The ship's name says it all: Wilderness Discoverer. Our seven-day cruise on this Glacier Bay ship was all about discovering Alaska's magical landscape and wildlife.

It was a medium-level adventure cruise and offered the best of both worlds -- adventure activities and port visits blended into a flexible itinerary that gave wildlife viewing top priority. Activities of hiking and
kayaking were available to the adventurous soul of any age or ability level.

In fact, everyone on our ship took a turn kayaking -- some for the very first time.

Glacier Bay Cruise Line is the only Native-owned cruise line operating in Alaska, and this Native insight gives an experience and perspective that few others will know. The Tlingit are not Eskimos or Indians  they are Tlingit. There are other native people in Alaska as well. It was good to learn about their unique culture.

We were fortunate to have a Tlingit naturalist, named Ka Hook, among our crew. Ka Hook shared many in-depth stories about growing up in Southeast Alaska and what it means to be a Tlingit. One of the customs he shared with us was the Tlingit expression for enthusiastic exuberance. He said we would need it for the week ahead. It goes like this: when you see something incredible, raise both arms up in
front of you and say "WHEEEEEE."  Throughout the week, the wild Alaskan frontier set the stage for many of us otherwise stoic Americans from the "lower-48" to raise our arms and yell "WHEEEEEE."

On this wilderness cruise, what you see is what you get. As we explored Alaska's least-traveled waterways, guided by Native insight and nature's spontaneous schedule, we knew one thing for sure ... what we got was lucky.

THE GLACIERS

If you want not only to see active glaciers, but also to experience them, you've picked the right cruise line. The first morning we awoke at 6:30 and went outside to catch a glimpse of the sunrise as we cruised up Stephen's Passage to Tracy Arm Fjord. A temperate rainforest of 120-foot  spruce trees
lined the glacial-carved valley and we caught our first sights of wildlife -- mountain goats and American bald eagles. We noticed the water turn a milky emerald green as we neared South Sawyer Glacier. The silt clouding the water was evidence of thousands of years of glacial erosion. We were thrilled to see our first iceberg! Little did we know what huge mountains of ice we were about to encounter.

The temperature started to drop noticeably and the wind picked up speed as Sawyer Glacier came into view. Hundreds of harbor seals dotted the icebergs. Not the most active of Alaskan critters, these cute creatures looked like frozen seal sausages. One baby harbor seal looked up at us from a nearby iceberg as we passed. He seemed to wave his little flipper as the official greeter of Sawyer Glacier.

We kept wondering how much closer to the glacier we could get. We could hear the ice scraping the sides of the ship as our captain navigated in a serpentine fashion around huge chunks of ice. Finally, he cut the engines and all passengers and crew sat in silent meditation, in awe of the huge deep blue beauty that stood before us. The wind was really whipping through the glacier. Although it made for a hat, glove and Gore-Tex occasion, the naturalists explained that wind is the primary cause of glacial calving. The wind kept its promise and gave us an amazing "ooo-aaah" show. At one point, a huge wall of ice gave way in a massive calving. It was then that we realized that calving is not only a visual experience, but an auditory experience as well. As the ice broke, sharp rifle cracks pierced the silence. Then a deep rolling, rumbling voice -- named "white thunder" by the Tlingits -- enveloped the valley as the five-story ice mountain plunged into the water. The calving created a huge wave that rolled slowly through the milky water, lifting up our ship, then crashing onto the shoreline. One lucky passenger caught this tremendous event on video, which we later hooked up to the lounge TV monitor to watch again and again. We knew it was one of the most spectacular natural events any of us had every experienced. Even the crew and captain said they had never seen such a massive calving. We were lucky. WHEEEEEE!

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

As we hunkered down for our second night aboard the ship, our jet-lagged bodies were awakened to an announcement that the northern lights were putting on a show on the upper deck. I put on my glasses and stumbled outside to see a single green ribbon glowing across the clear night sky. We stood and watched, stood and watched. and I thought I was getting a case of "Aurora Borealis whiplash" staring straight up into the sky like that. But the intense anticipation of some great dance kept us all transfixed in this most uncomfortable posture. Then, as if awaiting the downbeat from an orchestral conductor in the sky, the dance began. At first, the sea foam green ribbon began to pulsate, then sent out a few more soft green ribbons, like water trickling in rampant trails through the sky. We heard a crew  member whisper, "It's intensifying ... it's intensifying." As the pulse of  the light show quickened, so did the pulse of every person on the deck.

