Head West Young Man

Was born in Alaska and have been back since. The waterways around Juneau and Glacier Bay NP are gorgeous. As well as the area between Seward and Homer. Use to go camping there. If you're lucky you might see the volcano smoking. It's west of Anchorage in the Mt. Spurr area. Mt. Mckinley is worth the drive.

 

Make sure you set up a meeting with Mary Peltola who became the first Democrat in Congress from Alaska since the '70s

 

Worked a summer back in college on a salmon boat on the Kenai Peninsula fishing the Cook Inlet. Prettiest place I've ever seen, hardest work I've ever done. Would love to get back up there.

 

Bears are better seen through 10X binoculars.

 

Does the cruise go through Glacier Bay? It is spectacular. I would skip the bar hopping and get a couple of helicopter or sea plane tours. Much more memorable. As much as I enjoy drinking, I don’t drop $10K so Mrs. Aging and I can drink with the people we’re with or with strangers. Get the drink package on the ship and drink there

 

Not sure on the timing, but I would recommend Juneau for the whale watching. The whales engage in bubble net feeding there. Highly recommend. It is an amazing sight.

 

My wife and I saw the bubble net feeding cycle 3 times. Our guide put a microphone in the water where we heard the lead female sending signals. Different squeals that kind of sounded like babies crying then a slightly louder and lower pitched order to rise up. It was amazing hearing a seeing it in person. Gives me goose bumps to think about it. It was in Juneau June 26th.

Highly recommend an excursion to Mendenhall glacier. It’s spectacular. Sadly it’s expected to melt away by 2050.

 

I lived and worked in Alaska twice--one year on Kodiak Island and also a year in Kenai. Both places were amazing for fishing and the outdoors. The vistas were awe-inspiring. Saw lots of wildlife too. If you want to see lots of eagles, go to the landfill where they congregate en masse.

 

I have the sound and video of the bubble net feeding.
I tried to upload it but it said too big.
If anyone wants to see and hear it pm me your cell and I’ll text it to you. That’s the way this old guy sends photos and videos.
I promise I’m not a pervert or bot. lol

 

Here’s the pod we saw bubble net feeding.

 

Then orcas arrived and scattered the humpbacks away

 

Born in Anchorage. Dad was in the Air Force stationed in the Aleutians manning radar stations watching Russia. Middle of winter is interesting when the sun never comes up. There's enough of a glow from the lights reflecting off the snow to see though.
Playing baseball in the street at midnight during the summer is interesting too. We had tons of moose in the woods across the street from our house. Ate so much salmon that I tend to avoid it, like someone from Maine not liking lobster.

 

That’s cool. We were a little farther away.
I have the sound from the lead female giving orders. You can hear other whales also. Underwater microphone sent sounds to speaker on boat. You can hear our guide yell get ready just before they come up. Pictures are great but listening to them communicate prior to the feeding is amazing.

 

Yeah, we listened to that too and have some videos. But can’t upload anything up here.