When was the last time you saw an eagle descend from the sky, or stood in awe as a glacier cracked and an ice berg emerged?
Imagine your sense of wonder as you glide past glacier after glacier or your first sight of a cresting whale. While we have much to be proud of in our Alberta parks, I think Alaska is mother nature's most spectacular show piece.
This year over 30 ships are providing you the incredible delights of warm, pampering service combined with the awe of this magnificent journey.
Remember, there are no roads to Glacier Bay, nor to many other top Alaskan attractions. That's why exploring these pristine areas by ship is such a privilege.
Cruising Alaska offers us breathtaking views of Alaska's natural wonders, as well as nights of thrilling entertainment, fine dining, pampering service, and an endless variety of activities.
From the moment you depart the convenient port of Vancouver, this will be the vacation you have only dreamed about.
As you cruise along the Glacier route, you will experience a magical, unspoiled land where walls of ice rise up from crystal blue seas and landscapes of wild flowers give way to snow-capped peaks.
Alaska is a mecca for lovers of wildlife and vast wilderness. It is a place where you see sea lions gathering to bathe in the sun and the bald eagles circle overhead searching the waters for salmon. And you might see humpback or orca whales as they acrobatically breach the water's surface.
You'll be spellbound by the beauty of the Inside Passage. You'll pass quiet bays, wooded islands, innumerable mountains and waterfalls cascading from granite cliffs - a panorama interrupted only by sightings of sea lions and whales frolicking in the waters around you.
Even more fun can be had as you visit ports as interesting as Ketchikan, southerly most port on the Inside Passage route and known as the "salmon capital of the world". This port is also renowned the world over for its famous totems. Enjoy a stroll down famous Creek Street, the towns "red light" district; visit Misty Fjords, America's newest national monument or attend the "Salmon Bake" and sample the local fare.
Juneau, Alaska's capital and your first taste of the gold rush era, is a contrast of wild, natural country and thriving city. Explore the fascinating City Museum, quaint St. Nicholas Church and stop at Juneau's favorite watering hole, the Red Dog Saloon.
The treasures beyond the city limits will beckon you too. Tour Mendanhall Glacier by motorcoach or helicopter. This river of ice, with craggy rock sentinels 3,000 feet above sea level is a natural wonder.
Skagway, a magnet for gold-seekers in the late 1890's, was referred to as the "roughest town on earth" with its over 80 saloons. You can relive the racy Klondike days in this colourful turn-of-the-century town where cancan dancers and other entertainers in 1890's garb will welcome you or take an authentic horse drawn taxi into town and explore the "Trail of 98" museum.
The plank sidewalks, false front buildings and narrow-gauge White Pass and Yukon Railroad will make you feel as if you were back in the days of the Gold Rush.
On northbound cruises, you'll also visit Sitka. When Alaska was still Russian territory, this was her glittering cultural centre in the West. Today, evidence of Russian culture can be found in the priceless icons and paintings of the onion-domed St. Michael's Cathedral. Remnants of Sitka's Indian culture are preserved in the National Historic Park.
A cruise to Alaska us the ideal vacation for couples, families, single people, honeymooners and fun-lovers of all ages and interests.
And there is no other way to do it with so much ease, affordability and excitement than by modern cruise ships.
Sid Kaplan has extensive experience in the travel business. He owned and operated a large retail cruise only agency in Canada and his wife has 25 years experience working for major cruise lines. Their website is which offers advice and tips to those looking to create memorable cruise vacations. Shore excursion and land tour information is also provided. Cruise, hotel, car rental and vacation adventure booking online.
If you spend any time in or around the water then you probably own or have considered owning an inflatable boat. There are many uses for inflatable boats and many people own them for a variety of very different reasons.
What Can I Use An Inflatable Boat For?
Inflatable boats were originally used in the Navy to haul cargo and missiles back and forth to larger ships. Eventually the inflatable boats moved into the recreational market for fishing, personal transportation and for tenders on larger boats, particularly yachts.
Some other uses are:
Scuba diving
Search and rescue
Emergency lifeboats
Security patrol
Law enforcement
Fishing and hunting
Pleasure
Water sports
Many others
What Are Some Benefits Of An Inflatable Boat?
There are many advantages to an inflatable boat over a hard sided boat, but to see the true benefits you really need to know what you plan on using your boat for.
Are They Heavy?
Inflatable boats are extremely lightweight in comparison to more traditional hard sided boats. And the fact that they are light weight makes them an excellent choice for many people. This is great if you are using your boat for fishing. Instead of towing a regular dinghy or canoe behind your vehicle you will be able to strap your inflatable boat to the roof of your car or even strap it into the bed of your truck.
The lightweight nature of the inflatable boat is excellent if you need to pull your boat up on the shore of the lake, or river during a fishing trip. One or two people can easily pull an inflatable boat up on shore a safe distance.
What About Stability?
A big concern of most people have when they are considering an inflatable boat over a more traditional boat is the stability of the inflatable. Will it be tipsy or unsteady when you are standing in it? This is a major and very common misconception of most people. In fact, an inflatable boat is generally much more stable than a traditional boat.
