Day 8 - Hoonah

Our luck ran out at Hoonah as far as the weather goes...we finally got some true Alaska weather...cloudy, colder and drizzling.  Worked out for me though as this was my kayak day.  Had the weather held I would have been boiling and sunburned.

I kept thinking I had been to Hoonah on my 70's trip on the Alaska Marine Hwy Ferry with Karen.  But as we pulled into port it did not look familiar at all.  Finally figured out by looking at a map that it was Angoon in the 70's, so Hoonah was an entirely new experience.

Jane and I were departing on our separate shore excursions about the same time so we traveled into port via the tender together.  We did a little looking around and then went our separate ways.

This was a kayaking day for me so my day started at this little barn.  My Sierra Club buddies would have a heart attack with this operation as our two guides provided no safety instruction or any instruction of any kind.  I have kayaked before but was severely handicapped by a partner (2-person kayak) who did not speak any English!!!  And, within a few seconds I knew he had never been in a kayak before.  It was more than a little frustrating!!!

Our highlight of the tour was spotting a humpback whale.  I spotted the spray quite a ways off and we paddled toward the guy but not too close...per guidelines.  This guy hugged the shore and actually went into the village harbor.  We finally left him in peace and headed off in a different direction.

Not much else happened with the kayak tour.  It was very nice to be on the water and get the exercise.  The guides were again knowlegeable and more than willing to answer our questions.

I waited a little while for Jane to return from her tour.  Then we found this photo op and each took turns posing with our favorite ship!!  Around the corner from there we had a perfect view of the longest and highest zip line in North America.   Taller than the Empire State Building and I forget how long....but very long!!!  It took 45 minutes to be bussed to the top and 90 seconds to zip down!!!  Was a hoot watching folks come screaming in!!!!

We took a shuttle from the pier into the village of Hoonan.  Most memorable was the Bald Eagle sitting in a tree behind the Presbyterian Church and 200' further down the road the nest that was easily in sight.  After that it was time to tender back to the ship for our departure.

Late in the day the weather cleared again and we were back to our charmed weather.