A totem pole day in Ketchikan
As I start writing this post, it’s Monday night at midnight and the music from the Universe Lounge right above me is making the walls of my cabin vibrate. I’m willing to bet that there are a few passengers in cabins near mine whose travel agents didn’t warn them about this aspect of their cabin location and aren’t too happy. In my case it was simply the cabin assigned for my 3-week contract on the ship.
I slept in on Monday, which was a full day at sea. When I got up just before 08:00, we were nearing the north end of Vancouver Island and the Canadian pilot boat was alongside to move the pilot to his next job, a southbound freighter.
The Pine Island Lighthouse.
The view from my cabin at 11:30 as I was getting ready for my first of 2 presentations.
Passing the Ketchikan Coast Guard station at 05:40 yesterday morning.
The crab boat Aleutian Ballad heads out with a group from the Norwegian Star. That excursion gets extremely good reviews – I just may try it some day.
With a beautifully-equipped boat like the Tranquility, an entire summer wouldn’t be long enough to explore Southeast Alaska.
One of the few local stores left in downtown Ketchikan.
When I left the ship there was a light misty rain falling but after about 15 minutes it starting raining very heavily. I spent quite a while in 2 shops, then when the rain stopped went back to my original plan to take the city bus out to Totem Bight Park. The bus stop is right across the street from this eagle carving.
There were a fair number of people at the park, but it looked like I’d be able to stay away from the big groups. I’d planned to spend an hour and a half there to catch the 2nd return bus. I bought an excellent book on the park and its totems entitled “Silent Storytellers”.
A small garden at the entrance has native plants that were used medicinally by the Tlingit.
The path to the totems is through a forest that was logged many decades ago.
A wonderful example of a nurse stump – the rotting stump of a logged tree nourishes the next generation.
“Man Wearing Bear Hat” is a 1995 copy of a 1930s copy of a grave marker found on Cat Island, south of Ketchikan. Note the whales painted on the hat’s brim.
The interpretive signage at Totem Bight is very good.
The Clan House is a replica of one that would have housed 30-50 members of one Tlingit clan.
Salmonberries.
The slate beach in front of the park is a great place to explore.
You have to get down and look close – these snails are only a fraction of an inch long.
It’s a shame that most folks on cruise ships never see how rich these seas are. It surprises most people, who think that warm water must have more life.
“On the starboard side you can now see Totem Bight State Park…” 🙂
A few drops of rain fell at the park but it was raining heavily further down Tongass Narrows.
This large tour group soon moved past me.
This is Master Carver, wearing a necklace of ten faces representing ten lessons that Master Carver taught the Haida. This pole was designed for the Mud Bight project and was raised in 1941.
It’s early for fireweed but a few stalks had bloomed. In another month there will be a lot of it fringing the grassy totem pole area.
Due to the sunshine, I suppose, most people waited until the last minute to return to the ships, and the boarding lineup was very long. Our departure was delayed by half an hour as it took that long to get everyone on.
Tongass Narrows is a busy place. Two of the airport access ferries are mid-stream.
We had no luck with whales even at Snow Pass, but seeing Sumner Strait like a millpond almost made up for it. There were a line of showers ahead but they cleared as we approached.
The dramatic limestone peak of Mt. Calder on Prince of Wales Island. “PoW” is yet another place I’d like to see in detail – the karst formations there fascinate me.
Cape Decision Lighthouse, at the junction of Sumner and Chatham Straits, at 9:41 pm. Evenings on the water don’t get much more beautiful than this – but few people on the ship saw it. 🙁
Sunset over Baranof Island, shot a minute after the photo above.
I went to hypnotist Kelli Karl’s 10:15 show – it was good fun, but I think it’d be cool to be one of the volunteers on stage, to see how it actually works.
What a way to end the day!! Moonlight over Kuiu Island at 11:24 pm.
It’s now 06:40 am and we’re an hour out of Juneau. Time to post this, get some breakfast and get ready for another whale watching trip with Captain Larry.
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