Because of their buoyancy tubes, inflatable boats are actually known for their incredible stability. And because of these buoyancy tubes these boats actually sit flat in the water which makes them virtually impossible to flip over. This is a great feature for people who might be a little bit nervous about small boats, or especially scuba divers who need to flip backwards into the water and pull themselves up and into the boats.
Why Choose An Inflatable Boat?
There are a number of reasons why inflatable boats make a better choice than the more traditional aluminum or fiberglass boats. Depending on why you need a small boat will depend on why you are better off with an inflatable.
If you are a fisherman, a lightweight inflatable canoe makes a much better choice than a traditional hard shell canoe. With an inflatable you will be able to carry the boat to the river or lake by yourself, which is very handy if you prefer to fish by yourself. Also you will be able to transport the boat to and from your fishing site easier and without fear of scratching your vehicle if you choose to transport it on top of the vehicle.
If you are a yacht owner looking for a tender for your larger craft an inflatable boat is the best choice for a few reasons. It is very important to yacht owners that they not scratch their beautiful boats; with an inflatable, those concerns are virtually eliminated, because these boats are made from materials that are soft and will not mark the surfaces of other boats.
Also, because inflatable boats are lightweight they can easily be brought on board when the yacht is under sail. However, just because you have an inflatable does not mean that you cannot attach a trolling motor to it. In fact most inflatable boats allow quite large motors to be attached to them. Although many inflatable boats are not built for performance and speed, some are built for speed and efficiency. However, even if you have a motor you should always carry paddles with you and you should always wear a life jacket.
All Purpose Inflatable Boats
Inflatable boats are much more than the image of a blow up boat that you played with in the pool as a child. You can now attach motors to these boats, put boat seats in them and even drive through the ocean surf at top speeds. This is much more than the boat that you remember as a child!
You can get inflatable kayaks, inflatable canoes, inflatable rowboats and fishing boats. No matter what you need a small boat for; there is an inflatable boat that is perfect for your needs.
About the Author
Kevin Brown is successful author and publisher of many informative websites including . His websites offer tips and advice on a wide array of topics including , inflatable kayaks, boating accessories, and more.
Exploring Europe can be such a unique experience with a River Cruise. You just unpack once on this floating hotel and there you go cruising with river cruises over magnificent castles, significant towns and cities, appealing villages and lavish vineyards. It has become increasingly popular nowadays to sail through the grand rivers of Europe especially with the wide selection of vessels available.
All the vessels are beautifully furnished, displaying attractive art objects with public areas reflecting the atmosphere around each region you cruise. It is the most pleasurable experience on river vessels as all offer personal service with the help of a smiling bilingual staff. You are provided with a single seating superb dining arrangement and well-accommodated cabins, which are comfortable and airy.
The most popular destinations in Europe, Russia or China can be explored intimately, closely and deeply with the river cruises. It is unlike a bus ride where you are still spending time on the bus than exploring and discovering destinations. River cruises provide splendid service and superb food. Every travel programs is well formulated and designed and you visit a port a day, at least. Hence, you get an opportunity to explore small villages in remote regions minutely, which might not have been otherwise possible with an ocean cruise. As you cruise along, you admire the beautiful scenery around as well as enjoy the local nightlife at the ports.
Have you ever thought of rediscovering America in an easy and relaxed fashion? Well River Cruises are there for you.
For the early settlers of America, rivers were natural highways, today the same rivers signify the old and the new, and as you cruise along them, you discover American history as it unfolds to you slowly and steadily. It is becoming extremely popular nowadays to experience America's great waterways on Victorian Style steam driven paddle wheelers on 3-to twelve-night trips. There are stunning antiques displayed in the gallery and there is a two-storey dining room with huge windows for a fantastic view of the scenery. The river steamboats are designed in 19th century format with stylish furnishings- an impressive mirrored and brass staircase and a lounge with a two-storied glass rear wall for a glimpse of the giant paddlewheel. There are other amenities available like movie theaters, musical shows and bathing pools.
River cruises are well designed cruises - you are neither seasick nor loose sight of the land as in blue water cruises and neither do you pack, unpack or hip-hop hotels like in a car or motor coach tour. The River Explorer sails over the rivers Missouri, Mississippi and Ohio - to and fro on four to ten days trips throughout the year.
Vacationers can sprawl on the Sky Deck, read, play games or watch videos. The dining is casual, informal having no assigned seating. You can meander into the pilothouse and catch a glimpse of the real-time radar and navigational charts, if interested. At various ports storytellers, bluegrass and blues bands, dancers and Cajuns step aboard to entertain the guests.
You learn about America's heritage-it's a rich experience to understand the development of commerce and industry in America or why river towns Tenn. and Clarksville were founded. Imagine seeing the colors along the riverbanks or the rising sun or the setting sun-are truly natural wonders. You might like to undertake shore excursions to New Orleans French Quarter or the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn. It is such a wonderful idea to have some river cruises to observe themes like 1950's music, big bands, old-fashioned holidays, or the fall foliage along the Ohio River.
Looking for information about cruises? Go to: 'What Cruises' is published by Colin Hartness - An excellent resource for Cruises! Check out more cruise articles at: