On September 18th, I was invited by Karl Storch, of Sun Tours, Albuquerque to do an introduction to Alaska for one hundred of his clients interested in the destination. The event held a the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center was co-hosted by Oceania Cruises.

Sun Tours offers a selection of cruise departures in 2013, including one on Regatta to Alaska, July 12 - 22.

I was told about Karl and Sun Tours by Regent guests who were on with me last year in South America. As a local Albuquerque company I was anxious to meet Karl and Linda (who is charge of all the cruises.) After learning more about their programs I was so impressed I was ready to sign-up especially for a Mystery Tour. That’s right - a Mystery Tour! You sign-up not knowing where you are going nor what you will do; you only know the travel dates and price — the rest is left up to faith and Karl! According to the people in attendance at the presentation, these are Sun Tours’ most popular offerings!

Next time you are up for an adventure, check ‘em out: http://www.suntoursus.com

Our day in Hoonah started out in pea-soup fog. The fog horn sounded regularly as we dropped anchor in Port Frederick. The tenders puttered off into the fog heading in faith toward Icy Strait Point. Directly overhead there was a hint of blue indicating the prospect of a better day. After hours of laboring under the drone of the fog horn, the fog, just as Carl Sandberg’s described it on little cat’s feet, rolled back revealing a truly glorious, crisp, early-fall day. It was breathtaking. From the ship to the north you could see across Icy Strait toward the Chilkat Mountains; to the west every peak on the Fairweather Range was identifiable. It seemed as though you could not ask for more.

As planned I was to go to the bridge to watch for whales. Just as we pulled the anchor and headed out of the bay we were escorted by four humpback whales. They rose and dove gracefully as if in a choreographed farewell. Off in the distance was the Diamond Princess, it was heading east. The pilot on-board radioed to our pilot alerting him that they had seen lots of whales. This is a common courtesy to let the guests on other ships enjoy what they had seen, so after hearing this, I passed on the word to our guests. In the back of my mind I wondered if the little farewell delegation we had just seen was what the pilot was referencing.

Out on Icy Strait we continued to the west. Far, far off in the distance I saw several cottonball-esque clouds on the horizon; these “clouds” were too big and too far away to the the blow of whales. I grabbed binoculars. I could not believe my eyes. The horizon was filled with blow after blow of whales and the cottonbal-esque clouds were the splashes of whales breaching everywhere - again and again. Their bodies silhouetted again the setting sun looked like jumping beans popping up out of the water. It was insane! I was so excited I asked Cruise Director Ray Solaire to make a general announcement throughout the entire ship - this could not be missed!

As we continued to approach the area known as Point Adolphus it was evident there were over one hundred whales. They were on all sides of the ship. Thanks to ray’s announcement the decks and balconies were filled with guests and crew armed and ready with cameras and binoculars. Amazingly the advancing ship did not bother the whales, they carried-on as though we were not there. Clusters of up to twenty-five whales rose to the surface in intervals, their blow looking like smokestacks of an industrial city. I stopped trying to make comment as there were too many whales to keep up with. Whales were breaching so close to the ship the folds in their throats were clearly visible as were the knobs on their pectoral fins.

We continued to be surrounded by the whales for well over two hours. I finally called it quits when there were “only” six whales around the ship. I was exhausted. In 23 years I have never seen anything like it. When someone asks,”being out here on the ship for so long, does it ever get old?” My answer is always, “no”, exactly because of days like today.

Our last visit to Yakutat Bay was looking very sad. Poor visibility and a moderate but limiting amount of ice. We traveled up to Point Latouche and sat there looking into the fog and ice. After more than an hour the decision was made to leave.

As we turned around and started back down the bay the clouds lifted. Like a curtain the fog lifted to reveal a crystal clear day! Those who had congregated at the back of the ship watched as the glacier was now brilliantly in view. Guests were calling to the reception desk asking if we could go back. Department heads trying to manage all the agitated guests also asked the same question, are we going back? Unbeknownst to most, we had used our allotted time for the day, for the visit. It was wasted by the bad weather; we needed to move on to make our next port.

As many, myself included, watched in envy as the Radiance of the Sea steamed toward the glacier to enjoy the sunny day all of a sudden we were turning around! Cruise Director Ray Solaire spotted me down the corridor and shouted,”we are going back!” I ran up to the bridge and grabbed the microphone to make the formal announcement that yes indeed we were going back!

What was going to be a sad start to our last cruise of the season turned out to be a euphoric celebration. The captain had made a heroic decision that not only saved the day but may have saved the cruise. Thank you Captain Armellino!

It’s always like this in Alaska - isn’t it?

The cooperative feeding behavior known as bubble-netting is a once-in-a-lifetine thing to see. It doesn’t happen all the time; in fact, marine biologists say that the humpbacks participate in this kind of feeding only a few weeks in the year.

