As we were about to set off on our first ferry trip, i was a little apprehensive on how i would pass the following 15 hours, the longest ferry ride i had done up until now. You would be amazed at how fast the time can go when you have a window seat to watch the world go by one of the most popular cruise routes in the world.
Highlights of the Port Hardy to Prince Rupert include the numerous Whale Sightings - in which you would jump up to try and get a better look. Seeing tugboats pull huge barges though the inside passage, some cargo we saw were logs, wood chips and containers And spending the day talking to Derin a woman in her 70'gos (if i had to guess an age) who was heading to Prince Rupert to meet up with her "friend" to go sailing around BC's coast for the next month or so.
Our second ferry Prince Rupert to Juneau started with a very early 3 hour check in so we could make it thought US customs. Packing your tent up at 4.30 in the morning is not fun, but least it wasn't raining. This ferry was a 26 hour ride and with our practice on the BC ferry we had gotten our routine down packed. Whale Spotting, food, sleep, walk around ship. The perfect sunny weather and good seats up the front in a not very full boat made the trip quite enjoyable.
We were able to get out at a couple of ports for a quick look around the first was a dash to the liquor store to buy some vodka for a few secret drinks. (travelling on a budget don't you know)
As we left our last stop, Wrangell at 10.30pm we headed with sleeping bags up to the sun deck for a bit of star gazing on the sun loungers. all wrapped up staring at the stars with the boat gently swaying it was not long before all three of us were having a little sleep under the stars after a long day.
At midnight after waking up and heading back to our seats we entered the Wrangell Narrows or Christmas tree Ally. This part of the trip involves our boat which needs 21ft of water to move to navigate through bodies of water 22-26ft deep in darkness. On the Map it looked impossible but with red and green lights flashing everywhere the Capitan is able to get through. As we entered all you could see were the lights flashing in what looked like no particular order but as we got closer you could see the way. Green on your left, Red on your right the boat twisted and turned for an hour an a half up towards Petersburg.
Juneau and our last ferry trip.
We got to have a 6 hour stop over in Juneau the capital of Alaska. This town has no roads out or in and is only accessable by air or sea. The highlight was the Mendenhall Glacier just 20kms out of town. Our first glacier of the trip and it was a good one. after about 100 photos each and a walk up to a waterfall that come out right beside the glacier. we went to see the Salmon spawning in a creek near by. This was on Josh's to do list and was fascinating to watch then swim about on their side, the males fighting over the females and for me the fresh Salmon carcass on the shore. Evidence that bears had been there having a little snack.
The 4 1/2 hour ferry up to Haines was spectacular, this was where i got my grand mountains covered in snow with Glacier's like frozen rivers coming down the valleys. This ended my as Johanna would say poor mans cruise on a rather large high note.
Just a little side note, although we didn't see it there is a rather large glacier coming off the Juneau Ice Fields named the Llewellyn Glacier.
