Last night after traveling from Glacier National Park the ship anchored just off the coast about eight miles north of Juneau. The wind had really picked up in the early evening and we were motoring in 2-3' seas, the roughest so far but still not bad at all.
After breakfast this morning we motored to a dock where we were picked up by a bus and taken to the Mendenhall Glacier. The Mendenhall Glacier is a retreating glacier and over the last 100 years has retreated over 2 1/2 miles. The melt water has formed a rather large lake at the glacier's base. There were a few trail there but nothing very long or scenic. There was a nice Visitor's Center with a short movie of the glacier and surrounding area.
We were then bused to downtown Juneau. I never realized how small the city was. It has a population of just over 30,000 and is surrounded by mountains on was side and ocean on the other. There are no roads into Juneau. You arrive by boat or plane. It is a cruise ship port and there were three large ones docked when we arrived.
Linda, Paul, Myron and I first visited the new Alaska State Museum which opened just a few weeks ago. We were fortunate enough to get a guided tour of the portion of the museum that was based on the native inhabitants of Alaska. There was also a great photography exhibit. After the museum we pretty much just window shopped until the bus picked us back up at 4 PM and returned us to the ship.
At about 6 PM we left the dock and headed to Colt Island where Alaska Dream Cruises built the Orca Point Lodge in 2002. There we were treated to an all you can eat Salmon, Prime Rib and King Crab feast. Peg would have been in her glory. I did eat three legs.
It is 10:15 and the sun just set. Tonight we are motoring to Skagway. Right now the sea is dead calm.
ILYB
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