We started our day in Icy Strait Point (ISP) by doing a private tour with Shaun of Major Marine Tours. This was predominantly a whale watching tour but we also were on the lookout for bears and anything else that moved. We spotted a couple of bald eagles and also some otters. Our tour was for 3.5 hours and with only 6 of us onboard it was a very pleasant experience and we did get to see whales…. breaching whales, whale tails, baby whales and lots of whales…. some close up and some not so close! Shaun's wife had made us some well received hot chocolate and the best fresh Alaskan smoked salmon dip which went down a treat.
Back on land we walked around the village which looked a bit like a shanty town. We see the resident eagle's nest which has been there for many years and had chicks in it. There was also a wooden canoe being made and the usual totem poles that you see throughout Alaska.
We did stop off at the local wine shop for our usual supplies then off to the pub which had pots of large local crabs on the boil. What else would you want for lunch than freshly cooked crab and a cold wine or beer! The place was full of people off the ship and provided time to sit back and relax and use the free internet.
It was a pleasant walk back to the pier where all the cruise companies have combined together to build a very good dock and shore facilities including gift shops and restaurants and bars. There had been a couple of bands playing which bought the locals out as it was a weekend and I don't think there is a whole lot to do when there are no cruise ships in.
On our return and after a quick wander through the gift shops we decided to have a ride on the world's largest zipline. You are taken to the top of Hoonah Mountain on an old school bus which takes around 45 minutes. The ride drops over 1300 vertical feet over a mile at speeds of 60 miles per hour and takes around 90 seconds depending on your weight to get to the bottom. There a fabulous views over Port Frederick and the peaks of Glacier Bay from the top. It was nerve wracking, exhilarating and fun but something I don't need to do again….
All in all a good day in Icy Strait Point.
Next is our scenic cruising in Glacier Bay.
Quick Facts:
Region: Situated on Chichagof Island in the town of Hoonah, Alaska
Population: 760 and is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska
Climate: Average summer temperature is 52-63F
Language: English
Currency: US Dollar (USD)
The new dock that only opened earlier this year
Captain Shaun waiting for us to go whale watching
Paula, Ray and Peter keeping warm and waiting for the whales
Keeping watch
Spotted
And a tail
The gang
Some smelly seals who love to ring the bell in the middle.
A wooden canoe being carved.
A rather large policeman getting his caffeine fix.
Our fresh crabs being prepared.
The closest to a bear we found!
Beautiful scenery on our walk back to the ship
Shanty town…. all the houses look like this!
The local smoke house for the salmon
Even the cars are huge here!
Getting ready for our zipline ride.
Ready, set, go!! Yikes!!!!
Beer was needed for our spillway
Almost a sunset as we left ISP
No comments:
Post a Comment