Ketchikan

 


A cloudy morning in Ketchikan, and it looks like it may have rained overnight. After a light breakfast I head off the ship to meet Wild Wolf tours for the Hike and Totem tour. I found their information on the Ketchikan Tourist board site. There were only 3 of us on the tour, and our guide Patty was retired from the Forest Service, so of course was a wealth of information on the ecosystem of the area. We drove to the end of the road (only 35 miles of road here!) and walked along the Lunch Creek trail. A very pretty trail in the temperate rain forest. Somewhat similar to home forests but slightly different trees and much more moss and standing water. Lots of skunk cabbage and wild flowers, the berries aren't ready yet. In late summer when the salmon are spawning in the stream there are bear in the area, and further in the forest there are wolves, but today was very peaceful and quiet and no animals. On the way back we stopped at Totem Bight park to look at the totems and clan houses. A few of the houses had thick moss covering the roof, and even small trees growing out of them! Some very diverse styles in the totems as some have been carved by younger carvers and aren't as traditional. Patty told us some of the stories attached to the totems, Fog women, Eagle boy and more. We also passed Ward Cove where 2 cruise ships are berthed. It's a newer terminal and doesn't look nearly as convenient as it's well out of town. The tour lasted 3 hours, so I was back in time for seafood chowder in a sourdough bowl served out on deck. The day got brighter, and the clouds lifted so we could see the mountains. 

At 3pm we went for afternoon tea in the Queens room. A nice presentation, but I think I make better scones!

We didn't feel like going into town so spent the rest of the afternoon checking out our portraits, the gallery and in the Garden lounge and Commodores room. At 5:30 we had a Vision Travel meet-up. Lots of laughs and some great stories.

Another great dinner in Britannia Club, salad and very tender Duck breast. The clocks go forward tonight so we decide to have a fairly early night.













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