ALASKA – 1 ( 1991 )- Inside Passage. Last Updated: April 4, 2022

First time I went to Alaska was way back in 1991.

Going to Alaska was a dream for me. We were going to USA for my daughter’s graduation in the month of May. My husband suggested that we go to Alaska following that.

Not many people had gone to Alaska in those days. But I knew a friend who had been to Alaska earlier. They told us about a small ship journey thru ‘Inside Passage’ from Ketchikan to Juneau. We got lost in the discussion whether it was from Ketchikan to Juneau or other way around. But very sound advice we got from them was to travel by a small ship, which takes one close to the shores – so you get close to a waterfall, or a wild animal or a glacier. Also I was told that it is better to go early in the season.

We had not consulted any travel agent to plan our independent trip. While in USA at Smith college campus I met a travel agent to book our flights and accommodation. She was very helpful not only in arranging travel, but choosing places to visit and where to stay.

This story is about our journey through INSIDE PASSGE

‘ Inside Passage’ has many small islands and the boat winds through these islands.

From Seattle we flew to Ketchikan. We reached a day a head .

WE travelled from Ketchikan going North to Juneau, the capital of Alaska. As advised by our friend, we travelled thru ‘Inside Passage ’ in a small Ship and our ship made several stops for night stay. As we went along the passage we did not see many animals on the land, but mountains all along surrounded us. At one place was a waterfall and we went close enough to wet our hands. During the day we would be travelling in boat . On the way at night we visited 3 different towns and spent the night in a comfortable bed .

At night we were taken to local hotels of some picturesque interesting towns. As far as I remember places we visited following towns, harbour town Wrangell, Petersburg and Sitka .

Ketchikan

We reached Ketchkan a day ahead.

Ketchikan itself is a very pretty harbour town with private boats taking off and seaplanes flying to various destinations. I envied this people

 Ketchikan is an Alaskan city located on an island facing the Inside Passage, a popular cruise route along the state’s southeastern coast. It’s known for its many Native American totem poles, on display throughout town. Nearby Misty Fjords National Monument is a glacier-carved wilderness featuring snowcapped mountains, waterfalls and salmon spawning streams. It’s also home to rich wildlife including black bears, wolves and bald eagles.

We walked around the town and saw a large Totem park. There were houses on the edge of the island standing on the stilts. We walked along on the stilted town and enjoyed the atmosphere of this busy town at the beginning of Inside passage tour.

Our night stays were at

1. Wrangle – Bear Observatory
2.  Petersburg – Excellent place to see Eagles roosting
3. Sitka –  the heart of the Russian influence in Alaska and once served as the capital of Russian America. In the 18th century, Russian missionaries erected St. Michael’s Cathedral, which became North America’s first Russian Orthodox church. Located on Baranof island

At these locations we had very little time.

At on place local people came in native costumes and entertained us by singing and dancing.

Nearer to Juneau we were taken by a Helicopter and dropped on top of a Glacier.

During this trip we did not see a single large cruise ship crossing the “Inside Passage “. 

I can’t imagine what is the scene like today.

From Juneau we went for an on a overnight journey for 3 nights on a small cruise ship to ‘ Glacier Bay ‘  Glacier Bay is one of the world’s most scenic locations. You can enjoy and experience glaciers; wildlife, wilderness.

‘Glacier Bay’

Lofty mountain peaks, ice-sculpted fjords, an abundance of marine wildlife, and massive tidewater glaciers have made Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve one of Alaska’s most spectacular settings. The 3.3-million-acre park is a must-stop for every cruise ship sailing through the Inside Passage. As the name indicates, Glacier Bay National Park is renowned for its stunning glaciers. Set like a diamond in southeastern Alaska, the park is home to over 1,000 glaciers, each contributing to the area’s breathtaking scenery and ecological diversity. Glacier Bay’s icy giants still command attention despite the global trend of glacier retreat. 

Glacier Bay is one of the world’s most scenic locations. You can enjoy and experience glaciers; wildlife, wilderness. The spectacular scenery and wildlife of Glacier Bay makes it a highlight of any Alaska cruise.

After spending one night in Juneau we went for 3 days overnight journey on a small cruise ship. We embarked the ship in afternoon and reached Glacier Bay early morning. On the way we saw whales dancing around our ship. In the morning when we woke up, our ship was anchored in the middle of the bay with tall glaciers surrounding us. The ship travels into the heart of the Fairweather Mountains for a trip into the ice ages.

Glacier Bay collects many glaciers flowing from the tall surrounding mountains with abundant snowfall.

Glacial advances occurred 7,000, 5,000 and 500 years ago, with the last extending to the entrance of the bay, where it left a huge semicircular terminal moraine. The consequent surface glacial deposits include gravels as outwash and moraines. Glacial gravels extend up to 2000 feet up the mountain slopes. Lakes have formed where the glaciers have dammed the heads of valleys.

We saw icebergs floating and glaciers calving all around. We were not lucky to see any wildlife as brown bears, mountain goats, sea otters, sea lions, harbour seals, bald eagles, and a variety of seabirds are regularly seen. May be we were too engrossed watching the calving glaciers and whales dancing in the water.

Glacier Bay’s story is one of dynamic change in the wake of dramatic glacial movements.

• Glacier Bay collects many glaciers flowing from the tall surrounding mountains with abundant snowfall.
• As recently as 1750 a single glacier thousands of feet thick filled what is now a 65-mile long fjord.
• This glacial retreat has exposed a resilient land that hosts a succession of marine and terrestrial life.
• Here is an opportunity to see how the physical world shapes the biological.

For the Huna Tlingit, Glacier Bay is a place not just of new discoveries, but of reconnection with the lifeways, knowledge, and ancestors of the past.

From the bottom of the deepest glacial fjord to the summit of its highest peak, Glacier Bay encompasses some of our continent’s most amazing scenery and wildness. It is a land reborn, a world returning to life, a living lesson in resilience. If ever we needed a place to intrigue and inspire us, this is it. Glacier Bay is a homeland, a living laboratory, a national park, a designated wilderness, a biosphere reserve, and a world heritage site. It’s a marine park, where great adventure awaits by boating into inlets, coves and hideaway harbors. It’s also a land park, with its snow-capped mountains, spectacular glaciers, and emerald–green forests. From the summit to sea, Glacier Bay’s wildness is remote, dynamic and intact.