7/15/07
We awoke the first time via the alarm on Ruth's cellphone.
Unfortunately, she set it for 5:45 AM EST and we're in Alaskan time so
it was 1:45 AM here. :)
The next time we awoke, it was the correct time. It only took a
couple of minutes to pack the bikes and go across the street to the
Totem Inn for breakfast. The sun was shining and we were impressed on
how Valdez is within a bowl of mountains. They completely surround
the town.
A quick breakfast and off to the ferry.
When we arrived, we had a $10 fee to change our reservation for today
and then we showed our ID's and got our tickets. Motorcycles are the
first to load and we had to ride down a steep steel-grating ramp and
turn around in the ship's hold to get a spot to store the bikes. We
cinched them down with tie-downs and headed upstairs to claim seats in
the forward viewing area. We then went onto the bow area. It was
gorgeous.
Before we left the Valdez harbor, I'd spotted a mature bald eagle
sitting atop an iceberg and identified this to the Forest Service
naturalist. She also pointed out both Bligh Island and a buoy marking
Bligh Reef. This is the reef where the Exxon Valdez ran aground in
1989. They were trying to avoid the icebergs from the Columbia
Glacier and then never countersteered to avoid the reef.
On one of the icebergs I spotted a harbor seal and pointed this out to
the naturalist also. I then shortly saw a sea otter lying on its back
as we passed it. I determined that I should be getting the
naturalist's salary for this trip :)
Someone else spotted a humpback whale but Ruth and I were able to find
it and see it spout before we passed.
We also saw lots of salmon jumping, jellyfish, guillemots, cormorants,
glaucous gulls, terns and kittiwakes.
I'm sitting in the lounge on the ship currently after eating a salmon
burger (another new method of eating salmon).
We awoke the first time via the alarm on Ruth's cellphone.
Unfortunately, she set it for 5:45 AM EST and we're in Alaskan time so
it was 1:45 AM here. :)
The next time we awoke, it was the correct time. It only took a
couple of minutes to pack the bikes and go across the street to the
Totem Inn for breakfast. The sun was shining and we were impressed on
how Valdez is within a bowl of mountains. They completely surround
the town.
A quick breakfast and off to the ferry.
When we arrived, we had a $10 fee to change our reservation for today
and then we showed our ID's and got our tickets. Motorcycles are the
first to load and we had to ride down a steep steel-grating ramp and
turn around in the ship's hold to get a spot to store the bikes. We
cinched them down with tie-downs and headed upstairs to claim seats in
the forward viewing area. We then went onto the bow area. It was
gorgeous.
Before we left the Valdez harbor, I'd spotted a mature bald eagle
sitting atop an iceberg and identified this to the Forest Service
naturalist. She also pointed out both Bligh Island and a buoy marking
Bligh Reef. This is the reef where the Exxon Valdez ran aground in
1989. They were trying to avoid the icebergs from the Columbia
Glacier and then never countersteered to avoid the reef.
On one of the icebergs I spotted a harbor seal and pointed this out tothe naturalist also. I then shortly saw a sea otter lying on its back
as we passed it. I determined that I should be getting the
naturalist's salary for this trip :)
Someone else spotted a humpback whale but Ruth and I were able to find
it and see it spout before we passed.
We also saw lots of salmon jumping, jellyfish, guillemots, cormorants,
glaucous gulls, terns and kittiwakes.
I'm sitting in the lounge on the ship currently after eating a salmon
burger (another new method of eating salmon).
--
============
Todd Ryan; Hudson, MA
Westborough HS Science Teacher
MSF RiderCoach
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