The ship arrived very early this morning into Haines.

Haines is about 120km north of Juneau on a wooded peninsula between the Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets. Originally a stronghold of the wealthy Chilkat Tlingit Indians, it was put on the map by a gun-toting entrepreneur named Jack Dalton. In 1897 Dalton turned an old Indian trade route into a toll road for miners seeking an easier way to reach the Klondike.

We had a quick breakfast in the ship’s cafe before disembarking to meet our local guide to explore the area. We visited a number of fascinating and scenic sites in the area.

An eaglet in Haines.
An eaglet in Haines.
Looking back on the ship docked in Haines.
Looking back on the ship docked in Haines.
Chilkoot Lake.
Chilkoot Lake.
Keith at Chilkoot Lake.
Keith at Chilkoot Lake.
Totem in Chilkoot State Park.
Totem in Chilkoot State Park.

We were always looking for bears when we were on foot in Alaska, and we managed to spot one on the drive back from Chilkoot Lake to the ship.

Brown bear.
Brown bear.

We got a nice view of the harbour on the way back.

Haines Harbour.
Haines Harbour.

After saying goodbye to our tour guide, it was time to get back onto the ship.

Andrea, heading back to the ship.
Andrea, heading back to the ship.

We had a nice view of the town from our balcony, with the Chilkat Mountains in the background.

View of Haines from the ship, with the Chilkat Mountains in the background.
View of Haines from the ship, with the Chilkat Mountains in the background.

Heading out of Haines, we saw a lot of wildlife, including huge seal colonies.

Seal colony on the Alaskan coast.
Seal colony on the Alaskan coast.
Keith and Andrea at dinner.
Keith and Andrea at dinner.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner before heading to the theatre to enjoy a wonderful comedy show. After the show we went to the club to go dancing and chat to a few of the people we’d met along the way.

We got to bed quite late after a big, but very enjoyable, day. Tomorrow we’ll be exploring Alaska’s capital, Juneau.