wallawallakids
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2012
Wow! Those photos are amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Our Wonderful Whale of a Good Time 9 Night Alaskan Cruise! May 2014 w/pics Completed!
- Thread starter disneyfaninaz
- Start date
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
They sometimes trade birds with other bird sanctuaries and actually had a great horned owl, which are very popular here in Arizona. It was even named "Arizona."
This owl had the most interesting face.
Along the nature trail.
We eventually made it around to the release area. It was really quite extraordinary to see these rehabilitated eagles fly free.
You can see how big these magnificent birds are.
They would put the bird on a rock and then simultaneously remove the straps on their talons and the blindfold on their eyes.
Then the bird would take a step or two and soar.
We didnt want to walk back to town. The raptor center had a phone you could use to call taxis, so we did.
While we were waiting for the taxi, we walked around some more.
The driver was very nice and she told us about Castle Rock. She dropped us off there and we climbed up a nice ramp to the top. We had a great view of the town. This was where Alaskan ownership was transferred form the Russians to the Americans. Very interesting history here.
After we took it in, we walked back down toward the cathedral.
After doing some quick shopping, I went inside the cathedral. It was very small as far as cathedrals go. I wasnt sure if we could even take pictures, so I didnt. However, the smell of incense was so strong I couldnt stay long anyway. But, what I did see was very gilded and ornate.
After that, we we decided we were done and had a full day in Sitka. We walked back to the Heritage Center and got on a 4:30 PM shuttle headed back to the Wonder. After a brief stop in the gift ship, we boarded the ship. We watched for DNeighbors to arrive and I watched eagles from our verandah.
Dinner was casual tonight in Tritons with the French Cuisine menu. After dinner, the characters were in their Alaskan outfits so DD and I went to get some photos taken to put in my Alaska photo matte. We had no interest in seeing Robert Creighton Theatrical Show. DHs back was hurting him, so he went to stretch out in the stateroom. DD went to hang out with her friends so I went up to the Outlook Café until I got a text from DD that Mickey & Minnie were both out in their Alaskan clothes at 10:00 PM.
This was our towel animal tonight.
While the sun
never did come out in Sitka, we had a wonderful full day and enjoyed our visit there very much. We hope Disney will consider Sitka as a stop in 2016.
Next: Ice, Ice Baby!
This owl had the most interesting face.
Along the nature trail.
We eventually made it around to the release area. It was really quite extraordinary to see these rehabilitated eagles fly free.
You can see how big these magnificent birds are.
They would put the bird on a rock and then simultaneously remove the straps on their talons and the blindfold on their eyes.
Then the bird would take a step or two and soar.
We didnt want to walk back to town. The raptor center had a phone you could use to call taxis, so we did.
While we were waiting for the taxi, we walked around some more.
The driver was very nice and she told us about Castle Rock. She dropped us off there and we climbed up a nice ramp to the top. We had a great view of the town. This was where Alaskan ownership was transferred form the Russians to the Americans. Very interesting history here.
After we took it in, we walked back down toward the cathedral.
After doing some quick shopping, I went inside the cathedral. It was very small as far as cathedrals go. I wasnt sure if we could even take pictures, so I didnt. However, the smell of incense was so strong I couldnt stay long anyway. But, what I did see was very gilded and ornate.
After that, we we decided we were done and had a full day in Sitka. We walked back to the Heritage Center and got on a 4:30 PM shuttle headed back to the Wonder. After a brief stop in the gift ship, we boarded the ship. We watched for DNeighbors to arrive and I watched eagles from our verandah.
Dinner was casual tonight in Tritons with the French Cuisine menu. After dinner, the characters were in their Alaskan outfits so DD and I went to get some photos taken to put in my Alaska photo matte. We had no interest in seeing Robert Creighton Theatrical Show. DHs back was hurting him, so he went to stretch out in the stateroom. DD went to hang out with her friends so I went up to the Outlook Café until I got a text from DD that Mickey & Minnie were both out in their Alaskan clothes at 10:00 PM.
This was our towel animal tonight.
While the sun
never did come out in Sitka, we had a wonderful full day and enjoyed our visit there very much. We hope Disney will consider Sitka as a stop in 2016.Next: Ice, Ice Baby!
