Juneau Town

Our day in Juneau was spent wandering around the fascinating working salmon and crab harbour and the semi industrial streets  having a good look at a real working fishing port in 

this wild part of Alaska.

Juneau is up there with some of the wettest places in the world receiving 110 inches (2.750m) and just up the snow-capped mountains the yearly rainfalls can get as high as 450 inches so (11.250m). The old wharf from back in the day sits decaying and  makes for a beautiful foreground, the tides up this way can be upwards of 25 feet.

Lucky for us on our day in Juneau was dry as the rain gods were very kind … but the wind gods certainly made up for it. 

While walking along the boardwalk I came across a information board re the “Taku Wind” 

Remember this little building from a couple of blogs back sitting proudly high and dry.

 Not sure I would want to be in it during a Taka Wind storm!

Walking at times was difficult 1 step forward and 2 steps backwards so I didn't go too close to the edges of the pier … which was hard as that was where the beautiful totems poles were, I did risk life and limb to get a few pics.

 I could imagine us coming back here for a few weeks to dig a little deeper into the unique lifestyles and food culture. 

Then we would be able to meet some real locals, I could do some real adventurist outdoorsy stuff dressed warmer than I was today, and come home to a hot traditional cooked meal by Sandy … but alas it’s the tourist tracks for me today.

 All too cute as I diverted my walk into some back streets.

 

Pleased the bears are still mostly in hibernation and what’s the go with leaving the cars unlocked … hmmmm 

Why … so they could hot wire them and go for a joy ride!!!

I did venture off the beautiful wide timber boardwalks and down onto the gravel and seaweed shores of the Gastineau Channel below where the winds were safely blowing you away from the freezing waters edge to grab some pictures.

It was magical walking around down here with the sounds of Alaska seaweed crackling and popping under my feet, the smell of salt and seaweed in the air added to the whole experience.

 I loved the look of the traditional blue buildings sitting above the high water mark.

The wild salmon have not yet started their amazing journeys up stream as yet, when they do this is one of the entrances 

from the ocean to the rivers 

It was sooooo cold and sooooo windy in Juneau today!

But you don't come to Alaska to sit around a pool drinking 

Pina Colada and get a suntan.

So one does what the locals do and have an Alaskan beer, 

a real cold beer on a real cold spring day somehow works too.

Well now it’s back to the mother ship, grab a hot toddy or two, warm up internally and tonight we cruise further north.