Unforgettable Moments at Sea Aboard the Alaskan Sapphire Princess

As I'm standing on deck of the Princess Sapphire on a warm and sunny August morning cruising slowly along Alaska's Inside Passage, I witness a landscape so stunning it makes my native California seem like the girl next door. Here was this majestic beauty of Alaska, standing proudly and boldly as if to say, "Take a good long look at me. Do you see the vast beauty of my unspoiled land? Imagine what I was like at my youth, when my inhabitants were simpler people, before they tore down my monuments and built their own."

I saw hills with slopes full of tall lush green trees, ice bergs infused with the color of translucent turquoise and white, small island of land or ice. I click away in all directions trying to capture everything about this moment in a picture. But you can't bottle Alaska up in a picture, in a series of portraits, or even inside an article. I point out to my kids to take a look at this. "I know, we've seen it!" they call out. They are playing with a giant chess set and get annoyed by my even asking the question. I noticed that was a common trend with the younger passengers. They walk around with their headsets on or quickly pass by the outer deck, too busy to stop and notice the scene. Maybe we need an older set of eyes to appreciate things. Or perhaps, youth have their way of taking in all this beauty that is beyond just gasping in admiration.

In the middle of a breezy afternoon on our second day-at-sea, while my husband and I were at the front of the ship, taking pictures and feeling the wind break on our faces, my boys ages 8, 10, and 12, noticed that if they opened their jackets and held the sides out above their head with their arms extended, the wind resistance would catch hold of their jacket and sweep them back They laughed and giggled, as they battled it out against one of nature's strongest forces. This spontaneous eruption of play inspired a couple of men, who were taking pictures, to stop and also experiment with the strength of the wind. One athletic-looking man, who looked to be in his early thirties, arched his back and held his arms off to the sides to feel the full strength of the wind push against him. He held this position for at least 20 minutes as if it were some sort of yoga routine. The other man was my husband, Hector, who is also young, athletic and boyishly playful--thanks in part to us having three boys. Hector grabbed hold of the rail and kicked his legs up in the air to feel the wind race through the length of his body, even if only for a second.

I sat and watched, huddled over with my back protected behind me, as my face, chest, and curled up legs broke the wind. Sitting there in the cold, while getting slapped in the face by my own hair, I was taking in the moment, mentally recording the memory of seeing them all have fun with the powerful winds. I was happy my boys had found a special way of their own to enjoy this Alaskan Cruise experience.