Alaska ferry stops (Ketchikan) and arrival in Skagway

Sunday – Alaska ferry first stop in Ketchikan
Please note this belated posting is from an entry in early May.

Sitting on my sleeping bag in my bunk in the solarium

We arrived at our first stop, Ketchikan, at 7am this morning under rain-heavy overcast skies and chilly temperatures in the mid-30’s. Our arrival was greeted by a bald eagle majestically perched on top of one of the pilings along the ferry dock, a welcome sight to start our day. The trip ashore would be brief as our time here was quite short, only three hours before we were due back on board at 10am for our departure to Wrangell.

Cruise ships at dock in Ketchikan
As I left the ship via the car deck, I heard lots of happy barking and saw the wagging tails of many dogs in the automobiles that crowded the steel deck. Many of the pickup trucks, RVs and small cars I passed filled with gear also housed both small and large dogs, excitedly waiting for a chance to run around on land after more than a day at sea spending most of that time inside the vehicle. Dogs are so cool in how they just adapt to whatever life throws at them with a wagging tail, one of the many things I learn from them.

I had decided to get some exercise and hike the two miles into town. The ferry dock is located in a more industrial area on the outside of town, leaving room for the cruise ships that dock right in the center of things. As I walked up the ramp and followed the sidewalks into town, the cloudy skies soon gave way to a light drizzle; so I was glad that I had dressed for the weather.

The purser's desk on the Alaska ferry. Where's Gopher?

I’ve been to Ketchikan once before, on an NCL Alaska cruise Tim and took to celebrate our anniversary a few years back. At that time our combined salary made it possible to have enough in our “travel and entertainment” budget to afford a cruise once every few years if we saved enough in between, so after saving for more than a year we spent almost two weeks in Alaska that September (when prices and crowds were both a bit lower). We had added the NCL’s “land package” tour where we flew into Fairbanks and then took the train down from there, spending one night in Denali National Park which was awesome. While we were in Denali the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) “went” that night, and I’ll never forget the feeling of watching the night sky “dance” in a colorful waltz of pinks, greens, blues and purples – all moving together like a ballet troupe performing a grand finale. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand at attention from the sheer magic of it, and I look forward to seeing that again while I’m here.

Creek Street on downtown Ketchikan

Las Vegas, Disneyland and similar places that “recreate things exist because there will always be those of us who aren’t able, or perhaps in some cases just not motivated enough to see the genuine article for ourselves, and that’s cool if that’s what we want. But to me nothing tops seeing firsthand what Mother Nature does naturally and very, very well.

Ketchikan channel at sunset

And since I mentioned Disneyland I’d like to digress a moment (imagine that) on that topic because it’s an important one to me. People who know me are probably aware of my partiality to Disney World as a destination (because in my opinion Disneyland is not the same thing at all and is therefore not included in what I’m talking about here). I’ve read a lot about Walt Disney and what he was trying to do when he dreamed up Disney World many years ago. And while I can’t remember if he was originally trying to begin in Florida or California (which really isn’t the point anyway), I think I do “get” what Mr. Disney was trying to do originally in his dream vacationland for families. If you’ve been to Disney World in Florida, perhaps you’re aware there is music playing everywhere you go and the rides and attractions focus on fun, but also often on education as well (certain ones, not all). And I like to think that’s what he was trying to do: create a “fun and educational place” for families to share. I read somewhere he declared bankruptcy more than once in his efforts to build his dream destination, so perhaps that demonstrates that he was more interested in the dream than the money he could make from it. If others who came later turned it into more of a “commercial-driven” venture rather than the family fun one it seems to me he was targeting, well that’s hardly his fault and therefore I chose not to hold that against him and the park itself. I still believe there are many terrific educational and just plain fun things to do at Disney World (in Florida, I never really got the same feeling from the one in California for some reason). So I still like to go to there, but I just try to pick carefully among all the other “ventures” that have grown up around Disney World (and inside it) which have perhaps taken advantage of its success to share in some of the profits themselves. I try to pick carefully about which ones I want to support, because of course these places exist only as long as we support them by spending our money there. And that’s true for the everything out there, from the big conglomerate companies to the family-owned restaurant down the street. I may only be one person, but if enough of us out there choose where we spend our money, then our “support” (or lack of it) can greatly affect what businesses survive and which ones disappear in the long run.

Along the passage near Ketchikan
Above: One of the historic native totems

Now that I’ve wandered again from my original topic and location, I’d like to come back from central Florida to the complete other end of the US and continue experiences in Alaska, and specifically Ketchikan. As I was saying earlier, Tim and I were here for a few hours on that NCL cruise years ago, and I remember primarily two things about that trip: first, the town had these really cool boardwalks over the water and many businesses were built on log pilings over waterways; and second, that it rained (no, poured actually) the entire time we were there, and even with our rain jackets and hats we got completely drenched in the excursions we made that afternoon. But I remember having a great time that day so the rain didn’t dampen our spirits; and after all, why stop just because of a little rain eh? As they say, we won’t melt!

