Vancouver Canada, Alaska Cruise South to North 7 Nights, & 2 Week Land Trip By Rail 2014

Map of Alaska showing Seward to Anchorage.

kenai_peninsula_map_seward

Link to map of Alaska with towns

Greetings from Vancouver, CA!

Hotel in Vancouver-  Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place

We arrived in Vancouver late on Monday, August 18. By the time we got to our hotel it was about 12:30AM Tuesday. We slept in Tuesday morning.

Tuesday 8/19/14  Once we got up and moving around we discovered a really beautiful area. Looking out our hotel window we watched float planes moving in and out. We got out of the hotel early afternoon and walked down the walkway along the water. Eventually we turned and went back the other way and went past the convention center and found a cafe with outdoor seating and had lunch with a beautiful view. After lunch we walked down the water walkway in the opposite direction as far as it went. Stopped several times to watch the float planes and took a few pictures.

Wednesday 8/20  We got out a little earlier today and bought a 2 day pass for the HOHO trolley and stayed on for the whole loop. It had 32 stops and covered all of downtown, Stanley Park and Granville Island. The full circle was about 2 1/2 hours, After we got off the trolley we walked around until we decided it was time for something to eat.

Tomorrow we will probably go back to Stanley park to walk around and take pictures. It is a huge and beautiful park. From there we plan to go to Gastown which is a thriving historical district.

Stanley Park is named for Lord Frederick Stanley, Governor General of Canada in 1888, the City opened Stanley Park on September 27 of that year. 

This is really a beautiful city. A few pictures here.

Vancouver BC

P1040342©2014 Jeannie Wehrman

P1040343

P1040351

P1040353

P1040356

P1040366

P1040372

P1040386

P1040391

P1040392

P1040398

P1040403

P1040411

P1040412

P1040416

P1040426

P1040429

P1040431

P1040439

P1040469

P1040473

P1040481

P1040487

P1040497

P1040503

P1040509

P1040511

P1040518

P1040519

P1040526

P1040530

P1040534

P1040537

P1040546

P1040561

P1040562

P1040568

P1040571

P1040577

P1040582

P1040585

P1040586

Pictures for Thursday 08/21/14 Vancouver

P1040587

P1040588

P1040589

P1040590

P1040591

P1040593

P1040595

P1040596

P1040597

P1040598

P1040599

P1040600

P1040601

P1040602

P1040603

P1040604

P1040605

P1040606

P1040607

P1040608

P1040609

P1040610                                                                             This is an actual steam operated clock.

P1040611

P1040612

P1040613

August 22 – August 29, 2014 RC Radiance Of The Sea

Ports of call: 

Vancouver, British Columbia; Inside Passage (Cruising); Ketchikan, Alaska; Icy Strait Point, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska; Skagway, Alaska; Hubbard Glacier (Cruising); Seward, Alaska

For Ketchikan we had booked a helicopter, it was the #1 thing I wanted to do. Unfortunately our helicopter tour did not  happen. Ryan met us and said the heli had a problem and he was waiting for parts but did not know what time they would get there. Ryan asked if we would be interested in going on  a float plane instead, the pilot was available. We were driven to the float plane, and ended up taking lots of pictures from the air. 

If you want to see the float plane on YouTube click here.

Ketchikan Alaska by float plane

P1040662

P1040663

P1040664

P1040665

P1040693

P1040690

P1040689

P1040688

P1040706

P1040715

P1040711

P1040710

P1040707

P1040716

P1040734

P1040732

P1040731

P1040729

P1040728

P1040722

P1040721

P1040720

P1040719

P1040718

P1040724

P1040741

P1040740

P1040739

P1040738

P1040737

P1040734

P1040733

P1040732

P1040731

P1040729

P1040728

P1040727

P1040726

P1040725

Definitely not the flight that the helicopter would have been. In a helicopter you see much more freely, you feel like there is no barrier at all. It’s just such an awesome experience in a helicopter.

After the helicopter  float plane tour we went Potlatch Totem Park Ketchikan to see some of the totem poles.  

