KETCHIKAN, ALASKA

Wednesday, May 24th  Day 40  Ketchikan, Alaska

The guys made their way to the post office to pick up purchases, John was expecting a solenoid for the windlass and a gaggle of cigars. The solenoid was not there. Several phone calls later, we reordered the part and resolved to the fact that we will have to wait. We would not be able to anchor until the windlass is repair. 

I was a beautiful sunny day. Kay and I decided on touring the town utilizing the free shuttle and the $1 bus. We went to the Totem Heritage Center, Tongass Historical Museum and Historic Creek Street. 

The Totem Heritage Center houses a priceless collection of 19th century totem poles retrieved in the 1970s from the Tlingit villages on Tongass Island and from the Haida Kasaan on Prince of Wales Island. The inhabitants of these villages moved to Ketchikan and other towns at the beginning of the 20th century in order to be near schools, churches, as well as canneries, mines and sawmills that offered employment.

Traditionally, totems were carved to honor important individuals, commemorate significant events, and proclaim the lineage and social standing of their owners. 

Totem poles are carved from western red cedar trees (Thuja plicata). Towering throughout the coastal rainforests from Washington state to Southeast Alaska, the red cedar has been the tree of life for the native peoples of the region for thousands of years. It’s inner bark provided fiber for baskets, mats, rope, and clothing. Dugout canoes up to sixty feet long were fashioned from the trunks, and large communal houses were built with massive cedar posts, beams, and planks. Straight grained, easily carved and highly resistant to rot, red cedar is an ideal for the monumental sculptures that we know as totem poles, as well as many of the basic necessities of traditional life in Southeast Alaska.

The historic downtown district of Ketchikan is fascinating. Historic neighborhoods express a proud heritage of enterprise, persistence and preservation. Riches of fish, minerals and timber propelled Ketchikan’s early growth and are still economic mainstays. It’s heritage involves an indigenous culture as well as legacies of pioneers who came North to Alaska. Ketchikan has the greatest number of historic properties of any city in Alaska and the community takes that treasure very earnestly. The “First City of the Inside Passage” foundation was the rickety and quickly constructed piers that held up a saltery and then a cannery. But it wasn’t long until a booming young town had homes and a church and stores... some on timber pilings on tidelands, others pushing back the forest and settling on solid ground.

In just the years from 1887 to 1900, the population increased from 40 to about 800 as mining and salmon processing threw the economy into high gear. By 1912 Ketchikan embodied the promise and prosperity of the Alaskan frontier. The steamship brought freight and visitors. The then aptly called New Town spread up the hillside. Hotels were built, fish camps, mills, mines, speakeasies, and brothels also emerged. In 1903 residents of the original townsite ordered prostitutes to the other side of the creek; so, the leisure travel of miners, fishermen and loggers constituted a visitor industry. By 1930 the population increased to 3,800. 

Today there are approximately 15,000 residents and the cruise ships bring 900K visitors here annually! You can take the historic walking tour, hire a taxi for a tour, use the free shuttle or dollar bus, there are lots of options. Float planes come and go all day taking tourists out to Misty Fiords in the Tongass National Forest or Anan Wildlife Observatory. The 20 some cathouses at Creek Street have been converted to gift shops, seafood stores, pubs and the like. One famous brothel, Dolly’s House (1905), remains open for viewing with original furniture, relics and lots of history.

We really enjoyed everything we saw and learned, gaining a true respect for the early pioneers and entrepreneurs that established Ketchikan!

Thursday, May 25th  Day 41  Ketchikan, Alaska

This was a cleaning day. By afternoon I was searching the internet for a restaurant and found many of the choices close at 6pm. It seems business hours are governed by when the cruise ships are in. They leave in the afternoon and everything dries up. We found a place called Cape Fox Lodge. We ordered a taxi. It was a beautiful place for out to dinner perched on a hilltop over looking the bay near historic Creek Street. But the guys were unhappy with their meals. I wanted to mill about after dinner. Majority ruled and we went straight back to the boats.

