Alaska Marine Highway (?)

Author Message   Charlie S Intermediate Member Username: Avcm Post Number: 16 Registered: 07-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 05:03 pm:    Here is the URL for NASWI Flight Schedule http://www.naswi.navy.mil/flights/daily.htm   Charlie S Intermediate Member Username: Avcm Post Number: 15 Registered: 07-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 04:55 pm:    Going from Bellingham to SEATAC/McChord you pass NAS Whidbey Island (approx 50 mi southwest of Bellingham). You might want to check there to see what Space A flights are available. Hope this helps.   Doris Noblet Senior Member Username: Dorknob Post Number: 892 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 01:44 pm:    For anyone who plans to do a lot of driving in Alaska, it would be helpful to have a copy of The Milepost. It's fairly expensive (last copy we had was just under $20), but you could borrow a copy from your library and take it with you. It tells you the location of every gas station, restaurant, gift shop, sightseeing attraction, etc. When there are sometimes miles and miles between gas stations, the information could be crucial.   Leonard Self Member Username: Wekanfly2 Post Number: 9 Registered: 06-2007 Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 12:40 am:    Having spent 3 weeks in Anchorage in July, I would suggest that the Kenai peninsula be part of your agenda. We were lucky enough to rent a room with a family that we met on line from Craig's list. We were charged $30/ night and it worked out well as they also had a pickup truck that we used. Very nice family and it helped us see a whole lot more than we could have on our own. We all went fishing several times and also much sight seeing on our own. Also if you can you can check with the outdoor rec at Elmendorf re trips available. 2 trips that we took with them were all day fishing the Russian River and white water rafting the Eagle river. The highlight of this area was the Alaskan railway from Anchorage to Seward (about a 4 hour ride) through the most beautiful countryside we've ever seen. In seward the train stops about a block from the cruise ship docks. We cruised on the Volendam for 1 week into Vancouver.AWESOME!!! We did see the ferryboat while at Skagway and spoke to some people who said they have traveled on it and loved it. We hope to return to Alaska at some point in the near future and hope your adventure will be as great as ours was.   Dakota Ray Advanced Member Username: Rhammer Post Number: 27 Registered: 05-2007 Posted on Wednesday, September 05, 2007 - 12:21 am:    Gene, Doris and other posters on this thread. Thanks for all the info-It is greatly appreciated. I wanted to do a cruise but this sounds much more interesting. Gene, please post a trip report or do a private email if you are more comfortable with that. I love the flexibility of this type of traveling. I am a single SPAT and is there anyone who might be interested in "joining forces" for this type of trip next year? I am in the Sacramento area.   Doris Noblet Senior Member Username: Dorknob Post Number: 889 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 - 07:07 pm:    Gene, plan to bring binoculars with you for the trip, either by cruise ship or ferry. You'll see wildlife like seals at a distance, but the binoculars will bring them in closer. We didn't think to bring any, but our Elderhostel buddies were nice enough to loan them to us when there was something interesting to see. The binoculars will come in handy for Denali, also, and if you plan to take a boat trip through Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward. There are lots of birds in that area. Don't miss the Sealife Center in Seward. I laughed myself silly watching the puffins there. You know, the more I think about this trip you're undertaking, the more I want to go back and relive it myself.   Gene Williams Senior Member Username: Gene_w Post Number: 122 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 11:05 pm:    Okay. Now Sitka and Skagway are on our list. At this rate, I might be up there long enough to see the Northern Lights durng the WInter of '08-'09. I guess we'll just stay until the money runs out and then hitch-hike (space-a) home. I've heard that there's folks out there in space-a land who'll give out twenty dollar bills for a sad story. :-) This Alaska trip probably going to be like our space-a trip to Oz (Australia) I thought we had a full trip and seen nearly everything worth seeing. After we got home I read Bill Bryson's book, "A Sunburned Country." - his book showed me that we hadn't come close to scratching the surface of things to see, things to do and places to visit in Australia. Gene W   John R Garrison Senior Member Username: Majorg Post Number: 301 Registered: 02-2006 Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 12:53 pm:    Gene: I agree with Doris and Cherry...Sitka and Skagway are both towns not to miss! One note on Sitka...Sheldon Jackson College has closed its doors for a year. They have sent their students away and are reevaluating their future. The fish hatchery remains open. I'm not sure about the museum...they don't seem to have the VIMs (Volunteers In Mission) on campus any more and I believe the VIMs ran the museum. I was there in mid-June for an interview at SJC...then they closed the doors. Yikes! Happy Travels, John   Cherry C. Senior Member Username: Cherry Post Number: 2681 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 12:12 pm:    IMO Sitka is definitely one of the Alaskan highlights--we selected our cruise-tour in part because we did have a day in port there. That and Skagway (town and train) were two of the best adventures on the cruise portion. (Some of the other towns seemed to be mostly just shopping opportunities. Nothing wrong with shopping, but...)   