Due to its steep and forested terrain, this town of about 6,000 year round residents is long and narrow with much of the built-up area located along or no more than a few city blocks from the waterfront. For such a small place it has distinguished itself in a number of ways. For one, downtown Ketchikan is a National Historic District. It is considered the Salmon Capital of the World (home to five species) as well as the Rain Capital of Alaska with its 160 inches of rain a year. We got spit on a few times, but by the time our umbrellas were out of our backpacks and up, the rain was over. An anomaly since it rains 300 days a year here.

The Tlingit (cling-it) people consider this their ancestral home and camped here for untold years before trappers, traders, and gold seekers arrived. They are credited with telling the history of their people through sculptures carved on wooden poles. They’ve in fact carved the world’s largest collection of totem poles, a collection that includes those recently carved and some that are more than 100 years old. These are found throughout the city, at three parks, and the Totem Heritage Center. Check your passport because the Chief Kyan pole is one of the featured background images in most U.S. passports.

Ketchikan’s location on Revillagigedo Island at the southern end of the Inside Passage is at the heart of its development and history. Men arrived in droves between 1897 and 1907 with high hopes of striking it rich in the gold fields up north. Many didn’t have enough money to complete their journey and ended up here. Ketchikan became a fast-growing town known for fishing, logging, and lots and lots of lonesome men. Enterprising pioneer businessmen opened saloons and trading posts. Enterprising pioneer women capitalized on the situation by working in dance halls, laundries, performing in stage productions, and opening brothels. Creek Street was lined with as many as 30 brothels between 1903 and 1953. Add much needed missionaries and you got yourself a dot on the map.

Barb arranged for a private tour with a hoot of a kilt-wearing Scot, Cruin MacGriogair, as our guide. He talked us though all things bald eagle, situated us so that we could see a bear feeding (on salmon) in the wild, gave us a bird’s eye view of salmon swimming up stream to spawn, and walked us through a brief history of the town. As a carver and craftsman he has a particular appreciation for the workmanship and cost of totem poles. He brought a small block of wood and gave us a chance to feel inept at gently wracking away extra wood. Walter did the best, Dan the worst, and Barb and I got honorable mentions.

While strolling around town the undeniable scent of freshly popped corn proved irresistible. Cyd, Dan, Barb, and I scarfed down a huge bag of kettle corn like starving wolverines and were no sooner on board ship than we regretted not getting another. How can something as simple as popcorn be so memorable?

Anyway, we were all back on board near noon in time to strap on the ole feed bag and be in the theatre for a presentation on the bears of Alaska. We learned about their differences in appearance and temperament as well as their similarities. Considering bears outnumber humans in these parts, it seemed a wise choice for an afternoon activity.

Cocktails were followed by dinner and then a wonderful tribute to Whitney Houston by Cheaza.