Sail On To Skagway - 2026 Nautical Miles From Long Beach
As we were getting ready to sail away from Juneau, I captured a video from our balcony of two gondolas in motion. The cover pic is a screenshot when the two gondolas were close by.
Our next port is Skagway which will be the most northern port of this cruise. The sea distance between Long Beach and Skagway is 2026 nautical miles.
One of our ship's TV channels provided us with a constant map showing where our ship was located. The following map shows Skagway in relation to Long Beach and was taken a few days after our Skagway visit.
The Klondike Gold Rush
Skagway's claim to fame was its connection to the start of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. If you want to know more, here is an excellent link from the National Parks Service to check out.
Living in that harsh environment was very tough. However, the lure of finding gold attracted about 100,000 prospectors. Only 30,000 succeeded in reaching the gold fields the rest having either perished or turned back.
Wild West Feel
Skagway had the Wild West feel from a plethora of original buildings and the wooden sidewalks.
Seeing our cruise ship docked at the other end of the main street looked surreal. Of special interest were the schoolhouse, the theatre where a show was in rehearsal, and the many jewelry and souvenir stores.
Schoolhouse
The Theatre
Jewelry Store
Souvenir Shop
I even spotted an Indian restaurant that was out of character.
Bombay Curry
An Eagle In Flight
By sheer luck, I was able to capture an eagle in flight.
To The Summit
We boarded a tour bus that drove us to the summit that was the boundary with Canada. There were many waterfalls along the way fed by melting glaciers. The rocky mountain surfaces bore scars from the moving ice at a time when glaciers dominated this area.
Peering Into Canada
Near the top, we could peer into Canada.
Canadians driving into Alaska are welcomed by this sign.
On driving back down to Skagway we passed an old suspension bridge that was out of service, being replaced by the bridge we used.
And then on to the US Port Of Entry. It felt strange seeing this building high in the mountains.
Back To The Ship
We made one more stop at the Christmas shop before boarding our ship. We were relatively close to the North Pole and this was so appropriate!
After returning to our cabins to freshen up there was something special waiting for us. We had early reservations for Nick & Nora's Steakhouse where we enjoyed a sumptuous dinner while the ship departed for Icy Point Straits, our next stop.
Recent Comments
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Wow, Edwin! Your pictures are fantastic. Skagway looks like a step back into gold rush days...it must have been really fascinating. I like the one with your ship at the end of the road - that's a fun vantage view! And the eagle was a super catch. So glad you had a ball and thanks again for sharing your wonderful trip with us.
Susan
Hi Susan,
Glad you appreciated the qualities of Skagway and liked my pics. It looked like a Wild West movie set. It was fun visiting.
Our next stop was wet and windy so the gondola ride to the top of the mountain was cancelled. However, there were other fun things to see and do at Icy Strait Point. Unlike all the other places we visited, this was 100% a privately held tourist destination. I will write about it soon.
Cheers.
Edwin
Thanks Mel. Great to hear from you.
One more thing off our bucket list. This took time away from business but at our age we got to take action when we can. My wife had great difficulty walking. It’s unlikely we’ll be going anywhere until she has knee surgery and can walk more easily.
Cheers.
Edwin
Its great to get more out of life, Edwin. I hope your wife can get that taken care of soon and safely.
Mel
She has a doctors appointment about this soon. I sure hope something good comes out of this.
Wow, Edwin! Some fantastic images, including the one of the eagle! I'm glad I could travel vicariously with your blog posts!
Very awesome, indeed!
Jeff
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My husband visited Skagway several years ago. He enjoyed seeing your pictures of the town!
Hi Jeanine,
Skagway was fun to visit. Fortunately, it didn't rain while we were there. Glad your husband liked my pics. Thanks for commenting.
Edwin