Inside Passage, Ketchikan
Trip Start
Jul 02, 2008
1
16
21
Trip End
Jul 21, 2008
Ketchikan,
Alaska,
United States
Thursday, July 17, 2008
July 16th, 2008
Vacation Day 15
Today was a day not much any different than any other. The day started with my cell phone picking up a signal and getting screwed up to wake us at 6:30 this morning. Thus the day starts of with a bang. Dad woke up in a bad mood and mom went to bed in a bad mood. Like I said it starts already. We head out to the deck and about the only animal I know for fact I saw was 2 stellar sea lions swiming along the boat. We are out of the prime humpback whale summer feeding and mating grounds but tomorrow will be going through my hearts home of Johnstone Strait on Vancouver Island. That will be absolutley wonderful. With any luck at all, and my wealth of knowledge I will see my Orca's.
I am starting to truely believe Orca's do not exist in Alaska as I have never actually seen an Orca in Alaskan waters. They say they are here, but I have only ever seen humpback up here.
The mes to get off one ferry and onto another ferry was a genuine mess. With the Columbia in dry dock we had to take the Kennicot sown to Ketchikan and then unload on to the Columbia
Bear Totem
. They sent us down to the car deck at 11:30 and we did not make it off the ship until 1pm. So we got off and went out to get some grub for lunch and then headed to Totem Bight State Historical Park north of Ketchikan, only to have to be back by 3:30pm to line up for boarding and departure on the Columbia for the remainder of the trip. I do wish they could have had the Columbia up and running sooner as the Kennicott is so top heavy that every turn it made was felt and even typing on the computer was hard not get get a headache when you lean on your side everytime the ship turned some. So needless I am happy to say we are getting on the Columbia, as far as I am concerned it is the only ferry by the Alaska Marine Highway to ride on. It has the most to offer and is not a maze. Chris and all the crew are switching over on ships as well.Totem Bight is the historical park in that it has original totems by the native Tlingets where as Saxmon as a lot of totems but there's are commercial. Chris had told us to go to Totem Bight as it is his clans totems and tribal house. Neat little park with lots of totems that you can tell are old and in the process of being restored. But it never ceases to amaze me what I learn when visiting places such as these. Like all the history that goes with the area.
So now were are in line waiting to board the Columbia, both parentals are disgruntled as mom flopped on both geocaches she tried and well dad's just cranky. Better to stay quiet and just do my thing. The weather is nice and sunny and in the mid sixties, best weather since Dawson Creek. Should start to get better weather again.
My finger is still really sore and well the knee hasn't go a break yet but I will hang in there and keep taking my advil and I will survive. On the upside I am posting a picture of me by the rail of the ship at see, look at the hand and here is my advice. "Live long, and prosper, and travel lots" Sorry Spock I modified it some.
Tomorrow, Johnstone Strait and the Queen Charlotte region of the Inside Passage. Ahhhhhh, To be home again if only for a brief bit.
