Trips

June 9 - Today we docked in Juneau, the capitol of Alaska. It was a misty, off and on rainy sort of day but we got off the ship anyhow and took a city bus to go see the Mendenhall Glacier. We were here in 2005, on our first Alaska cruise, and we wanted to see how much farther it had receded. The answer is lots! Below are 2017 and 2005 photos. The conditions are seldom great for pictures here, as it is usually raining or misty. It was interesting to see and worth the wet mile + (each way) hike from the bus stop to the Visitor Center. Last time we hiked out to Nugget Falls and took one of the local trails into the forest. Too wet for that this time.

Crab or lobster cages	Mt. Roberts Tramway - no view today!
At the Mendenhall Visitor Center. It is amazing how much the glacier has receded over the years!
The Mendenhall Glacier - 2017
The Mendenhall Glacier - 2005
The Mendenhall Glacier - 2005	Lupine
Nugget Falls -2017	Nugget Falls - 2005
June 10 - Icy Strait Point - Prior to this cruise, I had never heard of Icy Strait Point. They have built a long dock (saves a tender ride!) and have developed an old salmon canning operation into a nice museum-information center. A couple miles from this installation is the town of Hoonah. We, of course, walked over there to see what there was to see - not too much.
	New visitor center
Salmon catching equipment	Our walk was, however, rewarded by the sighting of a number of Bald Eagles and a whale, first in the harbor, and then along the shore as we walked back to the ship.
	Bald Eagle
Russian Orthodox cemetery - note the Orthodox-style cross	Cute sign
Local totem pole	Local church
Bald Eagle	Bald Eagles
Whale in the harbor	Whale - we chased him along the shore for quite a distance
Whale	Things grow big in Alaska
Salmon canning display	Salmon canning display
The cabin stewards on board ship are very skilled at making these "towel" animals. Our steward, Mus, was just about the best we have ever had.	Miss Piggy?
June 12 - After another day at sea, we docked at the new (relatively) port they have constructed in Anchorage. On our last trip we had to disembark at Seward and the large ships still do, I think.       We spent our day in Anchorage visiting the Anchorage Museum, a wonderful collection of both art and information relative to the area. After lunch, we just wandered around town, including a stop at the Ulu Knife factory and a look at the salmon fishing in the river.	Lovely flowering tree outside the Anchorage Museum
June 13 - Today we docked in Homer, a small city on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. We visited Homer the summer we took our RV trip to Alaska so today we just strolled up and down the spit and looked at boats and birds and people. It was a sunny day and great to be out and about.
At least one gull had an egg.	My, what a red tongue you have!
View across Kachemak Bay
This far north, 59° 38′ 35″ N, the satellite dishes have to be positioned at nearly a 90 degree angle to pick up the signals from the satellites in the southern sky.
Harbor - both pleasure and working boats	View across Kachemak Bay
Gulls chasing a sea otter	Gulls chasing a sea otter

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