Monday, June 27, 2016

In Search of Glacial Ice

Today Tracy Arm is on the ship's itinerary but it is not to be.  The long arm, or fiord, going up to the glacier is full of ice and impassable for cruise ships.  We are rerouted up nearby Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier.  


We can hardly believe our luck with this awesome sunny weather!  The trip up to the glacier takes about two hours.  The waterway goes from wide to narrow, to narrower as we wind our way up the fiord....majestic snow capped mountains rise from the sea and soon floating chunks of ice appear.


This has to be.....Santa!....and his sleigh.  You think so too....I know you do!!



Blue ice!  These colorful icebergs are few and far between, but breath taking.


Look who's home this afternoon?  Harbor seal moms find a safe haven for their pups on floating ice.  Where else do you feel a little safe from those clever black and white predators, Orca whales?


Waterfalls tumble down steep mountain hillsides, crashing into the salt water below.  


Snowfields surround the glacial sea water channel.


By noon we are getting to the end of the arm, and the awesome glacier.


The blue wall of ice appears!



Suddenly we hear a loud boom!  The splash in the distance is the result of chunks of ice breaking off (calving) and falling into the sea.


It's hard to understand how old...OLD...this ice is....  It takes 400 years for it to move from the glacial source, or top of the ice field, to the edge of the sea.  


As we turn to leave the glacial wall of ice, we sail past a few more seals settled on icebergs.



Slowly we find our way back to the channel that leads to Juneau.


There are more glaciers tucked up into the hillsides.


Finally the ice fields are behind us.

Time for a nice latte in the Explorations Bar.  Glacial ice, sunshine and warm air....what a spectacular afternoon!

North to Alaska!

It's north to Alaska for us: Holland America driving, Holland America cooking, Holland America cleaning, provisioning and reprovisioning...we're along for the ride with cousins Don and Lynne and friends Lori and Scott. 

 Our plan: meet up aboard the 788 foot M/S Maasdam at the cruise port in Seattle and enjoy two weeks together, plus a little adventuring along the way.  The "way" takes us from Seattle, outside Vancouver Island to Ketchikan, up Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier, to Juneau, Icy Point Strait, across the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage, out the peninsula to Homer and Kodiak Island, up to Hubbard Glacier, back across the Gulf of Alaska to Sitka, then south to the Strait if Juan de Fuca, Victoria and....in the dark of the last night, silently into Seattle.




Yes, our traveling companions "The Ukuleles" are invited along!



Looking down at the aft pool..and...it's looking great!  Sunny Seattle! 


Ready to dive in....almost.  Could-a, would-a, should-a.....how did I know this is the last of the sun and warm....for awhile?


Lovely and cozy room....#175!


These classic benches on the top decks are usually empty.  Note to self....return on a sunny and warm day.


Time to sail away....it must be 4:00 p.m. Sharp!  We find cousin Don on the aft deck with his camera....of course!


Can't resist a farewell wave to San Juan island.



Hum, morning brings...."Raindrops...falling on our heads"...and the ship's deck, and the windows, and...all around.  

Our first port is Ketchikan.  Plans include a morning walk about this small port and then a kayak trip.


Creek Street is really a boardwalk that overhangs the creek.  Seems it's too early for the salmon to be running.  


The houses lining the boardwalk were brothells in the mining hey days.  Today, there is a B&B, one private residence, lots of tourist stores, and a nod to the old days with Dolly's House and museum.


Oh my!  Look!  Orca Corn!?  What a perfect food for Orca territory.  But on second thought, shouldn't this be Humpback Corn in SE Alaska??  


Of course we have to visit the harbor in honor of transient boats cruising Alaska.



Summer!  Even in the less than sunny summer weather.  Wait.  This IS Southeast Alaska! And, it's June!!

We have a 12:15 trip scheduled with a kayak company we found on line with the travel tour broker Viator. Our confirmation email said to wait on the dock and look for a person holding a yellow kayak paddle.  Right at 12:15 we find Jillian holding a paddle at the appointed spot.  There is one other couple as well, and we are off on the path to the kayak dock.


The "office" is a refurbished cruise a home boat and we are issued gear for our trip.  That would be rain pants and jacket, life jackets, and a spray skirt.  Silly me.  I manage to clip the life jacket up in the wrong way???  What?  (Didn't feel like telling Jillian I had been suiting up folks in life jackets for many years....)


Go figure?!  How many times have I done this???


No drama for Steve.


We get some excellent instruction on the dock, load up into double kayaks...(yikes!  Give up some control!!??) and head out up Creek Street, this time IN the creek!  Then we paddle across the channel and in and around the surrounding islands.


Here's Jillian with the paddling position demo.


Captain Steve waiting for Captain Nan.  



There is a lot more water in the creek this afternoon, thanks to a tidal exchange today of more than 15 feet!  



We had a great time.  Jillian was full of lots of local knowledge about the area. 
After many years in "the tourist guide business" I know a good guide when I run across one!  Thank you Southwest Kayaks for a great afternoon on the water!  


As it is with cruise ship travel, we head out of Ketchikan Harbor by 5:00 p.m. in the company of a few other vessels, however, they are heading back in after a long day on the water.



Good night Southeast Alaska!


Tomorrow we meet a glacier....up close and personal!

Friday, June 3, 2016

Uke Ohana 2016!!

OHANA.  A Hawaiian word that means "family."  Uke Ohana Molokai means, ukulele family on Molokai.  This is our second trip to this special Hawaiian island for this event organized by people we now call friends, Melany and Duncan Berry.  There was the thought "Do you repeat an event?" (In this case, a ukulele camp focused on All things Hawaiian....ukulele, music, food, legend, language, history...and the answer is...."No two moments the same."  Or, YES!

 

It's a scenic flight from Maui to Molokai on Mokulele Air!

 

Who do we find at the gate??  Melany of course...with the perfect Hawaiian welcome...a beautiful lei crafted on Molokai!



 
 

  We return to Pu'u O Hoku Ranch once again to find an awesome dinner and wonderful evening filled with hula and Lono Music providing the MUSIC.  Here's a glimpse of the view from the lodge.

 

Breakfast is just as yummy!!....



...as lunch...and dinner!!

 

And then...there is the music!

 

Each day begins with an early morning trip to Halawa Beach to witnesses sunrise.

  

 

 

 

A little sunrise inspiration for songs to be written and sung on our last night together.  Here is the beginning of "Molokai Magic" for Nan.

And for "Halawa Stones" for Steve.

 

 

 

Each day we return to coffee on the lani, a great breakfast and by 9:00 a.m. and then a morning lesson with Lono. (add in a few good talk story sessions)

 

One afternoon we hike to The Grove with Lono to be present in the kukui trees and listen for the wisdom filtering through the sea of green leaves above.

 

 
Another afternoon we hike up the Halawa Valley to the majestic waterfall and pool.  We set tea leaves into the water and wait for permission to immerse ourselves in the cold, clear water.

 

And quite a hike it is!  

 

Try as we might, we never do see the face of "the old man" in the waterfall.  Do you?

There are magical evenings of hula presentations, songs and more story telling, ukulele music and always back to the sunrise mornings and Halawa Beach.

The days....

  

Words from those wth ancient wisdom....

 

The incredible meals....




The incredible music of Lono...

  

The Hawaiian culture in dance....

 

The mornings of peace and reflection....

 

The BEACH....

 

The VALLEY....

 

The UKULELES....

 

The FLOWERS...

 

....the TATOOS....

 

 

 

 

Let the magic in,

Let the songs begin,

Let the magic in,

Ohhh, ohhh, let the singing begin!

Molokai Magic....again....yet, No two moments the same!