Brown Bears and Bubblegum Alleys

Melissa at Craft Cruises put together a great itinerary for our outstanding bunch.  Just back from our Alaska Cruise, I can easily say I’d love to do another some time.

We were joined by knitters from Massachusetts, Maryland, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, New York, Michigan, British Columbia, New Zealand and more.  Our group was made up of about forty knitters, plus some of their most charming non-knitting friends and family.  Students ranged from beginner to expert, and I wish to thank and congratulate all of them for being so game to try some new things, and so patient when reviewing.

Knitters gathered for class and for evening knitting time when we wished.  We also enjoyed the sit-down dinner time to get to know each other.  Excuse me for not having more photos of knitters, but I am usually more comfy pointing the camera at a scene.

So let me share some.  While the ship sailed northward to Glacier Bay, we had two days for classes before reaching Glacier Bay National Park:

Charley and I are on the bow deck:

A close-up of the unusual blue color of the glacier.  This is the Johns Hopkins Glacier.

Our first port was Juneau, where we selected a kayak tour for our shore excursion.  We paddled right over and amongst so many salmon that the water appeared to be boiling.

In Sitka, before our organized tour, Sian and I made our way over to the Bishop’s House, part of the Park system now, but formerly the residence of the Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church.  Here are Sian and Kim, one of our patient herders.

And some of the interior at the Bishop’s house:

Then we had a knitting group fiber tour.  I did not take photos of our group leader Bobbie Daniels in her Raven Frog Fiber studio, but I did snap some when she took us to the Fortress of the Bear, a facility that cares for orphaned cubs destined for zoos.  This is the high school senior portrait pose.

This one, I swear, is just a guy wearing a bear suit.

In Ketchikan, a couple of hardy knitters joined me and Charley to go snorkeling.  The thick wetsuit, beside making you feel like a tube of toothpaste the way your face get squished out the top of the mask, keeps you toasty warm.  This is recently-engaged Shelby on the left, and Jill on the right.

There were more classes, and many chances to visit yarn shops.  Our last stop was an evening visit to Victoria.

There Jared and I were elated to discover two shops loaded with authentic Cowichan sweaters.  Charley should have taken this one home.

Once it was all over and we said our goodbyes, we had one day to kill in Seattle where we found the bubblegum alley near Pike Street Market, then joined Jeny Staiman (of bind off fame) and her daughter for lunch and a quick yarn shop hop.

The scenes were great, but the people made the trip.  Thanks, Melissa, and thanks, Kim and Karen for managing all of us straying sheep all week.  Knitters, you were all wonderful.

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