POSTBLOG FROM SITKA ALASKA: Goodbye Wilderness!

It seemed like every time we tried to nap, we would be called on deck to observe yet another whale or a bear walking along the shoreline.  I’m not saying I’m tired of seeing wildlife, I’m just tired.

This was not a restful vacation.

The final day in the wilderness, Clyde and I did some kayaking around a little bay whereupon we saw a stream with salmon jumping up the falls, just like on TV. We watched a young brown bear catch a fish and run into the forest with it. The naturalist who was standing on the nearby shore said it was probably nervous about other bears taking his catch.

The expedition ended in Sitka, population 9,000. It is the most civilization we’ve seen in over a week. It’s very picturesque with the rain forest and Pacific Ocean surrounding. One of the hotel employees indicated that it was much smaller than that big city of Juneau.

In Sitka we paid a visit to Saint Michaels Russian Orthodox Cathedral and toured the local raptor rehabilitation center. There were lots of eagles and owls recovering from injuries, most of whom will eventually be released back into the wild.

They apparently aren’t used to “homosexuals” here.  The clerk who checked us into the Super 8 didn’t think Clyde and I should share one queen sized bed.  She finally figured it out and was ok with it in the end.

The best thing about the Super 8 is the wifi, so I can post some photos and one last postblog.

Tomorrow we fly to Seattle and the next day, home to Denver.

It was sad to leave the ship. We made some new friends and shared a lot of experiences together. Some of us continued to have that rocking rolling sensation after we stood on dry land.

I have to say that I love being in Alaska. Though we only saw a little part of it, the unspoiled beauty and all the wildlife, made me feel like the world isn’t necessarily doomed. It seems like at least in Southeast Alaska, they are figuring out how to live with nature without destroying it, giving me hope that it can be done elsewhere as well.

  

It was also wonderful to share the experience with sister Sue and bro-in-law Jerry.  We will remember this trip together for a long time to come.

Now, it’s back to civilization. At least here in Sitka we have a nice big hotel room where the shower and the toilet don’t fill the same space.