Ketchikan - All Day - a wee place between the sea and the mountains

There is so much to see and do in Ketchikan you might decide to come back again. Then you might decide to stay. I did. Everything I love is here. The snow-covered mountains. Vast temperate rain forests full of huge trees, birds, and animals. Deer, wolves, bears, eagles, whales, salmon, and halibut - how could I not love this place. I would delight in showing it to you, and telling you all about it. Ketchikan also includes an ancient native tradition. Totem poles, wood carvers, weavers and dancers. My wife weaves Ravenstail regailia, and I myself am an amateur carver. I will show you carving tools, and demonstrate their use. And I can show you the work of some of the greatest carvers living today. Ketchikan is a small town, with an active arts community, and a long, and often amusing history. We can see a bit of all of this. Or we can concentrate on the things that interest you.

This is an all-day (>5 hours) tour of Ketchikan and the Island. The extra time will give us the freedom to explore things in greater depth. I will meet you at the exit ramp from the ship. We will take a short walk to my vehicle (I can not bring a car onto the dock). Then I will take you for a quick trip around "Old-town" Ketchikan. There is the historic Creek Street, a number of totem poles, and, if you feel like seeing it, a small museum with an exquisite collection of native art. After that we have two options -- go North, or South, or even both. North of town there are lakes, with nice woodland trails around them, some eagle nests, and beautiful Tongass Rain Forest walks. South of town there are eagle nests, and Herring Cove hatchery, where we sometimes see bears, and a pretty waterfall. If you can't decide, don't worry, I'll take you to nice places. If it is raining (it often does - this is a rain forest), we can concentrate on indoors exhibits, and sheltered places.