Sake Cruise ’09: The Deadliest Catch

Day 4 onboard the Seven Seas Mariner was action packed! I woke up in Dutch Harbor Alaska. This was our last day on American Soil as we would be sailing out at 1pm across the Bering strait on our 2 day voyage to Siberia. This was also my first day off the ship since boarding.

Dutch Harbor was fascinating – this fishing town is best known as the home base for the crab fisherman on the Discovery Channel’s series “the Deadliest Catch”.

The town itself has stunning natural beauty with mountains and inlets carved out by retreating glaciers.

One of the star attractions of Dutch Harbor is the Russian Orthodox church which was first built in 1826. Photos are not allowed inside, but I had the thrill of a lifetime when I saw an American Bald Eagle land on the church spire and then leap into flight with it’s 5 food wingspan. It was breathtaking!

Once Back on the ship, we sailed off from Dutch Harbor and at 3pm, I held my second talk of the sake cruise – this time discussing Sake Ingredients. This was another fun sake lecture held in the ship’s elegant “Compass Rose” restaurant. Along with my powerpoint lecture, we tasted three fantastic sakes:

Yukikage Show Shadow Junmai
Ichishima Honjozo
Kakurei Daiginjo

The guest in attendance at the tasting seemed surprised to learn that Koji Mold is used in making sake and is one of the primary ingredients! We have a fun hour together and it left me looking forward to Tomorrow’s lecture which will be “how to taste sake”. Should be fun!

The waves outside the window are starting to pick up a bit, but I think for the season and the part of the world we are sailing, we’re being spared the worst weather there could be. It is fun however to discuss the “roughest weather” survival stories with both crew and guests on the ship. Almost everyone here has experienced a lot of sailing already and it’s all new to me! I was told today, If you did OK on the first day with the 10 foot waves, you’ll be fine! I’m still taking it one day at a time…