Today’s adventure was marked by relentless rain. It’s the first day of our second cruise, even though it’s technically day 8. We’re back on the same boat and cabin for a back-to-back cruise. Our port of call today is Whittier. We kickstarted the day with a delightful breakfast in the main dining room, where I savored scrambled eggs, fruit, and French toast. After arming ourselves with backpacks and rain gear, we disembarked, leaving Kel waiting at the embarkation building while Tommy and I ventured out to pick up the rental car. Our next destination: Anchorage.
To leave Whittier, travelers must pass through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. This privately operated, 2.6-mile tunnel, also known as the Whittier Tunnel, connects the towns of Porter and Whittier on Prince William Sound, 65 miles southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. Originally built as a railroad tunnel in 1943, it was the only overland route to Whittier for over 50 years. Although initially designed for trains, the Department of Transportation later constructed a roadway for easier access to Prince William Sound. The tunnel is now a single lane shared by both cars and trains. We had to wait for the tunnel to clear before we could drive through, and the experience was quite fascinating.
We were pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t raining when we arrived in Anchorage. Our first stop was Walmart to pick up some medication for Tommy, who is starting to feel better but still looks quite tired. We also grabbed some Tide pods for our laundry, which we plan to do tomorrow morning. After Walmart, we enjoyed a satisfying lunch at a nearby diner, where I had a delicious gyro.
We then headed to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and were thrilled to see the animals up close, including a bald eagle and a brown bear. The weather took a turn, and it started raining heavily while we were there. Despite the rain, we spent an hour and a half at the center before returning to Whittier for the 4:40 tunnel crossing. We hurried back to Whittier, where we dropped off Kel with our backpacks, filled the car with gas, and returned it to the rental place.
The wind and rain intensified as Tommy and I walked the short distance to the ship. By the time we boarded, we were all soaked and disheveled. After changing into dry clothes in our room, we took a well-deserved break for an hour before heading to the Crown Grill on the ship for dinner. I savored a delicious ribeye steak. Exhausted from our eventful day, we returned to our room after dinner to prepare for bed. Tommy and Kel have already fallen asleep, but I’m writing before I head to bed – it seems I’m always the last one to call it a night.
Due to deteriorating weather conditions, the Captain has informed us that the ship will remain in port overnight and depart at 5 am tomorrow. As a result, we will miss the opportunity to see the Hubbard Glacier, but we will have additional time to explore Glacier Bay and witness other glaciers. While it’s a change of plans, it’s always better to prioritize safety in unpredictable weather.
Tomorrow, we will set sail for Glacier Bay.
