“Living the Dream” – Day 4 of our 1/2 world trip aka Year 2, Day 147, Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Today we are in Ketchikan, Alaska, the salmon capital of the world. It is breathtaking pulling into Port.
The view just gets better and better as it gets lighter.
At 5:30 am the Windjammer buffet is hopping. Everyone is up early and ready for our first Alaska stop.
We are talking to Justin and Bobi as we eat Breakfast.
We are located in the Inside passage on the southeastern border of Alaska. This is the farthest we have ever been from home. We are 3,055 miles from home. Prior to this the farthest we had ever been away from home was when we were in Columbia. There we were 2,536 miles from home. We are up against some huge forest filled mountains now. Our balcony overlooks the town and there is a fishy smell outside. The ship was ready for departing at 7:30am, but we headed to the diamond lounge first where they have Cappuccino. Yes, it’s coffee time – coffee, coffee, coffee, coffee CAPPUCCINO!!!.
We left the ship after we got our caffeine fix and walked around the dock and town.
It is in the low 50’s this morning and sunny. It doesn’t feel as warm as in Kentucky when it is in the 50’s and sunny. The sun is much stronger and warmer in Kentucky. Today we are doing the Ketchikan Duck tour excursion. The duck tour vehicle seats 49 people. There are 26 compartments under the vehicle filled with foam. The water is 56 degrees. Our tour guide Jonathan is from Idaho. He has a degree in performing arts. We learned a lot of great things on this tour. Here in Ketchikan, we are near the world’s largest temperate rain forest, the Tongass National Forest. This forest encompasses 17 million acres. It is the largest US national forest and is one of the world’s last remaining intact temperate rain forests. 70,000 people inhabit the region. Ketchikan was founded in 1900. The types of Salmon species can be remembered by your fingers. Chum is your thumb, Sockeye is your index finger (imagine poking someone’s eye out), King is your middle finger, Silver is your ring finger, and Pink is your pinkie. This area gets 15 feet of rain and three feet of snow each year. Ketchikan is one of the rainiest cities in America. Ketchikan Creek flows through Downtown Ketchikan and fills with spawning salmon each July and August. During this time, you can watch salmon swim upstream. As they swim upstream from the salt water they actually start to rot. They die after they spawn. The tour took us down Bear Street and John told us there were three requirements to live there. I am not sure if it is true or not. Requirements are you must have a bear whistle, bear spray, and bear proof garbage can. Alaska became a state in 1959. Today the gas price is $5.06 a gallon. We saw two bald eagles when we were out in the water. Bald eagles get to be between 10 and 15 pounds. They die here either of old age or while mating. Graduating class of local school this year was 126 kids. Kids have to work a job for 80 hours to graduate high school. Most young adults leave the area after graduating high school. Some of the men return to live here, but few women do. Main economy today depends on tourists from the cruise industry. There is at least one cruise ship a day in Port from May through September. Today our ship and Radiance of the Seas are in Port. Most of the employees work through September and then leave the area to go back to their homes in other areas. Before we changed and went into the water the driver introduced himself. I got some of it on video.
Then we hit the water. It was a beautiful ride!
We got back on the ship and walked around. It was empty in the afternoon. Most people are staying off the ship for as long as possible at this port.
Love the elevator animals on the ship.
For more about Quantum of the seas click here: Quantum of the Seas – Deestimes – Make every step of the journey count
To view this year’s complete daily diary, click here: https://deestimes.com/living-the-dream-year-2-may-1-2022-april-30-2023/
Today’s product recommendations are traveling essentials. 1) Luggage hand cart – we love this cart for easy rolling for easy cruise carry-on bags. Even when you can’t go to your room right away this is so easy to walk around the ship with. Here’s the link https://amzn.to/3s37EOw
2) This large toiletry bag is the best. Steve has the black and I have the pink. We both absolutely love them. Here’s the link https://amzn.to/3v1p6ok and picture
