Links to Sitka photos and videos from the cruise

6-2-08

We were still tired when we got up this morning – I think our exertions in Juneau, coupled with our insistence on always taking the stairs, combined to be a bit more exercise than we’re used to. Lis decided to spend a relaxing morning on the ship and skip Sitka, especially since the weather was cloudy and showers were predicted. Though she was torn – I think what finally sealed her decision is that we were anchored, not docked, so would have to tender in to town. She said “I’m just not in the mood.”

I gave some thought to staying on board as well, but I had wanted to see the Russian church and the National Historical Park, and so I loaded on all my tourist gear (camera, binoculars, bag) and made for the tender. I also added MP3 player and headphones, so I was in full electronic regalia. The tender line was not long, nor was the wait for the tender, and the tender itself was not crowded, so it was a pleasant and pretty quick jaunt to town. Sitka was a pleasant enough little town – I walked around a bit, snapped a picture of St. Michael’s church, and then headed out to the Park. The park is set on the site of the 1804 Battle between the Tlingit and the Russians – the battle was a turning point in which the Tlingit, though they put up a good fight, were pushed out by the Russians. The Park is wooded with several hiking trails – I chose the trail that went to the site of the battle, and also the site of the Tlingit fort that the Russians were targeting in the battle. Along the way there were several totem poles, and there were the cries of ravens and even an occasional eagle, plus the path was right along the water line – it was very pretty. A few times I sat at the water’s edge and just listened to the sounds of the surf and the forest. The threatened showers never materialized, and it was fairly warm, so I had a nice hike.

Back on the ship we went and had lunch, then back to the room for a very lovely afternoon nap. Round about 3:30pm we headed to the Observation Lounge on Deck 12 – there was “Scenic Cruising” listed on the schedule. Unfortunately, everyone else had decided on “Scenic Cruising,” too, so it was pretty crowded. So we went down to the Horizon Lounge (aft, Deck 6) and saw the sights from there. The weather closed in, became rainy and stormy, and because we were headed into open waters in the Gulf of Alaska, the ship finally started to get some movement – a pretty good roll. Prior to this, because the Inside Passage is so protected, it felt like we were on rivers or lakes, not the ocean – completely smooth.

At 4:15 the Trivia started – this was the first time we’d been able to make it, and it was great fun. A group near us, which included a woman we’ve been chatting with off and on throughout the cruise, invited us to join their team, and we ended up tying another team for first place. At 4:45 the Bingo started, and we were tempted to play, but this was the night of our Master Suite cocktail party invitation, so we thought we’d better go get ready.

At 6pm we presented ourselves at Cabin xxx, home of our hosts. It is a very gorgeous space. At one point, there were probably nearly twenty people standing around chatting, and the room handled that number very comfortably, with room for an appetizer table and a bartender and butler to circulate as well. Everyone was very friendly and jovial, and while we aren’t world’s best minglers, we did pretty well. Two of our hosts in particular spent lots of time with us, told us hilarious stories about their travel adventures, and put as at ease. It was really fun. Afterwards, they invited us to join them for dinner, which we accepted. It was a party of eight (four couples.) Dinner was very fun, but was an even longer affair with eight people than it is for just the two of us, so we didn’t get back to the room until just about 10pm.

Once again, Compass Rose struggled with Lis’ diet. Her Caesar salad arrived covered in cheese, and for her entrée they just took away what she couldn’t have, instead of making her an alternative. We’ve really never experienced anything like it on Regent (on Celebrity, yes, but not on Regent). Lis might try to talk to somebody about it.