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
Your report is so wonderful ! Thanks for posting !! Getting so excited for our Aug 4 cruise !!
Thank you! You will have a wonderful cruise.
I can't recommend seeing Alaska enough. Even if it is such a small part of that great state.
9 short weeks until our family sails the Wonder through Alaska and I cannot begin to tell you how much I am enjoying your trip report!!!
Thanks! Your time will fly by.
Hi Rita! Thanks and welcome to my report.
I use Photobucket. I find it very easy to load photos and copy them onto the Disboards. Check them out. I tried Flikr, but didn't like it as much.
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
TheChanClan
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2014
Your Sitka post is great, thank you! Love all your pictures..what a beautiful place!
pascalstongue
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2012
Such lovely photos. Sitka looks so beautiful. The Sea Otters are my favourite - so cute!
What a great trip report! We leave in just over 2 weeks
and are so excited. We too are staying in the Pan Pacific. Looking forward to reading the rest of your report. Can I ask what type of camera you are using? Your pictures are fabulous.
and are so excited. We too are staying in the Pan Pacific. Looking forward to reading the rest of your report. Can I ask what type of camera you are using? Your pictures are fabulous.
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
EXCELLENT!!!!!!!
What a great trip report! We leave in just over 2 weeks
Thank you all for your kind comments. The Alaskan cruise was definitely a very memorable one and I highly recommend it.I used a Nikon D5000 DSLR with an 18-300 zoom lens on all the excursions. A lot of the wildlife pictures have been cropped as 300 wasn't a far enough reach, but it did very well and I am pleased with the outcome.
As far as the eagles being released, it was magnificent. I wish I could have gotten some better photos, but people kept popping up in my line of sight and the birds kept flying further away!
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
Day 5: Tracy Arm
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sunrise: 4:08 AM
Sunset: 9:34 PM
Temp: 50 F
We woke up to sunny partly cloudy skies again today. The first thing I did was find the laundry room on Deck 7 and secure a couple of washing machines. After breakfast at Bleach Blanket, I went down to the laundry room to put my clothes in the dryer. A few other people were using the laundry room now too. By the time I went down to unload the dryers, there were no machines available and people were waiting. Boy, am I glad I got to them early. So, if you find that you need to do some laundry while in Alaska, get there early!
We got our food at the buffet and headed out to sit outside on Deck 9. It was a beautiful day. Before I even took a bite of food, whales could be spotted all around us. Even the crew was excited and would come running over to see what we saw. At one point, I handed Shane my camera so he could see a while off in the distance. These are cropped:
Let’s not forget the scenery.
A sea lion swam just below where we were eating.
We spotted more whales.
We went up on Deck 10 and spotted a fin.
And then another
The Captain’s route today would take us around the southern tip of Baranof Island and up the Chatham Strait to Frederick Sound. We would then enter Stephens Passage on our way towards Tracy Arm, where we would enter the arm around 12:30.
Supposedly this is a very popular place for whales. And it was!
We interrupt this trip report to bring you Whale Watching 101 and what you have all been waiting for . . . . whale tail!
The first thing you look for way out in the distance, because the whales don’t swim right next to the ship, is the blow. This is when the whale breathes. This looks like a mist about 3-4 feet high above the water line. Basically, you are looking for the whale so you know which direction to aim your camera. Therefore, I don’t really have a lot of blow pictures. Once you see the blow, you will see a black line in the water. That is the whales back. Now depending on what the whale is doing, he may blow for several more times before he dives deep to eat.
Here is an example, taken with a 300 zoom lens from the ship.
Here is the same examples cropped to show detail.
You will know when he is going to dive deep because the arch of this back comes further out of the water and then you will see his fluke come straight out. Here is a sample of a whale preparing to dive.
Once the whale flukes, he will be down 8-10 minutes and the ship will be long gone.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programing!
We were out watching whales from the deck when we saw it; a humpback breaching! I barely got it before it splashed back down in the water. It is not the clearest, but it was far away.
Here is the photo I caught with a 44 mm zoom. Could you tell I wasn’t expecting it, since every other whale picture I took was at 300 mm zoom?
