Juneau AK

 Juneau was our second port of call. We arrived at 7 AM and left at 1 PM; just enough time to ride the shuttle to the downtown area, find a few geocaches, host a geocaching event, and walk along the board- walk.

The red circle area was the location of our cruise stops. We did not get as far as the mainland. (We were there in 2001.)

Juneau is the second largest city in the US by area, after Sitka. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906 when the capital was moved from Sitka to Juneau.

We watched several sea planes take off and land while we were in the boardwalk area.

totems along the boardwalk

The two local geocachers who stopped by to visit shared there are plans to install 23 totems along the boardwalk. Eleven are in place now.

wire sculpture reminded me of whale tales

a number of these were also installed along the boardwalk

Patsy Ann was a deaf Bull Terrier who knew when ships were arriving into Juneau's harbor before anyone else. She watched over Juneau, Alaska from 1929-1942. She was buried “at sea” by lowering her coffin into the water right in front the spot she always stood watch.

our ship at one of the docks

and the location of a geocache

4 cruise ships at the AJ dock (Princess & Holland America)

our ship needed to leave so another NCL ship could use the berth

According to Wikipedia: Cruise ship tourism has expanded rapidly, from approximately 230,000 passengers in 1990 to nearly 1,000,000 in 2006, as cruise lines have built more and larger ships. They sail to Juneau seven days a week over a longer season than before, but the cruising tourism is still primarily a summer industry. It provides few year-round jobs but stimulates summer employment in the city.

Viewing glaciers is one of the reasons for cruise ship stops in Juneau. OFD took a tour of Mendenhall Glacier (which we saw in 2001) and whale watching. She did see some humpbacks 

and sea lions resting on buoys.

After leaving Juneau our ship traveled through Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier. We were to travel 31 miles through the glacially formed fjord.

bergie bits

pieces of ice floating in the fjord waters

a waterfall in the center of the photo and varying sizes of bergie bits

We got about halfway to Dawes Glacier when the navigation crew made the determination to go no further because of icy water. This photo gives a good indication of the icy water.

Interesting that this much smaller tour boat came from further in the fjord and closer to Dawes Glacier. I have no idea if it made it to the glacier or not.

The navigation crew checking the icy waters of Endicott Arm.

The photos of travel from the dock and to Endicott Arm were taken from our 12th floor balcony on the ship.