2004_alaska_cruise0 On the ship Zaandam, departing from Vancouver, Canada.

2004_alaska_cruise1 Skinny, untanned me went swimming on ship.

2004_alaska_cruise2 The pool was midships.

2004_alaska_cruise3 The stateroom hallways were very long.

2004_alaska_cruise4 We were traveling with our friend Nancy. This was a formal evening.

2004_alaska_cruise5 It was hard to get a picture of the whales we saw.

2004_alaska_cruise6 As we went in to the Tracy Arm fjord, this was a cool-looking rock.

2004_alaska_cruise7 This island in the middle had a number of kayak campers on it.

2004_alaska_cruise8 There was a glacier at the end of the fjord. Another ship was sending boats in closer to the glacier.

2004_alaska_cruise9 A vigorous stream along the way, with floes from the glacier.

2004_alaska_cruise10 The fantastic blue color comes from glacier ice that has been compressed into a different molecular structure.

2004_alaska_cruise11 When we stopped in Juneau, we went to see the Mendenhall Glacier. It is retreating fast.

2004_alaska_cruise12 Chunky interlocking glacier ice.

2004_alaska_cruise13 Alaska's capitol building - a short walk from the pier.

2004_alaska_cruise14 At the town of Skagway, we went on a saddle & paddle outing into the Yukon.

2004_alaska_cruise15 The horses posed for us. I think the ride was the high point of the whole trip for Melanie.

2004_alaska_cruise16 The lake there was beautiful and transparent.

2004_alaska_cruise17 This concentrator along the outing trip route is part of the remains of a gold mine.

2004_alaska_cruise18 Our outing bus passed many lakes on the way. Some of them were 50 miles to 100 miles long.

2004_alaska_cruise19 This stream feeds to both sides of the continent.

2004_alaska_cruise20 Bridal Veil Falls: Locals have parked here and used the spray for car washing.

2004_alaska_cruise21 All the ports were tourist traps selling mostly jewelry and T-shirts. This fossil wolly mammoth tusk was selling for over $1000 a foot.

2004_alaska_cruise22 Seattle's defunct Rainier Beer was popular in Alaska. Notice the ship at the end of the street. Four ships brought about 6000 tourists to a town with 800 permanent residents.

2004_alaska_cruise23 At Glacier National Park, the ship stayed a while in front of this glacier.

2004_alaska_cruise24 We were finding places on the globe after the second formal dinner. The inside passage map (our route) was worn from fingers.

2004_alaska_cruise25 Our friend Nancy and the ship.

2004_alaska_cruise26 Ketchikan is famous for totem poles and 13 feet of rain annually. We lucked out with a hot sunny day.

2004_alaska_cruise27 This creek through the middle of town had fish in it and fish ladder just beyond.

2004_alaska_cruise28 The notorious Creek Street. Once a red-light district; it now sells jewelry and such.

2004_alaska_cruise29 Sailing in the evening.

2004_alaska_cruise30 The view from the top looking forward. Notice the two other cruise ships ahead.

2004_alaska_cruise31 We brought our instruments and enjoyed some time playing together.