Virtual Alaska - Day 10: 10-2-99

Today's journal entry begins at 11:00 last night - Friday, October 1, 1999.

At 11:00 last night Mr. Pickett drove me from his house, where we had supper, to the Alaska Ferry Terminal in Skagway. The MV Matanuska, one of several ships in the Alaska Marine Ferry fleet, was waiting. I bought my ticket, bid Mr. Pickett farewell, and boarded the ferry. It was scheduled to leave Skagway for Juneau, via Haines, Alaska, at 12:30 a.m. this morning - Saturday, October 2.



Alaska Marine Highway Ferry

I boarded the ferry and began exploring to become familiar with its decks. While exploring I ran into Jane and Janette. They had been guests at the hostel and we had agreed to meet on the ferry. Jane is from Taiwan and Janette is from South Australia. The three of us first considered passing the 7 hours from Skagway to Juneau in the "recliner lounge," a big room with large windows and large aircraft style recliner chairs with lots of leg room. We found this room to be warm and stuffy so we moved to the "solarium." The solarium is an area at the back of the ship which is enclosed on three sides but open wide to the stern. Scattered about the deck are plastic lounge chairs which recline to a flat position. Many ferry travelers choose to unrole their sleeping bags on these lounge chairs and sleep the night under radiant heaters which are suspended from the ceiling. This is what we decided to do. After claiming our individual lounge chairs and unrolling sleeping bags it didn't take long, in the fresh ocean air, for me to fall asleep. I was asleep before the ship left the dock at 12:30 a.m., right on schedule.

I was awakened by the ship's p.a. anncouncing our arrival at Haines at 1:00 a.m. and our departure at 2:30 a.m. Otherwise, I slept through the night until 6:00 a.m. I got up and showered, got coffee from the cafeteria, then returned to the solarium, stood at the rail and enjoyed the scenery passing by as the sun was rising over Juneau. The sky was gray and overcast and it was raining. A typical Southeast Alaska autumn day.

I'm glad I took the ferry, although I had a prepaid ticket to fly from Skagway to Juneau. I enjoy life aboard the ferry and the views from the boat during daylight hours. I'm only sorry that this ferry sailed at night. I've been told that the Lynn Canal is a great place for whale watching, both humpbacks and Orcas, and for seeing harbor seals and sea otters. But, at night there is little to see. Janette, a geologist from South Australia, and I shared a taxi ride from the ferry terminal. I paid the $11.00 fare from the terminal to the "Super 8" hotel near the airport and she had to pay the balance for the 10 additional miles to downtown. I stored my backpack at the hotel for the day so I could explore Juneau "hands free." I had a few hours to kill before my plane was scheduled to leave at 7:00 p.m.

I was not really surprised, as I arrived in downtown Juneau on the city bus, to find that the city was pretty much closed down. Much of the city was closed because the summer tourist season is over and other things were shut down because it was Saturday. I wanted to visit the National Forest Service visitors' center downtown, but it was closed. I wanted to ride the tramway to the top of Mount Roberts for one last view of the Gastenau Channel and the city, but it was closed.

I had planned to visit the Mendenhall Glacier again and walk the West Glacier Trail and explore the visitors center, but the visitors' center was closed for the season and it was raining so hard and so constantly, that I decided not to walk the trail. I spent much of the day sitting at various spots around town in view of different mountains which were shrouded in clouds reading James Michener's "Alaska," which I started way back in June while in Sitka, and which I've been reading off and on since. I got the book nearly finished today.



Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 landing at Juneau International Airport


I boarded Alaska Airlines flight 66 for Seattle at 6:40 p.m. and by 7:00 we were flying south over the Inside Passage." We arrived in Seattle at 10:15 Seattle time. My next flight, Northwest Airlines 140 to Minneapolis, didn't leave until 1:20 a.m. on Sunday morning, October 3. I had one more hour and 40 minute flight to Columbus from Minneapolis. I arrived in Columbus at 10:00 local time and was greeted by my wife, Janice and daughter, Shona.

I was home from Alaska. It had been another experience of a lifetime. One which I have added to my "life list." As wonderful as this trip was I am gald to be home. I look forward one day to returning to Alaska, The Great Land , to continue exploring its natural and cultural diversity.




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