DAY 3: Pavlof Harbour & Wachusett Cove
We woke up to a sunny morning and once again joined the morning stretch class, readying our bodies for a full day of adventure.
Breakfast was served promptly at 7:30 a.m. This time, we had a choice of an English breakfast or an omelette. Each morning, just before breakfast ended, the chef came out to tell us about the food offerings for lunch and dinner. Then the wait staff took our lunch and dinner orders. You could change your mind later, but they wanted to get an idea of approximately how many items of a particular dish to prepare.
Then everyone headed off on their excursions. We’d chosen our activities the day before. On the bulletin board outside the lounge, the sign-up sheets were posted, telling us which activity we were doing and at what time. My daughter and I signed up for the Kayak 101 course.
A guide spent some time on board showing us how to operate a kayak. Then we zipped up our life vest and hit the water. The guide went with our group of kayaking newbies. Our guide showed us tricks for using the rudder, how to properly paddle, and how to turn around quickly. We also learned that communication is a big part of a 2-person kayaking adventure.
We got back on the ship just before lunch. We’d worked up an appetite from our kayaking, and we wanted to carb-up before our afternoon bushwhack. Our lunch choices included chicken parmesan or eggplant parmesan with a carrot cake cupcake for dessert.
At the pleading of my daughter, we’d signed up to do a bushwhack which is an intense hike that’s off the trail. I was less enthusiastic about this excursion. We’d been warned to expect to be wading, trudging, and perhaps crawling through the forest. It was a warm and sunny day, so we wore t-shirts with our waterproof pants and rubber boots. A skiff delivered us from the ship to the shore. We waded through tall grasses, walked between old ferns, crossed fallen logs, and traipsed through a bog. We got wet, sweaty, and dirty – which was exactly the goal!
KidTripster Tip: You might find it stressful to pack for an Alaskan cruise. Be sure to check out the UnCruise packing list. You’ll want to have layers with you. The temperatures can vary depending on your location, and the weather also can change quickly. You may get a soaking rain and then see the sun a few minutes later. Light, waterproof layers are easy to pack and easy to take on and off as needed. You’ll be wearing rubber boots for most of your onshore excursions. You can pack your own or borrow a pair on the ship. Note: the ship doesn’t stock youth sizes, so you’ll need to pack a pair for your kids. You also can leave your binoculars, water bottle, sunscreen, and insect repellent at home. All of these items are available for use on the ship. If you forget something, there are a few items available for purchase on the ship, like rain clothing, fleece jackets, t-shirts, and hats. There’s no laundry service available, so pack accordingly. Attire on board the ship is extremely casual. You can pretty much wear what you wore on a hike to the dinner table.
Back at the ship, we had time to clean up and take a nap before dinner. Dinner was a choice of duck or halibut plus a vegetarian option.
After dinner, one of the guides gave an informative talk about the landscape of Southeast Alaska. As interesting as her talk was, it was interrupted several times by something more interesting; whales! We took several breaks to view humpback whales swimming around and under the ship. (It was late July in Alaska which meant we had about 17 hours of daylight for wildlife watching. It wasn’t dark until after 10 p.m.)
