Alaska '08 Day 62, Ketchikan

Tue Aug 12, 2008

We drove to the south end of the road to Saxman Totem Village. This is an indian park vs. Totem Bite being a state park. They had over a dozen totem poles and a house.

Unfortunately there was no description of the stories the totem poles were telling. There was a guided tour but only for the cruises, the indians don't do any tours (or for that matter, give any information). We also noticed one of the cruise tour guides "embellishing" some of the stories. When we were at the Sitka raptor center a lady asked about some facts that she had heard on a cruise tour and the naturalist told her that she was told a story. I think you need to be careful, some of the guides are trying too hard to make people happy.

We walked Creek Street again. Today there were 3 harbor seals in there. They were feeding on the salmon, they would come up with them in their mouths.



We drove some side streets to look around at the houses and the boardwalks and stairs. We drove up to the native fish hatchery above creek street but it closed at 3:30 because all the cruise ships had left. We noticed most things in downtown Ketchikan close once the cruise ships leave.

When we got back we I took the kids and walked Clover Pass marina. We could see from the docks, true stars, moon jellies, lion's main jellies, and Cheryl found a sunflower star on the bottom. The docks had frilled anenomes hanging on them. Clover Pass rents the 20' aluminum boats for $250 a day plus fuel. Not a bad deal if you have 3 to 4 people. If Mike were here I would have been tempted to rent one and fish the morning and sightsee with the kids in the afternoon. I saw one group of 3 guys come in on one of the rentals and they caught a limit of pinks trolling. I am not sure its worth trolling for pinks but definately for silvers or kings.

2nd day of heavy blowing rain.

- Jon