TUESDAY, 27TH JUNE, 2017 – KETCHIKAN, ALASKA

We've berthed right smack in the middle of town – what a great view!!!  Today we are fending for ourselves and with map in hand, off we go….

 

We walked around the boat harbour to Creek Street which was once the red light district and the brightly colouredl little cottages are now souvenir shops, standing tall on piers on the banks of the very pretty creek, where we might spot a salmon!!

 

Next stop was the history museum and it too was very interesting, albeit very small – only one room!!

 

Again, the majority of the shops in Ketchikan are Princess owned, which means 'jewellery'!!!  Definitely not interested in diamonds (well, perhaps in my dreams), and it's coffee we are after, but not a café in sight.  Finally found a 'take away' coffee bar, next to the salmon tasting bar, and enjoyed a good coffee out the back – and saw a 'whale'.

 

After lunch on the ship we took a free shuttle bus to "Walmart" –  which was a 15 minute ride around the shores.  Half the ship's passengers and crew seemed to be there were there buying up big!!!... and we made a few purchases as well!!

 

On our return to town, we went to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show which was great… kinda skinny guys but they sure could wield a saw or two!  

 

Back through the souvenir shops and as it was 'funny hat' night, we played the game and bought a couple!!  Sailaway was a laugh with lots of extremely 'funny' looking people, definitely not looking their ages!!  On our way now to Seattle after a sea day.

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

  

MONDAY, 26TH JUNE, 2017 – ICY STRAIT POINT, ALASKA

Today is the first tender port for this trip but the waters are calm and all looks good.  We soon realise that not everyone is going ashore today - no doubt they've been here before - as there are barely any queues to disembark.  This little port was only opened for its first full summer season of tourists in 2004 and a single dock was constructed in 2016….. a very pretty view from the ship and we are eager to explore.  

 

Once ashore, we decided to walk around the foreshore to the little village of Hoonah, and a very decent walk it was!!!  Hoonah is a truly authentic Alaskan native fishing village and was established when the Tlingits were forced from their ancestral lands because of advancing glaciers.  Most of the little timber homes right on the waterfront are so very basic – water views to die for – but they're not all 'house proud' here!!!  Like many of the coastal ports in Alaska, the only way in or out is by sea or air.

 

I happened to overhear a local telling someone that he gets tired of salmon and  halibut and just craves for a 'Maccas Cheeseburger' sometimes.  We ended up  having a great conversation with this 'cool' local and he even offered to put us up in his place if we wanted to return in the future.  With few paved roads and no 'stop' lights, it is truly unique, and how lucky are these fortunate folk who can fish to their hearts content and live in this beautiful part of the world.

 

We returned to Icy Strait Point, spotting 3 different eagles in their nests and wandered around the Old Cannery Museum, which was really interesting and had a peep in the obligatory souvenir shops.