Alaska Day 2-Juneau

 Oh Juneau, you were my favorite day!  We were in port early and we had an excursion that left that morning and took us to see the Mendenhall Glacier, to whale watch, and to hike through a rainforest.  It was incredible!!!  We went whale watching first and boy did we see them.  We even got to see something that not many people get to see and that is the humpback whales working together as a team to "Bubble Net Feed".  AWESOME!!!!  There were about five or six in these groups and they each have a job to do and they blow lots and lots of bubbles around a school of herring fish to trap them.  Then all the whales dive down really deep and shoot up out of the water with tons of fish and water in their mouths.  They only do this for several weeks out of the year and the rest of the time they are pretty solitary.  It was INCREDIBLE to watch over and over again.  They kept doing it and there were two or three groups of whales doing it where we were.  It was my favorite thing we did on the cruise and as a want to be marine biologist growing up, I was in heaven=)

 Bubble Net Feeding.  They would jump about half way out of the water and then land on their sides.  You never quite knew where to watch for them after the previous jump.  They would be under for the longest time and then just spring out of the water.  

 The first of many eagles we saw.  They are beautiful birds.  

 It was so surreal to look up and see whales and all the beautiful mountains behind them.  

 After whale watching our guide took us on a hike through the rainforest and to the Mendenhall Glacier.

 I loved the bear crossing sign and I was really, really hoping we would see a bear but no such luck=(

 The trees and everything in the rainforest was so green and lush.  The varying colors of green were amazing.

 The Mendenhall Glacier

 The glacier on the left and on the right a huge waterfall of glacier melt.  

 Posing in front of the glacier.

 An iceberg just floating in the lake.  

 The town of Juneau.  Did you know that Juneau is landlocked by glaciers?  There are no roads out of town.  The only way into town is by boat, plane, or birth;)

 Michael and I had a late lunch at the Famous Red Dog Saloon.  We had a wonderful fish sandwich.

 That night after dinner and the late show we walked out onto one of the balconies and saw this sunset and remember it was probably around 11pm or later.  It was beautiful and then when we rounded the corner to head back, the full moon was behind us.  Incredible!