Experience Alaska on Land & By Sea

  with Cynthia Rutledge!

August 28 - September 9, 2012

Land:  Anchorage  •  Seward

Cruise: Glacier Bay  •  Haines  •  Juneau  •  Ketchikan  •  Inside Passage  •  Vancouver, B.C.
 

August 25 - 28: Optional Workshop:  Art of Shibori

Wendy Smith-Wood

Anchorage •  Sheep Mountain

Shibori workshop is filled - waitlist available!

 

Come tour Alaska with Cynthia Rutledge. You’ll experience Southcentral Alaska by land as you arrive in Anchorage and then travel to Seward. In Seward you will embark on a southbound 7-day Holland America cruise by which you’ll experience Southeast Alaska on a mid-sized ship. Along the way you’ll experience an Alaska often described as awe-inspiring during which you’ll discover the magnificence of College Fjord and the unspoiled, pristine beauty of Glacier Bay National Park and visit the small towns of Haines, Juneau, and Ketchikan along the way.

And can it get even better, you ask? You betcha--Cynthia will create a project special to this Beadventure!

Itinerary

Day 1. Tuesday, August 28.  Arrive in Anchorage
You will begin the Alaska Beadventure by flying into Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Nestled between the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet, Anchorage began as a tent city in 1915 during the construction of the Alaska Railroad, which connected the ice-free port of Seward to Fairbanks and Alaska’s Interior. There are no activities planned today so the entire day is yours to explore on your own. We will be staying at the Hotel Captain Cook, which is located within walking distance of the downtown area and lots of shopping. We will meet in the hotel lobby at 6 p.m. for a welcome dinner (on Beadventures). 

Day 2. Wednesday, August 29.  Exploration of Alaska’s History & Culture
Today we will explore Alaska’s history and experience its culture. We will visit the Anchorage Museum of History & Art where we will view the interpretive displays that illustrate Alaska’s history and learn about its native culture. Tentatively planned is a half-day workshop with a premier Alaska Native bead artist (stay tuned for details). 

Day 3. Thursday, August 30.  Out & About in Anchorage
Today we will explore Anchorage via private transport around Anchorage. We’ll design the stops based on the group’s interests. Having said that, a Beadventure to Anchorage would not be complete if we didn’t stop at the best bead store in Alaska--the Alaska Bead Company.

Day 4. Friday, August 31.  Travel to Seward
We will depart Anchorage at 10 a.m. in our private transport for the 125-mile drive along the Turnagain Arm to Seward, a small coastal town with scenic views and is the gateway to the Kenai Fjords. Along the way we will stop in Girdwood that is nestled among mountains at the base of Mt. Alyeska. Girdwood has evolved from a gold mining town into Alaska's only year-round resort community.  During our drive we also will visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center where you will view animals indigenous to Alaska. We will continue our drive enjoying the spectacular scenery and will arrive at Windsong Lodge around 4:30 p.m. We’ll get settled in our hotel room and convene in the lobby for a group dinner (on Beadventures).

Day 5. Saturday, September 1.  Resurrection Bay Tour
At noon we will set out on a 4.5 hour cruise of beautiful Resurrection Bay during which you’ll be able to view the bay’s jagged cliffs, surrounding glaciers, and marine wildlife—from whales to seabirds. We will stop for lunch at Fox Island that features all the wild Alaska salmon and prime rib you can eat! We’ll return at 4:30 and you’re on your own for the evening.

Day 6. Sunday, September 2.  Explore Seward / Cruise Departure
There are lots of options from which you can chose of how you would like to spend the day. One option is to tour the Alaska SeaLife Center, Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center where you can have an unrivaled, up-close, and personal experience with Gulf of Alaska marine wildlife. Those a bit more adventurous could take a sled dog tour at Mitch Seavey’s “Ididaride” (Mitch was the 2004 Iditarod champion and has run over 15 races); or simply tour the quaint shops in downtown Seward (the lodge will provide transportation to downtown).


