WANDERING WITH THE WRIGHTS

July 2, 2024

Have been trying to do the blog weekly or close to it but this past Sunday, June 30th, was so special we felt it deserved its own blog.

The day started with something unplanned:  We were walking around the town of Valdez, AK Saturday afternoon and saw the office for the Lu-Lu Belle Cruise we were taking the next day.  There was a lady outside watering flowers.  We said hi and told her we were cruising with them the next day.  She said well come in and I will get you your tickets.  So in we went.  We talked with her for awhile about the cruise and how she ended up living in Valdez, born in the lower 48, etc.  She then said would you like to join us for Sunday Worship Service aboard the Lu-Lu-Belle tomorrow.  We accepted her invitation.  

On the business card she gave us specifically for the worship service cruise it has this verse                       "...Be very sure your anchor holds and grips the solid rock!"  

 

Us along with about 20 other people met the captain and boarded at 7:45 Sunday morning

                                                  

                                  They had song sheets and an order of worship printed for us.  

As we sailed out into the harbor we all sang "Amazing Grace."

   Even though it was cloudy and drizzly the feeling we had was indescribable.  

So many miles from home, on a ship in Valdez, AK, singing praises to Our Lord, with people we didn't know - it was awesome.  Just helps us remember that He is truly everywhere.  

It was a nice service, a Baptist minister from town gave the sermon.  Jerry and I had to chuckle as we just completed a long weekly bible study on the book of Revelations and his sermon was on Revelations chapter 2 vs 12-17.  Did a few more songs.  They didn't pass a collection plate but at the back of the boat was a box to put a donation in if you wished - all proceeds go to Operation Christmas Child.  The Captain, Fred donates the boat, the gas and his time.  We asked now it started and we were told that in 1990 someone from the town council went to Hawaii on vacation and attended a church service on a small ship.  When he came back he was telling some people how wonderful it was and said "I wish we could do something like that here."  Fred was one of the people in the group and said "let's do it".  The man said great lets start next summer and Fred said lets do it this Sunday and so it started 34 years ago.

We docked after the church service about 9:10 and had awhile til we needed to be back for the 10:30 cruise.  

We cruised into Prince William Sound

Otters

We were so close to this waterfall you could actually reach your arm out and touch the water

We saw hundreds of Sea Lions at several different locations

This guy was off resting all by himself

Loved the little pups playing in the water

These two were having quite a conversation with each other - maybe mama scolding about something

We were really up close and personal

Two puffins up in the rocks

Jerry was tracking the ship on his phone.  We are the blue dot heading for the Columbia Glacier

Some of the icebergs were SO blue - which means they are very dense and get little oxygen inside

Seals jumping off of and swimming around a small iceberg

We could actually see the iceberg it rising and sinking into the water

Some of what we cruised through to get to the glacier

He slowed the boat way down about 5 miles out

Captain Fred is 85 years young and loves what he does - he narrates almost the entire cruise.  

We were out for almost 9 hours

We were within 1/4 mile of the glacier

If you look closely a little left of center you see the spray from a chunk of ice breaking away from the glacier - called calving

Such a beautiful blue 

When they look black and dirty it means they have touched the mountain

In the last blog I showed you a picture from Wednesday when we crossed into Alaska at a large Alaska sign.  While there we met this couple, Linda & Steve.  We met up again in Valdez and were on the same cruise so it was fun to chat with them and share this awesome experience.

Sorry for SO many pictures but this was just a wonderful and awesome day!  The purpose of my doing the blog is not only to share our travels but also so one day when Jerry and I are really old and in a nursing home we can sit on the porch and look through the blog and relive some of our adventures.