4-10 August.

Going through customs at Prince Rupert felt a little like Africa. On entering Canada our apples were confiscated, but we were offered a receipt for them.
Canada has a completely different feel about it. Maybe it has something to do with its close ties to Britain or maybe the French influence, I am not sure. The people seem more refined, friendly in a quieter more reserved way. Suddenly we are using metrics again and they spell most words correctly, although I did see ‘tires’ for sale. A Canadian dollar is called a loonie and the 2, a tooey. People seem to know that there are other countries out there. We even managed to change some Euros, we tried in America and the reply was ‘why did you bring Euros to America’
Since we returned the car, we have been travelling like gypsies. Lugging not only our normal suitcases, but also 2 extremely heavy pieces of hand luggage (my harddrive which weighs 12kgs and my camera bag at 18kgs). To top it all we were too snoep to turf our camping gear as planned, so its on its way back home with us, in a massive canvas bag. This together with our fast paced itinerary has meant we cannot float around like tourists, camera dangling from my neck, as we have been doing for the last 2 & a half months. So I am afraid, no photos.
The ferry from Prince Rupert to Port Hardy was brand new and very comfortable, unfortunately the weather was foul, so we did not get to see much of the scenery everyone raves about. The rain followed us throughout Vancouver Island making it difficult for us to really enjoy. As with all the other towns we passed through on the Inner Passage, the coast of British Columbia’s economy is based on logging, mining and fishing, all which have been drastically depleted, so most towns are in a state of decline. Some are trying to reinvent themselves as tourist destinations. Victoria has been very successful, or maybe it was the hour of sunshine that made the difference. We really enjoyed strolling around the harbour right in the centre of downtown. Beautiful old buildings of the parliament, museum and the grand Empress hotel line the streets. The gardens were a blaze of colour wherever you looked, which together made for a wonderful morning.
All to quickly we were on the bus, then the ferry, then the bus and then a taxi to Vancouver. Then the hotel where I had specifically requested ground floor ignored me so I had to lug everything up 3 flights of steps and I had made a $100 mistake with the booking………….and suddenly, for the first time on the trip, I felt like going home. Maybe it’s my brains way of preparing me for the inevitable, or maybe it has just been a long day!
A half hour later the rain let up and we went for a walk through Stanley Park, with its beautiful gardens, swans and raspberries ripe for the picking. Today we walked a section of the sea wall towards the magnificent convention centre. We walked passed immaculate gardens that line the cycle and walking paths and opulent yachts moored in the bay. We sat and watched as float planes took to the air and admired the geometric designs of the glass clad buildings, each reflecting its neighbour. Maybe I am not so ready after all………………..

30 July-3 August.

Juneau-Ferry,Sitka-Ferry,Petersburg-Wrangell-Ketchikan-Prince Rupert.

You certainly get to fly in all manner of planes in Alaska, returning in a small Husky to Juneau. The midday sun on the Mendenhall Glacier seemed to accentuate the blue ice as we approached Juneau.

Juneau has one main road that traverses the valley created as the glacier retreated. Steep tree covered mountains tower above the sprawling city that lines the road. Massive cruise ships look so out of place in the harbor especially as the original gaily painted wooden houses are quiet small. We strolled around downtown Juneau which has a European feel, possibly due to the Russian influences of the past. We visited St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox church built in the late 1800’s, its octagonal pale blue timber walls capped with a copper dome, remind us of how close we are to Russia and the importance of Russia’s influence on Alaska. But unfortunately, the town is now about fat American cruisers, so ice-cream parlors, pubs, art shops and 42 jewelry stores, line the streets near harbor.

Continuing with our DIY approach, we caught the local bus to within a mile & a half on the Mendenhall Glacier. As we rounded the last corner we could feel we were close as there was a noticeable drop in the temperature. Melt water spews from the side of the glacier creating a waterfall, something we had not seen before and huge blue icebergs float like beached whales in the wide river below the ice-wall.

The East glacier trail, unfortunately does not allow closer views of the glacier but it passes through a beautiful forest with a moss-covered floor. On our way down we got good views of a Porcupine, which is covered in fine, short quills.

We complete our stay listening to a local band playing in the park near the harbor. The cruise ships have left……………Juneau is quiet again.

