Adventures in Alaska II

Back in early February 2020, I booked flight arrangements to Juneau, AK to visit my sister and brother-in-law. We had been talking about this trip since late December. Who would have thought just a few weeks later COVID-19 would hit and our plans would be in limbo for the following seven months. From registering a quarantine plan with the state of Alaska, to COVID testing within a narrow window of time and getting negative results late the night before we were to fly out, to say the prep for this trip was stressful is an understatement. Requirements to enter Alaska were changing, it seemed, weekly. I was thinking we were going to have to put the trip on hold. I had already checked us in for our flight and when the lab email came through at 8:25PM, I was scared to open it. We have been very careful throughout the pandemic and had zero symptoms, but until I saw that big Negative, I was a nervous wreck. We could now move forward and enjoy our trip.
 

Our week in Juneau, AK started out on a gray note but ended with the sun shining from time to time. This was the most time I've spent outdoors in the rain and I enjoyed every minute of it. This visit was totally different from our previous trip but one we look forward to repeating in the future. Between the four of us, we caught 18 Silver (Coho) salmon (not including the ones that got away), a 32lb. Halibut and a bunch of Alaskan flounder. We will have a lot of good meals coming up!

 

Check out some of the highlights!

Day 1: Rainy, misty, foggy, cloudy. Mendenhall Glacier was totally grey. It was still beautiful.

This is a statue!! We didn't see any whales this time. They waited until the day we flew home to hang out in the channel.

The Treadwell Mine's salt water Pump House on Sandy Beach. Dawn and I walked out during a minus tide to catch some shots. 

  These two eagles didn't seem to be bothered by us showing up.

 

Sandy Beach was full of barnacle-covered metal and remnants of the wharf.

 

We loved the visit to the State Museum. Alaska's heritage is so rich and it offers so many resources we don't think about in the lower 48. 

I especially enjoyed seeing all the cultural artifacts.

These baskets reflect some of the finest weaving I have ever seen in my life.

 We finally got a smidge of sunlight and saw a little blue.

 

I  had no idea porcupines climbed trees! He soon showed us his back side.

 

 

The rain didn't slow us down one bit! We fished every single day while the salmon were running. 

Andy caught this 32 lb. Halibut in 82 feet of water. It look three attempts to get this hoss on board.
 

My sister with one of many flounder we reeled in.

 

 Don is the fileting king!

After watching a bear catch salmon in a stream, we headed to Auke Bay for a day on the water on  Carly and Adam's boat.

We can't wait to go back again!