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The Nautilus Swell Returns to Alaska for More Adventure – I feel like a movie star. Alaska, June 25, 2012.
We departed Vancouver BC June 3rd and headed up the inside passage for another spectacular summer in Alaska. My anticipation built with every mile we covered and now we are here! I am so excited to be back. The trip up the wild west coast was thrilling – there are few places on earth that rival the beauty of the inside passage. We are now half way through our first Alaska trip – 10 action packed days between Ketchikan and Sitka. I am happy to report that everything is right where we left it! The icebergs still choke the entrance to LeConte Glacier, the whales are still breaching at Point Adolphus, the grizzly bears are still beach combing in Gambier Bay and the diving is still as EPIC as ever!!!
The ship continues to strain necks every where we go. I feel like a movie star every time we enter an anchorage or harbour – everyone within a quarter mile is staring and taking photos! I can’t say I blame them. She is a gorgeous vessel. But it’s hard to get any work done while we’re dockside with all the passerbyers stopping me for snap shots and questions. Most of them don’t believe me when I tell them that she turned 100 years old a couple of weeks ago. They all say the same thing: “looks like she was just launched yesterday”. I usually don’t bother explaining that she was extensively refit not too long ago and that all her machinery is brand new and most of the timber is only a few years old. Instead, I say “thanks, it takes a lot of work to keep her looking this good, so if you’ll excuse me…” because if I don’t avoid these conversation, we’d never get off the dock!
So if you’ll excuse me… I have lots of work to do. The sea lions and humpbacks whales and eagles need their photos taken! I will report again next week when I can confirm that the hot springs on Barnoff Island are still hot.
I especially enjoyed jumping down from the iceberg with strong drinks afterwards.
I especially enjoyed jumping down from the iceberg with strong drinks afterwards. Alaska. June 26, 2012.
What has been your favourite part of the trip so far?
It is difficult to choose anything. Icebergs and glaciers-perhaps were the best and most exciting were dolphins today. Until now, Earth is much more interesting as underwater world. Sergey P.. —- Did you enjoy Ice day?
Yes!!! Especially jumping down head from the iceberg. Strong drinks afterwards much nicely. Oleg G.. —- Describe your experience in Alaska?
Super. Lianne. —-
What have you seen underwater that impressed you?
The water is cold and muddy, but the underwater world is very different unbelievable biodiversity and exciting curious fishes. Great experience for people which tied after warm seas. —- Describe your time in Petersburg?
So nice to find small Norway here between wild forests of Alaska. Great shopping in local shop, memorial, Norwegian song house and nice marina. Good work to stretch legs after fins kicking.
Things I’ve over heard our guests say in the last 24 hours. Alaska. June 26, 2012.
Things I’ve over heard our guests say in the last 24 hours. Alaska. June 26, 2012.
- “I’m loving the gentle motion of this beautiful boat – makes napping between dives hard to avoid”
- “You guys are so helpful, I almost feel bad” (comment to crew member who was adjusting dive gear for a guest)
- “I can die happy now” (upon returning from “Ice Day” excursion to Sawyer Glacier)
- “This is easily one of the best trips of my life and we’re only on day three”
- “Ahhhhh” (while sitting in the hot tub with a glass of wine in hand)
- “Whale! Look whales! This is the best moment in my life…” (while sitting in the hot tub with a glass of wine in hand)
I’ve had jobs in the past where a big part of my day was spent listening to complaints. This is so much better. I love hearing these kinds of comments on a daily basis.
Alex
Mate / Engineer
---------- Post Merged on July 18th, 2012 at 03:41 PM ---------- Previous Post was on July 17th, 2012 at 09:08 AM ----------
Inian Island, Alaska – The most intense concentration of life that I have ever seen. It took my breath away. July 2, 2012.
I met a local in Juneau, Alaska a couple of days ago who recognized us as “the crazy guys who scuba dive all over SE Alaska”. Yeah that’s us. Anyway, turns out that he too is crazy and has been diving these waters for many years. And a super nice guy – probably the friendliest and most helpful guy I’ve met in Alaska so far. He runs a large landing craft supply vessel around the inner waters of Alaska and enjoys to dive anywhere and everywhere. I invited him to drop by the boat later that day so that we could trade a tour of our historic tug boat for some insider information on various dive spots.
He told me a story about one site he dove a while back near Inian Islands (one of our favourite areas) – it was reportedly an enormous concave wall that looked like an underwater amphitheatre that vibrantly glowed like the heavens. He described life growing on life growing on life – every colour in the spectrum – sea lions and otters and octopus and nudibranchs and wolf eels – everything you could imagine all in one glorious and awe inspiring spot. I marked it on our charts and slept well that night dreaming about what he had described.
This morning (just a couple of days later) Captain Tim asked me if I wanted to go and look for the spot. Well let me think – YES!!!!! We ran out in the skiff, geared up and splashed right where he said it would be. It wasn’t. But what we did find took my breath away. I have never in my life seen that much life underwater in one area. I’ve been lucky enough to dive some of the best sites in the world but this might have been the most intense concentration of aquatic life that I have ever seen. I had only 15 minutes to enjoy it and I was swimming along at a good clip to cover some ground but it felt like I was flying along the surface of an alien planet! Towering walls of life – a 10 foot wide canyon with 30 foot sheer walls of life on either side – pinnacles that vibrated and crawled with life – heaps upon heaps of colourful and vibrant and varied life – even the flat areas that are typically more barren were completely covered in every imaginable colour.
I was still hoping to see the amphitheatre that he described though – I know it’s there. We probably just missed it by a few yards or so. I can’t wait to try again next time! Even if we never find it – I would be quite happy to keep trying over and over again.
Alex Ruurs
Chief Mate
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