Then, the dance of northern lights increased its tempo, streaming out new colors of pink, coral and gold -- all in the same pastel hue of the original green ribbon. Suddenly, the sky broke open right over our heads, showering us with rainbow-colored streams of light as if angel wings were spreading down over us, enfolding us in one climactic moment of beauty. There was laughter, tears of joy and much jubilation. Like a spontaneous nature revival, we were again re-awakened to the power and beauty of all that is wonderful and magical about this wild world we share. The crew decided jokingly that we should just turn around and go home now, because it couldn't get any better than this. Once again, we knew we were lucky. WHEEEEEE !

THE WHALES

The next day, we awoke to whale watching in Lynn Canal, en route to Skagway. Glacier Bay Cruises has three types of cruises based on whether activity is  strenuous or mild. On this medium-level cruise, all whale watching is  observed from the ship's deck, not from the kayaks. And as we saw the first pod of these magnificent 40-ton creatures, we suddenly felt very small, and thankful to have our feet firmly planted on the ship's deck.

The pod of humpbacks seemed to vie for our attention with a choreographed water ballet of lobtailing, peck slapping and sounding. We motored past a large cruise liner for an up close and personal look. The captain took us to a perfect vantage point and cut the engines, offering us time to view and photograph Alaska's most marvelous creatures. The captain stayed as long as the humpbacks were willing to play. We were breathless as we saw a telltale circle of bubbles -- a technique humpbacks use for feeding called "lunge feeding." A moment later, several humpbacks burst to the surface, mouths
open. Amazing.

At one point, the pod swam so close to the ship we could smell their breath as they emerged from the depths and blew 20-foot columns of mist into the air. One of the juvenile humpbacks couldn't contain his
enthusiasm and performed numerous acrobatic breaches, slamming back into the water with a mighty splash. The enthusiasm was contagious, as we all stood, perched with our cameras hoping for that perfect shot. Even if you missed a shot, it didn't matter. No one could forget the raw beauty and sense of wonder the whales inspired in us that morning and many other days throughout the cruise. Once again. we were lucky! WHEEEEEE!

KAYAKING

The kayaking excursions are available to people of all ages, sizes and ability levels. The two-person kayaks are designed for safety and stability. In fact, they feel much more stable than a canoe. The ship's unique floating launch platform makes it easy for anyone to get in and out of the kayak. You simply step onto the platform and climb into the kayak. From there, a crew member gives your kayak a gentle push into the water and you're off to explore the sights.

The kayaking excursions were in interesting coves and inlets where the water was like glass and teaming with marine life -- salmon, sea otters, harbor seals, many species of birds; and on the shore we could see brown bears fishing for salmon.

The most memorable kayaking experience was among the cathedral peaks of Takatz Bay. After four days of clear blue skies, this was our first experience of weather considered normal for southeast Alaska: rain. (Generally, there is an 80 percent chance of rain in southeast Alaska, so be prepared!) Despite the weather, we paddled in the quiet splendor of Alaskan mist and a light rain. The rain could not spoil the wonder of exploring Alaska; it only gave us a new perspective on its beauty. We were very lucky. WHEEEEEE!

We also saw several Alaska towns, departing from Juneau (a great restaurant in Juneau is the Fiddlehead Restaurant) and visiting Skagway (we took the train through the mountains) and Sitka (much Russian culture). But it was the wilderness we enjoyed most, seeing the real Alaska up close and wild. Exploring Southeast Alaska on the Wilderness Discoverer, we got to know Alaska as few ever do.

Since the cruises are guided by nature's impromptu schedules, no two cruises will ever be alike. But if your dream is to encounter wildlife close up in their natural habitat, one thing is for sure, you will get lucky! WHEEEEEE!

                                                          -- Report by Robin and Bob Linde



What We Wish We Knew Before We Went:

1. It will rain, bring rain gear.

2. Even in summer it can be cold; dress in layers, bring a hat, gloves, and
   scarf.

3. The whitewater rafting is okay for all ages and abilities (class 1-2-3
   depending on rainfall), and it starts at 8 AM in the lobby of the hotel the
   first day before boarding.

4. Everything you need for rafting and kayaking is provided.

5. Bring lots of film; a telephoto/zoom lens is recommended.

6. Bring binoculars if you can (the boat has some also that you can borrow).

7. Book as late a flight home as possible to take advantage of the shore
   excursion available at the end of the cruise.

8. Choose to hike at port stops to take advantage of more vigorous exercise.

9. The best shopping for gifts was in Sitka, pretty good in Juneau as well.

10. There is an informal Captains dinner, but blue jeans are ok, not a
    jacket to be seen anywhere.

Click here to see more photos.