Adventures of Sailing Vessel Merganser: July 2013

Prior to our going via Holland-America to Alaska, E really wanted to participate in Blaine's Jazz Festival and Camp. So, we registered him. E talked to his Band teacher who gave him some music. E practiced ... then we went to Alaska. We returned on Saturday, and Jazz Camp started Monday evening.

E had a wonderful time, learned tons, met new friends, and blew us away at what he was able to do by the end of the week.

Way to go, E!

Here are some pictures and video links:

Here's a shot prior to an indoor concert at the Performing Arts Center.

Here's a link to the final All Combined Finale "Sing, Sing, Sing" on You Tube, or watch it here.

The last day the entire Jazz Camp played down town in two locations. Here's E with Jazz Band 2 ...

Notice his instructor Mr. D.M. sitting next to him? E learned just as much from Mr. M as from playing next to him, I think.

And E's Jazz Combo IV under the direction of Mr. D.M.

Here's the Link to DM's video recording.

By the way, this video showcases E's first public improv work (minus the little piece in Sing Sing Sing above).

Photos below.

Here's E with his instructor Mr. D.M.

Thanks, Mr. M., it was great to get to know you and we appreciate what you (and all of the Jazz Camp) bring and give to these kids.

About the end of March or early April, L's folks started talking with us about taking a cruise to Alaska via Holland-America cruise ship. Oh course we said "Yes!" but we were a bit nervous about this being an "old people" thing. Nope. Rest assured if you are thinking of taking such a cruise, that it is geared for all age groups with plenty to do. We had a great time. Would we do it again? While we'd like to do it under our own keel, we'd go with Holland America again.

Trip run down: Left on a Sunday afternoon from Vancouver, BC. Arrived back to Vancouver, BC the following Saturday morning. Up the Inside Passage with the first stop at Juneau, Alaska (where it poured! "Just like home," we said as we trudged off to the wonderful museum), then onto Skagway (were we took a bus following the old gold rush trails to Caribou Crossing and Carcross, Yukon and then a train ride back), then it was onto Glacier Bay where we got to see some of the glaciers calve! The next stop was Ketchikan (where we joined them for their 4th of July parade). Then back to Vancouver via the Inside Passage.

Some reflections:
~ What a great - dignified - way to travel
~ Amazing that in one week we did what can often take a Merganser size boat 2-3 weeks to do, one way!
~ A little strange to look outside and not know where we are on the chart! We realized we are really used to navigating!
~ All around awesome experience.

Some pictures follow.

Thanks, Mom and Dad. It was a wonderful time!

Starting from Vancouver
Here we are on the aft Ledo deck as we set sail.

Lion's Gate Bridge
which we pass under at the start of our voyage north.

Mom/Nana with a ship's bench. We were aboard the Zuiderdam.

The kids loved the two pools. One was outside (aft) and one was inside mid-ship (with a polar bear statue).

First "Formal Dinner" on the way up north ...

Juneau in the rain

This is a typical (AMAZING) dinner aboard. The food was out of this world good!

Skagway and our tour via bus then train of the old Klondike Gold Rush Trail to Caribou Crossing, Yukon Terr.

M & I with an Alaskan (Yukon?) Sled Puppy

Then the train ride back down to Skagway ...

Some fun photos of the bed decorating / room service

Glacier Bay ...

No, this isn't a shore plaza, but the bow deck of the ship.

Marjorie Glacier in the midst of calving!

It was great to see humpback whales later, although most of them were too far off for a good picture.

2nd formal dinner night with ...

... Baked Alaska for dessert!

Ketchikan ... (on the 4th of July) and what do you know, no rain. Amazing!

The joke about Ketchikan:
An older couple disembarks from a cruise ship. It's raining. They see a child and ask him how much it rains here. "I don't know. I'm only 6."

Some of the wonderful desserts!

Our two waiters really loved having an inter-generational family at one of their tables. They kept teasing the kids about how many desserts they wanted.