Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Petersburg, May 29-30, 2015



Approaching Petersburg

“Little Norway,” or Petersburg, as it is officially known,  is located on Mitkof Island and  was founded by Norwegian fisherman.  And they take their heritage and fishing seriously.  The harbor is filled with large fishing boats and many of the town’s buildings have the traditional "rosemaul" Scandinavian designs painted on them. 






Housing for summer fishing fleet employees
  But for a town of approximately 3,000, they have no evening restaurants to speak of.    
There is the pizza place, it closes at 8PM – no alcohol served;  the taqueria stand with only outdoor picnic tables for seating - they close at 7 PM;  and finally, the fish taco shack, with only outdoor picnic tables, and they close at 8 PM.  
Taqueria





Bingo on Friday Nights! After Hamburgers   
This is a big topic of conversation among the boaters who visit.  When I asked the harbormaster why there are no restaurants she explained it this way:  “Everyone believes that their mother makes the best fish cakes, so I don’t want to eat your fish cakes.”   I actually don’t want to eat anyone’s fish cakes but still,  what happens when you get sick and tired of always having to make the fish cakes?  “We go to the Elks Club on Fridays for hamburgers.”

 

Slacker Seals


But fine dining is not what brings us here, nor the sporadic cell phone coverage or the intermittent internet, no, it is fishing, natural beauty and nearby LeConte Glacier.  





LeConte Glacier
Bergie with Seals
 This glacier is 21 miles of the bluest ice you can imagine.  The bay leading to the glacier is strewn with bergie bits (chunks of ice,) some as large as a Volkswagen, that “calve” off the bottom of the glacier and then pop up in the bay, glittering like diamonds.  Seals birth on the cold ice bergs and eagles come to feast on the afterbirth - at least someone is getting fine dining.  


Meyers Chuck, May 26, 2015

Meyers Chuck



Magical and enchanting – that is the only way to describe this rocky peninsula accessible only by boat or float plane.  Located about 30 NM north of Ketchikan, it is remote and the 20 or so residents like it that way.  Houses are perched on a hill connected by a single-file trail skirting the edge of the peninsula -  the only passage to explore this area – so we march past the owners’ property – we think – boundaries here being a very loose concept.  We pass a closed art studio/store in a small painted shack.  A sign posted on the door states that they’ll open if you call the phone number listed, but that is not necessary to see great art – whimsical sculptures are scattered everywhere.



We have our friends Rich and Shari with us for a week and the four of us head for the woods, following the well maintained trail, and reach a clearing between the trees.  The evergreen canopy is thick and although it's dark, we immediately spot the rustic playground nestled here.  Like second graders at the sound of the recess bell, we rush for the slide, its shinny aluminum surface burrowed in the hill, and shoosh down, landing with a thud on the forest floor.  Maybe we ought to stick with the 40 foot log teeter-totter which merrily bounces us until our backs scream “get off.”  We wisely pass on the rope monkey bars.  



The head of the peninsula near the dock used to have a pay phone, but it’s gone, only a bulletin board remains, posting items for sale.  The post mistress – yes, there is an official post office, reachable by dinghy - used to moonlight as a baker, creating fresh cinnamon rolls and delivering them at 7 AM by dinghy - but her sign is gone too.  Disappointed, we trudge back to the boat and comfort ourselves with fresh baked banana bread – boating can be a real hardship.

 
Evening in Meyers Chuck

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Ketchikan Alaska, May 19 - 24, 2015


Leaving Venn Passage - So Bleak
 
Dixon Entrance - calm, but still bleak
It’s 5 AM and no fog!  This is the first morning of the past three without fog and I, in particular, am very happy we do not have to navigate Venn Passage, a narrow, twisty, very shallow and sharp turns kind of passage – like so many of them are – in the fog.  Now we can actually see our scary passage and be appropriately frightened.  But it goes well.

We're Not Alone
Next we face our last large crossing of turbulent waters – Dixon Entrance.  It is glassy calm...  and that goes well. 


Eight hours later, as we approach Ketchikan, the sun bursts out, a choir of angels sings and the celestial heavens chime in….  well, at least that’s what it feels like now that we have safely and successfully made it here.  The first things we notice are the snowcapped mountains, which we never saw in 2012 due to all the rain and fog.  But here they are, beautiful. 


Approaching Ketchikan
We've been here for 5 days, all of them warm and sunny.  Unfortunately, I didn’t plan on sunscreen.  Plus, all my short sleeved tees and sandals are buried in the bilge, waiting for August in the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast.  Where is the atmospheric rain for which I have boots?  The cold for my cute fleece-lined leggings.   It’s so warm and sunny I feel like I’m in southern Florida. 
 
Ketchikan
One night we actually have rain and a thunderstorm. With lightning! “Unheard of.”  The lightning sparks a forest fire in the rain forest. “That never happens,” says the National Forest Ranger we meet – and he should know, as his department oversees over 17 million acres – yes, million, in SE Alaska.  They can’t even send in some hunky Smoke Jumpers to get the fire under control because it is so remote and inaccessible.  They are monitoring it.


Cruise Ships Galore

The main thing about Ketchikan is the cruise ships.  This town, of approximately 13,000, created an entire economy based on them. The downtown is completely and exclusively geared to the tourists.  The local newspapers print the daily schedules of the ships, including the passenger count of each one.  If the 3 - 5 daily ships are in, stores are open. When all the ships leave for the  day – anywhere between 2 PM –  5PM -  the streets roll up and the lights go off.  You’d think you were in a ghost town. 

 
 And how do the locals feel about this intrusion?  This bumper sticker sums it up.  Clearly, like a lone deer in the middle of the field on the first day of hunting season, we must camouflage ourselves.  No camera draped around our necks, no waving around a street map, no asking where anything is.

I must be successful at this because within 24 hours of realizing that my life depends on not being identified as a tourist, a local I am casually chatting with tells me she can’t wait till August when the tourists leave.  Or maybe she knew full well I am one of those people.  But for the most part, the residents seem very friendly.  One local man even offered to let us use his truck to pick up our guests from the airport.  I don't think he has any bumper stickers.


Tide In
Some readers have asked if we have heard anything from the couple whose ship was sinking. We are happy to report that they are fine.  The Canadian Coast Guard towed them (for 8 + hours) to safety.  Parts were ordered, parts were delayed, but ultimately the ship was fixed and they arrived in Ketchikan yesterday.  We had a lovely dinner on their boat last night - margaritas and shrimp enchiladas  -  celebrating their arrival in Alaska.

Tide Out


Sunset in the Ketchikan Harbor