Port Angeles, Washington
By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life
Published May, 2023.
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker
Last night, we left Friday Harbor. Sort of.
We did leave, but didn't go far, anchoring American Constellation offshore far enough so the ship's lights and engines don't bother the town's residents. We want to be respectful visitors, after all.
Speaking of lights, Cruise Director Jerry made an announcement prior to the evening show that caused a flurry of excitement. Due to a magnetic storm on the sun, there's a chance we can see the Northern Lights tonight between 10 pm and 2 am, a rare occurrence indeed. Since clear skies are in the forecast, we're keeping our fingers crossed.
At the listed time, Pam and I layered up and headed for the top deck, where we found a few other hardy souls bundled up against the cold night air. Kudos to the captain, who dimmed the lights to give us a better view. The hum of the ship's generators provided the only sound as we gazed into a canopy of stars, most of which are not viewable under city light conditions.
While the Northern Lights didn't make an appearance, the Pacific Northwest night sky put on quite a show on its own.
On Day Seven, we are bound for Port Angeles, Washington, almost a stone's throw from the Canadian border. We read where one of the city's claims to fame is being the birthplace of Denver Broncos' legendary quarterback, John Elway. Weatherwise, the sun is once again shining brightly as we navigate through the 400-plus San Juan Islands in Puget Sound.
A quick word about the ship's Wifi (which is also included in the fare): American Cruise Lines, like many other cruise lines, is using Elon Musk's Starlink for connectivity. It works as advertised most of the time, but the ship itself has some equipment issues which drops the signal intermittently. They told us a replacement modem is on the way.
North Palm Beach Life
Published May, 2023.
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker
Last night, we left Friday Harbor. Sort of.
We did leave, but didn't go far, anchoring American Constellation offshore far enough so the ship's lights and engines don't bother the town's residents. We want to be respectful visitors, after all.
Speaking of lights, Cruise Director Jerry made an announcement prior to the evening show that caused a flurry of excitement. Due to a magnetic storm on the sun, there's a chance we can see the Northern Lights tonight between 10 pm and 2 am, a rare occurrence indeed. Since clear skies are in the forecast, we're keeping our fingers crossed.
At the listed time, Pam and I layered up and headed for the top deck, where we found a few other hardy souls bundled up against the cold night air. Kudos to the captain, who dimmed the lights to give us a better view. The hum of the ship's generators provided the only sound as we gazed into a canopy of stars, most of which are not viewable under city light conditions.
While the Northern Lights didn't make an appearance, the Pacific Northwest night sky put on quite a show on its own.
On Day Seven, we are bound for Port Angeles, Washington, almost a stone's throw from the Canadian border. We read where one of the city's claims to fame is being the birthplace of Denver Broncos' legendary quarterback, John Elway. Weatherwise, the sun is once again shining brightly as we navigate through the 400-plus San Juan Islands in Puget Sound.
A quick word about the ship's Wifi (which is also included in the fare): American Cruise Lines, like many other cruise lines, is using Elon Musk's Starlink for connectivity. It works as advertised most of the time, but the ship itself has some equipment issues which drops the signal intermittently. They told us a replacement modem is on the way.
The ceramic dogs I won at Bingo
All the tours today will take place in the afternoon, since we don't dock at Port Angeles until 2 pm. The morning agenda features another watercolor class as well as another round of the popular "Boozy Bingo," although since it starts at 10 am, make mine a Coke. I decide to try my luck at the latter while Pam chills with her music in the Sky Lounge.
Guess what? I hit a bingo! As I peruse the prize table, Hotel GM Rick is practically begging me to take these ceramic dog, salt-and-pepper shakers, which I guess he's been trying to unload on someone. I look them over (they are actually kind of cute) and decide they were sad and needed a good home. Now we are the proud owners of "rescue shakers." By the way, Rick also gave me a bonus hat just for taking them.
Today's Tip: If you smoke (and we don't), there's only one place on the ship available to you: The top deck near the putting green.
Everywhere else, including staterooms and balconies, is off-limits. The captain made an announcement to that effect. Okay by us -- the less smoking anywhere is a good thing.
Lunch in the dining room features Chicken Teriyaki and more dessert goodness from pastry chef Jailaa -- chocolate layered pie. Note that lunch in the dining room is always a two-course meal: Entree and dessert. Dinner is three-course, with an appetizer.
There are three excursion options at Port Angeles today, where we'll be docked for the next two nights. One is a "Heritage Walking Exploration" to downtown, another is a visit to "Olympic Game Farm," a meet-and-greet the animals drive-through, and "Lake Crescent Lodge at Olympic National Park," which include a nature walk. We'll be going on the latter.
