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?

Well, like any classy lady, you never want it to be obvious that you have had some “work done.” Well, so it is with the Navigator.

The Seven Seas Navigator went into dry-dock in North Vancouver on June 12th and returned into service on June 30th. I have been on this ship since she first came out in 1999, and I have to say, when I returned I could not see what had been done. Before leaving I was told that everything was going to be new from carpeting to wall coverings, etc. So I was excited to see the make-over. Maybe I watch too much HGTV when I am home, because I was ready for this big dramatic “reveal”. Did not happen.

That is not to say that work was not done - it was. Most of the dry-dock experience was below decks. One of the biggest jobs was the removal of the old ballast which was replaced with a solid material. If you come onboard and see these silvery, black blobs on people’s desks that look like a something from a sci-fi film, these are the original pieces of ballast. Franck Galzy, General Manager, gifted all the department heads with their own little piece of the ship!

Like most of you, I was more concerned with the things above decks - new restaurants, cosmetic changes, etc. The most noticeable change is the expansion of Prime 7 and the conversion of La Verandah’s evening offering to what is being called, Sette Mari. Prime 7 looks the same but can now accommodate double the capacity. Sette Mari is an Italian themed restaurant where soup, specialty pastas, main course items and dessert are ordered from the menu. Upon being seated you are served a glass of sparkling Prosecco, a plate of antipasti and various appetizers. It has been so popular I have only been able to sneak in once in the last month.

As for the cosmetic changes, the big surprise is there are none! As promised the carpets were replaced and the wall coverings were refinished, etc. but all with exactly the same thing! As I said, you’d never know she had any work done! I have not seen for myself but I have been told the Master Suites were all redecorated and look great. So, that’s the story on dry-dock!

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

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!

