Blown back to Anchorage....

While I was getting warmed up next to a roaring fire, Wendy, Holly and David were rafting down a river. High winds had blown down trees that took down power lines to the lodge leaving the power off for 3 ½ hours. Besides rafting, Wendy, Holly and David were helping to pull downed trees from the roads. That night while in our rooms, a letter was passed under our door explaining that due to 70 mph winds in Valdez our catamaran cruise to Whittier was canceled. We were scheduled to leave the next morning at 8:30 am for a 2 ½ hour buss ride to Valdez. The change in plans turned the 2 ½ hour ride into a six hour ride back to Anchorage. Princess Cruises gave us a two hundred dollar, on ship credit and gave us each a lunch certificate that could be used at several restaurants in Anchorage. After breakfast we loaded up the buss and left promptly at 8:30 am. The weather, as you might have guessed, was cloudy and overcast with rain showers on and off until we got to Anchorage, were it rained most of the time we were there. We had a hurried but very tasty lunch for the price. The revised plans included a lunch stop an than catch another buss to Whittier. These plans changed, for the better I might add. A two minute buss ride to the train station and we were on the road/tracks again, headed for Whittier. Princess Cruises had their hands full the past two days. The high winds along with heavy persistent rains had washed out train bridges and roads between Denali and Fairbanks. Tourist from all over Alaska were having to endure long, very long, buss rides around the troubled areas. We were very lucky! Princess employees are to be commended for their patience. They truly went the extra mile in taking care of their customers. The train ride to Whittier was uneventful. It rained most of the trip and the domed cars we rode in had fogged up shortly after we left. The bar was open but it was a cash bar. We arrived in Whittier around 6 p.m. A short walk from the train and we were checking into the Sapphire Princess.

We got to our staterooms and in front of our doors was our luggage which we had not seen sence we left Copper River that morning.

Next posting ... Twenty foot swells made for lots of green gills.....