Sitka, Alaska

We have really enjoyed our time on the ferrys...this leg of our adventure is no exception. We not only run into Bob again, but other people that we have become acquainted with on other ferry rides or in the campgrounds. Chatting with old buddy Bob makes the boarding wait time go quickly.

We are on the Taku for at least 12 hours...getting into Sitka between 2 and 3 in the morning. The day started out very cloudy, but as it goes along the clouds move out and we have a very beautiful afternoon and evening for traveling. The views are beautiful...the waterways dotted with forest covered islands and snow capped mountains in the distance. Everyone is hoping to see whale on this trip. We start out by seeing seals up on a buoy hoping that a killer whale doesn't come up and hit the buoy to knock off the seals to get some dinner...no such excitement this time. Dolphins swimming by got everyone excited, though. Don and I were able to get seats up front and utilize the electric outlets to charge phones, computer and iPad...we are set! After about two hours we approach a little community called Kake. The ferry docks here for about an hour. We stay on board and decide to go to dinner. I think their breakfast is better than their dinners, but oh well. We split this chicken and rice dish and each get a salad. We join Bob at his table and enjoy talking with him.

The sunshine and gorgeous scenery draw us outside to the back observation deck. We get to talking to a couple that were camped next to us in Petersburg. They are from Pasadena. They were in a large RV camping through AK like us enjoying biking and kayaking. Whale spouts were being spotted way off in front of the ferry. Boy, I really want to get a good pic of the whales. We saw lots of spouts and backs in the water, but I didn't get the great shot I was hoping for this time. I did get a picture of a whale tale but the shot caught it too late to really be able to tell what it was. I did get some great sunset shots though! We were out here until the sun went down (after 11:00) and it got quite cold. We said goodbye to our friends and went back to the front of the ferry to the inside observation area. I was determined not to fall asleep...I wanted to see the ferry make its way through the Peril Strait...which is very narrow with buoy lights lining the way to help the pilot navigate. The Taku went very slowly through this part of the trip. There were only a few of us who stayed up the entire time.

June 29

We arrive in Sitka and drive to a parking area to sleep until around 9am and then drive to the campground that we would be staying at...Starrigavin Forest Service Campground. This is a very pretty campground located among dense rainforest vegetation with old growth trees. Our campsite is right along the creek. We thought we would be settling in more than we have and actually use the site (eat outside and enjoy campfires at night and in the morning). But we have had so much rain the entire time we have been here that we have stayed inside the trailer where it is warm. (Woosies!!) Not that we have spent that much time at the trailer...we get going in the morning and don't get back until late. This campground has its own artesian spring that bubbles out water from a couple of pipes. The locals come all day long with bottles and jugs to collect the water. The water tastes good, nothing to rave about, but boy is it cold!

Sitka is the Southeast's third largest city. It is located on big, wild, and mountainous Baranof Island. This is the only major Southeast community located on the outer Pacific coast. "Sitka" is a contraction of "Shee-Atika" which to the Tlingit people means "people on the side of Shee." the history of the island is rich. The Tlingit have been here for thousands of years. In 1804 the Russian Empire forced its way into Sitka for the otter pelts. They occupied this area until 1867 when Alaska was purchased by the United States.

After getting situated, we take off to explore our surroundings. I really want to sync my journal (I am days overdue) so we go on the search for a coffee/free wi-fi place. This must be the place because lots of people are using their computers. So we order up and sit down to do some work. Don gets connected right away, but for some reason my iPad will not pick up the signal. This really frustrates me...I just don't understand these types of things...so I end up calling the Apple Store in SLO where I bought my iPad. I had had this problem when we were in Prince Rupert, and they really didn't know what to tell me then, so this time they gave me the number to Apple Care. Long story short, we got things worked out and I got connected. But for some reason it was taking forever to sync all my pics to everlater. After about an hour, we left to go do other things, and I finished syncing my everlater journal later that evening at the local McDs parking lot.

After getting some info at the forest service office, we spent the afternoon hiking up Mt.Verstovia. This is a 2.5 mile trail that climbs steeply (that's VERY steeply!) up the mountain to panoramic views from a rocky peak. This ended up being a treacherous, poorly maintained, butt kicker trail. We had to carefully place our feet around rocks, roots and the uneven path, all of which could be very slippery. There were a few sections of the trail that provided you with either a steel cable or a thick rope to hold on to as you worked your way up. That was very thoughtful of them! About 5 minutes from the top, I noticed that fog was beginning to form. By the time we got to the top to enjoy the view of Sitka, it was fogged in. Don't ya love it! This is a rain forest, ya know. Fortunately, we had taken pics lower on the mountain...so at least we got some sort of pictures. The hike down was challenging also. This was a trail that could really hurt you. With the steepness, wetness and unstableness of the trail we came down very carefully! Even so, both Don and I slipped at least once. I hit my knee on a rock and boy howdy, did it hurt! PTL! We made it down with no injuries!

Quick trip to the grocery store and back to the trailer. Don fixes himself a little something to eat...I crashed.

June 30

The day starts slow...it is cold and raining. It is colder here than it had been in Wrangell or Petersburg, so when it rains we feel really cold. After great pancakes we take off for town. Since it is raining, we decide to forgo a hike and to instead do the tourist thing and go downtown. Don was actually a good sport about this. Gor-Tex on and off we go. I bought Rohnan a little t-shirt, a bunch of postcards, a t-shirt for me, and found a box for my salad bowl to be shipped home in all within one block!! Getting the box was kind of neat. We went into a pharmacy and after watching the UPS man come and go, I asked a lady working the ice cream counter if they might have any boxes that I could have. She was very helpful and said of course they did. She comes out with not only a box, but with a bunch of packing material to go with it! Scored!! I was jazzed!

We saw the Isabel Miller Museum which outlines Sitka's history from the Russian era to the present. Since we were in the Harrington Centennial Hall already I talked Don into seeing the New Archangel Russian Dancers. He agreed because the performance was only a 1/2 hour...what a good husband! (I never did talk him into seeing the Tlingit dancers :) ) This dance troop has helped keep Sitka's Russian heritage alive for almost 40 years. They perform authentic Russian, Byelorussian, Moldovian and Ukranian folk dances. There is Russian history and also Tlingit history stuff all around Sitka.

In our wondering around we found a little whole in the wall take out place I had read about on the ferry for lunch...Two Chicks and a Kabob Stick...our kind of place! They have great fish tacos!! We liked it so well we ate lunch there 3 days in a row. So we get our tacos and go find a place out of the rain to eat. Boy, they are yummy!! Before going back to the trailer, we go to the Backdoor Coffee place located in the back of the bookstore. Get good cappuccinos and are warmed up and ready to get back to the trailer...which is freezing inside when we get there. Fortunately we have a great heater and it warms the trailer up quickly.

July 1, Thursday

It is not raining today! WooHoo!! Doesn't mean it is not cloudy and cold, just not raining! We will take it! We decide to start with the short nature walks that are right here near our campground...the Starrigavan Estuary Trail, Forest and Muskeg Trail and the Mosquito Cove Loop. Not really seeing anything new, but they are nice walks. Down the road apiece, we walk around the Old Sitka State Historic Site. The Russians established their first settlement here more than two centuries ago. The Tlingits destroyed the settlement in 1801 and the Russians returned 3 years later to fight the Tlingits. The Russians won that one and stayed in the area.

Side note...in our hikes and walks through the rainforest, we have come upon areas known as muskeg. What is a muskeg? It is a common term referring to landscapes of small ponds with floating lilies, deep blankets of mosses and sedges, a few stunted trees (lodgepole pine), and lots of low-growing plants with "bog" in their common names, like bog blueberry, bog rosemary, and bog orchid. Muskegs are sopping wet, acidic, and nutrient poor. It is amazing to me that anything grows in them.

Continuing our driving around, we make our way up Harbor Mt. Road. There are great views from the top...if you could see the views.

We go back into town to get our great fish tacos from Two Chicks and a Kabob Stick and mail my package to Rohnan and my box with my salad bowl. After that we hit the Cultural Center/Museum for more artifacts and history. Stop at the Back Door again for our afternoon cap and a slice of apple pie.

Now it is off to the laundromat. We have been putting this off for days. Kept scouting around for the nicer place that we had seen on our first day in Sitka, but we are unable to find it, so this one close to the campground will have to do. We also had been looking for some place to get showers...oh look, bingo, there is a shower here. I hate public showers...I guess we are desperate. We do the laundry without any washer or dryer problems, then with clean towel in hand, I get to shower first. So, there I am, in nothing but my trusty public shower flip-flops, and I can't get the coin thing to work that allows the water to come on. Great. So, I will open the door just enough to yell for Don to come help. I can't get the door open, Rats! Put my clothes back on and try the door again...still stuck. Hmmm...So I beat on the door and Don actually hears me...so do the other two guys in the place. I can hear Don explaining to them that his wife is stuck...am I embarrassed yet? We got the door opened, and Don showed me how the coin thing worked and I took my shower. It takes quite a bit of coordination to keep from touching anything other than the water in a public shower! Yoga and Pilates balancing exercises come in handy when you are getting dressed standing on one foot without touching the floor. I don't think Don worries about such things, and his experience is probably a lot less stressful! :)

Grab a bite to eat and go to the trailer and crash. End of a good day.

July 2, Friday

Another day without rain!!! We're going on a hike! But before we do that, we are going to check out the Alaska Raptor Center. If you want an eye-to-eye view of a bald eagle, this is the place to go. This is a shelter for some of America's most impressive birds with a top-notch rehabilitation center with a 20,000 square-foot flight training area. The Raptor Center takes in and treats birds from around the state. Among the past and current residents are bald and golden eagles, great horned owls, a red-tailed hawk, a barred owl, a peregrine falcon and a screech owl. The highly skilled staff nurse most of the injured birds that come to them back to health, but some never recover and live out their days as raptors-in-residence. We really enjoyed this tour. It is a pretty low key place with lots of docents available for questions. It was very impressive! I really liked seeing the peregrine falcon...those are really beautiful birds! This was one of the highlights for me here in Sitka.

