A big chunk of ice

Day 3 - Wednesday, Tracy Arm and the Sawyer Glacier

This was definitely one of the highlights of the week.  The day consisted of cruising up a fjord while enjoying the awesome scenery on either side of the boat.  I lost count of the number of waterfalls along the way, caused by how steep the snow capped mountains are.   

There was a geologist on board who narrated the entire trip, pointing out an eagle's nest here or explaining how the glacier ice is so blue because the oxygen is pressed out over the years.

At the end of channel was the immense glacier.  I saw a couple huge chunks calve off and fall into the water, slowly rotating until they settled down to start their slow journey out to the open ocean.

Tomorrow we get to set foot on land again.

At the base of the glacier are dozens of mother harbor seals with their babies.  It's a safe place for them because the killer whales don't swim in this area.

He was pooped after staying up late watching Disney cartoons in the room, something he got to do a lot during the week

The crew picked up a piece of 200 year old ice, perfectly clear.  Tasted like chicken.

This chunk of ice was so big the captain had to stop the boat to maneuver around it as we were leaving the channel

Just one of the many waterfalls along the way

Nothing but water

Day 2 - Cruising at sea

"Good morning folks, this is the captain speaking.  We'll be traveling up from Seattle to Alaska on Tuesday, and during the night we expect the winds to pick up to around 30 knots, which will create 10-12 foot waves.  This might make for a rough day until we get closer to land near the Alaskan coast.  Until then, enjoy the ride."

If I had one goal during the cruise, I really didn't want to feed the fish.  Don't be disappointed in the fact that I fulfilled that goal.

Overnight the wind picked up, and the waves were rockin' the boat good.  It was interesting to look out the window during dinner and watch the boat rise all the way up to the sky, then drop down to see nothing but the waves.  But by evening as we got closer to land and out of the open ocean the wind died down and the water got a lot calmer.   


If you've never been on a cruise, let me tell you what you're missing - Food.  All.  Day.  Long.  Over the course of a week, here are a few numbers that I remember on how much food is consumed.  And this is on a boat that carries 4000 passengers and 1000 crew.
450 Gallons of soft serve ice cream mix
55,000 eggs cooked
8,000 chicken strips served

Hanging out on the aft deck, 9 stories above the water, with the little man, who didn't mind the wind and waves

Today's towel character was an octopus

Reed liked the shows, he just thought they were too loud

With an 8:15 start to dinner, Reed falling asleep before the entrees were served became an all too familiar sight

A great day for a cruise

It's hard to retell everything I experienced in an entire vacation, but I'll try and take you along as best I can over the next seven days.

To recap, we just got back from a 7 day Disney cruise to Alaska.  And it was incredible.  Disney really knows how to put on a good show, and combined with the awesome scenery of Alaska it was a trip to remember.

Day 1 - Monday, Seattle

7 AM.  Reed woke up and didn't want to put on regular clothes, so (he won the fight) he ended up wearing his monkey pajamas and pulling his monkey suitcase around, through the airport and onto the boat. 

After a quick flight to Seattle, and a short drive to the pier, we stood in the shadow of the Disney Wonder. 

 

It took about 14 seconds after stepping onto the boat before we saw our first princess - Belle!  Julia was ecstatic.

The kids were excited to be on the boat.  Julia posed, and Reed followed suit, but wasn't sure what to do with his hands.

The happy couple.  Still smiling after 10 years of awesomeness.

Now we're off to the buffet, and I heard something about all you can eat soft serve ice cream.  I bet Julia will want one or eight of those.

The beautiful Alaskan frontier

I hear people all the time say how much they enjoyed their cruise to Alaska, and now after going on a cruise there with my family, I can understand what they meant.

Simply incredible.

Words of encouragement

I urge all of us, young and old, who are called to speak in a meeting in the name of the Lord, to dismiss our feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy. We don’t have to use soaring language or convey deep insights. Simple words of testimony will do. The Spirit will give you the words to speak and will carry them down into the hearts of humble people who look for truth from God. If we keep trying to speak for the Lord, we will be surprised someday to learn that we have warned, exhorted, taught, and invited with the help of the Spirit to bless lives, with power far beyond our own.

          -- Henry B. Eyring