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Article: Paddlewheelin' the inside passage on the Empress of The North: where 19th-century ambiance meets age-old Alaskan splendor.
- Article from:
- Cruise Travel
- Article date:
- May 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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You are at the fantail of a genuine stern-wheeler as her giant red paddlewheel rolls the tranquil waters of Alaska's Peril Strait into a foamy green wake. Its steady mist refreshes your cheek as you gaze at pristine glacial valleys and verdant peaks. There are no signs of civilization, aside from an occasional shoreside cabin or, perhaps, a passing fishing boat. A pair of humpback whales breaches in the distance, tails airborne for a split second, their fleeting presence noted by a lingering spout above the water.
With American West Steamboat Company's sparkling, new, 235-passenger Empress Of The North, this Klondike-era scenario has become a modern-day reality. ...