Day 11 - 8/07/09
We decided that today we would take a high speed catamaran from Skagway to Juneau. We departed from the small boat pier at 8:00, went over to Haines and then on to Juneau. The weather was in the mid fifties and overcast. The other issue, and I’m not complaining, is that there is still a good deal of smoke from the local, BC and YT forest fires. Good luck with them as there is still no rain here to speak of. We saw glaciers, waterfalls from glaciers, sea lions, seals and even one sea otter who has been hanging around all summer. For me, however, the highlight of the day were the two ladies who operated the catamaran. This area isn’t unlike ours in some ways. Many of the shops and businesses depend on seasonal workers, as we do. However, when mid September hits, Skagway and Haines turn into virtual ghost towns, more like Naples did in the seventies - but colder! So people leave.
Sierra, the "deck hand" on today’s cruise, lives up here in the summer and then goes to Colorado in the winter and sells skiis! We always have this crazy "yardstick" by which we judge "service workers" with whom we make contact. We say, if someone is good, then she would be a good worker at the Lobster Pound. I don’t mean to sound anything other than grateful and respectful, because I feel we were fortunate to have the best people possible work with us over our 25 years at the Pound. The two ladies today would have made us all proud at the Pound!!
Juneau was very interesting. I believe it is the only U.S. state capitol that is accessible only by air or boat. As usual, there were many tourist trap shops, along with some panhandlers, but it is an amazing state capital. I hope that some of our photos show how the mountains come right down to the city - just as the did all the way down the Lynn Canal. Fjords are so amazing - 7000 feet high mountains straight down to 1400 foot depths. Not McWain Pond!!
The other highlight of the day was the Mendenhall Glacier. Due to Bonnie’s ability and willingness to walk up to strangers and strike up a conversation, we met two young ladies, about our age, who grew up in Juneau. One had picked up the other at the Juneau airport last night and were visiting the glacier on the first day. I’m sure Bonnie will write more, but it was an amazing 10 minutes that we spent with them, with them explaining that where we were standing would have been in the face of this sheer ice wall fifty years ago. How the glacier has retreated some mile or so during that time. But beyond the talk of global warming and all of that, what was amazing was for the two ladies to let us be part of their reunion! I do truly believe that for the most part, people are wonderful!
On the way home we met a young couple from Whitehorse, YT. They were on vacation and both work with something like ROTC. Young people who might be interested in a career in the military. They were wonderful and gave us a card with phone numbers in case we have any problems on the way home. Very nice people!
I’m not as friendly as Bonnie, and not as friendly as my dad, but I do - I truly do - enjoy meeting genuine people from various backgrounds.