Ketchikan: Our third port of call on the cruise was in the city of Ketchikan, Alaska. We docked at six in the morning and were scheduled to leave at noon, so Peep and I grabbed a quick bite at the International Cafe in the Piazza and disembarked as early as possible, hoping to maximize our site seeing time here. Since the time in port was much shorter than in Skagway, many more of our fellow passengers were waiting to get off the ship when we docked, forcing us to wait in line. I had printed out two walking tours before the cruise, and we were determined to complete them both.
Downtown Walking Tour: Our first tour began as we passed under the Welcome Arch. Just up Mission Street from the arch is St. John's Episcopal Church, built in 1902, the oldest church building in Ketchikan. In Whale Park near the church stands the Chief Kyan Totem Pole, the first of many totem poles we saw on our tour.
Ketchikan Creek: Several stops later we found ourselves overlooking Ketchikan Creek. The creek is used by Alaskan salmon for spawning, and a fish ladder was constructed by the most difficult set of falls to aid the fish on their journey upstream. Peep and I spent quite a bit of time watching the fish in their struggle at several different spots as we made our way upstream to City Park.
City Park: The small ponds in City Park used to function as holding ponds for salmon in the city's first hatchery. Next to the park is the Deer Mountain Tribal Hatchery and Eagle Center, while just across the creek is the Totem Heritage Center. Both of these locations were not yet open while we were there. However, my brother and his kids entered the Hatchery and Eagle Center, which is not only a hatchery but also permanent residence to injured birds of prey. My parents toured the Totem Heritage Center, where they saw the originals of some of the totem's included on our walking tour.
Thomas Street: Back down toward the coast, past the Ketchikan Indian Community, sits the wood-plank Thomas Street. This historic street overlooks the basin at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek, which used to function as a baseball field during low tide. It has since been dredged and is now the Thomas Basin Boat Harbor. We were also able to stroll along the waterfront promenade and get an unobscured view the the Golden Princess, docked in berth one.
Creek Street: Built on stilts overlooking the Ketchikan Creek, the houses here became the thriving red light district in 1903 after bordellos were ordered to move across the creek from the town by the city council. During Prohibition many of the houses also became speakeasies, lifting liquor through trapdoors in their floors from rowboats during high tide. Ketchikan outlawed prostitution in 1953, and the buildings along this street became shops, eateries, or residences. The house of Ketchikan's most famous madam, Dolly Arthur, has been preserved here and operates as a museum today. At the mouth of the Ketchikan Creek, it is another great place to watch the salmon run.
Eagle Park & Nob Hill Tunnel: Winding our way though Ketchikan's downtown, we saw several more sites before coming upon Eagle Park with the Thundering Wings eagle prominently displayed at its entrance. Next to the park is Nob Hill, separating downtown Ketchikan from Newtown. The tunnel through Nob Hill is said to be the only one in the world that can be driven through, around and over.
Casey Moran Harbor: Passing through the Tunnel, we had just a short walk to Harbor View Park, a small park overlooking Casey Moran Harbor, also known as City Float. The harbor services local fishing boats, recreation fleets and visiting watercraft. At this site we came to the conclusion of the Downtown Walking Tour. With enough time to spare, we immediately set out on the West End Walking Tour, which started in the same location the Downtown Walking Tour concluded.
West End Walking Tour: The second of our walking tours began in the commercial district of Newtown. Perhaps one of the most well-known businesses in Ketchikan is Talbot's. This building supply store has been run by three generations of the same family since WWI. Other business of note include The Exchange, Field's Store and Young Store, believed to be the first commercial building in Newtown, having held some type of business since before 1905.
Fishermen Housing & Trestles: Our next stop was at Captain's Hill, where many fishermen built houses in the early 1900s. From their hillside homes, the fishermen could look out over their boats moored in City Float. Due to the steep terrain, many of the houses and roads were constructed on trestles. The roads were all constructed of wood planking and many barely wide enough to walk down. Many even include steps. Those roads wide enough to accommodate cars have since been paved over. The limited construction space available inland from shore gave Ketchikan its reputation as being the city that is ten miles long and three blocks wide.
West End Commercial District: At our turnaround point sat the West End commercial district, built from reclaimed land in the 1960s and 1970s, holding a shopping mall as well as many other commercial buildings. In the same area stands the towering Tongass Towers and Marine View, two high-rise residential building originally constructed to house workers from the pulp mill. They are now condominiums.
Canneries: For our return trip, we walked along the dock side, where many canneries were built to accommodate Ketchikan's large fishing industry. Many are still in operation today, their fish waste discarded into Tongass Narrows attracting seagulls and eagles, as well as seals, sea lions, otters and sharks. We didn't see any of them during our visit.
Aviation: Many of the old canneries now house airline operations. Sightseeing trips for tourists keep them all busy during the summer months, while only some are able to operate their seaplanes year-round by transporting local passengers, mail and supplies. Ellis Air Lines got its start here in 1936, and grew from a one-plane operation to a major regional carrier. It merged with Alaska Coastal Airlines in 1962, which in turn was acquired by Alaska Airlines in 1968.
First Lutheran Church: Our last stop on the West End Walking Tour was at First Lutheran Church. The church sits on a rock promontory a short distance from the Tunnel and was constructed in 1925, founded mainly by the influx of Norwegians who immigrated here to work in Alaska's fishing industry.
Having completed our walking tour, we had just enough time for a quick walk through downtown, stopping off to purchase some dried salmon and caviar, before we had to head back to the ship. After eating lunch on board, we ran across my parents and sister's family. Peep stayed to talk with them while I returned to our cabin alone to get ready for the afternoon's activities.
Paper Airplane Contest: I had wanted to attend the paper airplane contest but Peep arrived back at our cabin just as it was starting and needed me to show her how to use the on-ship laundromat. By the time I made it to the contest, things were just wrapping up. From there I headed with my parents to their cabin to pick up their wine tasting tickets. They had received these free because of their elite status, but, having attended the Captain's Cocktail Party the day before and not being big drinkers, they decided to pass them on to other members of our group. I don't drink and neither does my brother-in-law, but both Peep and my brother do, so my parents gave the tickets to them.
Princess Grapevine Wine Tasting: As I got back to the cabin, Peep was just finishing up getting ready for the wine tasting. I walked her to where it was being held, and we found my brother waiting outside the front door. Earlier, I had taken both tickets from my parents, so he needed us to arrive before he could enter. While Peep was sampling five different wines from the Golden Princess's wine cellar, I pulled the laundry out of the dryers and returned to the cabin. Peep arrived a short time later with a commemorative shot glass.
Formal Portraits: Thursday was the second and final formal dining night on the cruise. After dinner, we once again headed over as a group to have formal pictures taken. We ended up with the same photographer, this time with a different background. We now had plenty of photos to choose from for our family portrait.
The Return of Illusionist Alexander: After pictures, we immediately headed over to get in line to see the second performance of Illusionist Alexander. This time we were able to get seats together for the thirteen of us. The show featured new illusions, with only one or two repeated from the night before.