Juneau, AK - Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Quest
My first experience in Alaska did not disappoint. I spent 7 nights cruising northbound from Vancouver to Whittier on Holland America’s Noordam followed by 3 nights at Denali National Park. Here is what I did at one of the many stops along the way:
Juneau was my most anticipated cruise port stop because of this excursion. I was so looking forward to seeing whales and a glacier up close. I have done whale watching in Hawaii a few years ago and was lucky enough to see a whale breaching. My hope for this adventure was to see something similar and maybe even an orca.
The bus too k me to Auke Bay, where I boarded a water-jet-powered catamaran specifically designed for wildlife viewing. This area is world-renowned as a favored summer feeding ground for humpback whales. The on-board naturalist explained the behavior and habitat of the humpback whale and other wildlife encountered. It wasn’t long before we spotted a humpback swimming alone and then a small group of whales together. I was close enough to hear them blowing out.
The best encounter was when we approached a group of whales bubble netting. To bubble-net feed, whales dive deep below schools of fish and use bubbles blown from their blowholes to stun and trap fish closer to the surface. The leader will usually be responsible for blowing the bubbles and the other members will surround the fish, following them to the surface by swimming in spiral patterns to keep the fish trapped. They then swallow everything in their paths before closing their mouths, pushing water out through their baleen plates and swallowing the critters (usually fish and small crustaceans) they caught.
I was also treated to a bald eagle looking for some lunch. This bird flew up and down the water looking for lunch. I also passed by a few stellar sea lions taking an afternoon nap on a buoy.
After the excitement of the morning I headed to my first glacier viewing. Alaska's most famous river of ice, the Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier is about 13.6 miles long located in Mendenhall Valley ending in glacier fed Mendenhall Lake. The best days are overcast so the glacier shines a bright blue. Glacial ice appears blue because it absorbs all colors of the visible light spectrum except blue, which it transmits.
There are a number of other adventures to go on in Juneau:
Alaska Salmon Bake
Alpine Sip Line ADventure
Dog Sled Camp
Gold Panning
Helicopter Glacier Trek