Doris Noblet Senior Member Username: Dorknob Post Number: 883 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 12:47 am:    Gene, I just remembered that a few of our Elderhostel group got off the ferry when we docked in Sitka. It was about 5 a.m. and dark outside. Our Elderhostel coordinator had made special arrangements with the people who run the museum there to open it up at that ungodly hour and give a tour. My husband and I chose to sleep, but were sorry later as the ones who went ashore raved about the museum and the Russian church, etc., etc. Maybe you could research it and see if you'd like to stop off there. May as well see all you can while you're in the area.   Larry Campbell Senior Member Username: Czeezo Post Number: 328 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Saturday, September 01, 2007 - 12:24 am:    If you want more info or make reservations - call 907-465-3940. This the number of the Marine Highway Reservation office.   Gene Williams Senior Member Username: Gene_w Post Number: 120 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Friday, August 31, 2007 - 07:50 am:    Thanks for everyone's input. Just the kind of "gouge" I was hoping for. the wife and I are getting excited about the opportunities for adventure the trip offers. Happy travels! Gene W.   Jeffrey G. Carlen Senior Member Username: Jcarlen Post Number: 302 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 10:57 pm:    PS-ferry reservations are a MUST in the summer.   Jeffrey G. Carlen Senior Member Username: Jcarlen Post Number: 301 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 10:56 pm:    Gene, this info is about 35 years old but some of it still valid. We took the AMHS from Vancouver to Haines for a three month TDY. The ferries are comfortable enough but they are not cruise ships. The food was, as previously stated, standard cafeteria fare. Depending on the schedule (and the tides) you may have a lot of time or very little time in the various ports. We stopped in Wrangell on the way up in the middle of the night but bypassed it on the way south due to tides. Passing through Queen Charlotte Sound can be rough because it is open to the ocean. The rest of the trip is inside passage and spectacular. Unless you are part of a tour, you are on your own for sightseeing and shore tours. With some research you could probably plan some things for your selves. Our son was three at the time and we had him I a harness like a dog so he wouldn’t go astray. Worked well. At the time there was no road between Whitehorse and Skagway. Only the narrow gage train. We loaded our car on a flatcar in Whitehorse and the train ride was unbelievably beautiful. We rode in an old passenger car with a potbelly stove and stopped for lunch at a lodge. All the other passengers brought their lunch scraps for our dog. We had a fantastic time and I recommend Alaska to everyone.   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 1542 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 10:20 pm:    Gene, when we stopped there, we took a tour with a couple who have several old cars they used to tour with. At one time the center of the town was an old Army post. You can see the main building, what I think was the parade grounds, and than there are houses on either end of that. I would bet some of these are hotel/BB's. It was a small quaint place. The lady who drove the car we were in was very proud of the new play ground they had just build.   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 258 Registered: 01-2007 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 09:34 pm:    Gene, I did the Alaska Marine Highway in December 2002. Went from Bellingham to Ketchikan. Going in the off season meant the ship wasn't crowded...and lower fares. On the downside, that time of year there isn't much daylight so my scenery was limited. But what I could see was just beautiful. The ship really hugs the shoreline for the most part. The couple times we did go into open water, the captain made an anouncement to let everyone know how long we would be in rough water. However in my opinion it wasn't rough at all. I paid for a reclining chair to sleep in. It was OK but some people brought sleeping bags and slept on the floor. A few people (AMH veterans I'm guessing) slept outside on the back deck in lounge chairs using big sleeping bags (remember...this was winter). They even have an area on the back deck where you can pitch a tent. Its protected from the wind and a few people did that. No cost for sleeping outside. For all without a cabin, there are showers in the restrooms. There is a cafateria and food was pay as you go. Fairly routine stuff. Wasn't great but not the worst I've had. My suggestion for getting from Bellingham to McChord would be to look at Amtrak. The Amtrak station is right beside the AMH ferry station, very convenient. Besides stopping in Seattle, it stops near Sea-Tac airport and in Tacoma. Could take the shuttle from Sea-Tac or a taxi from Tacoma. Don't know which is cheaper. I lived in Seattle at the time of my trip and found Amtrak the way to go cause it stops so close to the AMH terminal.   