The pilot came on board at 04.00 hrs. in the morning and we were all looking forward to a nice day in Seward, which near the end of the season is always something one hopes for but not always gets. But it looked good; no wind, clear skies and a starry night. Also the pilot only reported good things about Seward and thus the good ship Statendam proceeded accordingly for what was going to be our last call of the season. You could maybe not see that the season was coming to an end on a day like this but you could feel it. The cold was definitely in the air and later even after the sun had shone for a few hours, it just remained very cold. Continue reading

As expected we got the low swell against us the moment we came in open waters, but the weather chart looked good. At least for the Gulf of Alaska, good for the time of the year and good for our situation. After September 1st the weather here becomes a bit more un-predictable. The first autumn storms are starting to develop in the South West Aleutians and it all depends on how they move to the East for the weather that we will get. Thus far the weather systems roll East with bending to the South East, then head for the coast of Oregon where they produce quite a bit of rain. But it just a matter of time that they will bend to the North East and start following the arched coast line of Alaska until they hit land just outside Glacier Bay. That is the moment that you do not want to be in this area anymore. Continue reading

It looked good when we arrived at the entrance of the bay. The clouds were halfway up the mountain and it was dry with good visibility. We were all confident that we would have a nice day in the upper bay. Behind us was the Carnival Miracle, exactly on schedule, as was the Ranger boat. Thus we could continue our journey without any issue. In general the whale sightings have gone down in the bay, apart from a cluster in the northwest lower bay, west of the steamer track. That means that we can still see the whales but they are not where we normally sail and thus we can go a bit faster. As explained in previous blogs those speeds are regulated by the National Park based on daily sightings. That works out very well as near the end of the season the whales seem to cluster more together. Maybe because there is food there or because they have more time for socializing. But there is always one who does not conform and thus we keep a sharp look out. Continue reading

The company is moving servers at the moment so this post fell out yesterday.

Sometimes you would just want to make an announcement at 05.00 in the morning, if it is a beautiful Alaska day. Especially if it is a perfect Skagway day. As number three of the convoy we arrived at the top of the Lynn Canal at 05.30 This was the moment that the nautical twilight started. The moment that it is still dark but when you can already see the horizon and the contours of the mountains without the need of moonlight. The lights of Skagway were shining brightly up the valley and in front of it there were the two Princess ships maneuvering to go alongside the Skagway Railroad dock. It was simply, very very nice. Continue reading

Due to the distance between Ketchikan and Juneau and the fact that we have a late evening stay, we arrive in Juneau at the decent time of 10am. As there were no low hanging clouds last night I could catch a decent night’s sleep and was ready for an approach by 07.30 hrs. The pilot had once again managed to find his way to Juneau so all was well in the world. The weather forecast had promised a dry day but I was not convinced in the beginning as it looked a bit gloomy and it had rained during the early morning. Wisps of clouds were hanging halfway up the mountains and that was not good either as then the tour flights cannot go. Continue reading

Indeed it was a glorious day in Ketchikan. It did not look like it when we arrived in the early morning, gloomy and overcast. But it was clear, very clear and that indicated a good day. If it is hazy and murky than you know that you are in for more low hanging clouds and showers but if it is very clear then you know that there is no precipitation and things look good. So it did for us. By the time we had docked, the clouds started to break open and by 10 am the skies were blue and the sun bore down on Ketchikan. Not that is was a warm day, the temperatures barely reached 60oF /15oC. But it was a great day for all the cruise guests that swarmed ashore. Continue reading

On the way up again, we followed the same route as we had come down the night before. The slack tide at Seymour Narrows was at 02.00 hrs. in the morning and thus I was on the bridge between midnight and 7 am while we were going through the various narrow patches on this run. Although the whole area was having little wind, the direction of the wind that was there was just having the right angle to blow West to East through Johnstone Strait and that created a funnel effect. Causing the wind to increase from 5 knots to about 21 knots. Unusual but I did not mind as it kept the low clouds away. In the middle of the Strait (near Kelsey Bay and Earl Ledge) the mountain ridges widen a bit, causing the winds to diminish in velocity and promptly the white wall started to build up again. Once the mountains were back in line again, the wind picked up and the white wall lifted. For a cruise ship captain, wind is normally your enemy but sometimes it works in your favor. Continue reading

According to plan we lined up for a 01.00 hrs. passage through the Seymour Narrows. This takes a bit of organizing by the pilots as on a Saturday night, you have cruise ships southbound and cruise ships going northbound. On top of that fishing boats, tugs and tows and if you are unlucky also private yachts. The main thing is that the ships do not pass in the Narrows as it is too small to have room for two ships that are drifting through on the current. Sometimes hours before, the pilots are already in contact trying to figure out what would work best for all parties. Now with modern technology, texting is one of the methods that are being used as well. Continue reading

What I was afraid would happen, did indeed happen. When it is a nice day in Ketchikan, we will pay for it the next day with low hanging clouds. Very dense and very low hanging clouds. Luckily it remained clear during the night and I had an undisturbed sleep, as I knew today was going to be a very long day indeed. Seymour Narrows tide was going to be a late night affair. But by 10 am. it became “a very small world” and the white wall was not further than about 300 feet away from us, and there it remained. Once in a while it teased us a little bit by letting blue sky come through but the moment our hopes went up, the curtain came down again. Such a beautiful day and we did not see anything. Continue reading

In between all this Alaska weather, navigation and inspections there is also still the guest element involved in a captains job, although in Alaska it is on a much more reduced scale. The amount of time needed on and around the bridge, plus the extended port times, do not allow for many activities in that area. Also the need is much less as the majority of the guests see the ship as a convenience to get them there, where they want to go, and are fully focused on what Alaska has to offer. And that is the way it should be. Once we are out of Alaska the focus of the guests will be again more on life on board. The destination might still be a big draw but the sea days around the port days fully focus the guests mind on what the ship has to offer. The social side of the captain’s function then comes much more into play than is now the case. Continue reading