A spectacular day!!!!!!

We boarded the ship yesterday afternoon and waited on board while they finished boarding the cars.  We grabbed a spot on the starboard side of the ship in the solarium.  We were lucky enough to get lounge chairs.  We settled in with our feet toward the windows, got out sleeping bags and mats, then arranged our food and gear for easy access.  Once under way we explored the boat and got our bearings.  Beautiful sunset in the Puget Sound!!!!  The San Juan and the Gull Islands slipped by as we threaded our way north.  They changed our time to Alaska time as soon as we got underway.  There was about six hours of night last night and we woke early to spectacular sights.  

Besides the mountains and the waterways, the shore and trees open to let us slide by.  We have seen pods of dolphins, whales, an eagle, jumping fish, waterfalls, ghost towns, lighthouses with their waving keepers, 1st Nation settlements with totem poles near the beach, little houses tucked here and there along the shore, fishing boats,tugs pulling barges that are self-contained canneries including housing for workers,sailboats, but most of all we see wilderness that stretches for miles and miles.  I am certain that much of the land away from the shore has never had a human touch its soul or tread on its skin.

We won't be into Alaskan waters until early tomorrow morning and we will be in Ketchikan by 7am.  We can disembark while they unload and load people, cars, and trucks filled with supplies for the town.  We will only have three hours there and if we find wifi and we have time I will post this, otherwise I will post in Juneau on Monday.

It has been warm and beautiful and I have been wearing shorts and a tank top all day.  The solarium is out of the wind and quite warm as it is open in the stern.  On the deck without cover people have set up their tents and duck tapped them down.  Still the wind whips them around and rattles them all night.  I am so glad we aren't in one!

It is after 8pm,but the sun won't be going down for a long time.  By the look of the clouds, I am counting on another beautiful sunset.  Life is great!!!