After a day at sea on Saturday, we woke up on Sunday morning to a beautiful sunny day in Ketchikan! And we weren't alone! Also docked in Ketchikan were the Millennium's sister ship, the Infinity, the Disney Wonder and a Crystal cruise ship! So, this sleepy little port town, population 8,000, exploded with another 8,000 visitors! We had planned some shore excursions in Ketchikan - the Alaskan Lumberjack Show and a tour of Ketchikan, including the Potlatch Totem Park.
We got off the ship just before 8:00 am, and all of the shops located on the waterfront were open and bustling! Buses waited to take cruisers on excursions - Ketchikan was all go!!
We were able to walk to the Lumberjack show, and Billie, John and Jo were there as well. The show was lots of fun, highlighting the many feats that the lumberjacks performed, including audience participation - we were divided into two teams, and there was much booing and cheering going on as the competition progressed! The kids in the audience enjoyed it as well, as they were given "cookies" - rounds of trees that had been sawn off, and two lucky kids got little chairs as well. Could just imagine the parents wondering what on earth they were going to do with those rough-hewn chairs on the cruise ship!
After the show, we boarded a bus and headed out to Potlatch Totem Park. On the way we got a tour of Ketchikan and some history as well from our driver. We knew that there was a Walmart there, as our waiter and assistant waiter had been talking about heading out there at dinner the night before!
The Potlatch Totem Park was very interesting. Like most Indians, they had no written language - stories and information were handed down from generation to generation, and totem poles were used to tell stories. The carvings were pretty amazing - some of them very old, and we got to see a totem pole being carved as well. The Indians had small houses that they lived in - one for the women and children, and one for the men. The openings to the houses were very small - you had to crawl in. When the men were off hunting, the women gathered in their house, and if an intruder tried to crawl in, they were prepared to bash him on the head! Apparently it worked pretty well.
The houses were carved elaborately, as well. They used local berries for color, and the results were pretty impressive. We spent a few hours there, learning about local customs and the stories the totems told.
The word potlatch means "party or celebration". The different clans gave"potlatches" for each other, and the receiving clan was expected to reciprocate, as giving a potlatch used a lot of the clan's resources. Apparently there is one Totem of shame in Alaska - for John Seward. John Seward was successful in buying Alaska from Russia for $7 million. The local Indians were overjoyed, as Russia had completely wiped out the fur seals, and considered Alaska worthless. The Indians threw a huge potlatch in John Seward's honor. However, he never reciprocated, so they carved his Totem of shame. Important to know the local customs! : )
After the tour we spent some time wandering around town. The 4 huge cruise ships were pretty impressive in the harbor. There were many, many float planes - taking off, flying and landing - I think that there are more float plans in Ketchikan than there are cars! The water ways around the city are very busy!
As we sailed that afternoon, we passed the airport - it's on a separate island, and you take a ferry back and forth to get there. Some of you may remember the "bridge to nowhere" of Sara Palin fame - they wanted to build a bridge between the two islands. It didn't happen.
We really enjoyed our warm, sunny stay in Ketchikan. We sailed that afternoon at 4, and it was a beautiful trip out into the inside passage, headed to Icy Strait Point!
Ketchikan from the ship as we got ready to go into town
The Millennium and the harbor
The small boats in the harbor
The Millennium on the left, with the Disney Wonder in the back ground
The Disney Wonder. This is Disney's first season in Alaska
Ketchikan!
Our ship at the end of the street
Ketchikan is situated on a hill. It's called the city on stilts, as most of main street is on stilts over the water. The roads to houses on the hills are also built on stilts - very interesting!
Creek Street in Ketchikan, which is also built on water
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show!
The first challenge - chopping the block of wood they were standing on into two pieces - good grief!!
This challenge was tossing a long-handled axe at the target - they were surprisingly accurate! You can see the axe in the air
Two-person sawing! They were very fast, and created the "cookies" they gave to the kids in the audience.
More chopping!
Chopping down a portion of the trunk - note the piece of wood that he is standing on - they cut a notch in the wood, and insert a piece of wood to get where they need to be. That makeshift scaffold was really moving while he was swinging that axe!
Climbing the pole!
And of course, the log roll! Great fun!
Potlatch Totem Park
This is a current totem being carved and painted. It's expected to be finished in a year
Clan houses and totem poles
A totem which is also an entrance into a clan house
Totem inside a newly constructed log house
Totems, and a clan house in the background with carving
Some of the older totem poles
And some more, as well as clan houses
This clan house has a grassy roof
Clan house and totem, leading down to the sea
Another story totem
Dugout canoe, with totems and clan houses in the background
And a collection of old cars that seemed strangely out of place....
Float planes!
As we sailed from Ketchikan, there were float plans taking off and landing all around us
The island airport
Crystal cruise ship, Disney Wonder to the left, and the Infinity to the right
A whale!! We did see whales on the cruise - amazing!!
What a great day! Now for some relaxing on the deck outside, a leisurely dinner, some entertainment, and we'll wake up in Icy Strait Point tomorrow morning! We're liking this cruising thing!!
