Exploring Ketchikan, Alaska

We didn't have any excursions 

planned for Ketchikan.

We were just going to get off

the ship and go explore on our own.

From our balcony,

we could see the tour busses waiting

for the passengers to arrive.

It was raining, as it usually does

in Ketchikan.  Part of the walkway

was covered, but we knew to expect

rain at some part of our trip.

We were awfully lucky though.

This was the only rain that happened 

while we were in ports.

The good news is that it cleared up

a short while after this.

The little buildings are some

 of the private tour kiosks

where you can go to select tours 

that are usually a bit less expensive

than the ship sponsored tours.

The people holding the blue signs

are tour guides for the ship sponsored tours.

We had a few short hours to explore
Ketchikan before we were due back at

the ship.  We arrived at 7:30 AM

and had to be back aboard at 11:45 AM.

This is where we really could have 

used more time in port.

We checked out the tours

that were being offered 

and signed up for a 2 hour tour

that included a scenic 9 mile coastal drive

to Herring Bay.  

Nope not on the Duck Tour,

but that looks like it would have been fun.

According to the brochure,

we had a good chance to see bears,

bald eagles, salmon and seals,

beautiful beaches and rainforest.

Oh, and our tour company

was Northern Tours of Alaska.

We were also going  

to the Saxman Native village,

as well as a stop at Old Red Light District,

Creek Street and Dolly's House.

Through our mini coach windows

we saw another Duck tour bus driver

closing the windows that were folded up

along the top of the duck tour bus/boat. 

Our tour guide/driver was showing us

how many ships were in port that day.

It was going to be a busy day in town

with four ships stopping by to visit.

Bear  and salmon ~~~  everywhere.

One of the offerings in Ketchikan

is a show pitting Canadian against

American lumberjacks doing their thing.

Each side of the audience cheers for

their assigned team of lumberjacks.

We stopped at a bridge,

to view the beginning of the salmon run

in a creek that runs through town.

Look close,

the dark grey shapes are salmon.

There's lots of them in the photo,

but later in the season there seems

to be more salmon than water in the creek.

At least that's what we were told,

and that you could walk across the creek

on the backs of the salmon

without getting wet.

Tall Tale?

I thought it was cool to see

some of the houses in Ketchikan.

Bald eagle.

This photo is straight out of the camera.

No telephoto lens, and not cropped.

A juvenile eagle. 

We had stopped at a boat ramp 

parking area to see the eagles.

Across the road,

you could see an eagle nest

at the top of the tree.

~~~

We stopped at another creek  

where the salmon were running.

We were there to see bears

if they were out and about in the meadow

that was alongside the creek.

Yep, we saw ONE bear.

Across the way 

we could see the zipline platform.

We watched them zipping along

up and above the bear.

We watched this juvenile eagle

hunting salmon.

Our guide told us that

the number one reason for  

young eagles dying,

is that they drown.

That  answer was completely unexpected,

but it makes sense. 

They're after salmon that are much

heavier than they are.

We didn't see him catch a salmon,

but it was fascinating to see his attempts.