Mr. Chuck West was the pioneer and founder of Alaska’s
tourism trade. He started out as a bush pilot and in 1946, he started to take
people on tours, and eventually the business evolved into four segments of
tourism which included cruising. Mr. West’s umbrella company, Westours, worked
in conjunction with Holland America Cruise Line. When they bought him out, he
then started another company, Alaska Sightseeing Tours/Cruise West. I’ve had
the pleasure and honor of meeting Mr. West. He goes down to the pier to see the
ships come in and to see them off when they arrive and depart from Seattle. One
of the ships, the "Spirit of ‘98", was featured in the movie
"Wyatt Earp" with Kevin Costner. It was toward the end of the movie
when he was going to Alaska with his wife, Josie.
My husband and I got the opportunity to take a cruise to Alaska on the
"Spirit of ‘98" owned by Alaska Sightseeing Tours/Cruise West and we
were so moved by the beauty and wildlife of Alaska that we continue to feel
compelled to share that experience with others.
We saw so many different kinds of wildlife; Orca (Killer) Whales, Black Bear,
Sitka Black tailed deer, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Harbor Seals, Dall’s Porpoise,
Mountain Goats, Humpback Whales (less than 20 feet off our bow), and the most
awe-inspiring, Bald Eagles.
The Raptor Center in Sitka cares for, rehabilitates, and releases, if
possible, wounded Birds of Prey back into the wild. There is one bald eagle (his
name is Buddy) that can’t be released. His caregiver will bring him into the
Center, so that people can learn more about Raptors and see them up close.
Eagles are extremely large birds. They stand approximately 3 feet tall and have
a wingspan of about 4 feet. Just to be able to stand less than 2 feet from such
an immense, magnificent, and majestic bird is almost beyond words.
There are many cruise lines that go to Alaska, granted, some are less
expensive than others. The majority of these cruise about a mile away from land,
and offer the regular amenities of a large ship, such as casino’s, gyms, etc.
But only a few, offer the chance to touch nature by cruising close to shore and
into the places the big ships can’t get into. It is one thing to cruise a
large ship in the Caribbean, but it’s a whole different world in Alaska. Our
shipmates agreed, we wouldn’t have traded the experience for anything, it was
money well spent. The cost is slightly higher than the bigger ships, but the
value was immeasurable.
For example, our captain brought the bow of the ship over the bank so we
could snip cuttings from boughs of trees, because we had a horticulturist on
board. Another time, we were only about a half a mile away from Laconte and
Sawyer glaciers. They are the most unbelievable color of blue because of the
density. They are about the color of a Blue Topaz. To watch and hear them when
they calve (break off), it sounds like an explosion, and was just incredible.
I can still remember the smell and the sheer serenity of Misty Fjord. It was
5:00 AM on a Sunday morning, and my husband came in to our stateroom to wake me
up. I walked outside and the first things that hit me, was the heavy scent of
pine trees and the bald eagle that flew about 30 feet overhead. I realized we
were in this very narrow gorge and the trees were literally growing out of the
rock. We walked up to the front of the ship and at that time our captain
(Captain Dave), turned off the engine so we could really take in the serenity of
the moment in peace. At that moment, all we could hear was silence and then the
occasional " bloop" of a harbor seal disappearing under the water
every so often to catch his breakfast. The cloud mist was hanging low. It was
such a moving spiritual experience, that I felt it was better than any cathedral
could ever be, because it was in God’s country, Nature. After about 30 minutes
we left that particular cove, and as we looked back, we saw a beautiful Kodak
moment. The mist was hanging in the gorge and above the mist rose an escarpment
about 1,000 yards tall. The sun was shining on the rock. It was amazing.
A few days later we were in Frederick Sound looking for humpback whales.
Well, we found them. I was standing at the bow, when a humpback surfaced not 20
feet off our bow. The whale blew the spray out of its blowhole, and the mist hit
our faces. It was so incredibly awesome to be so close to such an enormous
animal, and to be able touch nature like that. Then, about 10 minutes later,
there was another whale, it breached (came up out of the water, and fell back in
sideways) about 60 feet off our Port (Left) side. It’s one thing to see things
like that on PBS or the Discovery or Learning Channels, but it’s a totally
awesome thing to see it up close and to actually be a part of it.
Alaska Sightseeing/Cruise West’s vision statement and ideals regarding
respect for nature is reflected in their brochure.
The ships are small and intimate; everyone gets to know everyone else. The
cabins have outside access, which means that when you walk out of your cabin,
you walk directly outside. The cruise is quiet and relaxing, giving ample time
to contemplate nature by just watching the scenery going by, studying the
wildlife, or learning about the history of the region. All of us on board lived
with both our binoculars and camera’s around our necks from as soon as we got
up in the morning, until we went to bed at night. We never knew what we would
see next, and we all wanted to be prepared. Also, the bridge has an open door
policy, so that any passenger could go up and chat with the captain, tour the
bridge, or just sit and watch them do their work, which is fascinating in
itself. Personally, I would never, in good conscience, go on a large ship to see
Alaska. The real treat is to see it up close and to be able to touch it.
DON’T JUST SEE ALASKA, EXPERIENCE IT! IT WILL BE EVERYTHING YOU’VE
DREAMED OF, IMAGINED, AND MORE!!!
