On to Ketchikan

Ketchikan Harbor

We left Haida Gwaii at ten o’clock in the evening.  As the ferry left dock, we were delighted to have hot showers and a berth for the night.  We arrived in Prince Rupert at seven the following morning.  The only restaurant we could find for breakfast opened at nine, and the visitor’s center didn’t open until ten.  So we strolled Cow Bay, enjoying the sunshine. 

After a great breakfast at Prince Rupert’s local institution, the Smile’s Café, we took a 3-1/2-mile hike around the Butze Rapids interpretive trail to see its reversing tidal rapids.  Then we visited the quite informative and well-worth seeing Museum of Northern BC.  Having exhausted what we could do in a single day, we arrived at the ferry nearly three hours prior to departure.  We again met the Australian couple we had seen on the ferries since Vancouver Island.  This time we sat and shared stories while waiting.  It felt like a friendship was beginning.

Butze Rapids' reversing tidal rapids near Prince Rupert

Our ferry to Ketchikan left at 7:45 pm and was scheduled to arrive at 1:45 the following morning.  We decided to forego a cabin and simply snooze in the lounge area… our mistake.  We should have booked a cabin… lesson learned.

We sailed on the Alaska marine ferry Matenuska, an old and worn ferry in comparison to Canada’s Northern Adventure.  By the end of the evening, we decided that the lounge chairs must have been designed by a masochist… they were much like seats on an airplane only with more legroom and much less padding.  It was impossible to find a comfortable position. 

Bleary-eyed and exhausted, we arrived in Ketchikan around two in the morning and, along with a half-dozen other rigs, drove straight to the Walmart parking lot to spend the remainder of night. 

Bright and early, seaplanes taking off woke us up, but the sunshine certainly brightened our day.  We headed downtown to the visitor’s center, found a parking spot, and walked to the visitor’s booth.  

Downtown Ketchikan was already buzzing with two cruise ships in port.  As we walked toward the visitor’s booth, the Disney Wonder cruise ship docked.  Soon the boat was alive with people, boiling out of its decks and onto the docks like the end of a college football game.  The streets of Ketchikan began to overflow.  Hawkers peddled their wares.  Tour buses thundered and belched their way through town.  Ducks (amphibious vehicles), filled with tourists, rumbled towards the harbor.  Seaplanes soared overhead, taking tourists to the fjords and other sights.  It was simply too much after being ten days on a small, remote island.  We also discovered that we had arrived in Ketchikan on Memorial Day weekend, which only added to the chaos. 

Ketchikan's cruise ship harbor

We ducked into bookstore to find more reading material.  Shortly after we arrived, the Australian couple, Liz and Walter, walked through the door.  We laughed and told them that we were spending too much time together.

Our new Auzzie friends were having refrigerator problems with their rented rig, so they had opted for the last remaining spot at the RV park.  We left them and drove to Totem Bight, a wonderful state park that displayed a variety of replicated totem poles.

Toten Bight State Park, Ketchikan

Toten Bight State Park, Ketchikan

Afterward, we drove to the campground on lovely Ward Lake, figuring we needed to find a camp spot early because of the holiday.  It was already full.  We drove to Settler’s Cove at the end of the island.  It was also full, but we took a lovely hike there.  Then we drove up Brown Mountain, expecting to find a pull out or some secluded road for a camp.  We found none.  Ultimately, we found a pullout on the lake road and spent the night there.

We spent much of the following morning trying to find potable water.  The visitor’s center was no help.  A ranger suggested the dump station next to the water department.  They had water, but it wasn’t potable.  Go figure!  We called the only campground, but they were full and unwilling for us to fill up with them.  Ultimately, we bought five gallons of drinking water at Walmart.  Obviously, Ketchikan is set up for cruise ships… not campers.

To our surprise during another drive into Ward Lake campground, we noticed several campsites open.  Of course, we immediately grabbed one and set up camp.  That night, we discovered why so many spots were available… several nearby campsites were filled with large groups of folks who were extremely loud and had no problems chopping wood at two in the morning.  These folks were so loud that someone must have complained.  Law enforcement came to chat with them the following day.

Monday we drove into Ketchikan early, hoping to avoid the deluge of cruise ship travelers.  We visited several small museums and walked along Ketchikan’s infamous Creek Street.  The street is well known for its history of brothels and speak easies but is now a destination for souvenir shoppers.

Ketchikan's infamous Creek Street

When the crowds began to grow, we headed north.  Now that the holiday weekend was over, the campground was empty, except for a few campers also bound for tomorrow’s ferry.  We strolled along the lake, drinking in the sunshine and quiet.

We left Ketchikan Tuesday morning on the 11:45 am ferry.  I admit that we were very happy to do so, particularly with two more cruise ships scheduled to arrive later that day, each bringing another 5,000 visitors.  Under fair skies, we set our sights for Wrangell Island, hoping for a bit of serenity.