Gene Williams Senior Member Username: Gene_w Post Number: 119 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 09:23 pm:    Thanks Doris. Your clue was helpful. There is an "airporter" from Bellingham to SeaTac. Found it at: http://www.airporter.com/shuttle/bellingham-to-seatac-airport-seattle The shuttle picks up at the cruise terminal on those days that the AMHS ferry docks at Bellingham. Looks like the Bellingham to Seattle ferry route would be via Victoria. Still looking into that. After getting to Seattle I'm "good to go" to get to McChord, 'cause I've done that a couple of times already. (John D's "How to" thing is very helpful) Phyllis: Formmers makes Haines sound interesting (small but quaint) They list 6 places to sleep but there doesn't seem to be a lot to differentiate between them. Just looking for someone's first hand experience. Gene W   Phyllis DeLancey Senior Member Username: Phyllis Post Number: 1540 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 07:54 pm:    Gene, we stopped at Haines on our Holland American cruise. It is a very small place, I don't even remember seeing a hotel/motel in the town.   Doris Noblet Senior Member Username: Dorknob Post Number: 882 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 05:47 pm:    Gene, why not go farther North to Skagway? I've heard the train trip to Whitehorse is great. Would like to do it myself someday. I think there's a shuttle that runs from Bellingham to SeaTac; that's how we got back, but we had Elderhostel doing the planning. Then you'd take another shuttle from SeaTac to McChord. Try doing a "Search" for info on the latter.   Gene Williams Senior Member Username: Gene_w Post Number: 118 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 - 05:37 pm:    Here's my rough plan: Space-a to Elmendorf and maybe on to Ft Wainwright. Then after exhausting ourselves we'd catch the Whittier-Juneau ferry soutbound. (I'm told this ferry runs every two weeks.) Take a side trip up via ferry up to Haines and back. Then ferry Juneau to Bellingham. Then to McChord to get back into the space-a system. ( The leg from Bellingham to McChord is still pretty fuzzy right now.) I've heard that in the Spring, southbound ferries are better, crowdwise. Anyone have any reccommendations for lodging in Juneau and Haines? I seem to recall that there's a way to connect from Bellingham to Seattle via ferry - but I haven't been able to run that down yet. Anyone know anything about that? Next year's (2008) Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) schedule and rates won't be out until "late December" according to the lady on the AMHS 800 number. I guess I'll have to wait until then to make a final comparison between one of the big cruise ships and AMHS. Thanks, Gene W   Larry Campbell Senior Member Username: Czeezo Post Number: 324 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 02:49 pm:    I was in Juneau and Ketchikan when the Ferry system started. Saw it grow into a big business. I was told that if your a 100% DV that the ride is free. Not sure how it works or if it is only good for part of the year. You can call the State of Alaska travel department and they will give you the info.   Doris Noblet Senior Member Username: Dorknob Post Number: 881 Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 11:56 am:    We took the Alaska Marine Highway Ferry several years ago with an Elderhostel group. We flew to Juneau, stayed in a motel for 3 nights, then boarded the ferry. Proceeded north to Haines. Skagway's docks were being repaired so we turned around at Haines, stopped at Sitka, and each of the towns along the Inland Passage. The scenery was great! That's a very rainy area, though, so be prepared if you want to walk around on the deck. Our cabin was very plain, with bunk beds. The food on the ferry is fabulous and lots of it, but very pricey. Elderhostel paid for it as part of our tuition. Breakfasts were made to order. Lunch and dinner included lots of fresh fish. The ferry travels so close to the shore that you feel as if you could touch it. A good opportunity to see widlife if there is any there. I believe there's a senior discount given during the winter months, but I'm not sure of that. If you've been checking their brochure, you probably know more about it than I do. One thing we liked about the ferry that you don't experience on a cruise is meeting the local folks who travel by ferry. It was interesting to see how many of them travel with their dogs, also, who have to remain in kennels on the car deck. Every so often an announcement is made for the dog owners to go down and walk their dogs. A park ranger is usually available on board to give lectures and to answer any questions that you might have. We remained on the ferry at each of the stops, but if you're traveling at your own pace (and not with a group), you could plan to stop off for a day or two and catch the next ferry coming through. We found it to be a very relaxing way to travel. If you have any questions about anything I haven't covered, I'll try to answer them.   Daniel A. Hester Member Username: Cpthester Post Number: 10 Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 10:27 am:    I would like to hear a trip report, also. Have lots of brouchures and timetables but no first hand report.   Gene Williams Senior Member Username: Gene_w Post Number: 117 Registered: 06-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 - 08:48 am:    Has anyone here tried the Alaska Marine Highway (ferry system) as a way of cruising the Alaskan Inland Passage? I've got their website http://www.ferryalaska.com and Frommer's Alaska 2007. I see ferry connections Bellingham, WA to Whittier, AK from - But it'd be nice to hear from someone who's actually made the trip (or parts of it.) TIA Gene W