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FRIDAY, JULY 6 — ICY STRAIT POINT (HOONAH) — 7:00AM-11:00PM

¨ MDC is recommending two shore excursions to experience together in this port. Forest Tram and Tribal Dance is included in the free shore excursions offered by Regent. Whale and Marine Mammals Cruise will have a supplement of $179 per person. You will have the opportunity to participate with MDC or select a personal option from the choices Regent offers as you register for this sailing. If you choose to participate with MDC, you may also select other excursions from the Regent offerings as long as the tour departures do not overlap and the tour desired has availability.

12:30PM-3:00PM—Whale and Marine Mammals Cruise ($179 per person)—Watch humpback whales and other creatures cavorting in the nutrient-rich waters at Point Adolphus, one of Alaska's premier observation points.

Depart for Point Adolphus on a boat specifically designed for watching whales and other marine life. On the way, a naturalist will describe the diversity of animals that converge here each summer. They come primarily to feed in the waters that are extraordinarily rich in halibut, salmon and plankton.

Point Adolphus is noted for having the highest concentration of humpback whales in the Alaskan panhandle, so be on the lookout for these majestic and intelligent creatures. They will be breaching the water's surface, waving their flukes up and down as they dive, and feeding voraciously to fatten up for their winter migration south. It's a mesmerizing sight that you will not soon forget.

Humpback whales however are but one species that congregate in the summer feeding grounds off Point Adolphus. You might also observe frolicking Dall's porpoises, Stellar Sea Lions, curious Harbor Seals and Orca whales. Picturesque Point Adolphus supports a huge concentration of sea life, much of it passing close to your tour boat. In addition, you may see graceful bald eagles swooping down to grab fish in their talons, and perhaps even bears and deer in the surrounding wooded landscape.

Following your viewing time, you will cruise back to Icy Strait Point and your awaiting ship.

Please note: This tour includes very limited walking, although there are stairs to negotiate for those who wish to sit on the open-air observation deck. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair and a companion to assist them. Those who are prone to sea sickness should take appropriate pre-emptive measures before commencing the tour. Flat, comfortable shoes with a non-slip sole are suggested and warm layered clothing and waterproof outerwear are recommended for those using the open-air observation deck. Don't forget your camera and binoculars. Wildlife sightings are not guaranteed.

 

SATURDAY, JULY 7 — SKAGWAY — 7:00AM-5:00PM

¨ Skagua, as it is known by the Tlingit, means” windy place.” Skagway, a place of many names, and much history is the northern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway. It was known to thousands of hopeful gold rushers as the gateway to the gold fields. Skagway retains the flavor of the gold rush era and the character of such colorful inhabitants as Soapy Smith “King of the Frontier Con Men”; especially on Broadway, with its false-front buildings, and in the Trail of ‘98 Museum, with its outstanding collection of gold fever memorabilia.

¨ The shore excursion MDC is recommending to experience together in Skagway will be the Klondike Gold Dredge and Gold Panning. You will have the opportunity to participate with MDC or select a personal option from the choices Regent offers as you register for this sailing. If you choose to participate with MDC, you may also select other excursions from the Regent offerings as long as the tour departures do not overlap and the tour desired has availability.

8:30AM—10:30AM—Klondike Gold Dredge and Gold Panning—Relive the life of a gold prospector during this fun-filled and informative gold-panning experience.

Depart the pier for the brief narrated transfer to a 350-ton Gold Dredge. Upon arrival, you will join a Klondike family for an opportunity to find your fortune, and meet the entire cast of characters who will introduce you to the life of an old sourdough. As you tour this living museum on the shores of the Skagway River, you will discover how the Klondike Gold Dredge unearthed more than eight million dollars in gold from the Klondike Gold Fields. Along the way, you will learn the art of gold panning and practice your technique in warm water gold troughs. After finding your fortune, you can have your gold weighed in Gertie's Gold Shack and browse one of the finest collections of gold nugget jewelry in Southeast Alaska.

At the conclusion of your visit, you will re-board your coach for the return drive to the pier.

DAILY ITINERARY