The Boyce Buzz: The land of the Midnight Sun!

July 25th - August 1st 2010

Trip of a life time, Cruising to Alaska!

We boarded the Sapphire Princess in Seattle, Washington.

Dinner for 12 Every night!

KETCHIKAN

The salmon run had to be my favorite sight to see. I couldn’t believe my eyes. As we gradually walked up Salmon Street there was a little stream filled with salmon. These huge beautiful fish were making their way back to their birth places to lay their eggs. Now this wasn’t an easy feat. The stream as did the walk ascended gradually. I don’t know if you have ever tried to swim up hill let alone swim against the current, but these fish worked so hard to lunge their bodies forward. In some areas there was white water rapids and they were just jumping out of the water thrusting themselves forward to get up the stream past the boulders and rocks in the way. In some areas where it was really tough there were these salmon ladders which if the salmon were lucky enough to find the opening they could swim up these levels gradually without as much struggle. Anyway mind you they were determined to reach their birth place and lay their eggs. When and if they made it to the top the water was smooth, clean, clear, and sparkling in the sun light they could easily lay their eggs and find rest. Many of the fish were so tired by the time they reached the top that they simply died of exhaustion. Along the way at the top there were signs that said, “No snagging.” The fish are so tired when they reach the top that they are gasping for every breath. Fishermen will come along and can cast and just hook them with little or no effort this practice is called snagging. It is hardly a sport at this point in the poor salmon’s life. They have come to lay their eggs and most die. Remains of salmon lay open on the rocks all around.
As we watched this and pondered the life cycle of these magnificent creatures we couldn’t help but to compare them to our own earthy existence. They are born swim out into the waters enjoy a few years in the ocean then try to find their way home. It is through much struggle and turmoil that they finally reach their resting place. Some of them are lucky enough to find the salmon ladders that are provided to make their journey a little easier if they find it and decide to use it. The ladders are more confining and have boundaries but if they choose to take it, it makes the way easier. We too are born into this earthly existence and as we go through this life we experience happiness joy, disappointment, sadness, and hard times and trials. But we must remember what our goal is; to return to live with our Heavenly Father in His rest. Christ has said “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” All these experiences are “for our good.” Heavenly Father has provided a “Ladder” for us if we choose to take it. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By taking this ladder we can be strengthened and guided as we find our way. Our journey will not be perfect and we may still be “snagged” by the adversary. But it is through the atonement of His Son Jesus Christ that we can be made whole again and find rest in His presence.

SCENIC CRUSING: Tracy Arm and Tracy Fjord

We were detained for several hours just outside of the Juneau port. Apparently during the night our ship had a run in with a hump back whale. A dead female hump back whale was found on the bulbous part of the front end of our ship. It was believed to have been already dead and floated up and got lodged onto the ship. The Port of entry would not let us dock with it on the ship. So we had to wait while the coast guard worked to dislodge the whale. They couldn’t get it released so they had to have a tug boat come and pull it off and tug it onto a near by beach so they could investigate the cause of death further. It was quite an event but saddening. Here is a picture of the tug boat tugging the large whale.

JUNEAU wildlife & Mendenhall Glacier

Whale Watching Excursion

Juneau was the port of wild life. Deceased whale, brown bears, bald eagles and the great hump back whale watching excursion. We were so lucky to see what is called bubble net feeding. A group of 6-8 whales get together and work together to feed on herring. A couple of the whales dive down under the water blowing bubbles our of their blow hole. This makes the herring confused so they form a tight ball. Then a couple more whales dive down and they flash their fins in and out showing black then white. This confuseds the herring even more so they form even a tighter ball. Then the last whale dives down and gives the signal by singing this eerie whale song. The tour guides put a microphone down in the water so we could hear it. Then all at once the whales open their mouths and swim to the surface feeding on the herring. The inside of their mouths are black so the herring swim down in to it thinking they are swimming deeper into the ocean. It was so amazing to see eight hump back whales all break the surface at one time. There were also seagulls which had a “birds eye view” of the every thing that was going on underneath the water. You could tell where the whales were going to crest the water by where the seagulls were circling. You could also tell when by watching when they seagulls flew down to the water. They fed on any leftovers fish spilling out of the whale’s mouths. The tour guides said that this feeding technique is a fairly new behavior and is a learned behavior. They learn this feeding technique from their mother’s. Each whale takes on one particular job and it remains their job forever. Not all hump back whales practice this method of feeding. As a matter of fact if they fed individually they would get more fish then they do with bubble net feeding method. It was amazing to witness.

SKAGWAY