Cruise to Alaska Day 07: Haines

Thank goodness, my photos did not all get deleted! Yay for computer repair shops!

On a side note, if you have an online backup service that you're very happy with, please let me know.

Now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming--I have some eagles and mountains to show you!

Our day in Haines began with, yes, indeed, another breakfast so large that it required a second plate:

And then it was off to adventures!

We actually tendered from the ship on this morning, since the tide was high and the dock was too low.

Tendering is also cool because we also get to ride in a lifeboat! The maximum capacity for tendering in this vessel was 50 fewer people than its maximum capacity as a lifeboat, which means that in case of emergency we'd be packed in, as Will puts it, "like tuna in a Tupperware."

Haines was a VERY sleepy little town, and we did not find many humans other than those from our cruise ship when we went out and about to explore.

Our bus driver, however, did point out this totem pole to us. It's a modern creation, and includes something very relevant both to us and, it seems, to Haines.

It's a tourist! See him getting off of a boat, with a camera around his neck, and his blue jeans and his shirt with "ALASKA" on it? That's basically me, although my shirt had a squid on it.

Our organized excursion was a raft float through an eagle preserve with Chilkat Guides. We were required to wear not only life jackets, but also those knee-high boots. Doesn't Matt look cute?

Remember how I'm kind of afraid of the water? Wonder why all of our excursions took place on the water? Me, too! I thought that I was about to die most of the time, but the fact that I didn't was probably good for me.

And we. Saw. EAGLES!!!!!!11!!!!!!!

And pretty scenery.

Sometimes with eagles.

I was the first one to spot this eagle's nest.

We didn't visit the Hammer Museum, but we nevertheless heard all about it, as people were STILL talking about this decade-old trademark dispute.  We also didn't buy the autographed books that our tour guide had written and was selling, but they're weird enough that I'm going to inter-library loan them. And we visited this really cool handmade knife shop, but I did not buy Will a souvenir, because I am mean and I had just bought her a big dagger for her birthday.