Juneau

August 10: Found our campsite at Mendenhall Lake Campground with no trouble. It is a Forest Service Campground and has large sites with full hookups. Views of the glacier are great. We are becoming big fans of the Forest Service Campgrounds on this trip.

Did some grocery shopping and mailed some of out postcards and then went on short hike. It started to rain so we returned, we are camped in a rain forest. Edna made chili for dinner, put away summer clothes and are thinking about getting out the down comforter.

August 11: Picked up our rental car at airport for our 3 day stay in Juneau as the roads are old and very narrow with limited parking. Downtown is very crowded with lots of cruise ships and 1000’s of people from the ships. Made reservations for a photo wild life cruise, did some shopping in shops in downtown, and went to Mendenhall Glacier. We were told to go early morning to miss the busses from cruise ships, we didn’t and now know it was good advice. Information center is very nice and watched a film on the glacier and then went to the overlook for some pictures.

Walked to the stream where salmon were spawning, and there were a couple of black bears. We saw an eagle and beaver in the pond near the stream also. Another bus load from a cruise ship arrived and we got trampled and left.

Got back to Escape To and put on the heat. Did not get half done what we had planned, but had a good time in downtown Juneau and had a nice fish lunch.
August 12: Started day with the photo safari by land and sea tour. Hiked a trail by Mendenhall Glacier with a very knowledgeable guide, both about area and photography. Saw spawning salmon, lots of the rain forest, and plants. Three were interesting plants: Devils Club, which has very thorny stem and translucent leaves , Bundelberry which is very poisonous and a plant that the bears dig up and eat the roots.

Bears dig up for root

Devils Club

Bundleberry

Then went out on a small fast boat to see humpbacked whales. Each whale can be identified by their idiosyneracies, they take pictures of the tail and as each is different game and fish can monitor and track without tagging. Saw some steller seals on a bouy and nice views of two more glaciers.

Today and next 3 days it was sunny and warm, and after the tour we had fish lunch and looked for the Dike Trail behind the airport. Never found so walked the campground trail.

August 13: Last full day in Juneau, Went to Eagle Beach where the Eagle River enters the inside passage. Walked the beach it was low tide and no crowds. Picked up several bird feathers and on way back saw some  Native American women picking flowering plants and the men were on higher ground and one was beating a drum to a slow beat. Found the Dike Trail and walked for about 2 miles. It is behind the airport alright at the end of the runway. Airport has one runway of water for the sea plaing to land and take off. Saw some harbor seals chase salmon up the river on the incoming tide, saw several ducks and wading birds. Went to Fred Myers to stock up for next leg of trip and get some Alaska beer. Back to Escape To for some Taco soup. It stays light late and we seem to be eating later and later each night. Tonight is 10 PM.