June 24 Skagway is so beautiful

We arrived this afternoon in Skagway via the M/V Fairweather, the new fast catamaran ferry run by the State of Alaska. It took just 3 hours to get here up Lynn Canal. The vessel was traveling at 43 knots...compared to our normal Old Bro cruising speed of 8 knots that means we got here in 1/5 the time it would have taken us to cruise here...AND that does not include the extra time I would have taken ploting it out and then wringing our hands over the potential conditions one can encounter in this passage. But of course the water was smooth as glass and beautiful instead of the 10 foot standing waves than one can encounter on a difficult day there.

The scenery is breathtaking. I know now why they call this a "little Switzerland". The snowcapped mountains are all around us and the waterfalls and glaciers we viewed on the ferry trip were inspiring. We met some nice people from Arkansas and visited with them on the ferry ride. Also while waiting for the ferry, Gary spent over an hour visiting with a young commercial photographer from Belgium. The young man who sold me a train ticket here in town today was from Forest Grove, Oregon. What a small world and so many interesting people to meet.

This is a deep water harbor so the cruise ships dock here but not in the numbers that we have encountered in Juneau and Ketchikan. What a racket, the cruise ship companies own a number of the local gift shops and "double dip" so to speak. Local merchants post signs in their windows...this business owned by native Alaskan residents...can't blame them.

Tonight we walked around before stopping for dinner and then visited the local ATM machine to replenish our wallets. It is expensive here but we are really enjoying ourselves.

Tomorrow we are going on the famous small gauge train ride up to the mountain summit above here. It will be a 3 hour trip and has been highly recommended as a "Must See" adventure.

We are staying two nights here in Skagway before we take the catamaran ferry back to Juneau. Our tug is just tied up in Juneau taking a rest while we are away.

Hope all is well for everyone at home.

Gary & Linda