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SKAGWAY &
STORM AT SEA
Sept. 9-10, 2004
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In 1898 at the peak of the Klondike Gold Rush,
Skagway had about 20,000 people. Today, it has
less than 1,000! (Not counting the daily influx of
summer cruise passengers.) The entire town is on
the Historic Register and is a National Park.
This interesting building was built by the
gold-seekers who obviously had some time on their
hands! It is entirely faced with driftwood they
found on the beach. Originally, it was a
fraternal lodge
building. | | |
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We took a van trip from Skagway to the top of
the White Pass Road which goes all the way to
Whitehorse in Yukon Territory, Canada. The last
few miles of our trip were within Canada.
Our first stop was at “Liarsville” just outside
of Skagway. This is a replica of the tent city
where the gold seekers set up camp while hauling
their ton of supplies up the White Pass Trail. The
U.S. reporters following the Klondike Gold Rush
also hung out here--much more comfy than hiking up
that terrible trail! In their tents in
“Liarsville” they typed out stories about how easy
it was to get to the gold fields--and how gold was
just lying there, waiting to be picked up. Of
course, it was the reporters who were lying, hence
the name of the tent town. In “Liarsville” we were
treated to a really funny skit about the Gold Rush
and had the chance to pan for gold. Karen and Mark
look a bit skeptical, don’t
they? | | |
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The boundary between Alaska and the Yukon
Territory. | | |
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Our van trip ended in “Tormented Valley” in the
Yukon Territory where the gold seekers were truly
tormented by vicious mosquitoes in the summer and
snow blindness from the sun on the snow in
winter. | | |
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When we awoke on Sept. 10, we were sailing down
along the Pacific Ocean side of Vancouver Island
under gray skies and whitecaps. In the afternoon
the captain announced that we would be in a severe
storm with gale-force winds. Later, we learned
that we had experienced Force 10 or above winds
(55-65 mph) and 20-foot seas! We rocked and rolled
for about 15 hours--longest night of my life!
Glenn took this picture from the Atrium on Deck 5.
Later, at night, waves were crashing ABOVE that
window. Getting to sail through a severe Alaskan
storm was one “adventure” I could have done
without! | | |
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Glenn and Barbara on a “formal
night.” | | |
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