P1040750

P1040751

P1040752

P1040753

P1040755

P1040757

P1040758

P1040759

P1040760

P1040761

P1040762

P1040763

P1040764

P1040765

This is Art. He took us around to see the totems, and told us about the meanings and how they are carved. The two large totems in  these pictures are over 30 feet tall.  One is almost complete, the other will take about a year longer to be complete.

P1040766

P1040767

P1040768

P1040769

P1040770

P1040771

P1040772

P1040773

P1040774

P1040779

P1040780

P1040781

P1040782

P1040783

P1040784

P1040785

P1040786

P1040787

P1040788

P1040789

P1040790

Jim checking out the small antique car collection

P1040791

P1040792

P1040793

P1040794

P1040799

P1040800

P1040801

Icy Strait Point- We just walked around a bit and watched the zipliners, had lunch and went back to the ship.

Icy Strait Point, as it is today, was built for the cruise ship industry.  When the large fish cannery closed, it was the only industry.

P1040804

P1040805

P1040806

P1040807

P1040808

P1040809

P1040810

P1040811

P1040812

P1040815

P1040817

P1040819

P1040824

P1040825

Radiance Of The Sea, our ship

P1040826

P1040827

 

P1040828

P1040829

P1040830

P1040831

P1040839

P1040841

Juneau Alaska- We had a 6 1/4 hour tour booked for glacier and whale watching. The fog and low clouds did not cooperate too much. Towards the end we did have some whales that were playing around and jumping, but we just were not fast enough to get the pictures. Maybe when Jim goes through his pictures he will find some.

P1040843

P1040844

P1040845

P1040846

P1040847

P1040848

P1040849

P1040850

P1040851

P1040864

P1040877

P1040878

P1040879                                                         Spot the 2 bald eagles?
P1040880

P1040901

P1040904

P1040906

Skagway- Another place that exists for the brief tourist season.

P1040937

P1040938

P1040939

P1040940

P1040941

P1040942

P1040943

P1040945

P1040946

P1040947

P1040948

Back in our cabin, our steward left us a towel frog

P1040949

P1040950

Hubbard Glacier

P1040952

P1040953

P1040954

P1040955

P1040956

P1040957

P1040958

P1040959

P1040960

P1040961

P1040962

P1040963

P1040964

P1040965

P1040966

P1040967

P1040968

P1040969

P1040970

P1040972

P1040973

P1040974

P1040975

P1040976

P1040977

P1040978

P1040979

P1040980

Seward, We disembarked Radiance, left our luggage at our hotel and went on this tour.  National Park and Kenai Fjords tour

P1040982

P1040983

P1040984

P1040985

P1040986

P1040987
Our cabin, 2nd cabin deck down on the aft corner

P1040990

Sea otter doing the back stroke

P1040991

P1040992

P1040993

P1040995

P1040997

P1050001

P1050003

P1050006

My love of rock was not disappointed here

P1050007

P1050008

P1050009

P1050010

P1050011

P1050012

P1050013

P1050014

P1050015

P1050016

P1050017

P1050018

P1050019

Looks like an elephant foot to me

P1050020

P1050021

P1050022

P1050023

P1050024

P1050025

P1050026

P1050027

P1050028

P1050029

P1050030

P1050032

P1050033

P1050034

P1050016

P1050023

P1050022

P1050021

P1050020

P1050019

P1050018

P1050017

P1050034

P1050033

P1050032

P1050030

P1050029

P1050028

P1050027

P1050026

P1050025

P1050024

P1050044

P1050099

P1050098

P1050097

P1050096

P1050095

P1050094

P1050093

P1050092

P1050087

P1050079

I love this!

P1050078

P1050077

P1050076

P1050075

P1050074

Close view of a Kenai Fjord glacier

P1050073

P1050072

P1050071

P1050070

P1050069

P1050068

P1050067

P1050066

P1050065

P1050064

P1050063

Even closer view

P1050062

Our view of the glaciers was so much better in this smaller boat.