Exactly what is bubble-netting? As a baleen whale humpbacks are filter feeders, so to eat they scoop up thousands of gallons of water in their mouths and strain it through their baleen which acts as a sieve. Humpbacks only feed in the summer so they must eat a lot to bulk up for the rest of the year. When they come upon a school of small fish like herring, they will communicate with one another to surround the herring with a fine net of exhaled bubbles. The herring concentrate toward the center. The whales then, on cue, come up at once with their mouths open scooping up all the fish. They slip back down only to reset their bubble-net and do it again.

Last Saturday in Juneau I was lucky enough to go out on the Evening Whale Watch from Auke Bay where we saw a pod of 14 whales bubble-net feeding. Not only is this rare, seeing a pod of so many members working cooperatively is even more rare. So as they just started, if you are coming up in the next few weeks I would definitely book one of the whale watch programs in Juneau! Photo credit: Peggy Hutchings

Starting May 12, the Seven Seas Navigator will be going into to dry-dock for extensive re-modeling. The ship will be out-of-service until May 30, at which time the regular 7-day Alaska cruises resume.

Though I do not have all the details I do know that preparations are being made for the following:

New Carpeting throughout.
New wall and window treatments in select areas.
Major face-lift for all the suites.
Improvements to the Seven Seas Show Lounge.
Enlargement of Prime 7.
Re-modeling of La Veranda including installation of new menu dinner service.
Remodeling of Pool deck including new decking.
New steam and sauna in Spa.

I can hardly wait to see how it all comes out. As soon as the ship is back in service I will take pictures for all to see.

Getting ready for the launch of the new website, I finally have been able to start posting some of the Terry’s Tips filmed in Alaska. To take a look go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Znsuddjs8. I would love to get the word out and start creating a whole library of cruise tips around the world. Let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_Znsuddjs8

For any of you who were in Alaska during the last few weeks of the season, you may have seen something unusual; people like me out in the pouring rain standing on the pier attaching the lines to the ship’s tenders. You may ask yourself “why?” Good question. Why?

A few years ago, in response to the crackdown on illegal aliens working in the United States, non-US citizens employed on cruise ships were prohibited from “working” ashore in US ports. That meant that ship’s photographers were not allowed to do their thing at the bottom of the gangway and crew members could not carry bags or boxes for guests on their pier unless they were US citizens. Silly but technically correct so all cruise lines complied.

This year at the end of the summer with just a few weeks to go in Alaska, all cruise ships were told that non-US crew members no longer could throw the tender lines ashore.  When a ship comes in to port, burly longshoreman are there to catch and attach the big rope lines of the ship. But when the ship is at anchor and a little tender comes alongside, it is usually one of the crew that jumps off and attaches the lines. No more. you got it; from now on it must be a US citizen or a longshoreman.

As  most cruise lines do not have US crew in deck positions like able bodied seamen or bosons, to comply with this new requirement every cruise line in Alaska asked any and all US crew to help out. In many cases that meant singers, dancers, and even lecturers standing on the pier for hours sometimes in the rain to attach and detach the tender lines.

As one of the few US citizens on the Navigator available to pitch in, I was a linesman for two weeks! What was funny to me was that when guests saw my US counterparts, a singer and dancer from the production cast, they were curious and asked why are you here, what are you doing, etc. However, when they saw me, it was as though this was a normal part of my job!

Looking for something different to do in Sitka? Why not try the Fortress of the Bears. Located in Silver Bay, the old storage containers used for the now defunct pulp mill have been converted into a refuge for brown and black bears.

Located six miles from downtown Sitka, the Fortress of the Bears is a non-profit organization that houses five bears. In 2007, two brown bears were introduced; last year (2010) three orphaned black bears were brought in. The bears can be seen in their concrete enclosures from an elevated platform. Three brown bears that spent time at the compound have now been relocated to the Bronx Zoo. Just recently National Geographic filmed at the Fortress of the Bears, documenting the work and research taking place.

Free transfers are available from the small boat harbor tender pier. Look for the signs. Admission is $10 and is tax deductible.

David Hawkins, a stalwart figure relied upon for years by the crew of every cruise ship and commercial vessel that calls on Seward, Alaska wrote the following article. Regardless of your belief, this article gives poignant insight into the angst many feel.

