Ketchikan

Monday, September 7^th

Ketchikan

As our first land in two and a half days, we are anxious to find some land food. The Kennicott is an hour ahead of schedule, so I am surprised when I get up and look out the window that I can see Ketchikan. We will land around 7:00 a.m.Unfortunately, the clouds are hanging very low, almost to the water and we are afforded the extra hour to explore. 

Heading into Ketchikan, with the MV Kennicott in the background.

The town is almost vertical and many houses are built on stilts.

Many houses we saw were accessed by bizarre staircase arrangements.

We are told that the walk downtown is about a quarter to a half hour walk. We all want to get breakfast and I am looking for a side of Wi-Fi access to go with my eggs.  After we have walked for some time, we ask a local about a good breakfast spot and we are directed further into town, about another quarter to a half hour. The humidity seems well in excess of 100% so the fog turns into precipitation off and on, but more “on”.  Nan and I contemplate buying some rain gear to wear but we didn’t have room for it when we left Edmonton so we are probably not going to have room for it now.  Niels, on the other hand, needs undies. Long underwear, that is, so he is on a mission.

It’s taking a long time to get to a restaurant so I stop in at the visitor centre to ask for the best place to eat and get three suggestions, one of which was the place suggested by the first local. There are three cruise ships in town, so the place is crawling with tourists; as in other parts of the world, cruise ships are probably an integral part of the local economy. Despite there being numerous vacant buildings on our walk from the ferry terminal downtown, there is a bit more activity with jewellery stores, salmon stores and fur stores in the downtown area, all very kitschy. This includes the store with the fur bikini and jockstrap in the window; a destination just begging for impulse shoppers. It looks very typical of tourist towns on cruise ship itineraries. I’m sure it would have been busier had the weather been better but there were probably a lot of people holed up on the ships not wanting to get wet. 

The "welcome" sign is a Ketchikan landmark.

Virtually every store sold canned salmon.

Who doesn't need THIS in their wardrobe?!

We find the destination restaurant and it is a classic diner: white, chrome and Arborite with a counter and booths. It’s a classic diner menu too, except for the reindeer sausage on the menu, which we all have with our pancakes except Nan, who has made the somewhat healthier option of oatmeal and raisins.  The place is busy but it seems unspoiled by tourists; they are there but there is a healthy mix of locals, too.  Don’t confuse the person in camouflage for a local, it’s Nan.

There is a lot going on in here... besides eating pancakes.

Yes, that is reindeer sausage.

 After breakfast, the guys are off to explore Creek Street, the infamous former red light district of Ketchikan while Nan and I go look for Wi-Fi access since I have a couple of work things requiring my attention.  We had spotted a Starbucks at Safeway on the walk downtown, so we grab a cab and save ourselves walking in the rain. 

The cab ride takes us through the tunnel  which used to separate “New Town” from “Old Town” Ketchikan. More distinctly, it separated white and Caucasian (northern European) settlers from Native American Indians, Chinese, African American and Asians. Non-white residents were not allowed to live in New Town and there was ostensibly one restaurant with a window sign that said “No Indians or dogs”. 

Meanwhile, the guys are in Creek Street and they see Ketchikan Creek where the salmon run has all but finished and the last vestiges lay dying or dead already. Once the mainstay of the Ketchikan economy, the Ketchikan Creek fishery has been supplanted by commercial fishing operations of all sizes.

Once back on board, the ferry departs port right on the money. As we leave, no fewer than three different pods of humpback whales send us on our way. We saw several raising their dorsal fins, a tail slap and of course, the classic hump out and graceful descent with the tail coming out of the water.   Along the way and for the remainder of the day, we see numerous pods of humpbacks. Some are far away but some are close, right off the sides of the ship or even in front, causing the ship to veer to avoid a collision, which would no doubt be tougher for the whales than the ship. This was as good as any Maui whale watching tour. 

A very common view in the islands and on the coast. One of the primary forms of travel.

 

There is an important shipyard at Ketchikan.

One of thousand of home with stunning views along the coast. Ocean front property is available!

A lighthouse being visited by a cruise tour.

This was just a handful of metres from the cruise tour boat.

There is especially ocean front if you want to live at a light house!

Back abord the Kennicott, we picked up some budget travellers. The owners of this gear camped out on the deck for several days.