Day 9 & 10: Tracy's Arm and Time At Sea

After three full days of shore adventures I was looking forward to sleeping in, or at least not having to be up before 7:00 am. That all changed when we learned that we would be sailing up Tracy's Arm, a fjord at 5:00 am Friday (the 10th), it promised to be a breath-taking view with the North and South Sawyer glaciers at the end.

I was out of my cabin around 5:30, walked around the deck in jeans and a thin sweater. We were still just starting our journey, what I had on was enough. After a few pictures I went back for another sweater and then went right back for my rain jacket and gloves. The further up the fjord we traveled the colder and windier it became. It makes sense, we were moving towards a giant block of ice.

The best part about the experience was anticipating the view around the next bend. The mountains were beautiful at the start, but each turn brought new valleys, a new view, and a new wonders. You never knew when there would be a waterfall or misty mountains or something out of a fantasy dream.

 

 

then we began to see bits of floating ice.

 

And then the actual glacier. Just before we saw the glacier it was cold enough that all we talked about was having hot chocolate with breakfast. The wind at the bow was always strong and my eyes were watering. And well I was bundled up the cold still had a bite. It was the first time I envied those passengers which balconies and could be taking in the view from the comfort and warmth of their rooms. I complain here, but it was worth the it:

   

Moments after this photo we went from breakfast. And after breakfast, a nap. You know for all our talk about hot chocolate I don't think we had any. I'm not even sure I had tea. Post naps the rest of the day and even the next were passed well. There is always something to do on the boat. Both days mom and I did the crafts. We stopped by the jewelry store for their events in hopes of winning a raft. We never did. I read. And Sister and I took in a movie or two by and or in the hot tubs. It's not a bad way to spend two day. 

While Sister and I wandered around Skagway we passed a cute independent bookstores. I love bookstores and am always interested but this we specifically stopped in a bookstore because I saw this book in the window.  The title interesting, "Two Old Woman"  but it was the subtitle, "An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage, and Survival"   that grabbed my attention. I ended up buying it and another book by Velma Wallis. I finished it that night. It was good. It was more than good. It's like a good thought that sticks with you. I'm going to read it again in a few months.

Since Juneau Mum has been searching for whales. Every chance she has had she been staring out to sea on look out with two hopes. The first was she wanted to see a whale breach, which she did. And she hoped that I could see a whale since my kayaking/whale adventure was cancelled. I saw a fin wave once and then this tail wave. It was at a distance, and it could have been a porpoise, but I'd like to believe it was a whale. It is almost impossible to see the tail, its more a tiny fleck because it was so far in the distance. It was still pretty exciting.