Vancouver

We docked at 7 am at Canada Place in Vancouver but didn't have to get off the ship until 9 am so a leisurely breakfasting a short stroll filled in the time.

We were through customs (in a fashion) and bags collected by 9.30am.  We had 4 hours to fill before needing to head off to the airport so we checked in our bags at the luggage hold ( immediately to your left before the taxi sign - $8 per bag) and headed off to Capillano Bridge Suspension Park.  There is a free shuttle from outside Canada Place ( the equivalent of Darling harbour in Sydney) that took 15 mins to the park.  It is a lovely area with many board walks through the rainforest and obviously a few suspension bridges.

We were done within 1 1/2 hrs ( we were not on the mood for information overload) and we made our way back to Canada Place to see Fly over Canada.  This is in the vein of California Soaring at Disneyland - a wonderful 4D experience flying over different regions of Canada from the view of a helicopter - a great way to end our fantastic holiday.

The Inside Passage

Sorry, forgot to get a position and temperature of the day.  Suffice to say it was sunny, warm (20's) and there was a lot of water around.  We had a very relaxing day - minor activities interspersed with eating to fill in the time ( I don't think we are very good cruise people yet).  Later in the day the view got more interesting as we made our way through the passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland.  There has been a promise of possible orca sightings but we have yet to see any.  I have a couple of very blurry Dall's Porpoise photos ( often elusive to cameras and often mistaken for orcas)

 Typical scenery of the Inside Passage

A last dinner in Cascades Dining room before packing our bags for the final stage of our trip

Ketchican and more bears

Coming into Ketchikan you immediately notice the difference in lifestyle.  Most houses have a pontoon - not for their boat but for their float plane.

Today we are going on an excursion with Island Wings to Anan Creek Bear Observatory in the Tongass National Forest.  We met Tim, our guide, near the ship and he took us to the float plane, expertly piloted by Michelle.  We were joined by another couple from another cruise ship - a mother and daughter from Oregon.  Without delay we took off from the runway that is the strait of water outside the office - 1500 take offs and landings a day in the area - only about 6 of which are commercial.

We had a beautiful flight over the rainforest before landing near a beach.  After a short briefing we were off on a short 20min undulating walk to the observatory. As we arrived there was a bear just off the path so the ranger told us to wait while it walked off ( I was glad we had a guide complete with gun just in case).  The observatory is a wooden deck above Anan Creek, a small area of which is undercover.   We had beautiful weather again so no need to use the wet weather gear.  There is also a photo blind that you can sign up for for 30 minute sessions that is down by the river.  There is a limit of 20 permits allowed per day so  I contacted Island Wings on 17 July 2014 to go on their list for a permit to be released in October 2014.  Again, you need to think ahead if you want to do this

The view upstream

We saw half a dozen different bears - many of whom caught salmon.  And there was plenty of salmon ( this pic the best I could do without a filter)

The bears would come very close to the deck but never enough to feel threatened - close enough that you could touch them ( if you were stupid).

The brown post in the top left of picture is our deck

A young gun showing his strength

 Look at those claws

There were lots of eagles hoping for left overs

A juvenile bald eagle

After 2 1/2 hours we had to leave and had another lovely flight back to Ketchikan.

These trees are growing vertically against the sheer cliffs of the Fjords

Our ship from the plane

The only down side to the trip is - you cannot eat for 5 hours which, to a 12 yo is an eternity.  In fact we were all very hungry at the end and got Tim to drop us off at the best hamburger joint in town - Burger Queen - and he was right.  A stroll around town showing how a lot of the area is built up above the water and also how brothels thrived 100 years ago.

Antipasti followed by pork wrapped in prosciutto for dinner and welcomed back to the room by a hanging monkey

The beautiful sunset this evening as we head for our final port of call - Vancouver - after a day of sailing