See Alaska by Sea

 ‘See Alaska by Sea’

By J.L. Gupta

Radiance of the Seas

I had heard myriad stories about the Alaskan Cruise. Finally, it materialised. It was a good experience. On board the    ‘Radiance of Seas.’ She is good looking. Huge. Luxurious. Majestic. Has thirteen  decks.  Excellent accommodation for about 3000 guests and 800 members of crew. Bars. Casinos. Gymnasiums. Health club. Huge dining halls. A sizable jogging track. Improvised ‘rock’ for climbing. Swimming pools. And even a shopping arcade. It is virtually a moving   township. A floating hotel with all the facilities. It is a place where everyone is waiting to take care and give you comfort. Pamper you. In fact, spoil you.

The Pool

On board you see smiling faces. A good number of young people. But more of the middle aged and old. From almost all parts of the world. In all places on the ship. In the gym, health club, bar or the restaurant. Exercising, jogging, walking, sun bathing and swimming. Or drinking and eating. You get a peep into the people and also the places they come from.

Ketchikan- The salmon city

And then every day you reach a new place. See new things. Savour a new dish or a drink. Meet different people. At the end you get back home. Happy and healthy. Richer in head and heart.

The first port of call after starting from Vancouver in Canada was Ketchikan in the State of Alaska (USA). A small but beautiful town. It is known as the ‘Salmon City.’ Has a total population of about 13000 only. Very small by our standards.

As you step out of the ship, you enter the city. There are stores. Stuffed with primarily Chinese goods. There is nothing from India. Not even an item of hosiery, jewellery, textiles or anything else. It was rather disturbing.

A Poster in Ketchikan

Small little posters posted at strategic points reveal the story of the State and the City. Like the poster – ‘Alaska Annexed For $7200000. Vintage  -  Oct.12, 1862. It embodies a slice from history. The information is available without seeking any help or causing botheration to the personnel from the department of tourism. Small little things but of immense use to the one who is not wanting to bother anybody.

The streets are neat and clean. There are maps that tell you directions, the location of buildings etc. in the particular street and so on. A complete guide for the tourist. There is no piece of paper or plastic anywhere. Nothing that may seem odd to the eye. In fact, there are well laid flower beds. Nothing out of the world. But the look is pleasing to the eye.              

Flower Beds

Flowers in the city

                                                                                                          

'Lest we forget- US Ship Juneau' and the men

 Next stop is the city of  Juneau – the capital of the state of Alaska. As one comes off the ship, the first thing that meets the eye is the neatly placed wreath on a memorial. Erected to commemorate the memory of those who had fought bravely and perished on the night of Friday, the 13^th November, 1942 during World War II. Eight ships including  USS   ‘Juneau’ were destroyed. Out of 700 sailors on board, only 10 had survived. The city remembers them fondly with pride.

The Waterfall

The tourist attraction is the Mendenhall glacier at a distance of few kilometers from the port. There is also a waterfall alongwith. The two make a lovely sight.  For those coming from a city like Delhi, there is a rare freshness in the air. The running water is clean and clear. And no matter how much you walk, there is no feeling of tiredness.

The Mendenhall Glacier

How I wish, we also kept our country so clean!

From Juneau, we moved to the next port - Skagway. It was a cloudy morning when we docked. A drizzle and then, there was some rain too. Still, every possible facility was available. The helicopters, buses and even trains to take the tourists to the hills, the town or anywhere else. All in close proximity of the port. In fact, only a few yards away. The breakfast was served as usual at 7 AM.

The Cloudy Morning

 The adventurous opted for the helicopters. Some opted for the bus or even the train.

         

   From the market, we walked to the museum. On way, there is a board. It tells -Skagway is the garden city of Alaska. We could not see any. 

The next port is the Icy Strait Point. The ship is docked. After breakfast, we take a boat to reach the shore. There are a few shops stuffed with Chinese goods. The interesting part is a walk in the Tongass National Forest. A thick forest runs all along  the 2000 mile long cruise. Covering thousands of acres of land. All along the sea. With icy peaks in the background. It is a sight to behold.

Part of the Walkway in the Tongass Forest

And then there are nice walkways. You can choose a long or a short one. If you feel tired, there are places to sit and relax. Also to dispose of the small little things that you do not wish to carry. Really thoughtful.

                  

Before sighting the glacier

       Next on the itinerary is sighting the ‘Hubbard Glacier.’ It had been highlighted as the piece-de-resistance of the cruise. On the eve of the D-day, we were told almost everything about it by the Captain himself. The size. The visibility. The near freezing temperature.  The need to put on every woollen that we carried in our bags. To cover every part of the body.

            

The crucial day arrived. Got up earlier than usual. Even at 4 in the morning, one could see big pieces of icy snow floating in the sea. There was a cold breeze. Even a light drizzle.  But everyone was out. On the deck. As if, to sight the holy star.

            And at about six in the morning, the mass of ice was there. In front of us. 

The Hubbard Glacier

            Whatever the weather, nobody was bothered. Everyone was looking at the sight in front. To get a good view. Through the binoculars or the camera. How big? What is the size? The questions crossed the mind. But one could only marvel at what  nature has given to man. As a trust. To maintain.

           

        As we came closer, even from the top deck, the mountain of ice seemed to be looking down upon us. I felt dwarfed. And then, suddenly there was a loud sound. The Captain described it as the ‘white thunder.’ The air or gases collected inside the snow erupt and make a loud sound. A mass of snow goes up like the lava from a volcano leaving behind a hole. This by itself was an experience.

           

Seward- The Boat Yard 1

     The next port is Seward. A bright morning. It marks the end of the cruise. The view from the ship is lovely. While commercial activity is going on at one end, there are small boats nicely lodged in a neat corner. The water is clean. Light blue. Perfect reflection. The thick forest provides an excellent background.

         

  

    Then there are nice little cottages. Even while going in the coach, one could not resist the temptation to capture the lovely sight. However, the important place   is the Alaska Sea Life Center. A place for research. Has a wealth of scientific data and information, which should be of great use in research projects in different parts of the world.

         

The Center

     As you enter the Center, a board tells –      “Russia and Alaska are only 53 miles (85 km.) apart!” And then, there are different species representing the Sea Life. The Fish. Otters. You name it and they have it. Including the Alskan Salmon and the Penguins. No longer the exclusive pride of Antarctica. In decent environment. Conducive to their growth and multiplication. There is good deal of literature that the Center publishes and distributes. It is interesting despite being technical.

                                       

Thus ended the cruise. Interesting and invigorating. Please do not miss the opportunity if it comes your way. You will like it.

Photos by the AUTHOR

Note: All the pictures have been taken by me with a small camera – Sony Cyber Shot.