An Alaskan Un-Cruise Adventure - Pt 8, Ketchikan

Continuing our magnificent Alaska cruise experience aboard the SS Legacy with the unique style of Un-Cruise Adventures...

Legacy Cruise Day 8

After several days working the small ports and the nooks and crannies of south-east Alaska, we are back in a big port today; the second-biggest, in fact, and the region’s ‘first city,’ as it is usually the initial Alaska port of call for most voyages.

Ketchikan is the former ‘salmon capital of the world’ and one of the wettest places on earth, with more than 13 FEET of rain annually. The record is more than 200 inches but so far in 2013

it has been a ‘dry’ year, some 10 inches below the average by late August. And today is FAR from average, beautifully dry and sunny, with the temperature pushing a balmy 65F.

It is serious port territory, though. There are FIVE major cruise ships already tied up by the time we arrive at 7.30am, meaning there are fully 9,000 day-visitors in a city with has a population of just 8,000. So it’s busy. Really busy.

Thankfully, our little ship is barely noticeable in the overall scheme of things and, while the tour buses load and unload around the mega-ships in a seemingly non-stop stream of humanity, our little travelling band departs on foot in two groups at 8 and 9.30am in the company of local Tlingit guide Joe Williams, whose family have been fishing these waters for generations.

Joe is now a well-established, articulate and amusing guide and, for 90 minutes, we wander

Ketchikan under his leadership, stopping at regular points for him to detail the city’s history, culture and modern development (with tourism taking over from logging as the main industry in the past 20 years).

In fact, the place is almost unrecognisable from even 10 years ago as the former wooden dockfront is now largely concrete – and lined with rows of gift and jewellery shops. Sadly, the frontage has that sameness about it that now marks out the likes of Juneau, Skagway and large parts of the Caribbean as virtually every shopfront looks nearly identical to its compatriots in the other places.

Happily, there is still plenty here to see and enjoy on foot, and Joe pointed out all the salient points, concluding with a walk through Creek Street, the former (and extensive) red light district that was the heart of Ketchikan in the early 20th century (in fact, up until 1954, when it was closed down).

We then had time to wander back through the area and do some shopping before our ‘all-aboard’ time of 12 noon. We sailed at 12.30, while enjoying lunch, and headed out to Misty Fjords National Park, the vast former glacial river valley that is now a monumental scenic area.

Again, most ships don’t venture far up into the Fjords (preferring to offer expensive tours by plane and small boat) but we were getting the grand up-close-and-personal tour, and, once again, it fully lived up to its billing.

En route, another cry of ‘whale!’ brought all binoculars to the port side, where a humpback was lazily patrolling along the shoreline, and, while the bright sunshine didn’t last, we were still able

to enjoy the views under relatively clear skies (as the valley usually fully deserves its ‘Misty’ title).

We cruised serenely through the main part of the channel, past the iconic New Eddystone rock (as named by British captain George Vancouver in 1793; pictured left - spot the sight-seeing plane!) and turned sharp right into Rudyerd Bay, where the ice-carved mountains suddenly loomed 2,000ft above us in the classic U-shaped valley.

Here, bald eagles – including several juveniles – flitted among the trees and the occasional mountain goat was spotted high up on the rocky outcrops. Salmon jumped out of the water at regular intervals and the waterway twisted this way and that, each time revealing a stunning new vista and a new sense of raw, rugged nature.

With the light starting to fade, we reached the end of the inlet and a truly tranquil bay that was utterly quiet apart from a stray gull or eagle call. You could easily believe the hand (or foot) of man had never interfered, and it could easily stay that way for centuries to come.

The journey out was equally spectacular, with more of this immense scenery to drink in, before

it was time to head for another excellent dinner (king prawns being tonight’s highlight, along with a delicious scallop appetiser).

Afterwards, it was time for another presentation from our onboard entertainment group, this time being the turn of naturalist Larry to tell the story of the vast Tongass National Forest that covers much of south-east Alaska, with its geology, flora and modern history.

Sadly, though, it is now time to leave Alaska behind and head further south. We are heading for Canada’s Inside Passage and the route back to Seattle.

