Lessons learnt:
A conference cruise is not the low effort affair the less charitable may assume. Everyone goes to every lecture, and since there are only 25 or so in the audience, ones absence would certainly be remarked upon.
The unlimited and free access to alcoholic beverages at any hour for a week is probably not a good thing for one’s personal wellbeing.
Capacious, or at least well elasticated, clothing is a must if one is to take full advantage of the culinary delights on offer. You will not regret the aptly named fat pants which you so sensibly provided yourself with, and may find that on leaving your ship at the end of your trip they more closely resemble a snug pair of tights. My traveling companion was particularly concerned at the prospect of her 14 hour flight home wearing a pair of jeans that had been skin tight even before our voyage.
Speaking of whom, our serendipitous pairing went a long way to reconciling me to our cruise with a party only a third of its original size. Thank you for being a very entertaining companion, Victoria, and I think on balance you were a force for good. Don’t ever change.
Wildlife summary:
Humpback whales, bald eagles, seals – many
Black bear – one
Brown bear – one alleged sighting but that was by the naturalist on our dreadful shore excursion from Ketchikan, and she may have been so desperate to please that some degree of mendacity can’t be ruled out. I never saw it, anyway.
Leaping salmon – many but only from the sea, as the rivers weren’t flowing due to lack of rainfall.
Jellyfish – one
Porcupine – one
Porpoises – many – seen from my balcony during evening drinkies whilst cruising the famed Inside Passage
Dolphins – many – seen from our 14th floor conference room – luckily our speaker was happy to stop proceedings for a few minutes while we all oohed and ahhed.
Orcas, wolves, moose – nil. You can’t win them all.
A more than satisfactory result.