At eight the following morning we boarded the fast ferry bound for Sitka. We are amazed at how narrow the passage is. At times the ferry needed to slow right down to negotiate the tight turns it needs to take. We pass tiny tree covered islands and get to see a number of Hump-backed whales along the way. Being one of the outer islands, Sitka has its western seaboard in the Pacific, with Mt.Edgecumbe providing protected waters where the town lies. The only public transport is a bus at $16 for the 3mile ride to our B&B or 1 of 2 taxis, which we find out on the way back out, charges $20 for the same 3 miles. So we quickly learn to hitch hike the 3 miles to town & back.

Once again the Russian influence is everywhere, with the 2 domes of St.Michael’s church right in the center of town. We take the walk out to the historical park, here a number of carved totem poles each telling a story of the native Indians, dot the coastline.

As with most of the coastal towns we have visited, Sitka has a large tide which when it recedes attracts locals & Eagles alike. The path leads alongside a shallow stream in which ‘Pinks’, the smallest salmon species, returns each year to spawn. We saw hundreds congregating in the shallow water near the banks of the river, possibly resting before they tackle the rapids and waterfalls.

This site is also of importance to the local native Indians; as this is where they managed to oust the Russians in the late 1700's. The Russians returned a number of years later; this time the Indians had no chance.

In Sitka its either raining or about to rain and it was no different when our ferry weighed anchor on route for Prince Rupert.

The early part of the route passed through the aptly named Narrows. Here tiny islands are so close, it feels as if we could just step over board onto one of them. The scenery is beautiful and the sea calm, making it easy to see why these waters are so popular with the cruise liners, especially when the sun comes out, as it did for us.

At 19:30 after 11.5 hours at sea, we pull into Petersburg. This quaint, anchovy smelling fishing village with its Norwegian past, is how I imagined Alaska would look.

Small fishing boats and brightly painted houses set against tree covered, snow capped mountains. Here, like all the villages in these waters, the people are totally dependent on the sea.

Sailing on through the night & following day, we stop at Wrangell, Ketchikan and finally 32 hours after leaving Sitka, we dock in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada, leaving the US in the sunset.

27-29 July

Route: Fly,Anchorage-Juneau-Fly,Gustavus-Fly,Galcier Bay NP-Juneau

We left the sprawling city and the rain of Anchorage on the early flight to Juneau. I seldom bother looking out of the window, but the scenery was absolutely magnificent, with snow-covered peaks piercing the puffy white clouds.



We flew over a massive ice field with glaciers reaching like fingers in all directions to the valleys below. A vast lake filled with milky, turquoise blue melt water traced the contours between the sheer black peaks. Spruce covered islands dotted the coastline. We had arrived at the famed northern most port of the Inner Passage, Juneau.

From Juneau we shared a Cessna Caravan laden with supplies for Gustavus ( Gu-stay-vus). There are 2 roads in Gustavus and neither goes very far, so the only way to reach Gustavus is by air or a private boat. Once again the scenery on the way over was magic. I even saw a whale and her calf as they surfaced blowing a huge plume of mist into the air.
The best mode of transport around town is a bicycle and fortunately for us, our B&B had an ample supply. So we hopped on and spent the afternoon touring town, the harbour and the small arty shops.


Not a great day for photography
We took an early shuttle to Glacier Bay NP, where we boarded MV Fairweather to sail from Icy Strait, approximately 65miles into the park. We cruised past South Marble Island, which was teaming with birds, but unfortunately there was very little light for photography. However, we did see Common Mure, Pelagic Cormorant, Black-winged Kittiwake, Black Oystercatcher, Sea-Otter & Tufted Puffin.


One with a beak full of Herring, returning to the nest, was really special.


Continuing further, we realized that the fantastic scenery we had experienced from the plane yesterday, was Glacier Bay.

The high mountain peaks that poked through the clouds being the Fairweather range, apparently rarely seen from the ground as they are constantly shrouded in clouds. 250 years ago Glacier Bay was completly covered in a glacier, 1mile thick. All we are seeing are the small side glaciers that have remained, the massive glacier having receded about 65miles.



Along the way we got great views of Mountain Goats with young, being large with long shaggy white coats and black recurved horns, they stand out against the grey sheer cliff face. The ewes come to these exposed areas to give birth, as it offers protection from wolves and bears.




Brown bears scour the beach at low tide, turning over large rocks looking for food. We had lunch in front of Grand Pacific Glacier, the face of which, is just inside Alaska, but will soon recede into Canada.


The day was spectacular, but having experienced glaciers and wildlife in a small boat at Resurrection bay has spoilt us, unfortunately.