Maybe it's just because we live in Florida where the land is flat, but we can't stop "ohing" and "ahing" over the snow-topped mountain vistas we keep passing. Mother Nature has done fine work in this part of the country, and seeing it from the water is a real treat.
Guess what? I hit a bingo! As I peruse the prize table, Hotel GM Rick is practically begging me to take these ceramic dog, salt-and-pepper shakers, which I guess he's been trying to unload on someone. I look them over (they are actually kind of cute) and decide they were sad and needed a good home. Now we are the proud owners of "rescue shakers." By the way, Rick also gave me a bonus hat just for taking them.
Today's Tip: If you smoke (and we don't), there's only one place on the ship available to you: The top deck near the putting green.
Everywhere else, including staterooms and balconies, is off-limits. The captain made an announcement to that effect. Okay by us -- the less smoking anywhere is a good thing.
Lunch in the dining room features Chicken Teriyaki and more dessert goodness from pastry chef Jailaa -- chocolate layered pie. Note that lunch in the dining room is always a two-course meal: Entree and dessert. Dinner is three-course, with an appetizer.
There are three excursion options at Port Angeles today, where we'll be docked for the next two nights. One is a "Heritage Walking Exploration" to downtown, another is a visit to "Olympic Game Farm," a meet-and-greet the animals drive-through, and "Lake Crescent Lodge at Olympic National Park," which include a nature walk. We'll be going on the latter.
Maybe it's just because we live in Florida where the land is flat, but we can't stop "ohing" and "ahing" over the snow-topped mountain vistas we keep passing. Mother Nature has done fine work in this part of the country, and seeing it from the water is a real treat.
It's tour time, and we make the short walk from the dock to a waiting bus. Our tour guide is Rick, who's not only very knowledgeable about what we'll be seeing, but also funny. It's about a 30-minute drive to our destination, the historic Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Park.
Nestled beside beautiful Lake Crescent, we learn the lodge's history and enjoy one of the drinks for which it's famous: Lavender lemonade. Washington State is home to some of the nation's largest lavender farms, and you can find a number of lavender products here, including this delicious and unique version of this American classic.
A highlight of the tour is a nature walk, where Rick leads us over a bridge above a rapidly-flowing stream and into a grove of giant trees, some of which are over 400 years old. There's nothing quite like the solitude of a majestic forest. The glacier-fed waters of Lake Crescent are a deep blue, and clear to a depth of nearly 100 feet -- the result of the water's low nitrogen content.
We return from the tour just in time for the daily happy hour in the Cascade Lounge, followed by dinner in the main dining room. Then it's time to get ready for our next excursion: A trip to world-famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. We have to be ready to roll at 7:30 am, when we'll catch the ferry that will take us over to Canada.
The headline for this tour is "don't forget your passport." We have already heard from one guest they forget to pack theirs, and sometimes, whether you think you'll need it or not, it's best to not leave home without it.
One of the crew told us there's still a chance we could see those elusive Northern Lights if we are watching between midnight and 2 am. Since we are setting our alarm for 5:30, we'll just have to hope someone takes photos for us.
NEXT: Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia
Nestled beside beautiful Lake Crescent, we learn the lodge's history and enjoy one of the drinks for which it's famous: Lavender lemonade. Washington State is home to some of the nation's largest lavender farms, and you can find a number of lavender products here, including this delicious and unique version of this American classic.
A highlight of the tour is a nature walk, where Rick leads us over a bridge above a rapidly-flowing stream and into a grove of giant trees, some of which are over 400 years old. There's nothing quite like the solitude of a majestic forest. The glacier-fed waters of Lake Crescent are a deep blue, and clear to a depth of nearly 100 feet -- the result of the water's low nitrogen content.
We return from the tour just in time for the daily happy hour in the Cascade Lounge, followed by dinner in the main dining room. Then it's time to get ready for our next excursion: A trip to world-famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. We have to be ready to roll at 7:30 am, when we'll catch the ferry that will take us over to Canada.
The headline for this tour is "don't forget your passport." We have already heard from one guest they forget to pack theirs, and sometimes, whether you think you'll need it or not, it's best to not leave home without it.
One of the crew told us there's still a chance we could see those elusive Northern Lights if we are watching between midnight and 2 am. Since we are setting our alarm for 5:30, we'll just have to hope someone takes photos for us.
NEXT: Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia
Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park
Day 7 Slide Show
Day 7 Videos
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