Our next port stop was in Juneau, the capital of Alaska, pop 31,275. Juneau lies along the Gastineau Channel at the foot of the snow covered Mount Roberts and Mount Juneau. The mountains give a natural protection against cold winds giving Juneau a milder climate, but also isolates Juneau from the rest of Alaska. The only way to reach Juneau is by ship or plane. It was named the capital in 1906.
In 1880, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris discovered gold in this area which started the first gold rush in Alaska. Juneau and Harris laid claim to the area which they named Gold Creek. They built a town along the banks and in 1881 gold miners voted to name the town Juneau.
From our balcony on the ship we could see the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway which is a five minute ride to the 1,800 foot level of Mount Roberts. We didn’t ride the tram because we really didn’t have time and it wasn’t a clear day so the view from the top wouldn’t have been very good.
On the way to the boat we past a field of Eagles, we could not believe we were seeing that many Eagles at one time in one area. They appeared to be drying their feathers in the morning sun.
While in Juneau we went on another whale watching excursion along the Gastineau Channel of the Inside Passage. Remember the rough ride on the Haines excursion? This ride was as smooth as silk. Everyone could comfortably walk around and no fear of seasickness. We were so excited to see several humpback whales, including some breaching. They are really quick and so hard to catch on camera. But Bill and Beth were hard at work getting these great pictures!
We also saw bald eagles, more harbor seals and those lazy sea lions enjoying their day. What a life!
After out boat excursion we went by bus to the Mendenhall Glacier and Visitors Center. The glacier is 13 miles long and 1.5 miles wide at its widest point and is fed by the 1,500 square mile Juneau Icefield. It is one of 38 large glaciers that flow from the Icefield.
Nearby is the lovely Nugget Creek Falls. We really wished we had more time here but we were limited to one hour.
When we returned from our excursion Bill and I grabbed some lunch in town and walked up to the state capitol building. All uphill I might add! Of course we had to continue our goal of touring every state capitol building. There is a running joke among Alaskans about how ugly their state capitol building is and they joke it is the 50th prettiest capitol building in the country. Well, they are right. Unlike other capitol buildings, it did not have a guided tour and had one of the most unfriendly and indifferent greeters at the information desk we have ever encountered. We picked up a self guided tour brochure and walked around. Very little to see. The building was constructed in 1931 and underwent a $36 million dollar renovation in 2017. Outside the building across the street is a statue of William Seward, former secretary of state under presidents Lincoln and Johnson. Seward played a large role in purchasing Alaska from Russia.
Walking back towards the ship we found a couple of geocaches.
Another great day in Alaska!