Odam Review...Eventually. Here are pics

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Because of its length, I submitted the review of our July 15 Oosterdam cruise to the "Member Reviews" section of the CC site. They told me to be patient, that they take them in order of submission. Evidently they check them thoroughly for slander and stuff, as after reading current reviews, it doesn't appear they check them for spelling or grammar.:)

Be that as it may, it's been almost two weeks, and I'm about ready to go ahead and post it here despite its length.

But here are the pictures:

http://community.webshots.com/user/cindydalm

Enjoy, and I welcome any comments; good, bad, or indifferent!:D

 

Cindy

[doone]

GREAT pictures, thanks so much for sharing them. I look forward to reading your review, when it shows up.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great pictures.

Many of us now do our reviews here.

[raadsel]

I noticed the pics of the Wildlife Quest in Sitka. I've been considering this excursion and wondered what your recommendation might be. Thanks, and glad you had a great trip!

[starysacz]

Excellent pictures. Very sharp details. Enjoyed. We have friends on the Volendam and they will be disembarking tomorrow from Alaska. Thank you very much.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

The Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest in Sitka, run by Allen Marine, is one of the best shore excursions in Alaska (IMHO). I would recommend it highly to everyone. The boats are catamarans, so do not pitch and roll so much. Allen Marine also does tours in Juneau, where we witnessed 11 humpback whales bubble net feeding (a rare sight) and Ketchikan. They have knowledgable and experienced captains who know where to find the wildlife. You will enjoy it, I'm sure!

Thanks everyone, for the kind comments. I took just the digital camera on this trip, and although it doesn't do well on whale pictures, it kind of makes me look as if I know what I'm doing!:)

[raadsel]

Thanks for the quick reply! One quick follow up, do you know if there is a better time to take this tour? I've often heard the best time to see wildlife is in the mornings or evenings (which, with itinerary, would mean a morning tour). Just curious what time you went and what you might have heard/recommend? Thanks again!

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Time really isn't an issue with ocean wildlife. They're out there all the time. The otters live in "rafts" around kelp beds, so if you find a kelp bed of some size, there will be otters there. Whales are air-breathing mammals, and they come up to breathe every few minutes, so they are always around. The ocean mammals aren't grazing animals, such as deer, bear, and so forth, so much as seasonal visitors. The whales migrate away from Alaska for the Dec-Mar time frame so that they can calve in warmer waters. Otters are pretty much around all the time, as Southeast Alaska winters are fairly mild. Sea birds, such as puffins, migrate as well. Anyway, don't worry about the time of day you take the cruise. I guarantee you'll see ocean critters!

[Scrumpy]

Great pics :) Thanks for sharing, Cindy! I'm glad you got the webshots album posted so quickly, too; you put us to shame, LOL!!! I just LOVED watching the otters. Whales are way cool, but the otters were SO dang cute and so freaking funny. :D

 

Now, I wonder when they'll get that review posted...

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Thanks, Scrumpy! I appreciate the nice words. As tech challenged as I am, I'm surprised the WebShots thing worked at all. As it was, I made two albums for no apparent reason!

The publication of the review is like waiting for Godot........

 

Cindy

[GarySuzy]

Great Pics is an understatement, can't wait to read you complete review.

 

Gary

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Me either!:D

And thanks for the compliment!

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Hi Everybody!

The review from our July Oosterdam cruise has been posted! Here is the link:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=20121

 

Let me know what you think! Thanks for your patience.

 

Cindy

[bepsf]

Great Pix Cindy -

 

I've been to Alaska twice and from your pix there's STILL things to go back and see!

 

When's the next one for you?

[Ziggy7]

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing them! Loved the sea otters too!

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Thank you Brian and Ziggy! I'm glad you liked the pictures. Digital cameras kind of suck for whales and the like, so the humpback and killer whale pictures are lacking!

And Brian, thank you for posting the Indonesian dictionary! I tried out some phrases on the stewards, and they got a kick out of my efforts! Also taught me some phrases. You are right...they really appreciate the effort!

Also, my next Alaska trip is only two weeks from today, when I escort our daughter to college in Juneau!:) But no plans for another cruise yet! My travelin' buddy is going off to college! :( She wants to work as a sound tech on a HAL ship, and plans to apply next year. Wouldn't that be cool?

 

Thanks again,

Cindy