September 1st

Raptor Jen, Tex, Miranda, Reece and I went to the Rec. tonight after work. It was a beautiful night, the pinks, purples and blue of the sky shown brightly. We had heard that two bears have been hanging around in this area so we kept a look out. It was confirmed that the bears were in the area when two cop carrying two bear size guns were seen talking with a family. As we made our way to the small bridge to look at the running salmon a bear walked out right in front of us. No less than 30 feet away! We all stopped and staired in surprise as he lumber by. The bear didn't care we were there at all as he entered the stream and began to fish.


-Reece and Miranda at the Rec.


-The Coppers! Blow this picture up, it's worth seeing large.


-Brown bear fishing in the stream.

We spent the rest of the night talking, walking the beach and watching Tex roll rocks into the tide. Once again we observed our bear friend in the distance appearing on the rocky beach fishing by the rivers mouth. It was getting close to dark so we figure it would probably be wise to head to the car and call it a night.


-Tex and his rocks.


-I'm pretty sure Miranda and this Humpy have the same expreshion on their face.

August 31st

I said good buy to Lindsay this morning and hopped into a cab headed to the fairy terminal. Lindsay was spending one last day in Juneau before hopping on the ferry back to Bellingham, WA where she would then head home to Origin. Good luck with everything Lindsay. I hope our paths cross again someday, your an inspiring person with some awesome story's about your adventures in Alaska. Anyone can talk and fantasize about their life goals and dreams but you are truly living them. You have an amazing passion for exploring Alaska the way it's mean to be explored, that's for sure. Keep in touch.

I almost missed my ride as a very hippie cab driver drove right passed the hostel. We had an interesting conversation on the way there. I was very tired when I got on the ferry. It was very foggy and the ferry repeatedly blew its horn waking me as I began to doze off. I awoke and to my surprise the sun was shinning and the fog had lifted, it was as if I woke up a day latter. The rest of the drip was just wonderful, I really did feel like I was heading home.


-Scenery on ride back to Sitka.



Raptor Jen was there at the ferry terminal when I arrived. I love that girl always ready to lend a helping hand and let you borrow her dog for a hike. We exchanged story about the three days passed and I was curious to hear that Debbie had called the cops on a group of French Canadians who refused to pay our admission fee when stopping by the Raptor Center.

Later that night Reece, Miranda, Rostaa and I headed down to the very end of the island to explore a new hiking path. This area is amazing with its breathtaking streams and waterfalls. If you continue walking long enough on this trail you will make your way to Beaver Lake and that's exactly what we did.


-Rostaa.


-Cool tree.

August 30th

Today was the big day of exploring the Tracy's Arm! Waking up very early we headed downtown to grab a quick bagel/coffee breakfast and to purchase our tour tickets. Not long after we were on the ocean aboard the Adventure Bound boat tour. I have never experienced anything like this trip in my life before. We left around 9:00 am and didn't return until almost 7:00 pm. From the time we lift to the time we returned was like being in another world. We experienced gigantic icebergs, the biggest waterfalls I have ever seen, traveled through the glacier carved fjord of the arm, and finally arrived at the Sawyer Glacier.




-A painting downtown.


-Juneau's waterfall backdrop.


-Leaving Juneau.




-Passing a cruise ship headed to Juneau.


-Iceberg.














-In the fjord.


-Up close and personal with a giant waterfall.










-Markings of the past.




-This iceberg make these large rafts look very small.

I was awestruck by the majesty of the brilliant blue glacier. I felt humbled in it's presence. The blue of the ice seemed so unnatural , as we gazed upon it watching as it's color changed from the oxygen entering the dense ice. When the ice began to calve a sharp crack echoed through the fjord and resulted in a giant chunk falling hundreds of feet into the water bellow. It was a unique experience being in such a small boat in a huge environment. At times the caption got so close to the glacier I felt a bit nervous it would calve. We were the only ones viewing the glacier if anything happened there was no one else around.


-The Sawyer Glacier.



Much wildlife could be found. Hundreds of harbor seals floated carelessly on the ice that has fallen from the glacier while gulls spotted the blue of the ice as they flew passed. We gazed for two hours before heading back to Juneau.


-Harbor Seals.














-Calving.


-That's a big splash!


-Gulls.


-Amazing ice formation.



The way back was an adventure all in itself. I had the privilege of seeing a black bear, a pod of porpoises, tons of sea bids and wound up in the middle of a group of humpback whales. I could here their song as they cried out to one another. Far in the distance one even breached. It was as if dynamite had just exploded in the water as the whales huge body leapt into the air and landed full force on it's surface.


-Black bear on the beach.


-Humpback Whale.






-Our boat, The Adventure Bound.




-Governor's mansion at dusk.