last photo batch

Take a look at my photo set from Petersburg to Glacier Bay and my return
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44629959@N00/sets/72157601659864546/
I'm enjoying wearing a different set of clothes today

Seattle

We arrived back in warm, sunny, Seattle summer last night. So happy to be back, but this also means that my trip is really over. I was happy to see that the kayak arrived back safely. Also, was able to figure out how to fly with all my gear (had to dispose of remaining camp fuel, wasn't sure if security would confiscate my bear spray).

In Juneau, we saw the Mendenhall glacier and then did a boat trip to Tracy Arm to see the North and South Sawyer glaciers. While we were at Mendenhall, we missed seeing it calve because we were watching bears. The Sawyer glaciers more than made up for that, we got to see lots of calving (parts of the face of the glacier falling off into the water becoming icebergs). It was very exciting. The ferry trip to Ketchikan was just what we'd hoped for, so we were a bit bummed we didn't get to do the whole trip, but most happy to be together and to get to see some of the area I'd paddled.

Juneau

Hurrah my parents are here! So great to see them. They were of course bummed to hear that we couldn't take the ferry back as planned, but we're all very happy to see each other and have figured out other ways to enjoy our time together. We'll spend an extra day in Juneau, then take the ferry to Ketchikan and fly back to Seattle from there on Friday when we would have arrived on the ferry. so at least we'll get a bit of the ferry experience. Today we took the tram up to the top of Mt Roberts for cloudy views.

got help

Thanks for those of you who replied, it looks like I've worked out a plan to send the kayak back ahead of me so I can fly back with my parents if that's our best option. Still haven't gotten in contact with them. Huge thanks to Alicia and the Keightley family.
Amanda

kayak pickup assistance

Hi Everyone, please disregard if you're not able to help me figure out an alternate plan for picking up my kayak in Bellingham.

This is a general call for help for anyone that could meet my kayak in Bellingham at 8am on Tues Aug 21. So the ferry we were supposed to take back to Seattle has broken down. I haven't been able to get in touch with my parents yet to figure out what to do instead. One possibility is flying back, but sending the kayak on the ferry that leaves tomorrow afternoon. I've found a friendly family in the hostel I'm staying in that will escort it as they take the ferry back that leaves tomorrow afternoon, but I need someone to meet that at the ferry to pick it up. If you can help me out, send me an email with your phone number by 9am (seattle time) Saturday, so that I can work things out with them before we're locked out of the hostel at 9am Seattle time.

thanks, Amanda

Hoonah

Hired a boat to take me and the kayak to the town of Hoonah (across Icy Strait) where I'll catch a ferry back to Juneau tomorrow. My parents meet me on Sunday, and then we'll take the ferry back to Bellingham together (provided they fix the current mechanical problems that have our ferry out of commission, eek).
I think I'll keep posting to the blog until I'm back in Seattle because it's so much fun.
I'm so happy to be done, what a great ending.

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BARTLETT COVE I'M DONE!TOUR BOAT PICKUP SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO PADDLE ALL THE WAY BACK,PLUS I GOT TO SEE THE WEST ARM

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58 47.106 136 04.212 GARFORTH ISL SUNNY STREAK CONTINUES,WIND REVERSED SO STILL AGAINST ME HEADING BACK.INTERGLACIAL WOOD

Glacier Bay map

Neil here--I found a Glacier Bay park map online which shows the
retreat of Muir Glacier since the 1800s and helped me understand the
last few updates from Amanda better--here it is:
http://www.wideview.it/travel/Alaska_98/Alaska/pagine/gbay_map_big.jpg

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59 00.041 136 09.674 WOLF PT I DID IT!TODAY I PADDLED TO MUIR GLACIER,MY GOAL.I FEEL AWESOME.STAY TUNED,STILL HAVE TO GET BACK

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59 03.714 136 10.792 RIGGS GLACIER MORAINE SUNNY,WINDY & AMAZING.BIG VIEWS OF SEVERAL GLACIERS.NORTHERN LIGHTS

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58 49.205 136 05.296 MUIR PT THIS WAS THE END OF THE GLACIER WHEN JOHN MUIR WAS HERE.SUN,AFTERNOON WIND.SEA LION CACOPHONY

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58 38.970 135 59.385 LELAND ISL NEW PACKING PUZZLE WITH BEAR CANNISTERS.GLORIOUS DAY.SAW A BEAR SWIM BETWEEN ISLANDS

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58 27.086 135 53.662 BARTLET COVE,GLACIER BAY PARK HDQRTS!SEA OTTERS.SHOWERS(RAIN & BATH)

new photos

Neil here. Just got another memory card in the mail, and so there is
new Alaska amazingness on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44629959@N00/sets/72157601293174637/

I'm so glad I'm not a salmon right now.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44629959@N00/1045290484/in/set-72157601293174637/

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58 20.291 135 32.481 PLEASANT ISL EATING UP THE MILES.GREAT WEATHER.SO MANY SALMON

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58 18.173 135 04.543 HOWARD BAY BUSY & CHOPPY CROSSINGS.RAIN. WHALE

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58 22.446 134 43.750 PT LOUISA HAD TO WAIT FOR THE TIDE TO COME IN SEVERAL TIMES,EXERCISE IN CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY.DOZENS OF EAGLES

berries

forgot to mention last night that salmonberries growing on muskeg are particularly delicious, whereas blueberries on muskeg are not very good at all

Juneau!

I bet you were wondering what I was doing paddling up to the head of an inlet. Well, there's a handy tram car and track to do the mile long portage over to Oliver Inlet. Had a bit of adventure with that this morning because I could not get the tram up the first steep hill. I even tried unloading everything and carrying it up the hill and then pushing the tram empty. Still couldn't do it. Fortunately, there was a smaller tram waiting at the other end and it all worked out.

 

I made it to Juneau! very exciting, and it's now been 3 months. hard to believe. the last leg is just icing on the cake, but I'll set off tomorrow afternoon on my way to Glacier Bay. This last leg was a great one. In addition to whales and bears, I met some great people along the way and had more good weather than bad. Saw so many whales because this is a big feeding area for them. Most of the sightings were binocular distance, rather than photo distance, but it was very cool. I could look across Seymour Canal and see 6 spouts at one time (I could see them where they contrasted with the green trees along the shore). Admiralty Inlet's Tlingit name translates to Fortress of the Bears, which is why I saw so many bears there. I saw as many from campsites as from the bear observatory, but enjoyed it much more when I felt like I was watching from a safe vantage point. And they are all brown bears there.

 

Should sign off now as there are other hostel-ers waiting to use the computer. Happy trails, Amanda

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58 05.798 134 18.936 SEYMOUR CANAL CABIN I LOVE TO WATCH BEARS FISH,EAT,SHARE FISH WITH THEIR CUBS & RUN FROM A SAFE,BEAUTIFUL PLACE

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57 53.678 134 15.615 WINDFALL ISL EARLY START TO ESCAPE BEING MUDDED IN.GOT MY PACK CRK BEAR OBS PERMIT FOR TOMORROW!WHALES & GERMANS

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57 39.545 134 06.010 MOLE HBR SUN MORE WHALES GREAT DAY.THINGS NOT GOING MY WAY TONIGHT

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57 25.553 133 55.597 GAMBIER BAY 15 MILES OF CROSSINGS,ISLAND HOPPING,GLASSY CALM. SEA LIONS FEEDING & MANY LOUD HUMPBACKS WOOHOO!