15 years ago Carol and I flew into Anchorage, Alaska as bonafied accidental tourists for an 8 day vacation. Rental car in tow and hotel reservations booked we proceeded to visit the mandatory mainstream (and crowded) destinations. Returning home and in the 'afterglow'it was obvious we hadn't begun to see the place. This trip under the command of the very able Captain Eric along with his ride, the remarkable Alaskan Dream, we rectified those earlier mistakes. It didn't hurt that we had a full-time naturalists along for the ride as well.
Here are the numbers. The American Dream ship is a 300 ft. Catamaran with 20 staterooms that accommodate a maixmum of 40 people. Our voyage was 11 days/10 nights and included 33 guests plus the 15 member crew. We flew into Sitka which is the 5th largest city in Alaska with a population of 8,700. The state's 2019 population is estimated at only 735,720 and with a massive surface area of 665,384 square miles, Alaska is by far the largest state in the US. It's obvious that Alaska is also by far the most sparsely populated state in the Union. It's average density is just 1.2 people per square mile!
Our destinations and ports included Skagway, Haines, Gustavus, Auke Bay, Juneau, Tracy Arm, Kake, Prince-of-Whales Island, Petersburg, Wrangell, Thorne Bay, Kasaan, Misty Fjord, Metlakatla and finally our last stop in Ketchikan which we flew home from.
It was one memorable trip to say the least!
Glacier-scape - South Sawyer Glacier-Tracy Arm, Alaska
Metal-scape (fish bin) - Skagway, Alaska
Tree-scape - Punch Bowl Basin, Misty Fjord, Alaska
Ice-scape - John Hopkins Inlet, Alaska
Water-scape - Nugget Falls, Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska
The Alaskan Dream - Orca Lodge - near Soldotna, Alaska
Ship Wake - all over the place in Southeast, Alaska
Ship Lounge - Onboard the Alaskan Dream
Kayaks - Onboard the Alaskan Dream
Concrete Dock Piers - Skagway, Alaska
Docking Ramp - Skagway, Alaska
Cruise Ship - Glacier Bay, Alaska
Metal Sculpture Installation - Haines, Alaska
Whale Spout - Bartlet Cove, Glacier Bay, Alaska
Three Whales - Frederic Sound, Alaska
Whale Fluke - Frederic Sound, Alaska
Ice Berg - Tracy Arm, Alaska
Ice Berg - Tracy Arm, Alaska
Trash Bin - Sitka, Alaska
Boat Reflection - Metlakatla, Alaska
Wolf Pelt - Wrangell, Alaska
Shipping Container - Wrangell, Alaska
Shipping Container 2 - Wrangell, Alaska
Tunnel Drill Bit - Skagway, Alaska
Mountain Bike Rentals - Skagway, Alaska
Totem Pole Detail - Sitka, Alaska
Maritime Signage - Petroglyph Beach, Wrangell, Alaska
Lone Rock - Misty Fjords, Alaska
Coastal Fog - Tracy Arm, Alaska
Fish Taco Truck - Juneau, Alaska
Jewelry Store - Juneau, Alaska
Whale Tour 'barker' - Juneau, Alaska
Puddle Reflection - Haines, Alaska
Bald Eagle - Sitka, Alaska
Raven - Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska
Sea Lions - South Marble Island, Glacier Bay, Alaska
Cruise Ship Hull Washers - Juneau, Alaska
Pier - Juneau, Alaska
Harbor Docks - Ketchikan, Alaska
Native American Shirt - Sitka, Alaska
Rock Geometry - Steamboat Bay, near Petersburg, Alaska
Marina - Thorne Bay, Prince of Wales, Island, Alaska
Rock Cliff - Punch Bowl Basin, Misty Fjord, Alaska
Kayaks - onboard the Alaskan Dream
Deckhand - onboard the Alaskan Dream
Tide Pool - Steamboat Bay, near Petersburg, Alaska
Barnacle Nation II - Steamboat Bay, near Petersburg, Alaska
Frayed Dock Rope - Haines, Alaska
Storage Tank - Haines, Alaska
Blue Fence - Sitka, Alaska
Window Covering - Skagway, Alaska
Selfie - Petersburg, Alaska
Carol and her hand-knitted 'Alaska commerative beanie' - Tracy Arm, Alaska
