Ten-Years Ago (31-August-2009) — Alaska

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 10: Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia. Haines, Alaska.

Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.8 lens, Nikon D3x camera and 24 mm f/1.4 lens, or Nikon D300 and 18-200 mm VR lens. After a lot of fog,  it was great that things cleared up while we passed through the Lynn Canal.

Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and and 24 mm f/1.4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D3x camera and and 24 mm f/1.4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)
Eldred Rock Lighthouse from the deck of the MV Columbia. Alaska Marine Highway passing through the Lynn Canal on the way to Haines. Images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Ten-Years Ago (31-August-2009) — Alaska

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 10: Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia. Haines, Alaska.

Haines Beach and Harbor Panorama. Composite of 11 images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 34 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). Composite created using AutoPano Giga.

The MV Columbia (Alaska Marine Highway) ferry that I had been traveling on for the last few days is in the background. After spending the night in Haines, I traveled by road to Anchorage through Canada.

Haines Beach and Harbor Panorama. (David J Mathre)
Haines Beach and Harbor Panorama. Composite of 11 images taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 34 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)


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Ten-Years Ago (30-August-2009) — Alaska

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 09: Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia (Ketchikan, Wrangell, Wrangell Narrows, Petersburg).

Overnight we transitioned into Alaska waters. A little bit of rain for those sleeping on deck. Our first stop was in Ketchikan, where there were already three giant cruise ships. Some passengers got off at this point. The next stop was in Wrangell. I bought a $7 garnet crystal. Apparently, the owner of the mine near the town gave it to the boy and girl scouts so they could  earn money selling the crystals to tourists. We then passed through the Wrangell Narrows Channel, a narrow passage with about 60 channel markers. The final stop for the evening was Petersburg, before continuing on overnight.

Early Morning, Tents on the Solarium Deck. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
Early Morning, Tents on the Solarium Deck. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 14-24 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)


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Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



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Ten-Years Ago (29-August-2009) — At Sea, Inner Passage

Gone to See North America 2009 Road Trip. Day 08: Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia.

Traveling from Bellingham, Washington to Haines, Alaska through British Columbia via the Inner Passage. The day started out foggy. During the night there was a bit of rain and wind. I felt sorry for the folks living rough on deck, but they seemed to be warm and cheerful once they moved under the covered Solarium. We saw a few Orcas during the day. Later in the afternoon, the sun came out and folks living rough moved their chairs back out on the open deck.


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Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



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Ten-Years Ago (28-August-2009) — Washington

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 07: Bellingham, Washington – Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia.

Everyone boarded and we were on our way on the Alaska Marine Highway from Bellingham to Haines. My RV “White Ram” is in the hold, and I have a cabin on one of the upper decks. We had a Coast Guard escort as we left port. The flag was at half mast for the death of Senator Kennedy. I was surprised to see how many folks would be camping out on deck for the trip to Alaska.

Leaving Bellingham to Alaska on the M/V Columbia - Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D300. (David J. Mathre)
Leaving Bellingham to Alaska on the M/V Columbia – Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera. (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway M/V Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway M/V Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
US Coast Guard Escort for the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia leaving Bellingham Washington for Alaska. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 VR lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/7, 1/160 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Passengers on the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia camping on the Solarium deck. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Passengers on the Alaska Marine Highway MV Columbia camping on the Solarium deck. Composite of two images taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
"The Other Boleyn Girl" Solarium Deck on the M/V Columbia Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
“The Other Boleyn Girl” Solarium Deck on the MV Columbia Alaska Marine Highway. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 50 mm f/1.4D lens (ISO 1600, 50 mm, f/4, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)