Murals in Wrangell

Now if you’re familiar with the geography of Alaska then you know that Ketchikan is in the rainforest, so of course raining a lot sort of goes with the territory. To me Ketchikan is one of those places where you might tell people, if you don’t like rain, then don’t go there. In the same way if you don’t like snow, then you may not like Montana except in July (although we lived there and I remember 5 inches of snow one July). I tend to read up on places before I go there so I know what to expect and which things I might want to see once I get there – sort of the “do your homework” kind of thing. That works for me because then I can adjust my expectations to the reality that goes along with whatever I’m about to do. So for instance, towns built in rain forests are likely to get rain while I’m there, so if I don’t like dealing with rain then I should probably skip that place. Places in Florida or the southern US are likely to be hot while I’m there, so if being hot bothers me than I might want to visit cooler places instead. Theme park rides that were designed to get people wet will probably get us wet if we get on them, so if I don’t enjoy getting wet then I should probably not get on rides that are (hello!) designed to get me wet. Food grown and eaten in another country is likely to be different than from what I eat “at home”, so if I’m not very experimental or open to other foods and “different” ways of living, then I might want to limit where I go to places that are “just like home.” In short, If I’m not prepared to “just deal” with the things that go along with whatever it is I’m doing, then I’ll probably be a lot happier if I don’t do them in the first place (and so will everyone else around me if I do it anyway and then don’t handle it very well when the “expected” actually occurs). Personally I try to think like a dog – because they seem to accept and enjoy most everything life brings them with an enthusiasm for life that I admire very much. Woof.

Navigating "the narrows" near Wrangell. We came through at low tide and it was pretty impressive with how close we were to the edges. I don't think the regular cruise ships can navigate this particular passage.

When Tim and I visited Ketchikan before, we knew we weren’t completely prepared because we didn’t have “rain pants”, so while our upper body stayed reasonably dry, our legs and feet were pretty soaked through. But we knew that going in, and we just planned to dry everything out when we got back to the boat. We had fun making the most of getting wet and turning it into just another adventure and something to laugh about, and that made all the difference that day, and every day since then when we do something outside or in another country or whatever. The more equipped I am by first having the right “attitude” about what I’m doing, and the more willing I am to go with the flow of whatever happens in an upbeat and “we’ll figure it out” kind of way – then the more fun I am likely to have (and for others to be around).

Welcome to shipping, Alaska style - via barge. Even though it's a small photo if you look closely you can see a couple of school buses, tourist vans and even a large motor coach stacked on the barge among all the containers of supplies. In Skagway it's not uncommon to see containers sitting in people's yards and driveways and parking lots, since not only are they used for shipping supplies but also for storing them when they arrive.

My time in Ketchikan today was mainly about getting some exercise since it was the first time off the boat in almost two days. And since I’m talking so much about the ferry option I should probably include this as well: If you don’t like to walk and/or find your own way around, then the traditional and more expensive “cruise” is perhaps a better fit – because they drop you at the cruise ship terminal which is typically a few steps from the heart of town. The ferry mentioned here (which remember, is several hundred dollars less than the cruise ships), does NOT dock at the cruise ship terminal. We docked at the ferry docks which were farther away and more in the “industrial” section of town. But even so, there was a tour agency waiting right there for anyone who wanted to pay for a tour (and the ferry didn’t know the price but also didn’t “add on” a hefty “shore excursion” price the way cruise ships do either). And there were a line of cabs sitting right at the ferry dock waiting for any passengers that preferred to ride into town. My personal choice was to walk the roughly two miles each way because I was looking for some exercise, and also because I’ve found I often stumble across little locally owned “gems” of stores or restaurants that I won’t find in the more expensive real estate closer to the primary “tourist” areas. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t – but to me the “search” for those unexpected discoveries is half the fun.

The photo is blurry due to the low light and moving objects, but the two black points shown on the right side (just left of the trees) are two whales swimming near our ferry.

My “exploring” on foot today obtained mixed results. About a mile toward town I noticed a Safeway (grocery store for those not living in the West), so I made a note of that since I wanted to purchase some basic food items for the boat to reduce the cost of eating in the cafeteria on board all the time. Then shortly after that, I passed a tiny non-descript place that appeared to be combination restaurant and small market for Asian food. I regret that I’m mostly ignorant about the specific differences which distinguish between Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and other types of food. I just know that I enjoy pretty much all Asian food, so I wandered in to see what I could find. It appeared to be family run because there was an older couple and younger woman in back in the kitchen area. The younger woman (I think it was their daughter or perhaps daughter-in-law) did most of the talking and spoke very good English, while when she spoke with the older couple they spoke mostly in their native language. I studied Japanese for a while so I can typically pick that out, so I think they were speaking Korean or perhaps Chinese, but again, I’m not really educated enough about those languages to guess. What I do know is they were all very friendly and helpful. After ordering I noticed both women (who were working with the food) had quickly donned hairnets, and that they wasted no time in starting the preparation right away. The breakfast was a hearty helping of two fried eggs over steamed rice, accompanied with sweet pork. It was delicious and a nice change of pace from the typical “American” breakfast.

