Back to Juneau and Mendenhall Glacier

After our visit to Sitka, we took the fast ferry back to Juneau for a couple of days, before taking just the Jeeps over to Gustavus and Glacier Bay.

We had another fabulous day for the ferry trip.

There are quite large tidal changes in South East Alaska.  This can cause very strong tidal currents in the narrow channels, like here in the Peril Strait.

A view of the Mendenhall Glacier while approaching the ferry dock at Auke Bay near Juneau.

The next day was a lovely clear and warm day, so we went to visit the Mendenhall Glacier.

Also nearby is Nugget Falls coming from Nugget Glacier in a side valley.

Barbara enjoying one of her favorite subjects.

Sitka

After Petersburg we hit Juneau for a couple of days to restock groceries, and then catch the high speed ferry over to Sitka.

Loading the rigs onto the high speed ferry.

We had pretty fine views during the ferry trip.

It appears there are other ways to get your RV around in South East Alaska.

One of our favorite activities while in the Sitka area was visiting the Alaska Raptor Center.  The center rehabilitates and releases all birds it can.  Birds that are injured to the point they cannot be rehabilitated are kept for educational purposes.

The resident eagles got very vocal when wild eagles landed in nearby trees.

Snowy Owl

Barred Owl

Great Gray Owl

Peregrine Falcon

American Kestrel

Golden Eagle

Another of their Bald Eagles.

Miscellaneous plants along one of the trails.

We thought that this tiny island  near our campground with a pair of houses on it was very cute.

More miscellaneous plant shots.

We were told of a brown bear frequently seen near town.  We were able to find it.

While watching the bear we also spotted this mink.

One of the many Bald Eagle around where our RVs were camped.

One morning we had quite a show out of our RV's rear window.  A person had left a bunch of fish in a bucket in this small open boat and the eagles had found it.

Whale Watching from Petersburg

While we were in the Petersburg area we booked an all day whale watching trip out into Frederic Sound.

Like many other harbors, the sea lions were hauled out on a buoy near the harbor entrance.

Just outside the harbor, we came across this fellow who was traveling by himself in an open skiff.

We saw several icebergs that had calved from the LeConte Glacier.

Black Bear Butt

A Humpback swimming on its side.

This is the result when you are too close to the whale with too much telephoto lens.

Here is a sampling of some of the images I liked the most.

A little tail slapping action.

These two sea lions seemed interested in what we were up to.

More tail fluke shots.

One more sea lion.