THE DILEMMA

By David Hawkins and Jeannette Seale

Alaska Christian Ministry to Seafarers

It is hard to describe the melancholy that can over whelm a man at sea. The world economic situation is driving more and more men to work on ships. Even when he doesn’t have much to return to, the pull of homes can be deep and strong. The problem is, of course, spiritual, but for men without faith, they must place their trust elsewhere. For those of us who work with seafarers, it comes as no surprise that the men are counting the days until they go home. It’s also no surprise that they spend so much money on lap-tops and phone calls talking to their wives and children or the girl they hope to marry someday. We know it’s a good day when they get a message from home, no matter what else may be happening. We experience their joy when someone at home says a sleepy “hello” into a cell phone, no matter what time of day it may be at home. We watch them talk to their wives and children and girlfriends, now on lap-tops with video calling over the internet. This new style of communication helps so much. They daydream about their next visit home or dwell on the good times of their last visit.

Every crew member fights loneliness and home sickness, sometimes giving in to temptations which cause great anxiety, guilt and shame. A combination of homesickness, loneliness and expectation of seeing his family again causes his emotions to be on edge.

But what is the dilemma? What does he find when he finally arrives at his front door and faces that family he has worked and sacrificed for? For the first few days everyone is very happy to have daddy, husband, son and brother home once again, and he doesn’t mind being treated like a guest especially after so many months of hard work. He is busy with family and friends and trying to catch up on rest and readjusts to the time difference. But it isn’t long until he realizes that he actually is a guest in his own home. As the days wear on, his family and friends aren’t very interested in his life at sea and feel he is bragging when he talks about the places he has been and seen. He can’t talk about the stress of his job because no one can relate to his experiences. He has endless hours to kill because his family is involved with school and the day’s activities in which he plays only a token part. Besides all of these frustrations, some of his precious leave time must be spent visiting the agent, getting his papers in order and updating his medical paperwork, oftentimes miles away from his home.

The spreading of western culture and its loss of traditional family structure and values becomes an even greater threat to a stable home. Wives are bombarded by the media to “live their own lives,” “do their own thing,” and “have it all.” It becomes next to impossible for them to maintain their integrity to be the trusted guardians of their homes and children that seafarer’s wives have had to be in the past. Most returning seafarers find it difficult to empathize with this problem when they are the ones suffering from its fallout.

A man discovers that his wife or girlfriend has her own social life, without him, and wants to continue that life even when he is home. He’s only going to be home a few weeks or months and she tries to juggle her own personal social life with the “couple” aspects that he desires.

He finds that his small children don’t easily come to him; they might even hide behind their mother and cry. Much to his dismay, he is a stranger to his own children, only a voice on the telephone or face on the computer screen to the older ones. And to make matters worse, the older children continue to view their mother as the leader of the home instead of him. When he tries to discipline the children or wants to spend time with his wife, the children resent it.

He senses he is in the way: he has no real “job” at home in the day-to-day operations. He spends frustrating days trying to reestablish his position as father and husband. He clashes with his wife over decisions in which he feels he should have been included. His wife has, out of necessity, assumed the role of leader, making all major and minor decisions. She finds it very difficult to suddenly turn over those responsibilities to him

A seafarer tends to be easily parted from his money. He feels guilty about not spending time with his children for the many months he is away. Therefore, he smothers them with gifts and demands more of their time than they are willing to give. Men at sea usually earn more money than their relatives and neighbors, so when he realizes their desire to get on with daily chores and neglect him, he might become overly-generous to re-stimulate their interest. We have seen this occur in many subtle forms, ranging from bringing home expensive gifts or “drinks all around” at the local bar, to a man allowing his property or vehicles (which are often damaged) to be used by others. A seafarer will often finance someone else’s business ideas which tend to use up his precious earnings with little or no return. The family he has worked so hard for begins to resent his presence more and more and ask when he is going to leave so they can get on with their lives. His time at home drags on for everyone involved. The bottom line is an erosion of respect for him.

The intense desire he had a sea, to find a job at home and stay with his family, vaporizes. The life at sea begins to look better and better and he now looks forward to leaving and going back to the life that only endured weeks earlier. This in itself causes stress when he realizes what is happening. He must face the fact the ship is more home to him than he thought, and his actual home is his vacation spot. He returns to sea with a heavier heart than he anticipated. And chances are all these problems will reoccur on his next visit home.

As this pattern is repeated over the years an “us and them” mentality develops. “Us and them” has nothing to do with nationality, language, color, or job position. “Us” refers to seafarers and “them” refers to shore-siders. The men struggle with this paradox, wanting to appreciate at home but finding greater acceptance at sea.

What happens to these men, even the ones who tell us repeatedly they want to find a job and stay at home? They return again to sea. At first we thought they just weren’t serious about staying home and gave them a hard time. Now as Christ has opened our eyes to their dilemma, we look at them with His compassion and see a man who is giving his life and a family he dreams of, a daddy whose kids don’t really know him, and a husband who wife struggles when he’s gone and when he’s home. To be able to introduce this man to Jesus Christ, our Creator, Savior and Lord and our greatest friend, is our foremost goal so that they can deal with their ongoing frustration and disappointment.