This was a bitter-sweet year for the cruise industry, effective August 2011 ships that burn heavy-fuel will no longer to allowed in Antarctic waters; that restriction applies to the Seven Seas Mariner. After a less than fulfilling attempt last year, we were very anxious and hopeful at the same time that this year would be better. We had stormy seas leaving Valparaiso, Chile. We slipped into the shelter of Gulf of Ancud for a beautiful day in Puerto Montt where we were docked - first time in many years. In port with us was The World; many friends now work there and I was told they, with only 250 passengers on-board, were allowed to lower zodiacs which gave them the chance to float among pods of killer whales and go ashore to see the penguins and seals. Not only that they stayed in Antarctica for one full month! We had a great day in Laguna San Rafael where even I was awed by a huge serac that calved off the glacier and nearly swamped our catamaran with it’s wave. Continuing through Chile, we entered the southern portion of the Inside Passage via the Gulf of Penas where we saw the Tempanos Glacier in Iceberg Sound and Skua Glacier in Amalia Sound the following day. Skua Glacier was fascinating; a large portion of the right flank of the glacier was gone. A small cove has been created where the sea flooded in leaving only a crescent shaped ridge of ice along the perimeter. One of our guests Mike Gittings, took a look online and saw that Google Earth still showed the glacier extending far out into the water, so this event happened recently. Just goes to show you never know what you are going to see when it comes to Mother Nature. In Punta Arenas, Chile we picked-up our Ice Captain Goran Blumqvist. Next day we cruised past the Avenue of the Glacier in Chile before crossing into the Argentine side of Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia. We had a meeting to look at the weather forecasts and discuss our options. Given how temperamental the weather is in Antarctica it is hard to make any predictions but as of that morning things looked good. When we sailed that evening it was under clear skies and calm seas. Crossing the Drake Passage we experienced Drake’s Lake! Not bad at all. Day One, we arrived at Deception Island in the South Shetlands; we had perfect visibility at Neptune’s Bellows, the entrance to Port Foster, the bay that sits atop the caldera of an active volcano. Given we were not going to go in as recently another ship went aground on a heretofore uncharted rock (it is an active volcanic area after all…) the Captain chose to take advantage of the good weather and head south for Paradise Bay. No sooner did we leave we sailed into dense fog and we were required to reduce our speed. However, every so often the fog would clear and the ice covered islands around the Antarctic Peninsula would show through. At one point we did see an Antarctic fur seal, gentoo and chinstrap penguins, skuas and some petrels resting together on the ledge of an old worn down iceberg - the perfect Antarctic photo for those fast enough to capture it. We made it to Paradise Bay at dusk. We were greeted on the radio by the Chilean research base, not knowing we were too big to land boats, they invited us over for supper! Can you believe it? We slipped slowly through the bergs in the bay as the ice on the mountaintops turned pink and lilac with the setting sun. Our intention was to stay the night in the bay. Day Two, as it does, the weather turned and we were forced to wait outside on the Gerlache Strait. Next morning we awoke to 4 inches of snow on deck and high winds. That morning was particularly chilly for me - several days earlier the glass in the sliding door of a guest cabin broke - my cabin was one of the few that matched the needed glass. So my glass door was used to replace their door and in place of my door a single-ply piece of plywood was installed. I don’t think anyone was thinking about it getting cold in Antarctica when they gave me the uninsulated plywood. Well, that morning I awoke and not only could I see my breath in my cabin (with the heat on full blast!) there was frost on my plywood door. All I could think about was how on earth the early explorers stayed down in Antarctica in ill-fitted, drafty, wooden boats or thin tents without Gortex and all the other modern conveniences. We headed for were on our Half-moon Island which we reached by late afternoon. The island in known for its huge colony of chinstrap penguins which normally are clearly visible from ship. The wind raged on and the penguins were no where to be seen; with binoculars you could find a few but not many. The bright red-orange Argentine navy base was about the only thing seen well on the rocky little island. Happy for the company the ten men stationed there invited us over for a visit but we had to respectfully decline. Captain then said we would set-off full speed for Elephant Island adding four destinations to our otherwise three-destination itinerary. Day Three, we awoke in front of imposing Elephant Island which was covered by substantially move ice and snow than we had experienced last year. After viewing from afar the narrow, rocky beach front that could have been one of the many landing sites assessed by the Shackleton Expedition, we left by late morning for the The Falkland Islands. Last year our cruise was dogged by high winds, rough seas and huge — HUGE! — tabular icebergs. This year the seas were relatively calm, the skies opened several times to reveal the breathtaking landscape, we saw whales, seals, penguins and sea birds. Though we saw ice, we did not see any magnificent tabular icebergs this time - for so, the only disappointment. All in all, the weather did cooperate and we were able to take full advantage squeezing in more than we had hoped to see. For those whose appetite for Antarctica has just been whet and you now want more, or for those who have not yet been and dream of the day, I wholeheartedly encourage to look into one of the small expeditionary ships that will still operate. Companies include National Geographic/Linblad, Quark Expeditions, Orion Expeditions and Polar Cruises. I have even heard that Azamara is retrofitting a ship to comply with the new environmental regulations. There is no place like Antarctica. You’ve gotta go!

As the city of Seattle is now garnering the majority portion of cruise ship departures to Alaska; hopefully - said as an original Seattleite - hopefully, guests embarking and disembarking will want to spend a little bit of time exploring this beautiful city. Because of the increase emphasis, I edited the third edition of, “The Cruiser Friendly Guide to Alaska’s Inside Passage” with more information on what to see and do pre and post cruise. Here’s a sample!Seattle has always had an inextricable tie to Alaska dating back to July 17, 1897, when the steamship Portland sailed into Elliott Bay with two tons of Klondike gold. It was on that day that the Seattle Post-Intelligencer ran the headline, GOLD! GOLD! GOLD! Men and women flocked to Seattle in preparation for their trips north to Alaska. Prospectors bought provisions from Seattle merchants in what is now Pioneer Square. To commemorate this historic relationship, many buildings in Pioneer Square are included as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Monument. Tours are available.

