MV. Kennicott

7/7

Stuff that, i'm going to ask about a berth for the rest of the trip, so awkward trying to watch your stuff as well.............nightmare.
Bearing in mind the girl in the terminal in Whittier told me all the berths were $400, i was somewhat surprised when the Purser said .........yes, we have some roomettes at $160......what is a roomette asks i..........
a room with 2 bunks in it the bottom turns into a table and chairs..................no bathroom etc etc.....sounds fine to me, i'll have one.....................room 10E is mine for the rest of the trip.

8/7

Into Juneau at 07:15.
Up and walk to "Gonzo's Waffle shop"............wifi is present.....apparently !!!
Bus from the roundabout at the corner....$2 into town.
Met Tom & his wife on the bus, they are looking around Juneau too. I llok into the Silverbow  bagel shop and get a sesame bagel with cream cheese..............and get some wifi, albeit a bit slow and it keeps crashing out.
I decide to move further into the centre of Juneau and look for better wifi. I meander about and go into a couple of coffee shops looking for better wifi.........gawd......my life revolves around blooming wifi......................i'm definately looking into a MIFI when i get home, this is pointless.
I eventually have to ring the Clipper ferry from Seattle to Victoria to book my passage. It's just impossible on line. Well that's me booked on the 15:00 ferry to Victoria..............$110, not so bad.
3 huge cruise ships are in town. Apparently, Tom tells me that the ferry orginally moored in the centre of town and the onset of the cruise ships (more money involved) meant the ferry had to find a new berth out of town (now a 13 mile trip by foot / taxi or bus).
It's getting time to return to the ship. I get back on the express bus, no change on this one, it goes straight through to Auk Bay, then a 2 mile walk back to the boat.
I show my documents at the gangway and i'm back on board. The staff on baord are really friendly and are interested in the trip so far, so i show them the Novara blog online.
I find out you can have a bottle (250ml) with your meal.....................how did i miss that before !!!???

9/7

WE arrive in Ketchikan around 11:00.......................the houses seem a bit larger than previously. The float planes are in squadrons........i've never seen so many in one place !!!!
They are landing and taking off literally one after another....................


It's a beautiful day, so i'm off into town. Maggie (The Purser) tells me a great bar is the Sourdough Bar............................i'm on it !!!
Gawd..........4 cruise ships in here and large private yachts as well.
Blimey, there must be an extra 10,000 people in town for the day.............it's heaving................it's no good i have to take refuge in the bar, to escape the haet and the people.
I meet a couple from York (can you belive it !!), they are on a 1 month trip around Canada & Alaska on one of the cruise ships (for the Alaska bit), then back to Vancouver for a RUSH concert. Apparently, the last tour they are doing and there are no dates for Europe...........so they came over mainly for the concert and built the trip aroud this................must be big big fans !!!
3 Alaskan Ambers later.......
I walk.....slightly sideways back to the boat.
Julia (one of the Pursers)is at the gangway, documents shown , i'm back on baord again.
Ribs for supper tonight..............+ a bottle of cabernet..................jolly good.
Film tonight is "Guardians of the Universe"....................not good !!!
It stops halfway through for some reason.....................my chance to escape...........

Off to bed

10/7

Early this morning we pass Bella Bella....... a small vilage / town on our starboard side..............noice.
I learn to day that the term "Starboard" comes from early days of sail when they had a board on the righthand side of the ship to steer with.......hence Steerboard...Starboard.
Due to this board on the right hand side, the ships always had to berth with their left side to the port wall.............hence the left side is called "Port"...........well never knew that !!!
All interesting stuff....................see stick with it.........you'll learn summat.
Also today i find out the trains don't run on schedule down the west coast. It turns out the freight trains take precidence and passenger trains have to wait. I'm hoping this is right as we arrive in Bellingham at 08:00 and my train is due 08:30. The station is literally 200m away from the ferry terminal though.............so it's a quick dash across the parking zone.
Another beautifulday today......................i'm catcing a few rays !!!!
Yes Gemma, i have sun tan lotion on !!!