Port Bridge Wing

Here is the view from the port bridge wing while we are underway at sea. There are duplicate steering and propulsion controls on each wing for the captain to use while docking the ship. 

Celestial Bearings

While primary navigation now happens by GPS and electronic charts, we still look to celestial sightings to verify that our electronics are correct. Here I am taking an azimuth of the sun to determine compass error. 

Daylight in the Narrows

Today was the first time we have had daylight on our approach to Valdez and it was a breathtakingly beautiful day to enjoy the transit through the Valdez Narrows!

Bridge from the Bridge

Here is a different view of the Golden Gate Bridge from inside the navigation bridge on the Polar Endeavour. 

USS Ranger

She was 2 miles off our port side, so it is a little hard to see, but this is the USS Ranger, an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1957 and now being towed to the scrap yard in Texas. She was featured in the film Top Gun and served extensive time in the Pacific, especially in the Vietnam War. She was also the first carrier to be built with an angled flight deck. 

Eagle Landing

This young eagle joined us for our last trip from Valdez to the Puget Sound area in Washington. He made it through a few days of rough seas and strong winds and I'm sure he was happy to see land when we arrived.