Exploring Alaska and Yukon 2026

    We were still cruising in the Great Bear Sea, portion of the Inside Passage, having travelled the length of Haida Gwaii, in the Hecate Strait overnight. We are in Canadian waters with the coast of British Columbia to the east.      As the ship cruised into Queen Charlotte Sound, she passed through the “recently announced Indigenous protected area and national marine conservation area reserve, Mia-yaltwa Ha’lidzogm hoon. The area is around 6,700 square kilometres and to be operated by Parks Canada along with its Indigenous (the Wuikinuxv, Nuxalk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Heiltsuk, Gitxaała and Gitga’at Nations) and federal partners.       The passage narrows becoming Johnstone Strait, ending by Quadra Island, just north of Campbell River on Vancouver Island, the large island to the west. The southern boundary of the Great Bear Sea extends to Campbell River, where the channel widens to the south and becomes the Strait of Georgia. “     ...

      Our destination today was Ketchikan, Alaska. It is known as the “Salmon Capital of the World”. It is the rainiest town in Southeast Alaska, averaging over 200 inches. Travelling north from Canada or one of the lower 48 states Ketchikan is Alaska's "First City” to cruisers. It is the first destination of the American Inside Passage where the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures are highlighted.   Ketchikan boasts that it has the world's largest collection of Pacific Northwest totem poles . Here you can see the cultures and artwork of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian, who have traded with each other and been stewards of the land for over 13,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. Ketchikan is surrounded by the Tongrass National Forest.     We slept in this morning. The ship was scheduled to arrive in Ketchikan at 11 a.m.   At 7:30 a.m., the temperature was 11°C, there was lots of blue sky, with a few clouds and the wind was about 14 km/hour. ...

    At 6 a.m. ms Koningsdam had arrived at the entrance to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, leaving Icy Strait and entering Sitakaday Narrows which leads into Glacier Bay. The park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The water was calm, air temperature 10°C, wind SW 7 km, overcast with low cloud hanging   on to the mountain sides. Being on Deck 11 we were a few steps from the outside jogging track with a great view of the bay. We missed the arrival, by boat, of the Glacier Bay Park Rangers, Alaska Native Voices Cultural Ambassador and Alaska Geographic Representatives as they boarded the ship from their Bartlett Cove headquarters. The Lido buffet opened at 6:30 for breakfast.    After breakfast we joined many passengers in the Crow’s Nest lounge to hear the   Park Rangers and Cultural Ambassador greet everyone and give us the agenda for today including presentations and narration of the journey into Glacier Bay.    In 1794 Captain George ...