Over glaciers and halibut, Sun City gals bond in Alaska

A 65-foot boat is a small space to call home for a week, so it was important that the ladies who traveled together from Sun City to Alaska in August were good friends.

The journey through Alaska's inland passage was organized by Swamp Girls Kayaking via Home Shore Charters of Alaska..

Captain Jim KyleofHome Shore Charters took the group on an adventure of a lifetime as the two small boats-- which each slept six passengers plus the crew-- explored coves and open water along the route from British Columbia and Alaska to the Pacific.

The ladies all knew that we were to be on board two small charter fishing boats with cramped quarters, so it was decided that each would choose her own roommate, orBFF (Best Friend Forever).Sun City's Marilyn Booher chose her "Tri Delta" sorority sister, Erin Lamb of Wayland, Mass.Linda Lee chose her good friend and frequent adventure travel buddy Jean Hess from Kilmarnock, VA.Janet Haysom, picked a new friend she met while kayaking on other Swampgirls tours--Lynn Davis from Roanoke, VA. Vivian Satterlee, also from Sun City, partnered up with Margo Rome, a long time friend from Fairfax, VT.Linda Gillet and Kathy Emoryfrom Hilton Head Island also bunked up.They havepaddled together for years -- BFFs for sure.

The atmosphere on the boats was likesummer camp, with lots of laughs and plenty of camaraderie to spread around.The boats traveled in tandem on Frederick Sound. The ladies took a combined 9 thousand pictures and shot a 4-hour video diary.The trip began when the dirty dozen hit the tarmac in Seattle and then departed for Petersburg, Alaska. Petersburg is a unique Norwegian-influenced fishing village known for fresh halibut nearly the size of icebergs.

The six lucky gals caught fresh halibut and dined on their own fresh dungeonous crab and wild salmon.The itinerary included hiking and or kayaking each day.The ladies concluded their tour by sightseeing the quaint port of Sitka. The weather was a little bit of everything that Alaska is famous for from sunshine to cold rain and this dirty dozen had the gear and clothing to handle any conditions on the water or land."This is a magical way to see wild animals up close and personal," said Linda Etchells, co-owner of Swamp Girls Kayak Tours in Hardeeville.

For more pictures of this trip and other tours.www.swampgirls.com