounds…. There were other paths on the right side but we were advised to avoid those because a black bear cub had just grown up enough to be left on his own by his mother and was figuring bear life out around that side…. Good enough for me! 
 

they also had a little mini gold panning area if you wanted to try that out. 
 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

[TxTeach79]

After a long and unforgettable day in Juneau, it’s back onboard the shuttle to head home to Miracle. The cut out in the lifeboat was like a cruise ship TV screen. 
 

here’s Royal Princess 

 

 

next channel, Millennium 

 

 

and our nightcap, Westerdam

 

[TxTeach79]

Welcome home! 
 

 

see? Bliss is long gone, with Norwegian Encore taking her sister’s spot. Very strange itinerary 

 

 

Westerdam and Royal P

 

[TxTeach79]

A stroll around the open decks while B rests up from the day 

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Watching our last shuttles pick folks up and relaxing at my favorite Sailaway spot (all the way forward on deck 9) with a Red’s Remedy

 

 

 

[TxTeach79]

Juneau was VERY active when it came to sea planes