Left: Taking a turn at the puzzle in the observation lounge. The ferry provided games and puzzles on board and during the 3-day trip there was always 1 or 2 puzzles in progress in the observation lounge where passengers took turns fitting the piece. Above: Comfy couches and big windows made the observation lounge a favorite warm and cozy spot to watch the passing view, read or snooze.

After breakfast I continued my walk into town and soon I arrived in the “downtown” area of Ketchikan. The main part of town consists of several walkable blocks tucked along the hillsides and the nearby Ketchikan River and featuring totems and other native artwork. Probably the most memorable section of town is Creek Street, the portion built onto wood pilings with boardwalks over the river where one often finds kayakers paddling by in their colorful boats. As with most Alaska towns along the Inside Passage which now depend on tourism, there are a host of shops offering the many varieties of salmon found in Alaska (I think there are six), reindeer sausage, wooden handled ulus (a chopping device), the ever present tshirt and inexpensive souvenir shops, jewelry stores and local art sellers.

Local native artwork in Ketchikan

Ketchikan’s nickname “Salmon Capital of the World” originates from the town’s heyday as a salmon canning center. The town includes a Totem Heritage Center where decaying totems were collected from abandoned villages and restored in an effort to preserve the artwork of local native tribes. The beautiful native totems can be seen along downtown streets and in local parks. Ketchikan resides in the Tongass National Forest, a rain forest bringing 160 inches of rain every year – part of the reason the fishing is claimed to be unmatched and why the town surroundings are so green.

After a brief tour of the town I was running a bit later than expected and had to make a quick jog back to the ferry. I cut things a bit too close and literally ran down the ramp, following the purser and dock crew just before they raised it. I hurried aboard, apologizing profusely because I know how important it is to be on time (although I’m glad to see they don’t wait just because I was late). I showed my boarding pass, walked toward an elevator to get off the car deck since access there is restricted while under way, and collapsed in the first chair I could find on the bridge deck. Okay, as usual, I had tried to cram too much into a short time and had gotten myself into a “rush” because of it. I used to do that a lot, especially when I let other people’s problems become mine – but today was all me. The experience taught me I still am not allowing enough time, so hopefully I’ll learn from that and do better at our next stop in Wrangell later today.

The hillsides and mountains above downtown Ketchikan and Creek Street.

As the ferry prepared to depart in a light drizzle, we were treated to a pod of humpback whales swimming nearby, their bodies slicing into the water as they flipped their tails and sprayed plumes of water high into the air like a moving fountain. We enjoyed their aerobatics until the ferry pulled away to make our way north again toward Wrangell and the passage through the “narrows”. Soon the cold breezy air drove most everyone on the bridge deck inside where we could enjoy the views from the cozy comfort of the large wrap-around windows in the Observation Lounge. As I entered the lounge I noticed a man and his teenage son working one of the puzzles provided, several people working on their laptops, a few curled up sleeping on the comfy couches in the middle of the room, and others just settling into the chairs at the bow to enjoy the view on our way toward Wrangell.

Hand-carved totems can be found in Ketchikan and other Alaskan cities where the art is still practiced by a few native people.

Monday – arriving in Skagway

After almost three days, the ferry arrived in Skagway around 2:30 this afternoon, following brief stops in Juneau and Haines. In both towns the ferry dock was a few miles from town and it was a cold and windy day, so in anticipation of visiting some of t hese towns later with Tim when he visits in July, I decided to stay onboard during the last two stops.

The Matanuska at dock after our arrival in Skagway, three days after departing Bellingham, Washington.

I had notified ATA that I’d be arriving on the ferry on Monday but I had no idea where I was to go from there, so I called the office after arriving and they sent Dusty and Mark (drivers for the Yukon Jeep tours) to pick me up in one of the company jeeps. They drove me to Liarsville to stow my gear in the cabins where I’d be living before returning to town. I actually started work that afternoon when I worked with Ashley, the manager for one of my two jobs at ATA as a Dock Representative for the cruise lines. I accompanied her as she settled with one of the cruise lines for the tours their passengers had taken as shore excursions that day. From what I can tell this mainly involves verifying the ticket count and both the shore excursion managers and our staff signing the paperwork for payment to our company.

My small room (but at least I have my own without a roommate) in "The French" common house.
By the time we returned to the cabins around 6pm that night I was so tired I could scarcely stay awake – the combination of the long day and the jet lag was starting to kick in (I was still on Maine time which was four hours ahead). There are three cabins that make up the Liarsville employee housing. The main house or “common house” called “The French” has three bedrooms and one bathroom for the residents of that house and a living room, kitchen and laundry area shared by everyone. Another house next door called the ED Lee -- also nicknamed “The Doghouse” by the employees since that is where the camp dog, Denali lives -- with a small kitchen and bunk beds for three in one room, a bathroom and another small room with another small bathroom. And “The Quad” which is the newest of the buildings and consists of 4 small studio-type units with bunk beds, a small kitchenette in each unit and a sort of “Jack and Jill” bathroom setup where two units share one bathroom. The buildings are old and not very well maintained so the living conditions are rough at best.

The kitchen and laundry area in "The French"