Alaska's Glaciers Inside Passage
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Bucknell University Alumni Association ALASKA’S GLACIERS AND TH E INSIDE PASSAGE J UNEAU ♦ T RACY A RM ♦ S I T KA ♦ L E C ON T E B AY P E T ER sb URG ♦ K E T CHIKAN ♦ V ANCOU V ER A voyage aboard the Exclusively Chartered Small Ship Five-Star Le Soléal July 6 to 13, 2019 Dear Bucknellian: Explore cobalt‑blue glaciers, towering mountains, untouched coastlines and abundant wildlife as they unfold around you in an immense panorama on this exceptional Five‑Star cruise of Alaska’s glaciers and the Inside Passage—the last of the great American frontiers. This specially designed itinerary uniquely combines Five‑Star accommodations with exploration‑style travel as you cruise from Juneau, Alaska, to Vancouver, British Columbia, under the lingering glow of the long days of summer. Exclusively chartered for this voyage, the Five‑Star small ship Le Soléal is ideal for traversing narrow fjords and isolated coves inaccessible to larger ships, while carefully navigating through the marine ecosystem. Experience the unforgettable scenery of southeastern Alaska and Northwestern Pacific Canada and thrilling wildlife up‑close—from observation decks, during Zodiac excursions and from the comfort of elegantly appointed Suites and Staterooms, most with a private balcony. Call at archetypal Alaskan towns, including historic Sitka, a cultural fusion of Tlingit and Russian heritage; off‑the‑beaten‑path Petersburg, the region’s “Little Norway”; and colorful Ketchikan, rich in Alaskan art and tradition. Glide through the serene Inside Passage and into remote inlets in search of harbor seals, porpoises, sea lions, sea otters and eagles. Cruise the majestic Misty Fjords and Tracy Arm Fjord, a seascape of plunging waterfalls and serrated peaks, to the face of the monumental Dawes and South Sawyer Glaciers. Complement your cruise with the Denali Pre‑Cruise Option, where you will travel deep into Alaska’s Interior to explore Denali National Park, see the tallest peak in North America and visit the former frontier trading post of Fairbanks. Conclude your voyage in cosmopolitan Vancouver for a Post‑Cruise Option to see British Columbia’s most vibrant city. You will not want to miss the boundless splendor of Alaska! This popular program is an excellent value with the finest accommodations and the ideal itinerary, so book now while space and Early Booking Savings are available. ’ray Bucknell, Kimberly Wilson Wetty, ’93 President, Bucknell University Alumni Association Bucknell University is pleased to offer information regarding this travel opportunity. Bucknell is not the trip provider, however, and is not responsible or liable for any aspect of the trip planning or delivery. Individuals with questions or concerns regarding the trip should contact the travel program vendor directly. EXPLORING TH E I NSIDE PASSAG E Shaped by the Ice Age and sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by one thousand miles of islands lining North America’s Pacific coast, the Inside Passage embodies untamed Alaska with magnificent glaciers, snowcapped mountains and a wilderness with more spectacular beauty than you could imagine. Stand on the deck of your Five-Star small ship as you cruise the protected coves and inlets of serene, deep blue waters. Watch for wildlife: bald eagles, harbor seals, humpback whales and brown bears. Experience the thunderous calving of the Dawes and South Sawyer Glaciers, venture into the heart of narrow Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm and explore the Passage’s hidden treasures—secluded Inian Island and seldom-visited Elfin Cove. Along the way, encounter the indigenous Itinerary culture of the Tlingit, onion-domed ◆ DENALI NATIONAL PARK FAIRBANKS churches built by Russian fur traders, Pre-Cruise Option hearty fishing villages, trading outposts Day settled by American pioneers and the gold 1 Depart home city/Arrive Juneau, Alaska, U.S./Embark Le Soléal rush settlements built over a century ago. 2 Tracy Arm Fjord/Sawyer Glacier/ Endicott Arm Fjord/Dawes Glacier Juneau, Alaska The Alaskan state capital, accessible only by air 3 Point Adolphus/Inian Island/ or sea, picturesque Juneau is where The Call of Elfin Cove the Wild author Jack London set forth to join 4 Sitka the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. 