2013 it has been a ‘dry’ year, some 10 inches below the average by late August. And today is FAR from average, beautifully dry and sunny, with the temperature pushing a balmy 65F.

Tomorrow: abandoned Butedale - and another major whale encounter!

To learn more about Un-Cruise adventures, call 1888 862 8881 in the US; or visit www.un-cruise.com. In the UK, specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line can also help with bookings.

Be sure to read the full report of the cruise in the Autumn edition of World of Cruising, out September 20. You can subscribe here: www.worldofcruising.co.uk/subscribeOrder.html 

In port in Ketchikan - spot the little SS Legacy against the massive bulk of the Star Princess!

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An Alaskan Un-Cruise Adventure - Pt 7, Wrangell

Continuing our magnificent Alaska cruise experience with Un-Cruise Adventures on their unique SS Legacy...

Legacy Cruise Day 7

After staying overnight in the Petersburg channel, we were greeted by thick fog in the morning, denying us a second look at the town as we sailed on to today’s rendezvous in the equally small and fishing-based community of Wrangell.

The sound of the ship’s foghorn kept us company through the moody morning mist, but, before long, it was replaced by stunning blue sky overhead and a truly brilliantly sunny day. The Morning highlight today was provided by a chance to indulge in that classic riverboat (and Gold 

Rush steamer) activity – Texas hold 'em poker.

Under the guidance of Hotel Manager Neil, we enjoyed some spirited card-sharping in the wonderful Pesky Barnacle Saloon (below), complete with whisky, of course, and actually managed to while away a full two hours before lunch, swapping chips and make (often outrageous) bets in best play-acting fashion. 

It proved a completely amusing and utterly novel and authentic way to pass a glorious morning in south-east Alaska and we were certainly ready for something to eat at the end of our marathon card session. Lunch was then followed by today’s inclusive tour (although there was an alternative one, to take in the major bear-viewing site of nearby Anan, a 30-minute jet-boat ride away, with guaranteed unobstructed wildlife viewing in the company of

an armed guide – it sounded compelling but, at $300/person, a bit rich for us). 

Two buses arrived to carry us off to the nearby Norton Museum, where Wrangell’s long – and often highly volatile and lawless – history was laid out in clear fashion. Next stop was the town’s Totem park, where a Native Tahltan tribe member told us his family history, as well as that of the local tribespeople.

It was refreshing to hear this summer had been marked by a major gathering of peoples from all over the north-west coast here in Wrangell, and the central ceremonial Chief Shakes Tribal House had been the focal point of a big re-dedication ceremony involving the Tlingit tribe and other First Nation peoples.

Our driver/guide then took us off to the famous petroglyph beach to the north of town, where we marvelled at these 2,000-plus-year-old markings in the rocks hereabouts – and took rubbings of them with the stems of ferns! Finally, it was back in town for a quick look around (not the longest of tours, it has to be said) while continuing to enjoy the clear sense of community and

purpose that Wrangell appears to have in abundance.

Like Petersburg, this is almost totally a working fishing town, and the vast majority of cruise lines never visit this little gem, which is both a shame and a blessing.

Back aboard, the magnificently sunny day continued long into the evening, affording some magnificent photos of the surrounds and our departure from the harbour, with dinner spent dodging out to the aft deck to snap away as the blue gave way to magnificent oranges and pinks.

This evening, it was the turn of female interpreter Arika to provide the women’s view of the Gold Rush, with another one-person presentation in the main lounge. It sparked some pleasant follow-up conversation about the region’s history in general, and the female perspective of it, before it was time to turn in for the night.

Tomorrow we have a much bigger port to explore – Ketchikan, plus, weather permitting, the potential enthrallment of Misty Fjords National Park.

To learn more about Un-Cruise adventures, call 1888 862 8881 in the US; or visit www.un-cruise.com. In the UK, specialist cruise agents The Cruise Line can also help with bookings.

Be sure to read the full report of the cruise in the Autumn edition of World of Cruising, out September 20. You can subscribe here: www.worldofcruising.co.uk/subscribeOrder.html 

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.