WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5:   

     This was our day to visit the town of Ketchikan itself, get some info, and then visit some of the Totem Pole sites. 

     As we made our way into town along the docks, immediately saw the cruise ships – 3 of them.  Monstrous sizes – dwarfed our ferry boat, which had seemed so big to us!  They’re easily the biggest things in town.  And of course the streets were full of the thousands of passengers they disgorged.  Looked like street scenes of New York.  But definitely without New York’s sophistication . . .  blocks were lined with little tourist & souvenir shops, many, if not most, of which are filled with cheap products made elsewhere. Too tacky and way too crowded for our taste . . . so as soon as we’d done what we needed to do (i.e., book our next ferry passage, book a Misty Fjords boat tour for tomorrow), we made it out of there.

     Drove up north about 10 miles to see Totem Bight State Park.  First of all, we learned the meaning of the word “bight” – like a cove, but not always filled with water, depending on the tide.  This site was created by the CCC in the late 30’s to preserve the art of Native American carving.  Most of the totems are re-creations of originals found here in the original native village, or in other places nearby. 

 

 There was also a replica of a Bighouse, where all clan members stayed during the winter, and females inhabited during the summer months as well when the men and boys were off hunting and fishing.  They would smoke the entire next winter's supply of salmon there.

   We saw the inclusion of a small oval door in the Bighouse, which was deliberately constructed that way in order to keep out enemies and large animals.  The humorous guide (he was bus driver and tour guide for a group of cruise passengers, but we tagged along for some of his presentation) said that if you always wanted to be low man on the totem pole, now was your chance! 

This was a lovely setting, right on the ocean, in the thick rainforest.  Our guide pointed out some features of the temperate rainforest, such as the dominant trees – Sitka spruce, and a couple types of cedar, which the Native Americans used in their totem pole carvings since they were rot-resistant.

 

 

     Then we went to the adjacent Potlatch Totem Park, which is relatively new, with new totem carvings, and created in part to leverage the tourism industry for support for local artists.  There was a building where we could see that carvings were in process, but no one was there.  We later learned in the gift shop that the master carver is there most days, and if no large cruise tour is there, he’ll accommodate you privately in demonstrating his craft.  Maybe we can return to see that. 

     Then we drove south a few miles past Ketchikan to the town of Saxman.  This is a predominantly Native American population.  They’ve erected a lovely totem pole village here . . . and, in fact, it holds one of the largest collections of original totem poles in the world.

 

 

  But, unfortunately, unless you’re willing to pay $40 each for a package tour, you’re left on your own for any narrative of what you see . . . no signs, no brochures, nothing.   Which is a shame, since this is probably the most well-known of the native totem pole carving sites in Ketchikan, and the community has the opportunity to educate visitors.  But then again, lone visitors like us are probably the exception – most are on tours booked thru their cruise line, and purchase the $40 package.  There was one totem pole of which we were virtually certain - the infamous “Seward Shame Pole.”  This depicts a red-faced William Seward, who, after visiting the Alaskan land to see what he’d purchased and was honored with a festive potlatch celebration from the Natives here, failed to reciprocate by inviting the villagers to his village, Washington DC.   For shame!  

 

     Then we took a short drive to a spot called Herring Cove, which a local told us about.  She said that, when the salmon were running, bears could be spotted here.  We found it fine, and you could see exactly where the bears would come down from the forests in the hills where they’d been wintering to the stream here.  We stayed around for 30-45 minutes, but no sign of any wildlife other than a couple of geese – a little too early for the salmon.  But a local who drove up said that, when they start running, there are thousands of them on this little shallow creek.  That would be a sight to behold! 

     Drove on home, where Pappy was so excited to see us!  Had leftover steak & sides for dinner.  Very quiet here. 

      It was what I assume is typical Ketchikan summer weather today – high in the mid – upper  50’s, comfortable when the sun was out, chilly when it drizzled rain, which it did off and on throughout the day.  You just learn quickly to dress for it, and then try to ignore it.  Tomorrow we go over to Misty Fjords . . . we’ll see if it lives up to its name!