P1050061

P1050060

P1050059

P1050058

P1050057

P1050056

P1050055

P1050054

P1050053

P1050052

P1050051

P1050050

P1050049

P1050048

P1050086

P1050085

P1050084

Just a note, below are a few (earlier) random pictures on (or from) the ship. Also shows bridge we were going under when leaving Vancouver.

P1040655

From our balcony, love the rear facing afts cabins.

P1040654

P1040652

P1040649

P1040648

P1040647

P1040642

P1040641

P1040640

P1040639

P1040638

P1040637

P1040636

P1040635

P1040634

P1040633

P1040632

P1040631

Radiance Of The Sea, looking down at the Centrium.

P1040630

P1040628

P1040627

P1040626

P1040624

Canada Place, Vancouver.

P1040623

P1040622

P1040621

P1040620

P1040619

P1040618

Our cabin on Radiance Of The Sea.

P1040617

P1040616

P1040615

P1040614

After disembarkation we will spend two weeks traveling in Alaska by rail.      Alaska Railroad

9/1/2014 The town of Seward where we left the ship to begin our DIY tour by train.

P1050100

P1050101

P1050102

P1050103

P1050111

P1050112

P1050113

P1050114

P1050115

P1050116

P1050117

P1050118

P1050119

P1050120

P1050121

P1050122

P1050123

P1050124

P1050125

P1050126

P1050127

P1050128

P1050129

P1050130

P1050131

P1050132

P1050133

P1050134

P1050135

P1050136

P1050137

P1050139

P1050140

P1050141

P1050142

Didn’t see any real bears but this one is cute

P1050143

P1050144

P1050145

P1050146

P1050147

P1050148

P1050149

P1050150

P1050152                                                         Seward, we found a Greek restaurant for lunch.

Alaska Rail from Seward to Anchorage, as taken from train.

P1050153 - Copy

P1050153

P1050154

P1050160

P1050162

P1050163

P1050164\

P1050165

P1050166

P1050167

P1050168

P1050169

P1050170

P1050171

P1050172

P1050175

P1050178

P1050179

P1050180

P1050181

P1050182

P1050183

P1050184

P1050185

P1050186

P1050187

P1050188

P1050190

P1050193

P1050194

P1050195

P1050196

P1050197

I tried to get some interesting colors from the train but they looked much better then this in person.

P1050198

P1050211

P1050212

P1050213

P1050214

P1050215

P1050216

P1050217

P1050218

P1050219

P1050220

P1050221

P1050222

P1050223

P1050224

September 1-4 Anchorage, Alaska 

9/2/14  We took a trolley tour with good commentary on Anchorage. After the trolley we walked around a bit and then stopped for lunch/dinner. Anchorage is the largest town in Alaska, with military, seafood, port, oil & gas, and the tourist industry as the “gateway to Denali”.

Flowers, momma moose and two baby calves.

P1050225

P1050226

P1050268

P1050267

P1050266

P1050265

P1050263

P1050262

P1050261

P1050260

P1050259

P1050258

P1050257

P1050256

P1050255

P1050254

P1050253

P1050250

P1050249

P1050248

P1050247

Mama moose and two babies. Downtown Anchorage.

P1050246

P1050245

P1050244

P1050243

P1050242

P1050241

P1050240

P1050239

P1050234

P1050230

P1050229

P1050228

September 4-7 Talkeetna, Alaska.

Booked in Talkeetna     Jim only on this one (I’m not allowed to do this due to heart), unpressurized plane going to 12,000 feet.                     Talkeetna Air Taxi

This evening we ate at Talkeetna Roadhouse. Last night we had stopped there for some bakery items. I told Jim I wish I had my camera with me. The Roadhouse is lost in another time. Extremely quaint, pretty seedy looking, pretty good food, really good bakery.

P1050269

P1050270

P1050271

P1050272

P1050274

P1050275

We had rented a log cabin in Talkeetna.

