Post from Ngaire:

I posted that last post just as we sailed into Nome. Then the internet went down. We found out it would stay down until the ship sailed again due to large satellite antennas that were blocking our signal.

So I am writing up our last day on this adventurous cruise. We had three school buses for our morning tour. Panning for gold, dog sledding demonstration, city tour and then searching for Muskox that have been around town for the last few days.

We boarded our school bus and if any of you have ever seen the Canadian TV comedy show called Red Green that is what we were experiencing. Two locals with enough natural humor (without trying) to make a TV reality show. It was so much fun. They were telling stories about Nome and playing off one another. Not to be funny but it was funny. The gold panning was presented by a very most colorful ex New Yorker. Strong personality and ex actor he delivered his story of ruining his career on the stage due to alcohol, how he got to Nome and what he does now. He would be a fabulous tour guide. We all managed to get a little gold.

Then onto the dog sledding. The dog were great and anxious to go. It was a husband and wife team with about a 10 year old daughter. The husband or wife always enters the race and they are training their daughter for the future. Very interesting information on what it costs, how it works etc.
Then a museum, lots of pictures from Wales and Little Diomede so we all liked that since we had just been there. The Park Service Headquarters had a set of Wooly Mammoth tusks on display, they were huge. This area had a lot of Wooly Mammoths. They also had a muskox coat that was interesting to feel, it was very soft. The obligatory gift shop stop and then we left to go muskox hunting.

This got absolutely hilarious. They started off with their skills of finding the muskox and then totally disagreed on where to go. They thought they saw one and went on this bumpy dirt road to find out that it was not muskox but barrels. The driver had to back out and kept telling us he was a “professional” so not to worry. In this rickety old school bus, he was a little disheveled to say the least he did not look like a “professional” but the guide assured us he was indeed a professional. There three tough looking Alaskans parked at a junk yard watching us go down this road and I am sure they could not figure out what we were doing. They were laughing and waving. The bus driver talked as much if not more than the guide. We all just loved it. Then one of our expedition team members spotted a muskox way up on the hill. Our two fearless Alaskan leaders assured us it was not a muskox as they don’t go up hills. Of course it was a muskox and we got a glimpse of it and you could tell the shape and that it was definitely a muskox but so far away. In fact it walked from midway up the hill to the top of hill.

The comedy routine that truly was not intentional was priceless we fell in love with these two characters and their stories. I cannot describe the roads we went on and how many times he assured us he was a professional not to worry. We were all laughing our heads off and they were really good natured. They got roars of approval when we left the bus. We tried to tip the “professional driver” but he said it was not necessary give it to the guide. Guess he was a true professional after all.
They had shuttle into town but we decided to stay on board. Ken is working on pictures and I am packing. Been a great trip for sure and not exactly what I had expected, I think it was better!
A long trip home. We left Nome at 12.45pm, July 31 and do not get home until 5.00am the next morning. About five days in town and then off to the Silver Explorer for the Northwest Passage.


Photos from Little Diomede, Alaska:


Two islands, Russia on the left (Big Diomede), USA on the right (Little Diomede). At their closest points,
the two islands are about 3.8 km (2.4 mi) apart. The international date line runs between the two islands.


The three Russians on the right were going to swim from Little Diomede, Alaska to Big Diomede, Russia.


The Russians did a practice swim for us to watch.


Don't you know that water is freezing.


We arrive at Little Diomede.


Seal meat drying in the sun.






This little girl wanted to leave with us. When Ngaire told her she could not go with us she became very sad.


The children said their goodbyes to us.