Icy Strait Point, Monday, Sept 25

It was a very calm night and we slept well. When we pull the curtain open we
are greeted with a beautiful, blue sky punctuated with white, fluffy clouds drifting across the tops of mountainous islands. We are in the Inian Islands this morning for a few hours for some scenic cruising while the Seabourn Ventures team takes a group out in kayaks.

They are just leaving the ship when we get out on the balcony at 8AM. Two zodiacs with guests go by, one of the zodiacs is pulling a string of yellow kayaks looking for all the world like a mother duck followed by a line of little, yellow ducklings! They head to the shore and get set up in the kayaks as the ships takes the rest of us cruising around the area. It is beautiful. The water is flat calm and in places there is a layer of sea fog sitting on top of the water, looking like someone spilled whipped cream on the water. After about two hours we meet up with the zodiacs and their ducklings, gather them in and head to Icy Strait Point.

At 11AM, Chef Henning Giese and Criuse Director Sophie, do a cooking demonstration making Currywurst. A curried sausage dish that is served as a fast food dish on the streets of cities like Berlin.  He also made Spatzle-dough which is pasta like. He showed the traditional method of forming the strands of dough and also a grater method that he uses to make large amounts. He then used the cooked Spatzle to make Kasespatzle by mixing the Spatzle with caramelized onions and grated Gruyere. This dish smelled really good.

Icy Strait Point is a privately owned cruise stop near the small village of Hoonah on Chichagof Island. It is owned by the Huna Totum Corporation which in turn is owned by about 1,350 native American people mostly, Tlingit. The stop is built around an old cannery, now an interesting museum. There are several seafood places, a gift stop, a zip line and a number of tour operations.

The shore line has a board walk and is a pleasant, short walk along the shore. When we were here about five years ago it was a tender port . Dick did the zip line that time. The dock was opened last year along with more walking trails. They also have a small shuttle that runs from the gangway to the road at the other end of the cannery where one can take a $5 ride into Hoonah.

We are doing the ATV ride today. We have lucked out with the beautiful day. There are 19 guest and we are bused to an old logging road where we get in ten, two-person, Kawasaki, red, Mules and take off. The road runs along the shore and then climbs up the side of the mountain for a nice view of the surrounding islands. Our guide is a young, naturalist type, from San Diego. We stop three times for her to tell us about the area. She is very engaging, young, cute and funny. It is a nice experience, the views are spectacular and the talks are interesting.

It is after 5PM when we get back to the cannery area. The ship is not sailing until 8PM so we have plenty of time to wander. We spend some time taking pictures as the sun is right and everything has that golden glow. Somehow we get separated and cannot reconnect. Didn’t think about using our cell phones to reconnect. Carolyn can’t find Dick and the little shuttle pulls up so she catches a ride since it is a long walk back to the ship. Meanwhile, Dick starts walking back thinking she is ahead of him. Needless to say, Carolyn beats Dick back and Dick has very sore feet.

We have had a spectacular Alaskan day! We enjoy it as long as possible; first sitting on the balcony relaxing, then with cocktails in the Observation Lounge and finally on the outside dining area of the Colonnade. It is a Mediterranean theme tonight. They have rack of lamb which we love and baklava another favorite.

A great end to another great day!