5 LeConte Bay/Petersburg Tracy Arm Fjord/ 6 Ketchikan/ Misty Fjords National Monument South Sawyer Glacier/ 7 Cruising the Inside Passage Endicott Arm Fjord/Dawes Glacier Cruise into the deep, narrow fjord of 8 Vancouver, British Columbia, Tracy Arm, where waterfalls cascade from Canada/Disembark ship/Return to home city dramatic bluffs, spruce and hemlock forests VANCOUVER ◆ VICTORIA fade to grooved sheer rock and icebergs Post-Cruise Option glint in the sunlight. At the remote end Please note that the ship’s cruising pattern and of Tracy Arm, listen to ice calving off positionings are dependent on weather, ice and South Sawyer Glacier and watch as the ice water conditions and are subject to change. becomes floating platforms for hundreds of harbor seals. Venture to the colbalt-blue edge Photo this page: Admire Endicott Arm, dramatically of Dawes Glacier aboard Zodiacs in the pristine marked by the rise of beautiful steep cirques and Endicott Arm Fjord, and look for Arctic terns, amphitheater-like valleys formed by glacial erosion. pigeon guillemots and mountain goats. Cover photo: Encounter the cobalt blue ice of Point Adolphus/Inian Island/ calving glaciers while cruising through the waters of Tracy Arm Fjord. Elfin Cove From the vantage point of your small ship, search for humpback whales feeding in the Inian Point ALASKA U.S. CANADA Island Adolphus Juneau Fairbanks Denali Elfin Icy Strait Sawyer National Talkeetna Cove Park Anchorage Juneau Glacier Inside Tracy Arm Passage Misty Endicott Arm Fjords Peril Dawes Glacier Gulf of Ketchikan Strait Alaska Frederick Vancouver Sound Sitka Petersburg LeConte Glacier LeConte Bay t i a r The Narrows Cruise Itinerary t S Air Routing m Train Routing a h t Land Routing a h Ketchikan Visit Elfin Cove and look for ringed seals, also known as ice seals, at rest on rocks. Inside Passage C nutrient-rich waters of Point Adolphus while Walk along the boardwalks, surrounded by cruising through Icy Strait to Inian Island, the Tongass National Forest’s majestic conifers where unspoiled tidal waters teem with and the scent of cedar and spruce. marine life. Aboard Zodiacs, watch for sea lions hunting and bald eagles swooping, Sitka drawn by the abundance of salmon. Nestled on the edge of Baranof Island, Explore pristine Chichagof Island, where stunning Sitka is laden with the art and history you will go ashore to visit the small fishing of its aboriginal and Russian past. First settled community of Elfin Cove. With only 20 by the Kiks.ádi clan of the Tlingit, the town permanent residents and situated across from flourished as a Russian fur trading hub until Glacier Bay National Park, this hamlet comes its 1867 transfer to the United States. Visit the alive in summer, attracting commercial and Alaska Raptor Center, Alaska’s foremost bald sport fishing enthusiasts. eagle habitat, where more than 100 injured eagles are rehabilitated and released into the wild each year. Explore the rich Tlingit culture while conversing with local artisans in Sitka National Historical Park, where trails are lined with towering totem poles, a lasting memorial to an ancient artform. Marvel at the priceless collection of icons in the onion-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral, North America’s first Russian Orthodox church. LeConte Bay Cruise into the mouth of LeConte Bay, where the protected waters form a natural refuge for harbor seals from predators. From aboard Zodiacs, watch for mother seals and pups sunning themselves on icebergs. Observe graceful brown bears catching wild salmon. Watch for migrating humpback whales frequenting Elfin Cove, teeming with halibut, salmon and rockfish. Visit Elfin Cove and look for ringed seals, also known as ice seals, at rest on rocks. Stroll the gold rush-era boardwalks of Ketchikan’s Creek Street and look for salmon swimming upstream. This bay is the terminus of LeConte Glacier, Vancouver, British Columbia North America’s southernmost tidewater Dynamic Vancouver, British Columbia’s glacier that frequently calves icebergs. largest city, is the cultural and financial heart Petersburg of Canada’s Pacific Northwest. Disembark and Known as “the town that fish built” and continue on the Vancouver and Victoria settled along the peaceful Wrangell Narrows Post-Cruise Option or to your return flight home. by late-19th-century Norwegian fishermen, the charming village of Petersburg is filled ◆ with the traditional rosemåling design on Vancouver Victoria its walkways, storefronts, and architecture. Post-Cruise Option Enjoy exceptional vistas of Frederick Sound, Surrounded by water on three sides, summer home to a significant humpback Vancouver is the coastal jewel of the whale population. Pacific Northwest. British Columbia’s Ketchikan largest city, Vancouver’s vibrant In the colorful fishing town of Ketchikan, cosmopolitan atmosphere—rich in art and “salmon capital of the world,” stroll the culture gleaned from the indigenous people gold rush-era boardwalks of Creek Street and of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska— watch for spawning salmon swimming forms a spectacular city. Visit Vancouver upstream through the middle of town along Island and Butchart Gardens. Tour elegant the well-known “Salmon Ladder.” See the Victoria, a former British Empire port fascinating art of Potlatch Totem Park, where that still retains a charming English accent a master craftsman demonstrates the ancient as well as wonderfully restored 19th- technique of hand-carving a totem pole. century architecture. In Vancouver, see historic Chinatown, famous Stanley Park and Misty Fjords National Monument th Enjoy the rare opportunity to cruise the serene the 19 -century Gastown District, and glacier-sculpted inlets of Misty Fjords, an then explore the Public Market and native American treasure harboring awe-inspiring artisans’ studios at Granville Island.