Alaska
No lines. No crowds. Big adventure. We experienced South East Alaska with UnCruise Adventures. With just 40 other guests onboard, UnCruise lived up to their tag line!
We recently spent a week on the Wilderness Adventurer, an unassuming 30 cabin ship. Described by UnCruise Adventures as like your favorite, hippie-cool aunt, she’s sage, soulful, and game for every adventure. She provided a very comfortable home for us and was always a welcome sight when returning to her on a kayak or skiff.
The trip we took was called Alaska's Glacier Country and included two days in Glacier Bay National Park. The park covers over 3 million acres of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines and deep sheltered fjords, Glacier Bay National Park is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage and was a highlight for us too.
We spent a lot of time with glaciers and learned that basically, ice in motion is a glacier. The combination of tall, coastal mountains and an abundance of snow have made Glacier Bay a home for hundreds of glaciers. Storms from the Pacific Ocean collide with the Fairweather Mountains, producing rain at sea level and snow at higher elevations. Excess snow compacts and forms ice. Ice slides down the mountain, becoming a glacier.
Ice breaking off from the glacier is known as calving. It is a powerful sight to witness!
Being able to kayak near glaciers was incredible...a little scary and unpredictable, but amazing.
Traveling with friends is a great way to experience new places. An UnCruise adventure makes it easy to meet a variety of interests since it's like camp for grown-ups. Each day we were presented with several options for activities --- kayaking, hiking or skiff tour --- and then we signed up for what we wanted to do. Later that day a list was posted and off we went. Cocktail hour started early and was a chance to catch up on what you had seen and done during the day.
Our week long trip began and ended in Juneau. Before boarding the boat we had time for a rainy walk to the life-sized bronze humpback whale sculpture named Tahku. And some delicious salmon chowder at Alaska Fish & Chips Company at the historic Merchants Wharf.
As you can see by our rain gear, when they say SE Alaska is in a rainforest, they really mean it. UnCruise sent a packing list that included rain pants, rain coat and rubber boots, or Alaskan tennis shoes! They have some boots on board but I am really happy that I brought my own pair. They took up half my suitcase but I stuffed them full of socks and t-shirts. I wore them everyday. I hiked in them, kayaked in them, wore them on the skiff, and really bonded with them! I even bought an enamel zipper pull of rubber boots from Wm Spear Design, a friendly Juneau shop.
We explored islands, glaciers, and forests. We kayaked in remote inlets that brought us up close to wildlife including eagles, sea otters, harbor seals and sea lions. We got away, we stayed safe, we had fun!
Thanks UnCruise.