Early morning waking - to the voice on the intercom outside the balcony - as we get ready to head up to Glacier Point. We have acquired some Forest Rangers on the boat - and our narrator over the ship's loudspeaker is a drawling Texan. He gives us the history of this area - ice melting, etc. I have my breakfast on the balcony that has been delivered by room service. And my cappuccino that has been delivered by Brian. I am bundled in a variety of strange looking warm weather gear. Brian is in shorts. We call the kids' room (several times) to wake them up. I insist that they get up, even though they all want to sleep in. They can nap later, I say - they can only see this part of the world once (well, only once that I'll pay for...) Ed and Julia come to the room - none too happy - Ed dressed only in a Tshirt. We bundle him in Brian's sweater. The ranger advises everyone to "get on top" ("excellent advice" - Brian) as we approach the tidal glacier. We are starboard side, so we have to get on top to see the glacier as the ship approaches. The ship will then turn on a dime and we can head back to our stateroom for unobstructed views. We head up (grabbing a box of fruit loops for the kids to eat) and join our many fellow passengers to see the big hunk of ice. 22 miles long, receding 8 feet per day, we get a chance to hear it calving and drop chunks of ice into the water. We see a few seals, one hanging out on a chunk of ice, and many birds. Colin joins us as the boat is turning and we head back to the stateroom to watch the ice. I call Aidan and demand he join us for the forced family fun. He is dressed in a Tshirt and shorts. After 5 minutes of ice watching, Aidan is done.
The kids are exhausted because we've let them all stay up late the night before. Ed wanted to try the midnight buffet. We convinced him that the 10:45 buffet was actually the same thing.
We hit another lunch and Colin and I go to the 1:30 nature talk by one of Park Rangers. It's pretty interesting: glaciers, wildlife, ecosystems and all. I head back to the room as there is supposed to be prime whale watching as we head into Icy Strait. We hit the jackpot and get to see many whales and even a pod off in the distance. The kids (sans Colin, who is up on deck watching the whales - god bless him) are in their room probably watching TV ("leave them alone, they're on vacation. And they're not bugging *us*" - Brian) I yell loudly over the phone to Look. Out. Your. Window. NOW! and as I gently encourage my children (for the nth time today) to appreciate where the f*ck we are, a seal swims by right next to us. I see him - and it's super cool. I can't help but wonder what these animals think of the huge ships moving along their waterway. Maybe that we're just a funky looking hunk of ice.
Aidan, Edwin, and Julia are playing a trivia game (and they do pretty well!) in the lounge just before the ballroom dancing seminar starts. We have missed the Merengue and the Cha Cha but have made it today for the Waltz! Brian and I start together, but end up switching parters. I take on a very reluctant Aidan and Brian grabs a game Julia. Ed opts to fall asleep on a neighboring lounge chair. Toby, one the cruise director staff (Fabulously British, darling) leads us through his lesson and Brian and I re-learn some waltz steps while Aidan and Julia get a starter prep course. We all manage to learn together and make it through the basics, but at the end, Brian and I get to dance together as Aidan really has had enough. At one point, the group splits in two and we are able to practice in the back of the room. While taking some video of Brian and Julia, I need to step around a slightly quarreling older British couple who are trying to master the steps also. As I try and step around them, she turns to me with a smile and says sweetly, "Don't mind us, we're just having a bit of a domestic." [How Fantastic is that phrase?????? I will be adding it to my repertoire.]
Julia and I join Sarah and Maria for tea and sit next to some very nice people again. One women from Seattle, when hearing of the Dulac's plan to drive around the Olympic peninsula and take the ferries to Vancouver exclaims, "Oh, no, you don't want to do THAT! That will take far too long, and you'll waste all your time in Seattle. Look out the window right now, and you'll see exactly what you'd see on the peninsula." I shake my head in agreement. What Maria doesn't share, is that one of the prime reasons to drive the peninsula is to visit Forks and Port Angeles. Some of you will understand what that means. Yes, possible vampire sightings.
During dinner (Italian themed maybe?) the boat starts to rock and pitch more than it has on any other day thus far. It makes eating a bit interesting and uncomfortable. The evening is capped off by sending all of our children to bed as we need to wake early tomorrow for our zipline adventure. They are not happy about retiring "early." Happy to retire early, Maria and Steve head off to bed and we go with their kids to the Crew Talent Show in the big theater. It's a rockin' fun evening (literally) complete with festive balloons rocketing around the room and dancing to YMCA. The show is humorous - Sarah and I appreciate the skits that leave the beautiful Italian crewman half nekkid.
Thankfully, at some time during the show, the boat has stopped rocking so violently. Off to slumber land..
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