Inside Passage

Although building your own boat to paddle through the waters of Alaska's Inside Passage - the protected waterway that extends from Alaska's southern reach all the way to the Puget Sound in Washington - is not completely unheard of and has definitely been done before, it is somewhat rare and impressive, says Dan Geiger, director of the University of Oregon's Outdoor Program.

Until recently, though, Vancouver was the primary choice for a big-ship cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage. But in 2000 Norwegian Cruise Line became the first company to base a cruise liner in Seattle, when it deployed the Norwegian Sky on seven-day cruises to Alaska.

But another problem bubbled to the surface in 1998, when the Royal Caribbean Cruise Limited (RCCL) fleet was convicted on 21 felony counts for purposefully dumping hazardous wastes from their photo shops, dry cleaning facilities, and bilge water tanks into many US waters -- including Alaska's Inside Passage.

As our journey into Alaska's Inside Passage progresses, the landscape becomes even more dramatic.

Beginning in late May, 7- to 11-day cruises depart from Vancouver and sail Alaska's Inside Passage or clear to Anchorage.

The ship operated all season along Alaska's Inside Passage and returned to Hatton Marine, where the engine was dismantled and compared with the port engine, which operated normally.

For more info on Alaska's Inside Passage, contact the Southeast Alaska Tourism Council (Cruise Travel Magazine), P.O.

to Whittier, through Alaska's Inside Passage. Foss towed prefabricated silo components for a contractor building ground-based defense missile projects in Alaska.

This last summer I spent two weeks cruising Alaska's Inside Passage on World Explorer Cruises' Universe Explorer.

Yet, researchers keep trying to put their quantitative finger on just what is that has visitors flocking to the waterways of Alaska's Inside Passage. Facts and figures aside, Southeast's seaside port enclaves and protected waterways have long provided the traveler, from the first tall-ship explorer to the Gold Rush miner, with an initial glimpse of the Great Land.

Along with a larger passenger load, seven ships instead of four will be home-based in Seattle this summer, which can translate into more travelers sailing Alaska's Inside Passage. Plus, Point Sofia in Hoonah--a new port of call--will now welcome three ships a week.

The traveler who chooses Alaska's Inside Passage will also take away unforgettable memories, but the best experience for the locals has to be the tourist's boon to their economy.

Waterfall Group also operates Alaska's Inside Passage Resorts, a venture of a cooperative nature that markets accommodation at a variety of statewide lodges and Alaska-experience affiliates.