Alaska Day 7: Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Center
On our way to Sitka, we were accompanied by two female rangers who gave us some additional insight into the surrounding nature and how to preserve it. One of the rangers started to sing a few songs.
We stopped at the Glacier Bay Visitor Center for a short but pretty stroll and a visit to the museum and lodge. There were maybe 100 or more people sitting in the visitor center lobby but mostly for the free public internet. I have rarely seen so many people glued behind a screen.
The visitor center displays a huge re-articulated humpback whale skeleton. How this whale number 68 got here and how it was re-articulated makes an interesting read.
Alaska Day 6: Juneau – Alaska’s Capital
The town of Juneau is a major cruise harbor. Our small boat was anchored in another port, so we drove to the center and main port by bus.
Its main harbor was full of gigantic – and I mean gigantic – cruise boats with up to 5’000 passengers. Apparently, the average number of cruise passengers per day hitting that poor little town of Juneau is 15’000. Read More
Alaska Day 5: Sawyer Glacier
While we were sleeping, our boat, the Alaskan Dream, quietly sailed through the Wrangell Narrows. The gently humming of the motors and the rising sun woke us up around 4h30 in the morning. A quick look out of the cabin window displayed a stunning scenery of floating icebergs. Read More
Alaska Day 4: A Hike to Mt. Dewey in Wrangell
A small but rather steep hike up to the rather tiny Mt. Dewey – or rather a hill in Wrangell. The platform gave us a sweeping view of the bay.
Alaska Day 4: Wrangell is an energetic little city
As we arrived, we were welcomed by Maleah and her uncle, the happiest and funniest bus driver. When we got to the tribal house I am confident to say we met the best storyteller in the world. This woman told us the story of how Raven stole the sun and her words were truly coming to life inside the tribal house. Read More
Alasaka Day 3: Kasaan
We got off the boat in Kasaan and joined a walking tour with one of the 54 inhabitants on that Island. That young man who is a totem carver led us into the beautiful dense rain forest. He, to our surprise, joined the community just about a year ago to find some peace and solitude. Read More
Alaska Day 3: Thorne Bay with floating houses
In the morning mist, our boat was sailing into the narrow Thorne Bay. Many miles before the actual small town, isolated floating homes appeared here and there on the shore. Sort of stationary but still movable houses, built on a raft made out of large cedar logs bound together. Quite a few were out for sale. Read More
Alaska Day 2: Metlakatla
Metlakatla is an official Indian reservation located about twenty six kilometers south of Ketchikan. The Native American’s rich cultural and artistic traditions, which were dramatically disturbed by European conquers in North America, are thankfully still maintained in this small city of around fourteen hundred inhabitants. Read More
Alaska Day 2: Misty Fjords Kayaking
After leaving Ketchikan, the feeling of being far away from civilization came upon us fast. To our surprise, we were heading south, making a detour to the “Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness Area”. The place is as great as its name. After a few hours of sailing and unsuccessful bear spotting, Captain Eric Fulton anchored and set kayaks, a SUP, and a dinghy afloat… Read More
Alaska Day 1: Ketchikan – Homeport
Yasuko, Mom and I arrived at Ketchikan, a town which feels quite isolated despite being the 4th largest town in the State of Alaska. No road leads to Ketchikan. The only way to get here is by boat or by plane. Read More
Fly, Hike & Travel. 