The big cruise ships do not put in at Petersburg, or Wrangell, because of their narrow harbors; thus, they are unspoiled by the throngs of tourists and seasonal gift shops. In Petersburg, as we walked along Sing Lee Alley, Nordic Drive and across Hammer Slough, we had an opportunity to enjoy the picturesque, and sometimes quirky, nature of this beautiful little town. The wooden streets with their beautiful, family-owned stores and homes are built on wooden pilings and slats and still serve utilitarian purposes, making them far more appealing than if they were prettied up as tourist areas. It is more insular and authentic, so instead you see Norwegian fishermen in pickup trucks and blond-haired kids on bikes.
While in Petersburg we camped next to Louie and John, two elderly gents from Oregon, who have been spending every summer here for the last 15 years or so. They left, heading South, on the same ferry as we did, but on our last evening they gave us a beautiful, 10-lb silver salmon that they caught just hours before. We slapped it on the grill and WOW, was it delicious. Speaking of the ferry, we embarked at 1:00am and since we were only traveling one stop we had to board last. AND, we had to BACK down the ramp and onto the ship. Did we mention that the ramp is the LONGEST on the entire ferry system (more than 100 yards), it has TWO turns in it, we also had to back around inside the ship AND it was DARK? Pat now feels fairly qualified to back up just about any where. Truth be known: the guys that direct you while they load the vehicles are really good and without them Pat really couldn’t back up at all!!
Next stop, Wrangell, valued for its position near the mouth of the Stikine River, which drains all the way from British Columbia to the sea. It is one of the most famous fishing rivers in the Pacific Northwest and, like many of the towns in the region, it owes its existence to the rich cultural influence of the Tlinget and Haida Indians and the expansive Russian fur empire of the 18th and 19th centuries. Wrangell also was instrumental in the three Alaskan gold rushes, but after that, time pretty much stopped. While the world outside changed, Wrangell has pretty much stayed the same from the mid-20th century on. It’s predominately a logging and fishing town with many people also involved in the administration of Tongass National Forest.
Wrangell is home to Chief Shakes Island, a tiny islet in the middle of the small-boat harbor, which is the site of a Tlinget clan house and a nice collection of totems. The beach north of town has an impressive set of petroglyphs. Most believe that these 50 stone carvings, scattered across the rocks, represent the work of forgotten indigenous people, pre-dating the Tlingets, and perhaps made over a period of time more than 10,000 years ago. The images, chipped into rocks, are of animals and geometric forms. Their purpose is lost to time. We found great pleasure in searching for the carvings – they’re just scattered all over – and to wonder at their meaning and age.
Our last stop within Alaska was Ketchikan whose economy is based on salmon fishing, logging and tourism. It began as a Tlinget salmon fishing camp “Kitsch-Hin” or “The Creek of the Thundering Wings of an Eagle”. It subsequently became the center of an immense number of salmon canneries and, as such, evolved into a rather wild waterfront town. Remnants of those days still are evident in Creek Alley, which was the red-light district and Dolly’s House, a fine bordello turned museum. Ketchikan, and nearby Saxman, are home to two excellent Totem Parks with associated Community Houses.
Our biggest treat while in Ketchikan, was to take a float plane trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. These 2.3 million acres are at the southern end of Tongass National Forest and offer an incredible journey into an absolutely awesome area. The name Misty Fjords powerfully evokes the place – perpetually misty and characterized by a multitude of deep fjords. We were fortunate to have a beautiful day in which to experience this phenomenal place. Imagine flying over thundering waterfalls that drop hundreds of feet from sheer rock cliffs, while mountains rise vertically from the cold salt water to the snowfields. Everywhere the northern rain forest vegetation is lush and green. Our UNBELIEVABLE visit to this INCREDIBLE place was on a flight piloted by Michelle Masden, owner and operator of Island Wings. Her passion, knowledge and sincere commitment to her passengers made this one of the most unforgettable experiences of our entire summer. There is no way that our humble photographs can show the shear beauty and majesty of Misty Fjords. The picture at the top of this blog was taken at one of the lakes where we landed and believe us when we say that it was truly breath-taking.
Hopefully the pictures on this link will give you a small idea of all the exciting things we have seen and done:
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As you can tell, we have had ANOTHER incredible two weeks. Today we board the ferry and sail south, leaving Alaska and arriving in British Columbia. Our trip is far from over; there are still bears to be seen in Stewart-Hyder; the majesty of Jasper, Banff, and Lake Louise; stops in Montana and South Dakota; and visits in Iowa again. So, don’t leave us yet, there’s still another 4-6 weeks to go. BUT, we must admit, as we sail from Ketchikan there will be some pensive thoughts. It has truly been a trip of a lifetime this summer as we have experienced just a small part of what this Last Great Frontier has to offer.
Take care, stay safe, and soon,
P&J
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