Alaska Cruise 1996 

 I had the pleasure of being invited on an Alaska Cruise to celebrate Kirk and Lynne Harris's 25th Wedding
Anniversary in 1996. The trip started with a flight from Los Angeles to Anchorage on  Monday August 26
where all 22 friends and family were bused to Seward to board the cruise ship Star Princess.
To see my photos click  Here to start or on the pages at the bottom of this page.

MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1996 - SEWARD
Star Princess departed Seward at 9:30 pm with two Southwestern Alaskan Pilots onboard. We then made our way down
Resurrection Bay and rounded Rugged island towards Montague Strait.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 1996 - COLLEGE FJORD
During the night, we sailed through Knight Island Passage and Ferry Passage. At 8:30 am, we were off Coghill Point, which marks the entrance to College Fjord. Between Seward and College Fjord, Star Princess steamed a distance of 144 nautical miles at an average speed of 16.9 knots. Approximately 45 minutes later, we were in sight of up to seven glaciers including Wellesley, Vasar, Harvard and Yale. We left College Fjord at 9:30 am. Star Princess steamed 20 nautical miles when cruising College Fjord. We then took an easterly course across Prince William Sound where we disembarked our Southwest Alaskan pilots at 12:15 am. We proceeded on a southerly course towards Caps Hinchinbrook which marks the eastern exit of Prince William Sound and then took a southeasterly course across the Gulf of Alaska towards Glacier Bay.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1996 - GLACIER BAY
At 7:30 am, we were abeam Cape Spencer and after embarking two southeast Alaskan Pilots we entered Cross Sound, then sailed through North lnian Pass. We then cruised the northern part of Chicagof Island and at 10:30 am entered Glacier Bay and embarked the Park Rangers off Bartlett Cove. Between College Fjord and Bartlett Cove, Star Princess steamed a total distance of 404 nautical miles at an average speed of 20.0 knots. Our course took us to the head of Tarr Inlet where we viewed both Marjerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, we also stopped in front of Lamplugh Glaciers at 5:00 pm. We then retraced our course to the mouth of Glacier Bay when we disembarked the Park Rangers at Bartlett Cove at 7:45 pm. Star Princess steamed a total distance of 120 nautical miles when cruising Glacier Bay. On leaving Glacier Bay we set various courses that took us off Adolphus Point (whale area) and through Icy Strait and then into the Lynn Canal.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1996 - SKAGWAY
We docked in Skagway at 5:45 am alongside the Railroad Pier. Between Grader Bay and Skagway, Star Princess steamed a total distance of 114 nautical miles at an average speed of 12.0 knots We departed Skagway at 7:30 pm and retraced our route back down the Lynn Canal passing the town of Haines one hour after sailing on our starboard side. We set a southerly course through the Lynn Canal.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 90, 1996 - JUNEAU
Once out of Lynn Canal we passed through Favorite Channel and Stephen's Passage. Then turned onto a northwesterly course
into the Gastineau Channel which took us to Juneau, where we docked alongside the FKL Pier by 6:00 am. Between Skagway
and Juneau, Star Princess steamed a total distance of 93 nautical miles at an average speed of 10.0 knots We departed Juneau
at 8:00 pm and retraced our route back down the Gastineau Channel and into Stephen's Passage. Once through Stephen's
Passage, we set a southwesterly course through Frederick Sound.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1996 - KETCHIKAN
Shortly after midnight, we took a southerly course in Chatham Strait and rounded Cape Decision at 3:00 am entering the Sumner Strait. This took us around the northern tip of Prince of Wales Island and at 5:30 am, we transited Snow Passage at 8:00 am, which took us into Clarence Strait and then into Tongass Narrows. We docked in Ketchikan at 11:30 am alongside Pier no. 2. Between Juneau and Ketchikan, Star Princess steamed a total distance of 274 nautical miles at an average speed of 17.5 knots. We departed from Ketchikan at 8:30 pm and continued down the Tongass Narrows. We disembarked our Southeast Alaskan pilot at Point McCartey. We then set a southeasterly course in the Dixon Entrance towards Triple Island, which is the Canadian pilot station. We crossed the U.S/Canadian border at 9:30 pm and then embarked our two Canadian pilots at 11:20 pm.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1996 - AT SEA
During the night, Star Princess sailed In the Hecate Strait. During the morning we navigated into Queen Charlotte Sound and
around noon we were off Pine Island and proceeded our navigation eastbound Into inside Passages. During the afternoon we
sailed into Queen Charlotte and Johnstone Straits. At 8:30 in the evening we transited Seymour Narrows and few minutes later
we were off Campbell River, continuing our way south eastward bound to Vancouver.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1996 - VANCOUVER
We passed under Lion's Gate Bridge at 6:30 am and were berthed alongside Canada Place at 7:15 am. Between Ketchikan and Vancouver, Star Princess steamed a total distance of 506 nautical miles at an average speed of 16.00 knots. We then were bussed to Vancouver Airport for the flight to Los Angeles.



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