Here it is cropped.
Here is the splash afterwards.
Wow! How exciting. I don’t even think I realized that I caught the moment until I got home and downloaded my photos.
We watched whales for nearly an hour from our deck 4. Then they just disappeared.
To be continued.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sunrise: 4:08 AM
Sunset: 9:34 PM
Temp: 50 F
We woke up to sunny partly cloudy skies again today. The first thing I did was find the laundry room on Deck 7 and secure a couple of washing machines. After breakfast at Bleach Blanket, I went down to the laundry room to put my clothes in the dryer. A few other people were using the laundry room now too. By the time I went down to unload the dryers, there were no machines available and people were waiting. Boy, am I glad I got to them early. So, if you find that you need to do some laundry while in Alaska, get there early!
We got our food at the buffet and headed out to sit outside on Deck 9. It was a beautiful day. Before I even took a bite of food, whales could be spotted all around us. Even the crew was excited and would come running over to see what we saw. At one point, I handed Shane my camera so he could see a while off in the distance. These are cropped:
Let’s not forget the scenery.
A sea lion swam just below where we were eating.
We spotted more whales.
We went up on Deck 10 and spotted a fin.
And then another
The Captain’s route today would take us around the southern tip of Baranof Island and up the Chatham Strait to Frederick Sound. We would then enter Stephens Passage on our way towards Tracy Arm, where we would enter the arm around 12:30.
Supposedly this is a very popular place for whales. And it was!
We interrupt this trip report to bring you Whale Watching 101 and what you have all been waiting for . . . . whale tail!The first thing you look for way out in the distance, because the whales don’t swim right next to the ship, is the blow. This is when the whale breathes. This looks like a mist about 3-4 feet high above the water line. Basically, you are looking for the whale so you know which direction to aim your camera. Therefore, I don’t really have a lot of blow pictures. Once you see the blow, you will see a black line in the water. That is the whales back. Now depending on what the whale is doing, he may blow for several more times before he dives deep to eat.
Here is an example, taken with a 300 zoom lens from the ship.
Here is the same examples cropped to show detail.
You will know when he is going to dive deep because the arch of this back comes further out of the water and then you will see his fluke come straight out. Here is a sample of a whale preparing to dive.
Once the whale flukes, he will be down 8-10 minutes and the ship will be long gone.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programing!
We were out watching whales from the deck when we saw it; a humpback breaching! I barely got it before it splashed back down in the water. It is not the clearest, but it was far away.
Here is the photo I caught with a 44 mm zoom. Could you tell I wasn’t expecting it, since every other whale picture I took was at 300 mm zoom?
Here it is cropped.
Here is the splash afterwards.
Wow! How exciting. I don’t even think I realized that I caught the moment until I got home and downloaded my photos.
We watched whales for nearly an hour from our deck 4. Then they just disappeared.
To be continued.
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
This one looked like a particularly big one.
Here are 2 close together.
And, 1 last tail.
To be continued, entering Tracy Arm.
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
Entering Tracy Arm.
We had lunch at Beach Blanket where they served freshly grilled Steak, Chicken, Salmon and Venison Steak right off the BBQs on the back of Deck 9. They also had a baked potato bar. Lunch was great.
After lunch, DNC grabbed me and we staked a spot on Deck 10 aft right above the Mickey Pool starboard side to go through Tracy Arm. We had a view of the port side as well and could easily slip over there if we wanted to get pictures from the other side. We had heard earlier on our trip that while most of the staterooms were sold out, there were only 1900, out of a possible 2500, passengers onboard. So, it didnt seem as crowded on deck as I had feared. We had a great spot and not too terribly crowded.
While we went through Tracy Arm, the crew was serving chowder in bread bowls and hot chocolate up near the front of the ship on Deck 10. I was so enthralled with the scenery and not wanting to miss anything that I never got up that way.
We first started seeing some ice.
Goofy and Chip & Dale, dressed in their Alaskan attire, came up to Deck 10 for pictures. Shutters staff was also up there taking pictures of passengers.
