On the eleventh day of our Ultimate Alaska Cruise, we visited Sitka and checked out the famous Alaska Raptor Center, enjoyed a performance by Native Dancers, and visited the site where the US officially purchased Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867.
After two days At Sea, we were more than ready to get back on land. We woke early, ate breakfast, and got ready for our shore excursion. When we went up to the Sun Deck to check out our surroundings, we discovered that the captain had ordered the forward Lap Pool to be drained, possibly due to all the excessive sloshing we experienced that flooded the surrounding deck. It remained empty, with a safety net strung over it, until the end of the cruise, which was fine as I never saw anyone use it, up here in chilly Alaska in May.
The cruise ship terminal wasn’t within walking distance of town, so we went down the gangway and got on our proper tour bus right away. We were headed directly to the Alaska Raptor Center. This center specializes in rescuing raptors of all types, and providing medical help to injured birds, especially Bald Eagles.
The tour guide took us into the viewing area for the main recovery room. It was darkened and there were screens on the windows, so that the birds would remain as wild as possible. They already had their injuries repaired by veterinarians, and were currently recovering their health. Soon, these birds would be released into the wild, where they belong. Not all birds recovered fully, of course, and those who would never fly again were kept on-site in humane conditions.
There were a number of displays about the eagles, and, just outside, numerous cages with many types of raptors that would never be able to return to the wild. We learned a lot about eagles and other raptors that day. These folk do a great job helping these beautiful creatures.
After that, we took a very short bus ride to the Sitka National Historic Park headquarters and visitor center. The inside was full of native wood carving exhibits, with examples of totem poles, canoes, paddles, and other Formline art.
We walked outside and discovered additional exhibits, including a roofed workshop where totem poles were in the process of being carved, painted, and/or restored. We even found a hidden display of unpainted totem poles.
Since we still had time before the bus was scheduled to leave, we took a walk around. It was situated right on the shore, and it was low tide, so I got to walk out on the tidal rocks. Vicki and I love doing this wherever we go.
We even had time for a short nature walk in the nearby forest, where the park had installed a number of totem poles. We were learning more about them at every opportunity this trip, and we knew just enough about the creatures depicted on them to really wonder what the stories behind them actually meant. Most had Eagles and Ravens, the two main “families” of the Tlingit people, but there were many tribes like beaver, bear, killer whale, etc. and the poles told their stories.
We boarded the bus and drove back into town, where the driver let us out in order to see a Native Dance Performance with the Naa Kahidi Dancers, done by members of the Sitka Tribe. We went into the lodge house and watched the dancers and listened to their songs. After a short time, the elder asked if any members of the audience would like to join them in a dance, and of course Vicki volunteered. She got right up there and did it! I’m glad a married a woman like this, because I am far too shy for that sort of thing!
The tour bus driver gave us a choice: He could take us back to the ship, or we could take a walk through the town, then catch a free bus back to the ship from there. We chose the more exciting of the two. We headed up some nearby stone steps to the site of Baranof Castle, where the Russian governor once lived. It was gone now, and only a couple of cannons remained. But the view was fine, and there were informative displays here and there. This was the place where the paperwork was signed for the Alaska Purchase of 1867. It was called Seward’s Folly, for paying the exorbitant sum of two cents per acre for all of Alaska! Folly, indeed.
We continued our walk through the main street of town. As always when cruise ships dock nearby, there were jewelry and fur shops. Apparently, cruisers are quite wealthy. I wished I were one of them! Interestingly, because this was Alaska, the last true bastion of American Wilderness, they even had wolf pelts on display! I was impressed. There was also a shop with very small intimate furs made of mink pelts, tastefully displayed on mannequins in the store windows. I’m not showing those photos here, but I admit that I took them. Go to Sitka if you’re interested.
Sitka, being a former Russian town, naturally had an orthodox church, Saint Michael’s Cathedral, built in 1837. We went inside, and were able to examine antique Icons. Icons were something I only knew about from reading Tolstoy! It was interesting, to say the least.
After the church visit, we continued walking. There was a shop that had a tremendous Russian Samovar in the window (another item I’d only read about). One shop was all about Salmon. Vicki and I went inside, and she bought some smoked meats of varying types, including reindeer jerky. We needed gifts for the family back home, after all.
As usual, it was lightly yet continuously drizzling in coastal Alaska, so we boarded the bus and headed back to the ship. This time, our route to the amidships elevators took us through the ship’s casino, which I had never visited. As an amateur mathematician, I knew that the best way to gamble was to be the house, not the player. But I was safe from temptation today, as it wasn’t allowed to open in port, only out in international waters.
Everyone had to be back on board by 3:30pm, so it was an early day. Vicki decided to take yet another hot tub bath. Once again, she chose the tubs up in the bow, next to the drained pool. Plenty of privacy there. It was also right next to the gym, so I chose to hit the treadmill and get in my daily hiking exercise. Win-win.
One of the things Vicki planned before we began the cruise was a special dinner. Tonight was the night. She went to the Crab Shack restaurant and totally enjoyed a large seafood platter, expertly cook by the ship’s chefs. I went to our regular restaurant without her, and I had fun, too. But not as much as she did.
Later on, we took our after-dinner constitutional on the Promenade deck, and talked about tomorrow. The plan was to visit the port of Haines, which wasn’t far from Skagway, and learn more of the native culture, this time from the Chilcat Tribe.
For a topographic map of the cruise see my CalTopo Page
For LOTS more photos of the voyage see my Flickr Page
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