Day 6: Ketchikan

Today we docked in Ketchikan. This quaint town looks like an ol' fishing town...because, well...it is. This is the Salmon capital of the world. Lots of colorful old houses and a cute downtown area. My husband and his buddy, Rodney, booked a fly fishing shore excursion (through our CruiseOne website of course). It also turned out to be a private excursion...just them and the guide. They drove about 10 minutes to a mountain river. There they wadded in the water and enjoyed a few hours of successful fly-fishing. They each caught 4 fish. Their guide was very knowledgable and has persuaded my husband to "invest in fly fishing equipment" when he returns home (because he loved it so much).

My friend Birdie and I walked around downtown and wondered in and out of the many souvenir shops. If you are in search of t-shirts, jewelry or Moose Poop candy, these Alaskan ports are sure to please. Birdie and I both purchased some Northern Lights jewelry. This is the same stone you can find in the Caribbean called Caribbean Topaz. It is inexpensive but pretty and I felt this was a better souvenir than bear socks or a stuffed animal.

Today was another prime example of Alaska's unpredictable weather. This morning I had on a sweater and pants in which I was sweating. It was hotter than Florida. So, when we got back on the ship at 1:00p I changed into shorts and a tank top. And now it's cold. I'm afraid I might have to go change again.

The rest of the day I plan to spend being lazy in a padded lounge chair.

Tomorrow we will be at sea before we fly back to Florida from Vancouver. This trip has been a blast. I would recommend that everyone visit Alaska at some point. And may I suggest a back-to-back cruise? We've talked to many couples who have done just that. What could be better than 7 days in Alaska? 14 days!!

I look forward to hearing about our embellish IT! Cruise &Crop that took place last week. If you were on it, please share photos!!

-Cheri

Day 5: Juneau

It's another beautiful Alaskan day. We didn't plan any excursions in this port. But we did get off the ship and walked around downtown. Juneau is the largest city on the itinerary. Downtown you can find a fabric store, yarn store and a beading store.

The highlight of my day was seeing Sea Planes take-off and land. I really wanted to take a ride in a Sea Plane but the budget didn't allow it this time around. Next time I come to Alaska I will definitely be flying high!!

We heard good reports from other cruisers about their whale watching excursions. I am usually a bit leery about wildlife tours but since we have seen quite a bit this time I would be more apt to recommend these types of tours.

Today's travel tip: bring sunscreen
I know it is hard to believe but even when it is cold and you are bundled up in jackets, gloves and hats that you can still get sunburned. Being a Florida girl I associate sunscreen with the beach. So I didn't bother bringing any to Alaska. All four of us have red faces.

My posts are often posted a day or two late due to cell service. We were in Juneau on the 22nd- my 10 year anniversary. It was wonderful being able to spend the entire day with my sweetheart. The day ended perfectly with an amazing sunset. The sky was pink with the snow capped mountains below it. As a bonus it was formal night so my husband was forced to dress up for the celebration. I don't know about your men, but mine prefers to be casual. Now I have bunches of great photos without nagging him to wear a tie. :)

Off to Ketchikan...

-Cheri

Day 4: Haines City - a must see

Today we docked in Skayway, Alaska - a gateway to the Yukon. We booked a wonderful excursion through our CruiseOne website. First we took a 40 minute scenic ferry down the Lynn Canal to Haines City (population of only 2,400). What a cute historic town. Our guide picked us up at the dock and took us to Chilkoot Lake. This lake is about 3 miles long and is completely surrounded by huge, snow capped mountains. Breathtaking. And thanks to the smaller size of our CruiseOne excursions, the only ones on this amazing lake were the 4 of us friends plus our friendly tour guide. She was a knowledgeable guide who moved to Haines City 30 years ago.

Afterwards we walked around downtown Skagway. There are many tourist stores selling everything from t-shirts to jewelry. I did find a few quilting/fabric stores. They carried lots of wilderness fabrics. It sure would be fun to partner with them on a future Cruise & Crop cruise.

Today's Alaska travel tip: dress in layers
We started out the day in heavy jackets. Although a bit chilly, the skies were clear and the mountains showed us their full glory. The locals said this was the nicest day in weeks. Very fitting for the first day of summer (and the longest day in Alaska - with the most sunlight). By the time we arrived at Chikoot Lake we ditched our jackets. The weather was perfect! A few hours later the wind picked up which brought in some chilly air. A few hours after that we put on our rain jackets as we reluctantly walked back to the ship in the rain.

So if you are planning a trip to Alaska - be prepared for all types of unpredictable weather.

Off to Juneau tomorrow.

-Cheri