Now, I had read trip reports from DISers saying that Tracy Arm day was freezing, I came prepared. However, I was pleasantly surprised how mild it actually was. The air temperature was cool enough for a fleece under my windbreaker, light gloves and my DCL headband to cover my ears, but it wasnt windy and it wasnt rainy so it was bearable to stay up on deck for the entire way down the arm to the glacier.
Once we started down the arm, Doug Jones narrated from the bridge. Unfortunately, we couldnt really understand him that well out of the speakers. It was a shame, because Im sure his information was very good.
The scenery was amazing and speaks for itself. Sit back and enjoy the views.
We started to get deeper into the ice field.
Heres some perspective to how big some the ice was.
Continuing on.
Continued on next post.
We had lunch at Beach Blanket where they served freshly grilled Steak, Chicken, Salmon and Venison Steak right off the BBQs on the back of Deck 9. They also had a baked potato bar. Lunch was great.
After lunch, DNC grabbed me and we staked a spot on Deck 10 aft right above the Mickey Pool starboard side to go through Tracy Arm. We had a view of the port side as well and could easily slip over there if we wanted to get pictures from the other side. We had heard earlier on our trip that while most of the staterooms were sold out, there were only 1900, out of a possible 2500, passengers onboard. So, it didnt seem as crowded on deck as I had feared. We had a great spot and not too terribly crowded.
While we went through Tracy Arm, the crew was serving chowder in bread bowls and hot chocolate up near the front of the ship on Deck 10. I was so enthralled with the scenery and not wanting to miss anything that I never got up that way.
We first started seeing some ice.
Goofy and Chip & Dale, dressed in their Alaskan attire, came up to Deck 10 for pictures. Shutters staff was also up there taking pictures of passengers.
Now, I had read trip reports from DISers saying that Tracy Arm day was freezing, I came prepared. However, I was pleasantly surprised how mild it actually was. The air temperature was cool enough for a fleece under my windbreaker, light gloves and my DCL headband to cover my ears, but it wasnt windy and it wasnt rainy so it was bearable to stay up on deck for the entire way down the arm to the glacier.
Once we started down the arm, Doug Jones narrated from the bridge. Unfortunately, we couldnt really understand him that well out of the speakers. It was a shame, because Im sure his information was very good.
The scenery was amazing and speaks for itself. Sit back and enjoy the views.
We started to get deeper into the ice field.
Heres some perspective to how big some the ice was.
Continuing on.
Continued on next post.
disneyfaninaz
It takes faith, trust & pixie dust!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2007
Our first glimpse of Sawyer Glacier
We were also disappointed not to see too many seals, as wildlife officials were there and scared most of the seals and pups away.
Our first seal sighting.
Getting closer.
Another seal sighting.
Unfortunately, while we had gotten the closest to the Sawyer Glacier than any other ship this season, we could not go all the way to it as there was a massive ice field in our way.
This was as far as we were going to get.
Evidently, DCL brought one of the ice floats up to Deck 4, but we totally forget about it and didnt see it.
Shutters had a small space staked out so you could get a photo taken with the glacier in the background. The ship stayed long enough for us to go forward and get Dom to take our picture in front of the glacier.
DD and DNDDC came up for a little while with us, but everybody else watched us go through Tracy Arm from DNeighbors stateroom at the aft of the ship. Evidently it was quite the party as cheese plates and wine was served. Afterwards, we went to join the rest of our party at the aft of the ship in our DNeighbors stateroom. Of course, by the time we got there the wine was gone.
The Captain slowly turned the ship once and then we headed out of the arm.
By the way, Secret Deck Aft 7 isnt so secret anymore.
Leaving Tracy Arm.
I love the blue of the ice.
DSisterJ and I watched the ice floats go by and imagined what shape they looked like.
Here are some dolphins;
Anybody else see Ariel?
Look a whale!
Since we had a really early day tomorrow, I put up the Please Service hanger on the door before we headed to dinner and our room was done by 8:30 PM.
