8/30 – After Valdez we had to return to Glennallen on the same road coming in. We stayed the first night at Galkana, a place where we had stayed before on the Copper River. Then to Tok for another night.
The drive south from Tok was beautiful, huge mountains part of the Elias Wrangle ranges where 6 of the top 10 highest US mountains are found including Mt St Elias at over 18,000 – second highest peak, Denali being first. Also Fall colors are starting to show.
The south central ports of Homer, Seward, Valdez, and Haines are the garden spots of Alaska, at least those you can drive to. Not to be missed. It would be difficult to choose the best. Haines seems to us to be the perfect port. A river 10 miles away is currently full of salmon. They have ferry service to just about anywhere. It has mountains surrounding the place, much like Valdez. And, this RV park is right on the water and a phenom view.
BTW, at times it is not desirable to be near the water. Valdez was completely wiped out by the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and tsunami which damaged so much of Alaska, including Anchorage. It was the largest earthquake in North American history at 9.2, second strongest in world history. Last night our trailer, which is in this park just feet from the bay, started hitting bumps in the road. My first thought was “earthquake” and my second thought was “tsunami” – I listened for water and then I went back to sleep. I checked the news this morning and we had had a 5.0 near here. No tsunami.
9/1 – OK gang, we are done!! – Still in Haines for one more day but tomorrow afternoon we board a ferry, the M/V Columbia, and head for the Seattle area, actually Bellingham, via the inside passage.
It will take 4 1/2 days arriving 8 AM Friday. It ain’t cheap but neither would be the drive and the couple weeks needed to get there. We have a cabin with bathroom, beds, and an outside view. Everest will stay in his cage and we can visit as well as take him off the ferry at each of the 5 or 6 stops (he is becoming a very well traveled dog).
Tonight we took an evening drive around town and down to a state park, hoping to see some wildlife.
We’ve seen several black bear on this trip but no grizzlies or brown bears – same same. Well, we saw three, such magnificent animals they are. The first two were a sow and I’m guessing a three year old cub, he had all the characteristics of an adult and ran like the wind – even got it on camera. The other was just huge, on the mud flats where I’m guessing he was after clams.
Good way to finish off Alaska, although we’re not technically finished as the ferry stops at only Alaskan/US ports – so no more customs either.
9/2 9:10 PM – On board and approaching our first stop – Juneau, ETA 1015 PM.
A three hour stop at which time I will go down to our truck and take Everest for a walk onshore. Then food and water for him, then I get a break until tomorrow morning in Sitka around 1100 AM. That will be the routine for the next few days. The toughest part for him will the last day and a half which is 38 hours of nonstop sailing, from Ketchikan to Bellingham. They have dog breaks every 6-8 hours where we take him out on the “poop” deck while underway.
9/4 – We are now a few hours into our 38 hour nonstop sail from Ketchikan to Bellingham. We spend as much time on deck as we do in the room. On the viewing decks in Ketchikan it was entertaining – lots of boats coming and going, the international airport is right across from our docking. During our 3 hour layover we had 20-30 seaplanes taking off and landing along side us – busy place.
This is where there was the uproar about the bridge to nowhere that was pushed by Senator Stevens. BUT, you have an international airport directly across from town and NO ROAD to get there. They have these small car ferries that take 8-10 cars at a time.
Skagway is the northern terminus for inside passage cruise ships. We’ve seen as many as 5 there at one time. This pic is actually just north of Bellingham WA.
9/6 – Done. The boat trip was very smooth, relaxing, fun, and on time. We are glad we did it.
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