Everybody Loves Whales

When visiting Juneau, try to include a visit to see our local celebrities - the humpback whales!  I recently toured Alaska Travel Adventures' Whale Watching Adventure and Salmon Bake, and I was blown away with the sights and sounds of our very own backyard.  I even went home with a full belly after the trip's all-you-can-eat salmon feast.  Yummy!

I've been on many whale watching excursions in Southeast Alaska, but this one was unique.  On board, we had folks from the Seattle television show, Evening Magazine.  Their crew was here to showcase Juneau, and I even had the delightful opportunity to sit down on camera with Emmy award winner and Evening Magazine host, Meegan Black!  Unfortunately, my interview was cut in the editing room, but I still had a blast bragging on camera about Juneau.  At the end of this blog, you can see the footage from our trip, which originally aired in Seattle.  Watch closely - you just might see a familiar face, too!

There are plenty of sights and sounds on the waters of the Inside Passage.  You're bound to see bald eagles, fishermen, lighthouses, and if you're lucky, Dall's porpoises racing small boats.

Sea lions can generally be found taking a snooze on this gigantic red and green buoy near Auke Bay, Alaska.

The cameraman from Seattle's "Evening Magazine" films the occupied buoy.

Did you know whales can be identified by the unique black and white pattern on  the underside of their flukes?  There's even an online catalog identifying many of the whales that frequent Southeast Alaska.  The Fluke ID Catalog contains images of almost 1,900 different humpback whales.  Check it out - maybe you'll even find in the catalog one of the whales below!

Our boat passed by a noisy, albeit entertaining, sea lion haul-out. 

Auke Bay is the starting and ending point for most whale watching cruises in Juneau.  It's also homeport to the United States Coast Guard Cutter Liberty.

You know it'll be an entertaining trip when the Captain let's you borrow his hat!

I can't imagine a yummier way to end a trip on the water.  This all-you-can-eat salmon feast and fixins' definitely hit the spot!

Wild Alaska salmon, emphasis on WILD!

Meegan on camera, highlighting the delicious food at the Gold Creek Salmon Bake.​

Roasting marshmellows and bragging about Juneau with Meegan Black.​

Check out Evening Magazine's awesome overview of whale watching in Juneau (below, after the ad).  I'm so glad they came to town! 

Glaciers + Wildlife Galore = EPIC Cruise with Adventure Bound Alaska!

Looking for adventure in Southeast Alaska?  Get yourself on the Adventure Bound!  Last weekend, I went on the adventure of a LIFETIME to the Tracy Arm Fjord.  I saw some of the most amazing and breathtaking sites in not just Alaska, but the entire world!  Since my words pale in comparison to the magnificence of this trip, I'll leave you with a quote from Adventure Bound Alaska's brochure:

"The inland sea is a jade green.  Icebergs redefine the color blue.  Deeper colors come with the rain and brilliance with the sun.  Granite walls reach to the heights.  Waterfalls spiral from above.  The air is fresh with a chill from the last ice.  Cruise along, watch for bears, mountain goats, and seals.  Every turn reveals a new and awesome scene.  At the end see the source of it all - the twin Sawyer Glaciers."

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, check out my photos and videos below - and get ready to be blown away!

After passing massive and ancient icebergs, there was a foraging bear...

Wonderful waterfalls were at every turn.  I was a bit thirsty when we passed this gusher.

The South Sawyer Glacier welcomed us with countless icebergs strewn across open water.

Harbor seals haul out on the ice.  The fjord is a sort of refuge for them - free from predators like killer whales.  

Captain Steve shared with us a mischievous joke:

A seal goes into a bar.  The Bartender says, "What'll it be?" 

The seal replies, "Anything but Canadian Club on the rocks!"

Those little dark spots on the ice?  Those are seals.​

Seals are just dog mermaids.  Think about it.​

When we weren't hearing the ice crack at the face of the glacier, we were listening to the song of beautiful Arctic Terns.  These stunning seabirds have by far the longest regular migration by any known animal.

I can only sum up the taste of glacier ice as "salty."  My next visitors to Juneau will be treated to a cocktail featuring this stuff.

The Sawyer Glacier is my favorite of the twin glaciers because it is more active and seems to produce more awe-inspiring calvings than the South Sawyer Glacier.  I can't get enough of the blue.

While cruising back to Juneau, Captain Steve slowed down to allow us to view what they have endearingly termed "The Wall."  For my rock climbing friends, this is your paradise.

The strength of water has impressively carved out the rock at the water line.  ​

Southeast Alaska isn't just playground for commercial fishermen and eager tourists.  It's a haven for celebrities, corporate bigwigs, and whoever is on THIS boat.  FYI: this is the M/Y Harmony, currently for sale for $36,750,000.  And no, I didn't mistype any of those zeros.

About an hour from Juneau, Captain Steve announced across the loudspeaker to look for sea lions on the starboard side.  Little did we know there would be a gigantic humpback whale off the bow.

As if the wave of a whale's tail wasn't enough to close out the trip, seaplanes returning from the Taku Lodge flew overhead as we cruised down the Gastineau Channel.  This was the icing on the cake for me as I've always wanted to be on the water when a seaplane was landing. 

It was a perfect trip.  Outstanding weather, terrific sights and sounds, all while experiencing the best of Alaska.  What a blessing to have this masterpiece right in our backyard!

8th Annual Island Pub Pizza Recipe Contest

One of my all-time favorite restaurants in Juneau is The Island Pub, located not far from my home on Douglas Island.  Perhaps my heart has a soft spot for this place because it was the first restaurant I dined at after moving to Juneau in February 2009. 

If you ever have the pleasure of visiting this hot spot for a meal, you'll notice a few special pizzas on their menu, special because they're past winners of the Island Pub Pizza Contest.

This year marks my third time serving as an official pizza recipe judge.  Basically, this involves putting my taste buds to work and scoring 12 different slices of pizza.  Yes, I said TWELVE.  And yes, I'm still stuffed.

This year's top three pizza recipes were: 

#1. South Douglas Fisch Slap (Alfredo sauce, Asiago cheese, red onion, smoked salmon, capers, and spinach)

#2. Fredo-Town (Alfredo sauce, parmesan and mozarella cheese, raw garlic, Italian sausage, bacon, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach) 

#3. Mother Lode (Alfredo sauce, house cheese, Asiago cheese, roasted garlic, Italian sausage, artichoke heats, Crimini mushrooms, pine nuts, and Canadian bacon)

If you find yourself visiting Juneau, I highly recommend a stop at The Island Pub.  Try their steak sandwich, their Napolitano Alfredo pizza (a 2005 pizza contest winner and menu mainstay) , or any of their other gourmet speciality pizzas.  You won't be disappointed!

Doling out the pizza, one slice at a time.

If a judge only takes nibbles of their judging portions, this is what their plate will look like at the end.  I am not one to take nibbles.​

​Here's a snapshot of the score sheet of the judge next to me.  This young judge was beyond adorable.  And I agreed with her rankings most of the time.  Some slices were way too "spisey" and we didn't care for the "unuens"!

​Smoked salmon on a pizza?!  Yes, please.

Mimosas + pizza = a winning combination.​