Seattle’s Underground: Did you know that looming under the streets of historic Pioneer Square is the remnant of another city? No? Well up until 1954, most Seattleites didn’t either - not until Bill Speidel wrote a letter to The Seattle Times asking about the authenticity of rumors that the present day city had been built upon the ruins of what was left after The Great Fire of 1889. The response that followed prompted lawmakers to designate the area a historic site which started the process of preserving the oldest part of the city. What Speidel found continues to fascinate locals and visitors to this day; a series of tunnels that take you past what were the store fronts, hotel lobbies and saloons of Old Seattle. The 1890 fire destroyed 25 blocks of buildings constructed almost entirely of wood. It was vowed that in the future all new structures would be built of stone or brick. Though the buildings were now safer the city’s was still plagued by poor roads; seepage from Puget Sound and poor drainage from the rain created muddy roads that were reported to have swallowed dogs and children. Eight foot retaining walls were built along the sides of the mucky roads; the old streets were then filled in and paved over creating new eight foot tall roads. A gap up to 35′ wide was created between the raised road and the buildings. Ground level front doors and display windows were in the shadow of the eight foot wall. From the new roads pedestrians crossed the chasm by way of bridges that entered on the second floor making the original first floor obsolete except for use as a basement. Eventually sidewalks straddled the gap and second floors became first floors hiding the original storefronts and doorways until their rediscovery in 1954. Today you can explore the original store fronts and buildings of Old Seattle on the Underground Tour. Tickets and tours start at 608 First Avenue in Pioneer Square.

Seattle is still the primary port for provisioning the state of Alaska. Goods are sent up by barge or cargo plane. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system starts just a few miles north in Bellingham. Like Alaska, Seattle’s economy has been predicated on fishing and timber with its own unique periods of boom and bust. Aircraft manufacturer and long-time Seattle family, Boeing was responsible for much of the city’s growth during the mid-twentieth century. Today, Microsoft and other high tech industries have taken the economic lead however Boeing remains a strong influence. The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in south Seattle is a must-see for any aviation enthusiast as is the Future of Flight Aviation Center at Paine Field in South Everett where you can also tour the largest building in the world (by volume) and see the production lines for the Boeing 747, 767, 777, and soon the 787.

Cruise Seattle - Still the Gateway to Alaska Just as in 1898, visitors are lining the piers of Seattle eager to board ships bound for Alaska. These days a few things have changed; the ships are little more comfortable and the voyage is now the destination but the sentiment remains the same - North to Alaska! In recent years, Seattle has responded to the growing interest in Alaska cruises by building new cruise terminals. Hoping passengers will take advantage of the convenience of travel and the discounts afforded by round-trip domestic airfare; the Port of Seattle has aggressively sought to lure ships to its shores. Located at Pier 66 on Alaskan Way, the Bell Street Terminal was the first to open. With a sweeping view of downtown Seattle and the Olympic Mountains the terminal is easy walking distance to the city’s most popular attractions. Located at the north end of the waterfront, Terminal 91 at Smith Cove is the newest facility; this state of the art cruise terminal located at the base of Magnolia Hill offers new passenger terminal with comfortable check-in area; parking and taxi vouchers for those departing from Pier 66. What can you see in a few hours? Depending on where your ship is docked along Alaskan Way, the Seattle Aquarium and pier side shops and restaurants are not far. The aquarium contains exhibits featuring the undersea world of Puget Sound including a working salmon ladder. The free vintage trolley run that used to service Pier 54 to Pioneer Square has been replaced indefinitely by a free bus run, Route 99. Look for the buses painted green and yellow to look like the old trolleys with the words “Waterfront Streetcar Line.” Seattle Metro also offers free bus service between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily in Downtown Seattle except for Metro routes 116, 118, and 119. The Ride Free Area (RFA) extends from the north at Battery St. to S. Jackson St. on the south, and east at 6th Avenue to the waterfront on the west.