Now off for our hike. We are going to do the Indian River Trail...a nice 8.6 mile, low-elevation, forest and stream hike...none of this straight up a mountain stuff today! The trail follows a clear-water stream full of rocky riffles,deep green pools, and bouldery rapids. We crossed the stream many times, all over log bridges. The forest is the signature spruce-hemlock-cedar forest of the Southeast. Along the way, I spotted what I think is our first bear print...it is very big, what else could it be?The trail is very gradual until it starts climbing during the last mile before the waterfall. The waterfall was well worth the hike...very nice. On the way back both Don and I slip...boy, it happens even when you are being careful!!! He falls on his bottom, but I go down hard again on the same knee I had banged on the Mt. Verstovia trail. Ouch!! My knee was not happy.

On the way back into town, we checked out a local festival happening at the elementary school for the 4th of July. There is a large Philippino community in Sitka, and they put this on for families. They have game booths set up, including the proverbial dunk tank, and lots of food booths. I got a salmon kabob on brown rice from...you guessed it...my fav, Two Chicks and a Kabob Stick. Don ventured out and got a really good fish taco from across the way. Fun place to be on a Friday afternoon.

Since we were in the area, we toured the oldest intact Russian building in Sitka. It was built in 1842 by the Russian American Company as a residence for the Bishop of the Orthodox Church. It also served as a school and chapel. It was very interesting.

As we were walking back to the car, the sun peeked out and we actually cast a shadow!!! How wonderful!!! Sitka is so beautiful when you have the sun shining! We hopped into the car to drive over the bridge to check out what is over there and because of the sun shining on the harbor, we had to get pictures. We couldn't just stop on the bridge, so we got to a place where we could park and walked back over the bridge. We got some good pics.

Off to the library for some wi-fi time, then back to the trailer for the night.

Saturday, July 3

We enjoy another leisurely morning...it's raining again today, why hurry? We take a drive to the south end of the island to check out a couple of trails we were recommended...the one we thought we would do is closed for the summer for renovation. But we find this other short nature hike to Heart Lake further down the road and even though it is raining, decide to get out and get some exercise! We quickly pass Thimbleberry Lake on our right and pass a local couple and he gives us the "thumbs up" for getting out in the rain. Hey, ' when in Rome...'! All throughout the rainforest the salmonberry bushes grow. The salmonberries are getting ripe now, so all along this trail we were picking the berries and eating them. Mmmmmm, very good indeed! Bears also eat these, but due to everybody praying for us, we don't have to share with Mrs. Bear today! :) Heart Lake is a cute little lake with a boat docked there to use if you want to. Nice short hike to do when it is raining.

On the way back to town we stopped to check out Whale Park. This little park is set up with boardwalks and stairs to many little whale viewing areas. It would be a wonderful place to whale watch. They have telescopes set up for people to use and even has a hydrophone to listen for whales! Someone put a good amount of money into this little park. It is a little early for many whales in this area so we didn't see any.

We end up at Larkspur Cafe for lunch. Nice place, good food. Seems to be a local hangout. We sit next to a young man who is eating his lunch, to talk to him because he is traveling on his duel-sport BMW motorcycle. His name is François Joannette all the way from Montreal, Canada. We hung out for quite a while talking with him.

Off to spend time in the library doing computer stuff, and then back to the cold, damp trailer. Seems like everything is wet. Nothing drys in this climate. The windows in the trailer fog up on the inside, then the water drips off them. The carpet runner on the floor is wet from our comings and goings.We crank up the heater to warm the place up.

The locals are doing fireworks tonight around midnight, so we stay up to be able to go watch. We get to where we were told they would be, and no one is there. We waited for an hour, watching some random fireworks going off, but it turns out that the program was canceled because of the rain. We were disappointed. Back to the trailer we go.

Don made an observation...if evolution were true, everything around here would eventually turn into a mold, fungus or amphibian! :)

Sunday, July 4...Happy Independence Day!!!!

This morning is spent getting the trailer ready to go to Juneau. I am inside, but Don is working in the wet outside. I definitely have the better job! We leave Starrigaven Campground and head back in town to see if we can find a coffee place open. Non were found, but we did pass a hearty group of Tea Party-ers!! Great way to spend July 4th, while we still have the freedom to do so. We give them honks and thumbs up, talk about stopping, but decide to go to McDs to use the free wi-fi. Then it is time to go get in line at the ferry terminal where we meet up again with François. We spend nearly the entire 4 hours in good conversation with François. I had told him yesterday about the Raptor Center. He went this morning and loved it. We spent lots of time looking at photos of his trip so far. He has traveled through some incredibly beautiful country. The ocean is choppy today, so there is not much whale activity that is seen. When François was on this same ferry a few days ago going south to Sitka, they saw lots of whales. He got some great pictures. We enjoyed our time with François, exchanged e-mail addresses at the Juneau terminal, and said good bye. Safe travels, François!!!!!