P1050276

September 5, 2014. As has been obvious by a lot of the posted pictures, Mother Nature has not been too kind to us. Jim’s Mt McKinley flight was cancelled today and re-booked for tomorrow. Hopefully we will get lucky towards the end of our time in Alaska, and have an actual sunny day.

September 6, 2014. Jim was picked up for his Mt McKinley flight so hopefully it is all good. I was going to go take pictures of this quirky little town but Jim needed my camera since his died early on in the trip. His flight did go today but due to fog and clouds they could not see the upper 2,000 feet of Mt McKinley.

Jim’s Talkeetna Air Taxi trip to MT McKinley- 336 photos taken. See below for link to YouTube.

P1050496

P1050469

P1050527

P1050580                                                         Jim standing on glacier landing. I made a video of Jim’s Mt. McKinley photos, however because of the size of the video I have not been able to get it on here, however it can be viewed on YouTube- here:               Jim’s Mt McKinley flight

Tomorrow we leave for Denali on Alaska Rail.

We have not booked anything for Denali, we are just going to wait until we get there. There is a rafting trip we want to take, so hopefully that will work out. Saw weekend Denali temperatures in the 30’s, as Jim said, probably not going to make the river raft.

September 7-10 Denali, Alaska Photos for the remainder of September 7 – September 10 will be posted after we get home.

September 7 – Today we took the train from Talkeetna to Denali National Park, arriving late afternoon. Picked up at train station by the person we are renting a car from. Got the car business done and then came to check in to the motel.

I took about 40 or so pictures from the train on our way to Denali. I was just struck with how all of a sudden today you can see colors all changing. These pictures were taken through the train window, so have some reflections, but the scenery is really pretty. I am going to try to load just one picture from today and then I will catch up on when we are back in Anchorage on the 10th. Internet here is about 1/4 of a bar.

P1050639

Denali National Park

September 8- We went to the visitors center today and watched a video on Denali and the changing seasons and balance of nature. It is a very nice V C.

P1050683

P1050684

P1050698

P1050699

P1050700

P1050701

P1050702

P1050704

P1050705

P1050706

P1050707

P1050708

P1050709

P1050710

P1050712

P1050713

P1050714

P1050715

P1050716

P1050717

P1050718

P1050719

P1050720

P1050721

P1050722

P1050723

P1050724

P1050725

P1050726

P1050727

P1050729

P1050730

P1050732

P1050733

P1050734

P1050735

P1050736

P1050737

P1050738

P1050739

P1050740

P1050741

P1050742

P1050743

P1050744

P1050745

P1050747

P1050748

Some cute, but true, road signs

P1050749

P1050751

P1050752

P1050753

P1050754

P1050755

P1050758

I got my National Park card, Jim already had one from his flight.

We drove the 15 miles in that private cars are allowed to go. Beyond that it is by tours 11-12 hours or shuttles 8+ hours. We had talked about doing this but decided the very old school buses for that long was more then we wanted to do.

We took some photos in the park, mostly to catch the changing colors. No plans tomorrow beyond checking out the area they call “glitter gulch”. We will check out of the motel fairly early on the 10th and return our rental car, and then a long train ride to Anchorage.

P1050714

Final Alaska pictures- Denali National Park

P1050759

P1050760

P1050761

P1050762

P1050763

P1050765

P1050766

P1050767

P1050768

P1050769

P1050770

P1050773

P1050776

P1050777

P1050778

P1050782

P1050784

P1050785

P1050787

P1050788

P1050789

P1050790

P1050791

September 10-12 Anchorage, Alaska

Over all the trip was OK.  Due to the weather, which obviously no one can control, there were things we couldn’t see or do, and other things that didn’t happen.

Jim and I give it a rating of 7 out of 10.  In some cases that is because we weren’t willing or able to do more then what we did. We are glad we went, but will not go back again. There are too many other places where we want to go.

September 12  Fly out of Anchorage to Vancouver on Air Canada spend the night in Vancouver at   Fairmont Vancouver Airport

September 13  Fly Air Canada –  Vancouver to Toronto                            change planes fly Toronto to Houston

Alaska 08/18/2014 – 09/13/2014