Friday, May 26th  Day 42  Ketchikan, Alaska

Kay and I made the guys sack lunches to take Tom’s dingy outside the breakwater for an afternoon if fishing. Us girls hung back, planned dinner and went shopping at Safeway and the marine supply. Later that afternoon we got the text with the photo of John’s first King (Chinock) Salmon of the season. Good thing they wore their life jackets as the coast guard paid them a visit, checking for registration and fire extinguisher. 

When they finally returned, we began the fish cleaning and packaging process. John’s new cleaning table worked great! We bagged 10+ nice salmon steaks and packed the freezer. This really boosted morale while we wait for parts!

Saturday, May 27th  Day 43  Ketchikan, Alaska

Everyone was up and ready to do some more fishing, everyone except me. I had buggered up my knee and did not want to spend hours in the tender. I helped John launch his dingy and made another sack lunch. I cast them off and walked to the plaza, shopping at the drug store and such. They were back before I knew it. Apparently, they wind was up and the seas were too rough. Oh well.  John hoisted his Navy flag for the holiday. 

Sunday, May 28th  Day 44  Ketchikan, Alaska  

John rebuilt the water pump. That was a tight fit! He had to back into the starboard corner and the mounting bolts were almost non-accessible. The water maker’s membranes were in the way. I helped John by standing by passing him the tools and fetching things. It finally broke free. He dissembled and replaced the guts with his rebuild kit. After cussing his way back into his crawl space, the equipment was mounted and the water service was restored. 

Monday, May 29th  Day 45  Ketchikan, Alaska  (Memorial Day)

We noticed all the cruise ships had left, so Kay and I went back Creek Street. It was a beautiful day! We waited for the free shuttle at the bus stop. We were the only two people on the bus. I boarded after Kay caring my backpack, when suddenly the driver sped off into the street before I was seated, throwing me sliding across the floor into the seats across the isle! He pulled the bus over and came to check on me. Perhaps I should have complained because the next day I woke to a swollen elbow and very sore joint in my shoulder. At the time I just wanted to get to the destination to walk about. We returned to Cape Fox Lodge for afternoon snacks and a glass of wine. This time we carefully rode the outdoor elevator up the hill to the restaurant. It is as if the town is deserted when the cruise ships leave. Later that afternoon we all took a taxi out to a seafood dinner at Dwyrs for Memorial Day. The place was empty, we enjoyed a seafood dinner. I had the crab cakes. 

Thursday, June 1st  Day 48

As I sit at my Mac, I see that The Star Princess passed by out our port windows. Soon after that it was the Disney ship. Today is windy and raining. I don’t see a single sole out on the ships decks like usual. John slept in until 8:30. He’s very sore this morning, wasting no time in making phones calls to locate a new windlass motor and/or get the highly recommended, local electrican out to the boat for trouble shooting. Everyone ones agrees, we are stuck here in Ketchikan until this problem is resolved... but it’s getting old, especially for John. He’s the one disappearing into the anchor lockers, over and over!

Friday, June 2nd  Day 49

Al came down to the boat for coffee and invited us to his place for dinner. I spent the afternoon in the galley and working on my blog.

I made dinner, chicken parmesan with garlic spaghetti. 

Saturday, June 3rd  Day 50

Sun came out in the morning. Yes!!! We so enjoyed our dinner at Al and Carols. Thank you more than you know. 

Sunday, June 4th  Day 51

Todays high 52*, 20+ knot winds, oh ya and it rained all day! Not showers, blowing rain.  I’m keeping busy with chores, reorganizing cabinets, catching up on laundry and staying out of John’s way. Poor John can’t get a break. This morning I woke to a ruckus on the bow. John was changing the 30 amp power cord to the 50amp so we could run the electric heaters. He spent the afternoon changing the circulating pump for the Hurricane heating system and refilling the antifreeze.