There’s No Place Like Nome

There’s No Place Like Nome

September 6, 2022

Note: still working on attaching photos. Unfortunately no ten-year-olds on the boat to help 

 

A few years ago we sailed from Seattle to Yokohama with a stop in Nome. The Nomians?Nomish? had moved the date of their annual blueberry festival to coincide with our arrival. The ship would anchor and then we’d be tendered ashore. Great excitement on board and ashore. As we were all awaiting to be called to the tenders, the Captain came over the PA system. As soon as we heard his voice we knew; it was a no go. The seas were too rough to board the tenders so the excursion was cancelled. Up on deck we could see the banners ashore and the people lining the pier. Nothing to do but wave, get under way and put Nome on our list of missed ports. 

I told our indefatigable travel agent Paula to keep her eyes peeled for an itinerary that included Nome. And that’s how we ended up on the Scenic Eclipse’s Adventures Through the Inside Passage that begins in Nome! What I didn’t quite take into account was that we flew from Anchorage to Nome in the afternoon leaving just enough time to shuttle us on the ubiquitous yellow school buses to the dock and the tender ride to the Eclipse. 

Nome has a population of 3500-4000 with dirt streets and colorful but a bit worn-looking small houses set close together on cement footings to protect from sinking into the permafrost. The commercial buildings, including the airport terminal, are metal. This area is most definitely not for sissies! Jim asked the man at the airport tasked with entertaining us with tales of Nome as we waited for our ride to the dock if he was in Nome in 2019 when we couldn’t get ashore and of course  he was. Born and raised in Nome, left for college and then returned. The magical draw of Alaska. 

We didn’t have time to look around the town but a woman who was a musk ox expert hopped on the bus and had the bus driver through the town cemetery (much larger than expected with mostly wooden markers leaning this way and that) because a small herd of musk ox were grazing and cavorting there amongst the dearly departed. Myrta took a great picture but I’m not too confident that it’s actually going to come through with this post so I’ll paint with words. Musk ox are not too tall, maybe four feet, but very sturdy and covered with a thick coat of long, brown fur. Although they resemble  little bison, they have curved horns and are genetically closest to goats. I’d just paid a king’s ransom in Anchorage for Qiviut yarn made from the undercoat of  musk ox “coveted for its rarity, softness and warmth.” She’d already told us that musk ox were feisty so I asked the expert how the fur was obtained. Carefully! 

Gas is $6.99 a gallon. 

We didn’t get to see anything else of Nome but there was hot coffee and fabulous homemade brownies for us in the historic church-now-community-center before we went to the docks and tender ride through the grey gloom to the ship. 

The Scenic Eclipse is a “luxurious discovery yacht.” It’s very sleek and modern with beautiful furnishings and fittings throughout. As we boarded we were individually escorted by a crew member up to the main lounge area where a waiter took our drink order (the bars are “open” and the liquor is all top shelf) before another crew member took us to the front desk to check in and receive our ships ID cum stateroom key cards. It had been a long journey so I’m fairly certain the picture that was snapped of me was not even DMV quality.  I made the guy promise to trash it when we disembarked in Vancouver. He quickly agreed so that photo must be a pip!

There are 145 passengers on board and a seemingly infinite supply of crew. The staterooms are of various sizes (the Swells have the big ones forward with their own jacuzzi on their own private deck.) but all have balconies and unobstructed views. The bathroom is roomy, all black and grey and white  marble with an incredible rain shower head in the shower, very modern sink that has an infinity edge to the drain and lots of storage! The stateroom furnishings are also sleek, several closets, big safe (for all the jewels I brought along), mini bar (stocked with whatever you wish), big bed with controls to raise and lower whatever you need raised or lowered. There’s even a pillow menu. And a butler named JJ. And Teddy behind the bar in the Azure Cafe who made me the perfect vodka gimlet. 

The crew members are from every corner of the world, impeccably turned out, fluent In English and fairly  young, say 25 to 40.  The “exposition” crew seems to be the largest group. Everything from Zodiac, submarine and helicopter pilots to kayak, canoe and paddle board guides to naturalists, and “ologists” — geo, ornith, arctic, etc. This is quite the active and sporty bunch. 

There are eight restaurants, from casual to sushi to elegant French. Just the thought of unpacking and changing into something elegantly resort casual was just too much so we chose casual in the Azure Cafe. Nothing says I’m on vacation like Quattro Formaggi pizza and Teddy’s vodka gimlet!

This evening we head 350 nautical miles to Matthew Island, the most remote island in Alaska, smack dab in the middle of the Bering Sea. 

Sunset is 10ish. Should the Northern lights be visible any night, anytime, we’ll be alerted. I really, really hope it happens.