Dinner tonight was in Animators Palate with the Pacific Rim Cuisine. DNeighbors, DParents, DCousinC and DSisterJ all went to Palo for dinner. Since we prefer Palo brunch, we offered to take DNDDM to dinner with us. DNeighbors pre-ordered her dinner the night before. After dinner we were supposed to go see Koda, but DNDDM had other ideas and just wanted to go back to her stateroom and watch TV. DD wanted to see Adam Ace who was doing a show in the Walt Disney Theater at 8:30. DNeighbors werent back yet, so I told her to go on and I would join her later. DNeighbors got back at around 9:00 PM so I went down to meet DD. I couldnt sit with her as the show was going on, but I sat in the back. I really wasnt that impressed with what I saw, but the kids seemed to enjoy him. Anyway, after the show we headed back up to the stateroom since we had a very early day scheduled tomorrow in Skagway.
Our towel animal.
Next: Theres gold in them thar hills!
We were also disappointed not to see too many seals, as wildlife officials were there and scared most of the seals and pups away.
Our first seal sighting.
Getting closer.
Another seal sighting.
Unfortunately, while we had gotten the closest to the Sawyer Glacier than any other ship this season, we could not go all the way to it as there was a massive ice field in our way.
This was as far as we were going to get.
Evidently, DCL brought one of the ice floats up to Deck 4, but we totally forget about it and didnt see it.
Shutters had a small space staked out so you could get a photo taken with the glacier in the background. The ship stayed long enough for us to go forward and get Dom to take our picture in front of the glacier.
DD and DNDDC came up for a little while with us, but everybody else watched us go through Tracy Arm from DNeighbors stateroom at the aft of the ship. Evidently it was quite the party as cheese plates and wine was served. Afterwards, we went to join the rest of our party at the aft of the ship in our DNeighbors stateroom. Of course, by the time we got there the wine was gone.
The Captain slowly turned the ship once and then we headed out of the arm.
By the way, Secret Deck Aft 7 isnt so secret anymore.
Leaving Tracy Arm.
I love the blue of the ice.
DSisterJ and I watched the ice floats go by and imagined what shape they looked like.
Here are some dolphins;
Anybody else see Ariel?
Look a whale!
Since we had a really early day tomorrow, I put up the Please Service hanger on the door before we headed to dinner and our room was done by 8:30 PM.
Dinner tonight was in Animators Palate with the Pacific Rim Cuisine. DNeighbors, DParents, DCousinC and DSisterJ all went to Palo for dinner. Since we prefer Palo brunch, we offered to take DNDDM to dinner with us. DNeighbors pre-ordered her dinner the night before. After dinner we were supposed to go see Koda, but DNDDM had other ideas and just wanted to go back to her stateroom and watch TV. DD wanted to see Adam Ace who was doing a show in the Walt Disney Theater at 8:30. DNeighbors werent back yet, so I told her to go on and I would join her later. DNeighbors got back at around 9:00 PM so I went down to meet DD. I couldnt sit with her as the show was going on, but I sat in the back. I really wasnt that impressed with what I saw, but the kids seemed to enjoy him. Anyway, after the show we headed back up to the stateroom since we had a very early day scheduled tomorrow in Skagway.
Our towel animal.
Next: Theres gold in them thar hills!
Grumpy's Wife
Dollar Tree gal here
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2005
Your pictures are absolutely beautiful!
jetskigrl
No mumbojumbo here
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2007
Your pictures are absolutely amazing.
OMG...I must stop reading trip reports. There is no way I'm going to make it another 60 days until I get to see all this for myself
I don't think I have ever been this excited about an upcoming cruise before (and I get pretty darn excited before all my cruises)
OMG...I must stop reading trip reports. There is no way I'm going to make it another 60 days until I get to see all this for myself
I don't think I have ever been this excited about an upcoming cruise before (and I get pretty darn excited before all my cruises)
scrapycruiser
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
I'm loving this !!
Beautiful pictures !! What size lens are you using ?
Beautiful pictures !! What size lens are you using ?
sager1969
Mickey Momma
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2012
Really enjoying your trip report! I leave in 11 days. Good to know about the secret 7 deck. I have been debating that or our balcony. We are not big crowd people so I am not sure we will want to be on 10. You have given me some great tips and it is really appreciated!
dclwonderprincess
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2012
I love all the pictures, thanks for sharing so the rest of us waiting for our cruises have something to read and help with planning.
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