Column - Commentary

October 26, 2022
Wednesday

Ketchikan, Alaska - Dear Auntie Ethylene,

I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how much we are enjoying our cruise to Alaska, the one you suggested we take last year. We were a little concerned about going so late in the year, but you were absolutely right, we saved a ton of money. I can’t believe it but we snagged the seven-day tour for $150, mostly inclusive, and they even upgraded us to a “captains suite” with not one, but two outside windows!

Of course, the weather has been less than optimal, but your suggestion that we bring extra dimenhydrinate pills was a life saver.  I have never slept better than when we bucked into that 110-mile-per-hour hurricane between Juneau and Ketchikan last night. Talk about rock a bye baby, I felt snugger than a seabug in a searug.  Wouldn't have even known about the chancy weather except that the lifeboat outside our window was gone when we woke up. Buddy says they don't make those davits like they used to.

Things are still a little bumpy when we get outside of the ports, but this week there is a special on wine aboard, only $35 a bottle, so both Buddy and I are sleeping just like we were back home in Possum Trot.

Yes, the actual sightseeing has been quite limited but at the same time we aren’t being badgered to sign up for expensive shore excursions and bus rides. You were right, the huge screen “visit” to Misty Fjords that we saw in the Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Theater was way, way, way better than the real thing and we didn’t have to crawl about in one of those danged little floaty planes.

I was concerned that we would miss out on something because the towns we visited are mostly closed this time of year, but you were right that we would get so much more out of our trip if we didn’t have to spend so much time in security lines coming and going from the ship. We didn’t miss not seeing anything in Skagway at all because we had a really good day in the casino. Buddy actually came out $25 ahead when all was said and done.

Choosing the MegaMinnow was great just like you said. The onboard zoo on the Bio Deck certainly made up for not being able to see any wildlife this time of year. The ship had an orca, two eagles. three dolphins and a big a—grizzly on board. The salmon weren't looking so good in their tanks, but I bet they were good eating.

Speaking of which, the food on board the ship is great, they are offering a week of Atlantic salmon recipes that are totally delish. They say that the fish is turbocharged with all sorts of vitamins and minerals and has twice the Omegas of wild salmon which are being wiped out by overfishing. We had a port talk before we got to Ketchikan and it was all about how fish were dying off and that's why we wouldn't see any in the creek when we got here. I remembered you telling us that you came in September one year and all the fish were dead and it really smelled. We sure didn't want to repeat that.

Well, I want to finish this and get it mailed before we leave Ketchikan. This is something we definitely want to do again. I heard from one of the other passengers that the ship is selling cabins on the post-Thanksgiving sailings for $99. One of those baby's is calling our name!

See you soon,

Beauline and Buddy Bodine

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