A last minute decision saw us on a whale-watching cruise to Pt.Adolphus, which juts into Icy Strait a short distance from the open ocean. Currents cause zoo-plankton, herring & other small fish to well up here, making this an ideal area to view Hump-backed Whales. Having migrated from Hawaii, where they fast for summer putting all their energy into mating and giving birth, they return to feed in these cold waters.


We had hardly stopped when a pod of 10 whales surfaced right alongside the boat. Females are larger than males, being 13-15m long, whereas males are about 12-14m long and weigh between 22500 and 36000kgs.


They move gracefully through the water, taking 3 or 4 gulps of air before arching their backs & diving. They swallow huge amounts of prey through their grape fruit sized throat, needing to consume 2000lbs/day.


Thousands of sea birds join the feeding frenzy. Once again we are awed by the spectacle of nature, definitely an experience that will live with us forever.

22- 26 July

Route: Fairbanks-Denali NP-Fly,Kantishna-Denali-Anchorage-Fly,King Salmon-Fly,Katmai NP-King Salmon-Anchorage.

We leave Fairbanks, our most northern point of our trip at 65 degrees N heading south for Denali NP. All reports from fellow travellers indicate that we have little to no chance of flying into Kantishna, in the heart of Denali NP.

But our luck continues, we not only manage to fly, but the weather clears sufficiently to allow the pilot to find a hole in the clouds, giving us the most fantastic views of Mt. McKinley and the Muldrow Glacier.

At 20230 feet, McKinley also known as Denali (the high one), is the highest mountain in N America. As it turns out we are the only ones to fly the entire week.

We had decided to splurge and stay inside Denali NP at Sky Lodge, which is owned by Katishna Air to house their pilots. Our log cabin, set high on the side of the mountain, gave us the solitude that few visitors to Denali experience.

We spent our time walking on trails, with fog and drizzle as our companion, before returning to the communal dining room for a Cordon Bleu meal.

Its amazing, maybe disturbing, how little game is seen. We are not sure whether the low densities are the norm or whether decades of indiscriminate hunting is to blame. The whole time we where in the park which included a 6 hour bus ride out of the park, we only saw 6 Moose, 14 Caribou, 3 Grizzly Bear, 2 Dall Sheep and a family of Ptarmigan.

The rain followed us to Anchorage, and with the weather predictions for King Salmon & the Alaskan Peninsula even worse, we were very concerned that our luck would not hold.

Our $2500 trip to Katmai NP has a ‘no refund’ policy in the case of bad weather. The rain continued through out the night. We drove to the airport in torrential rain. We got drenched walking across the tarmac to board the single engine prop plane to King Salmon…………but we took off bang on time. We flew in rain, landed in rain & transferred to the float plane, where we were weighed in the rain…….but we took off bang on time, in the rain. We flew in the rain, landed in the rain, had the mandatory bear etiquette lecture while it rained and then walked the 2 miles to Brooks Falls viewing platform in the rain, and then……………….. THE RAIN STOPPED.

And now the full version.

The 1h20 flight from Anchorage to King Salmon, on the Alaskan Peninsula was in a 30seat prop plane. On arrival, we were immediately transferred to the Float plane terminal. Before boarding the plane, which was built in 1963 and has seen service in Saudi Arabia & Russia, before coming to King Salmon, we are each weighed to get an accurate measure of the load.

Wind gushes through gaps in the doors and the aluminium covers around the windows look as if they were hand beaten into place, but she lifts off the water with ease, carrying nine passengers, for the 20 minutes to Katmai NP. We could see bears on the beach as we approached.

We first have to attend a bear etiquette lecture, before we head out to the viewing platforms about 2 miles away.

Not far along the path, we round a corner and coming towards us are 2 bears, not 20 meters away. We make a hasty retreat, without running, turning our backs or looking them directly in the eyes. Its amazing how quickly they walk, I would hate to see them in a full charge. At the end of the muddy path, the park services have erected a platform that puts us right where the action is.

At times 13 Brown Bears, a larger sub species of Grizzly Bear, were catching Salmon at Brook falls. Immediately a fish is caught, it is held head down in the long claws, before having its skin, the bear’s favorite, deftly striped and eaten.

The balance is consumed in seconds, before one of the big more aggressive males gets a chance to steal it.

What a day, to see nature like few others experience, certainly the highlight of our trip……………..AND THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN.