We have had our hands full since March 23rd, our first day of the whale watching season.
Currently just our Gray Whale Cruise is running.
Jed is driving the shuttle from Anchorage to Seward and back whenever there are guest that book and need a way down there. Seward is about 3 hours south of Anchorage, so it makes for a long day when Jed has to drive. Leaves at 8 am and gets back at 7 pm.
We both were way excited for the cruises to start that Jed went the first couple of days with the guest that he shuttled down. Then I had a day off and went with Jed to Seward and then on the cruise. Unfortuately, the day I went with Jed was super snowy and rainy that we just stayed bundled up out on the deck. It was too cold to get the camera out and we didn't want to get it wet. We figured we would have other opportunities to go on a cruise and take more pics.
I did enjoy the cruise. It was nice to get out and have some fresh sea water air. Jed and I came prepared and we were able to stay out on the deck the majority of the cruise time (4 hours) The other guest barely had a jacket so they spent most of the time in the heated cabin. We saw a lot of wildlife and a pod of Dall's Porpoises. The last few days guest have seen orcas and humpback whales. Its so fun!
I did get a little sea sick towards the end of the trip and couldn't wait to get back on solid ground. Doesn't look like Ill be going on Major Marines 7.5 hour, 6 hour or 5 hour Kenai Fjords National Park Cruises. I'll just stick with the 4 hour Gray Whale cruise till May 12th and then we will take their 4 hour Evening Cruise. Which that is crazy. That cruise is from 6 pm to 10 pm and there is still plenty of day light. In fact the natives here say it doesn't get dark till midnight or 1 am some days during the summer. That will take some getting use to for sure.
Here are pictures from Jeds first time on the cruise, it was our opening day! Still a little wintery up here. It will be fun to see the changes as it get warmer!
I have never seen so many Bald Eagles in my life. I practically see one every day! So Cool!
Jed took some pictures of the boats we use for our Whale Watching Cruises. They aren't like the big Carnival or Princess Cruise ships that we tend to think of when we use the word "cruise" but they are still fairly big. We have about 7 different cruise boats that are used for our cruises.
Jed took this picture to show the avalanche that took place. The day that Jed and I went there was a couple of big avalanches that had just happened so the water was covered with little chunks of snow, which looked like ice until you tried to pick them up. It was quite pretty. You would look ahead to see the water covered with snow and then we would slide though it as if we were ice skating.
Oh and the water is SOOOOOO pretty. Its a rich deep aqua blue color.
Here is the favorite spot for the Steller Sea Lions. There are so many. Sadly the captain didn't get close to this group on this day but when Jed and I went we could reach out and almost touch them. Ok maybe we weren't that close but we could hear them growl? bawl? yawn? moo?
What ever noise they make we could hear it really well.
Lots of Kittiwakes (Alaskan Seagull)
As you can see we go quite fast on these boats, about 28 mph
At this spot where the captain stopped for viewing of the ice on the cliff, its about 140 ft straight down. Doesn't look like Ill be getting off to swim. I swim like rocks!
What gorgeous snow covered mountains! You sound so knowledgable, I wonder why, you receptionist, you! I saw a bald eagle on the water's edge last summer and it was amazing, especially their wing span! Now you have been on a cruise :) what's next? Sky diving? Swimming with dolphins? :) love ya!!
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