Holland America Glacier Discovery Southbound Cruise
Aboard ms Statendam


In the early evening we will board the ms Statendam for our 8 p.m. sailing.  We will travel southbound through Alaska where we will view majestic scenery and visit popular ports of call throughout Southeast Alaska Along the way you’ll be able to watch as whales breach and massive glaciers come into view.   The itinerary includes crossing the Gulf of Alaska and cruising Glacier Bay; ports of call at Haines, Juneau, and Ketchikan; cruising the Inside Passage; and eventually  arriving in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Please visit Holland America’s website for information about the cruise, shore excursions, and ports of call.  During the cruise we will have a workshop with Cynthia on a project especially designed for this Beadventure (stay tuned for further details about the project).

Day 7.  Monday, September 3.  Crossing the Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska.  The entire shoreline of the Gulf is a rugged combination of forest, mountain, and a number of tidewater glaciers.  While crossing the Gulf we'll have our first workshop with Cynthia on the project she designed just for this Beadventure.

Day 8.  Tuesday, September 4.  Tour Glacier Bay
The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve includes tidewater glaciers, snow-capped mountain ranges, ocean coastlines, deep fjords, and freshwater rivers and lakes. It's a very unique and powerful place--and absolutely beautiful.  It also is home to more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world.  So keep an eye open for a tremendously large chunk of ice dropping into the water--and chances are you'll hear it before you see it!

Day 9.  Wednesday, September 5.  Port of Call - Haines, Alaska
Haines is nestled on the shores of America's longest fjord, Haines is in a spectacular setting. It is home to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve where from October and February, Haines has the largest concentration of bald eagles in the world. 

Day 10.  Thursday, September 6.  Port of Call - Juneau, Alaska
Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau, surrounded by grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel.  Juneau, with a population of about 30,000, is Alaska's capital city, and only can be accessed by water or air.  You can visit the quaint shops along South Franklin Street, take the tram up Mt. Roberts for a great view of the area, travel out the road to view the Mendenhall Glacier, or visit the State Museum or State Capitol.

Day 11.  Friday, September 7.  Port of Call - Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is Alaska's most southern city and has an economy based on tourism and fishing (it is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World."  Ketchikan literally clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air.  You might consider a visit to the Misty Fjords National Monument.  Here you will see deep water fjords that were left by retreating glaciers that carved out granite cliffs that tower thousands of feet above the sea with countless waterfalls cascading into calm waters.  Ketchikan has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles that can be found at the City of Saxman, Totem Bight State Park, and the Totem Heritage Center.  

Day 12.  Saturday, September 8.  Travel the Inside Passage
Today we'll cruise the fabled Inside Passage, which is one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world.  It also is one of the few where deep-draft vessels can sail close to steep mountain walls. The scenery is unbelievable, with forests in a hundred shades of green, tumbling turquoise glaciers, and evocative towns loaded with history, culture, and adventure. 

Day 13.  Sunday, September 9.  Arrive in Vancouver, B.C. Canada
The Alaska Beadventure comes to an end as we disembark our ship at 7 a.m.  We'll have experienced 12 great days of beautiful scenery during which you will have made lasting memories and new friends.
 

Optional Workshop:  Art of Shibori

with Wendy Smith-Wood

August 25 - 28

Sheep Mountain, Alaska

 

Cynthia has a beautiful shibori scarf that she bought from Wendy Smith-Wood at the "Bad Girls of the North" show held in Anchorage each November.  Shibori is a collective term for Japanese resist-dye textile techniques such as tie-dye, stitch-dye, fold-dye, and pole wrap-dye.  If you check out Wendy’s website, you'll know we're not talking about the “tie-dyed” of the 1960s!  Wendy is a world-renown shibori artist that just happens to live in Alaska. Not just any part of Alaska.  She lives at Sheep Mountain, about 140 miles north of Anchorage.

Wendy has agreed to offer us a two-day workshop at her studio in which we'll learn about silk dyeing.  You don’t need any experience and you will have an option on what you would like to work on—from silk painting, silk batik, or shibori.

 

Shibori Workshop Itinerary

Day 1. Saturday, August 25.  Arrive in Anchorage
We’ll stay the night in Anchorage.  We’ll get together in the evening for an early dinner (on Beadventures) so you can rest before our early start in the morning.

Day 2. Sunday, August 26.  Drive to Sheep Mountain / Workshop Day
We’ll meet in the hotel lobby at 7:00 a.m. for our 2-hour drive to Sheep Mountain. We’ll get settled into our cabins and begin our workshop around 10 a.m.

Day 3. Monday, August 27.  Workshop
Today our workshop with Wendy continues.

Day 4. Tuesday, August 28. Return to Anchorage
We will return to Anchorage in the morning. The rest of the afternoon will be free for you to enjoy Anchorage as we await the arrival of others who we will join in the evening for our welcome dinner. 

Project Designed by Cynthia Just for this Beadventure
Cynthia will be designing a very special project inspired by Tuscany...stay tune for details!

About Cynthia Rutledge . . .
Cynthia is a contemporary artist and teacher focusing on beadwork as her medium. She specializes in peyote stitch and off-loom weaving techniques with an emphasis on developing sculptural unsupported shapes in beadwork. Her work has been exhibited in national and international shows and has appeared in Nicolette Stessin's Beaded Amulet Purses, Carol Taylor's Creative Bead Jewelry, and Carol Wilcox Wells' Creative Bead Weaving: A Contemporary Guide to Classic Off-Loom Stitches.

Cynthia writes:
"My attraction to 3-dimensional shapes has created a fascination for me throughout my life and has fueled my creative spirit. My choice of beadwork as a primary medium has followed that same fascination. As my beadwork has evolved, my work seems to always lean towards the building of shapes and forms that are functional and wearable.

The choice to use beads as my medium was primarily influenced by my love of color. Beads reflect and absorb light, hold shape and dimension, and in so doing, offer chameleon-like qualities. It is not always the end result that is the most important to me, however. The process of working with beads and thread is meditative and calming, which allows time for reflection. Engineering each piece is always a challenge that thrills me, as well as giving me the power to make the decisions that need to be made for each piece. The more I experience the wonderful qualities of beadwork, the more I realize my relationship with beads will always be one of learning, experiencing and sharing.

The decision to teach grew from my personal desire to share my love of beads and all the wonderful things that can be created with them. The commitment that I have to teaching stems from my desire to share the knowledge I have gained while developing my own skills in this medium. Ultimately, my mission is to help to keep this art form alive and well."

 

Trip Details

 

Cost:  Estimated cost is $3,325 to $3,600 depending on category of cabin on the cruise ship (click link to view ship diagram and categories of rooms).  Some rooms can accommodate a third and/or fourth guest for an additional cost of $700 per person in the same room (subject to availability). 

Estimated Cost Based on Category of Cabin

Category C & D (Ocean View)    $3,600
Category DA (Ocean View)  $3,550
Interior    $3,325

Inquire regarding cost if you prefer a different deck.  Cabin selection is based upon availability.  Single supplement on land is $515; inquire about single supplement on cruise (based on availability).  Fuel supplement of $9/day is currently suspended (subject to change).

If you have previously sailed with Holland America, please provide your past guest ID number and you may get a cabin upgrade and/or other benefits.

Includes:
Land:  All lodging, museum admission, all ground transportation, two dinners, one lunch, Resurrection Bay tour, transportation to cruise ship.
Cruise: All lodging, all meals, bead workshop, taxes and fees as of 7/1/11 (subject to change). 

Does not include:
Land: Airfare to Alaska, other meals and alcoholic beverages
Cruise: Airfare home from Vancouver, shore excursions, alcoholic beverages, optional shore excursions, bead workshop supplies. 

Payment Terms: $300 deposit to hold spot; balance due May 28, 2012 (see Terms and Conditions for refund/cancellation policy. 

 

Pre-Beadventure Shibori Workshop (Optional)
(Space limited to 8)

Cost: $675.00

Includes: all lodging, ground transportation, workshop and materials, one dinner

Does not include: Airfare to Anchorage, other meals

Payment Terms: $300 deposit to hold spot; balance due 90 days prior to workshop (see Terms and Conditions for more information)

Trip Notes

  • The on-land itinerary may be adjusted to accommodate opportunities that may present themselves!

  • If you have previously sailed with Holland America, please provide your past guest ID number.

  • Regarding airline travel, please note different cities for arrival (Anchorage) and departure (Vancouver, B.C.).