Living in Seattle, Alaska was basically in my backyard (2:30 flight) and I regret not spending more time there before I moved back to Omaha in 2012. Juneau is accessible only by boat or plane, and my 2-day trip included two water excursions. First was a whale watching cruise and the second day was a trip to see the glacier in the fjord called Tracy Arm.
Whale day launched at 11:00 for a 4-hour expedition to find and follow whales during their feeding season. Among the 60 people on the boat, I was the only one who spent 90% of my time on the upper deck, where my views and photographs would not be obstructed by water-stained glass. Despite my seven layers of clothing, I had to return to the cabin every 30 minutes or so to thaw my fingers, but I was “on deck” for nearly the entire journey. We saw Humpbacks with their calves, Orca with their calves, and bald eagles in abundance. We also witnessed, from the surface, a pod of Humpbacks feeding on krill, swimming up through the center of the bubble cage with their jaws open to capture great gulps of schooling fish.
Glacier day launched at 9:00 for a 5-hour trip where we saw multiple icebergs, whales, and eventually we got up close to the Sawyer Glacier. At sea level (duh), you see the tip of the glacier and get perspective as it “climbs” up the fjord into the mountains many miles distant. You marvel at the immensity of the ancient ice that seems to reach 10 stories only a few hundred yards from the sea. It is awe inspiring and humbling to be in such an immense and harsh environment. One wonders how the natives and the early explorers even survived. One also makes a pact to return and soak up more of the majesty and grandeur of this remote wilderness.
