We are in Ketchikan today, having had a mainly sunny week although a strong North-Easter greeted us at the beginning of the week while we were in the Inside Passage. It made for an ‘interesting’ arrival and departure from Juneau, with 50 mph winds in the inner channels.
Again, this will be a medley of photos. K1 is with me this week (and the next), so I have actually put my feet on dry land, the first time I have done so since joining the Amsterdam in Seattle. It’s ‘downhill’ soon, time has flown by, our last cruise in Alaska this year is 18th to the 25th.
We heard this week that the Amsterdam will be on a 14-day itinerary in 2017, out of Seattle on a Monday and this pleases us enormously, it’s a great itinerary and one we have done before.
Sunset in the Hecate Straits, the Queen Charlotte Islands in the distance.
The sun’s last rays illuminate a humpback whale’s blow.
A view of the Tongass Narrows, looking south; the fishing fleet waiting off the Cannery, to unload their salmon.
The Cannery
A passing fishing boat, this one trolls with long-lines; baited hooks and ‘flashers’ to attract the fish.
Leaving Ketchikan. Benito, our 2nd officer is taking her out; Thomas, the Staff Captain and Ted, our South-East Alaska pilot, look on.
The Juneau ice-field with Mendenhall glacier foreground.
Approaching Yakutat Bay and Mount St. Elias in its glory
Disenchantment Bay looking south; having visited Hubbard glacier and on our way out.
Henke Island, Disenchantment bay and a sea-lion rookery
Boat drill in Sitka
Berthed on the dock at Sitka
St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox church in Sitka
……and its interior
Main Street Sitka
Crescent Harbour, Sitka and the fishing fleet
Captain, have not heard from you in a month. Is all OK on the good ship Amsterdam?
Victor – I read on Captain Jonathan’ Instagram account 5 days ago “Goodbye Alaska!! NOw some R&R ??” so I guess he is taking a break from the bridge of the good ship Amsterdam and for that matter any of the other dam ships in the HA fleet!
Thank you, Allan. I wonder why the blog entries ended so suddenly.
To fellow readers wondering why we had not heard from Captain Mercer for so long, perhaps I can provide a clue.
I just returned from s 3-day cruise on board the Nieuw Amsterdam, where the staff reported that the weather in Alaska had been very bad of late, with either a lot of fog or very stormy conditions, resulting in delays or missed port calls to all ships sailing the region. From this I assume the good Captain was too busy dealing with these problems to have time for his blog.
I’m sure you join me in wishing him happy times during his time off, and reading along for the Grand World Voyage in 2017!
Marjorie, you hit the nail on the head. My lack of posts was the result of several factors, (i) K1 cruised with me for 2 weeks and (ii) the weather became atrocious, low-pressure areas rolling in from the Gulf of Alaska and consequent bad weather. My last cruise necessitated a complete change of itinerary; instead of going out into the Gulf (and 30 feet seas), I stayed ‘inside’, cancelling Hubbard and Sitka and instead going to Tracy Arm and then an all-day in Ketchikan. There was no avoiding the weather though, we had to go through it for 8 hours, getting to Triple Island, British Columbia and taking 2 pilots before ducking into the Canadian Inside Passage, going through the inside route via Seymour Narrows and thence all-day in Victoria. The highest recorded gust during the rough weather was 85 kts, which equates to around 90 mph. She took it well though and the seamanship of the skipper of the pilot boat, getting 2 pilots on in 65 mph winds and 20 feet seas was a feat in itself, quite remarkable.
I am briefly in Florida, (where we had to endure ‘Matthew’, no damage); back to Europe in 12 days for a while.
Glad to hear all is well, Captain, and l am looking forward to your return to the Amsterdam for the world cruise.