Amazing Glacier Bay

18th. Day 7

Today started at 11.30pm last night when we were woken from sleep with an announcement that the Northern Lights were visible. So up and dressed in warm clothes and out onto the deck to watch. A green tinge colours the sky behind the mountains. After 30 minutes of freezing we head back to bed.

5.30am we are back up and dressed warm and out on deck. Wow!!! Wow!!!

What a view to wake up to, Margerie Glacier and Grand Pacific Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park. The photos will show how majestic this place is. As the sun rises the mountains behind the glacier turn pink and the sky is a clear cloudless blue.

After breakfast we are off for our last cruise paddle. I have been waiting for this for the last week and am beyond excited. I get to paddle in front of a huge glacier and touch an ice berg. (P- oh, by the way I was paddling also! Don’t forget Phil!) The water is so blue and so still. Icebergs bob along the surface and we can hear the glacier calving in the distance. 2 1/2 hours spent paddling along the face of the glacier and across the bay to a waterfall. This place is majestic. To sit on the kayak with silence all around us and be surrounded by glaciers that were formed thousands of years ago, is very humbling and awe inspiring. (P- paddling around the glacier is way better than the gondola rides in Venice ! A great memory for us).

20th

We arrive in Juneau at 5.30 am in order to dock before the cruise ships start arriving. Breakfast and disembarkation by 8.30. A fantastic cruise in a very beautiful part of the world.

We spend the morning wandering around Juneau. Its historic Main Street area has changed quite a bit since we were here in 2000. During the morning 5 cruise ships dock, (about 10,000 people) spend their morning checking out the tacky souvenir shops (made in China) and diamond shops.

At 1 pm we meet Driver Dave, (tours by Locals) who took us on a road trip around the area. 3 hours checking out most of the main roads here. He was a great guide with lots of local information. He dropped us back at the Ramada where we checked in and caught up on some washing before we fly to Anchorage tomorrow.