We took the cars to the terminal, checked them in and then walked back in to town to have breakfast. We struck lucky with a small café off the main street, the Corner café. We had a great breakfast in friendly surroundings.
On the way back to the cars we passed this bench with one of our grandson's name on it!
We walked back to the terminal and in half an hour we were boarded. This time the ferry was called the Matanuska, named after a glacier.Boarding the ferry behind Bob.
Once again we marvelled, as well as were horrified, by the obscene size of the cruise liners. Four more had docked overnight! We could even see the giant TV screens on the top decks showing movies. What a way to see the world!
Leaving Skagway.
As soon as we had arrived at Haines we drove about five miles to the state park at Chilkat Lake. We drove along the Chilkat River where fishermen were catching salmon.
We then saw several cars parked by the side of the road and across the river we saw our first grizzly!! We learnt from a park ranger that this was a five year old female that they were tracking using a GPS collar to find out where the bear went during the winter. We watched it climb out of the river and then jump back in again. It was a great moment for us all and definitely a highlight of the trip.
We decided to leave the park as we were told it was unlikely more bears would come down to the river until the evening. Almost immediately Bob, who was leading, pulled up and there flying from the shore up into a tree by the road was a magnificent bald eagle. It was only a few feet above us and we were able to take some great photos of it. Another highlight!!
Our drive then took us through Haines, a town of about 600 people. Leaving Haines we drove along the Haines Highway to the Canadian boarder, about 40 miles along the highway.
The Canadian customs house.
We exited the US and crossed back into Canada with no trouble at all. Shortly after we stopped at a lay-by and Thelma road ‘bear-back’ on this marble statue of a grizzly!
The drive now became quite spectacular as we rose up on the edge of the Elias Mountain range and in the Kluane National park. The scenery was truly stunning. We stopped near the top of the first pass and took some photos. Again, I hope they show how beautiful the scenery was.
After about forty miles from the border, we crossed the provincial border from British Columbia to Yukon. The Yukon! The home of the Klondike and all that it conjures up about the gold rush era.
Our drive to Haines Junction, our overnight stop, was about 170 miles in total. We arrived at our hotel, the Alcan Motor Inn, at about 6pm. Haines Junction is a small town of 600 people located at the junction of the Haines and Alaskan Highways.
We checked in and had a drink in a local bar and then decided to eat at the Raven Hotel. This turned out to be one of the surprises of the tour. We had a gourmet meal of the highest quality. It was totally unexpected in such an out of the way place. Our chef, Victor Bongo, signed copies of his cookery book which we both bought. If anyone reading this ever gets to Haines Junction you MUST have a meal at the Raven.
The Raven Hotel with the mountains behind.
Trucks turning at the junction in Haines.
It has been another memorable day for us all.Tomorrow we drive a further 200 miles to Beaver Creek, just short of the USA border. The day after we re-enter Alaska for the drive up to the Beaufort Sea at Prudhoe Bay, the furthest point north of the tour.
Very impressive! Mia jealous of whale and bear spotting. I will show Joel his bench. Not kind of mum to refer to you as a bald eagle though... All good here. Pool heated to 110 degrees. Hope that is ok? M
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