FRIDAY,
JUNE 7:
This was
a down day. Since it was raining and
didn’t look like it would stop, we took our time getting going in the morning. Didn’t really have anything planned. Had it been drier, we would have taken the
kayaks out, or found a hike. But
there’ll be plenty of opportunity to do those things later, so we let the idea
go.
Did some
stuff with photos, did research on the next 2 stops (even though I tried to research
almost everything thoroughly months ago, still a good idea to get up to speed),
and some other minutiae. Had a “lively
dialogue” between us re division of labor when it comes to the logistics &
details of this trip. There’s a lot of
it, and not always particularly fun . . . easy to see why so many people choose
tours . .. . the researching, planning,
logistics are done for you . . . just
sit back and enjoy!
We took a
break in the afternoon and drove downtown to see the Southeast Discovery
Center, a museum dedicated to the Tongass National Forest – the Temperate
Rainforest that covers most of Southeast Alaska. Saw a beautiful film on the natural resources
and people here, and strolled through the exhibits and displays. A very well
designed and presented museum.
Took a
couple of shots of Ketchikan on our way out – a charming town, really, with a
lot of history and community pride.
(They recently set a new world record for participation in rain boot
races J). But, as I said before, it has become way too
commercial and succumbed to the siren song of tourism $$ for our taste. And the rain – can I blame my crabbiness today
on the constant rain and no sun?? I really wonder how people tolerate this
weather year-round. Intermittent days of
rain, fog, and mist can soft and lovely, but when it’s the norm . . . well, I’d
have a really hard time with it.
We get on
the ferry tomorrow at 1:45 for a 6-hour sail to Wrangell.
Being an RVer myself, I can't help but wonder; what was wrong with the fresh water pump? I am so glad you were able to diagnose and fix it!
ReplyDeleteBob
Hi Bob & Susan,
DeleteIt was a fuse. Apparently there are 3 fuses associated with the water system . . . Bill checked 2 of them, but there's an additional fuse on the pump itself which he wasn't aware of. You'd think that for the $$ we paid to have Midwest RV de-winterize it (after it was hibernating there all winter), they'd have caught that!
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI hope I am doing this right??
Anyway, welcome to southeast Alaska! If it raining, just wait a day or two - and it will still be raining. Honestly, it makes Seattle look like the sunbelt. However, if it does clear up, the mountains, streams, wildlife, etc. are spectacular. Sorry to hear Ketchikan is so touristy/commercialized. A few decades ago it felt like a frontier town (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Next stop will be a move past commercial honky-tonk to re-capturing the frontier town feel, but with amenities! So goes the West.
Press on, don't get discouraged. Once you get further north, the sky will clear. I really enjoyed your pictures. Ketchikan reminds me of Sitka. Have you had any fresh Salmon, Halibut or crabmeat?
Love,
Joan