Alaska Day 13: Safari Explorer

 

EL does a back dive polar plunge and THB is there with the Canon Powershot

Day 13: Safari Explorer

Weather Report: Overcast most of the day, moderate temps, intermittent rain and drizzle, afternoon fog

Quote of the Day:  THB has a letter from his cardiologist excusing him from the polar plunge Ed. note: no such letter exists and THB just lies over and over to the other cruisers

It’s a Covid world: The NPs staffing is severely constrained and there is limited access in the NPs. THB meets a ranger and his family near the lodge in Glacier NP. They point out a porcupine In a tree. Amazing, talking to humans again on solid ground.

Puffins came up as THB's screensaver so this is a pic of a pic; THB saw puffins, just not this clearly

THB and DB are up early to see the glaciers, our first time in Glacier National Park (#41?). Not easy to see, there is a drizzly and low fog and it is cold outside. We wait in the lounge for coffee and muffins. Things clear up a bit, makes for better sightlines of the Marjorie (sp?) glacier.

THB and DB wait in the lounge for coffee and muffins; service starts at 6:30. Back out to the bow to see more of the Marjorie glacier, and await breakfast.; THB goes back to waffles and yogurt, DB has bacon and eggs.

Pics from the boat: note that it the sun is not out so pics are a bit in "fog"

One of two large boxes full of boots the boat has on hand

THB and DB opt for the kayaking outing this morning instead of a steep climb atop the Lenglepu (sp!) glacier or an easy skiff ride. Kayaking is spectacular.

Naturalist W teaches DB a new  trick

It is a type of pigeon, THB does not think it is a puffin

Oystercatcher

A gift from Antarctica cruise, this 3 pack comes in "handy"

THB and DB lug our own boots all over Alaska; they work better for kayaking than our booties, they keep your feet warmer in open kayaks

Back to the boat and time for the polar plunge. Some jump in from the back of the boat, some from the 2^nd deck; 9 passengers, 3 crew. Consensus: It is damn cold water. Way more than THB thought would give it a go. Pretty much all the passenger plungers hit the hot tub.

EL explains how it will go

four of nine go in at same time

Who is "manning" the ship...can THB please take the helm?

Lunch is crab carbonara and chocolate ice cream and oreo cookies topping.

THB and DB retreat to our room and await sightings: first up are a few mountain goats (sorry, no sighting); second up is a puffin or two (sorry, no pics); then sea lions (many males, identical to those around the Elkhorn slough), finally sea otters (way more visible in the Elkhorn slough, maybe pics).

the fog lists just a bit

bad pic of a sea otter

Early dinner, THB and DB have local overcooked halibut, and then an evening outing to the Glacier NP lodge by foot! For the first time on the cruise, we meet other humans and enter a building. Of course, this means we are exposed to Covid again. Some people inside the lodge are wearing masks, not many. THB and DB are wearing masks.

this "device" allows these huge docks to float with large tide changes (+/= 30 feet)

The Visitor Center, upstairs at the lodge, closes at 4pm and it is after 8pm. THB asks one of the other passengers (the guy who lives in Anchorage and knows Rika) if he can get a NP stamp and a sticker when he and his wife return to the lodge in 3 weeks. Sure, no problema. Back at the ship, DB realizes that the lodge’s wifi extends almost to the boat so she rushed up, gets her phone and returns to download e-mails and the NYT crosswords.

THB and DB with Wisconites and Baltimoreans...note how bright it is at 8:30pm

Great Blue Heron

A porcupine 25 feet up in a tree, glare makes it tough to take a good pic