facades retains some vestiges of its Russian heritage. The blue and white, octagonal- shaped St Nicholas Russian Orthodox church (built in 1894) still dominates the hillside above town and is now a National Historic Landmark. As a main port on the Alaskan cruise
circuit, it boasts a plethora of jewellery and souvenir shops and can get crowded. We avoided the crowds by hopping the gondola up to the top of Mount Roberts for spectacular views of the city.
Ketchikan – Totem Pole central Built on the banks of Ketchikan Creek, Ketchikan is the traditional first stop for most Alaskan itineraries. The native Tongass Tlingit Indians used the sheltered inlet as a fish camp they called kitschk-hin, meaning “creek of the thundering wings of an eagle” after a nearby waterfall. Over the years, Ketchikan has grown from a bustling fishing, timber and mining town to a popular tourist stop, but still ranks as one of Alaska’s best salmon sport- fishing destinations. However, despite the changes, the town still maintains much of its colourful Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian heritage. Totem Bight State Park boasts the world’s largest collection of totems and, at Saxman Native Village, you can watch totem carvers at work. No visit to Ketchikan would be complete without exploring the raised
“‘American Safari Cruises guests can EXPLORE the many ICEBERGS by KAYAK OR SKIFF’”
boardwalk of the city’s most famous attraction, Creek Street. The original residents built the entire street, along with its quaint shops and cosy cafes, on stilts over Ketchikan Creek.
Wrangell – One Of Alaska’s Oldest Located about 80 miles north of Ketchikan, this tiny Stikine Tlingit fishing community sits in a quiet inlet on the northern tip of Wrangell Island. In 1834, Russian fur traders built a trading post just east of the present town and stayed until America purchased Alaska in 1867. The town’s Tlingit heritage lives on at the Chief Shakes Tribal House, near the marina. The Tribal House is designated an historic monument on the National Register, and hosts a number of Native cultural events for visitors. Wrangell also boasts Alaska’s highest concentration of Tlingit petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings).
The mighty 400-mile-long Stikine
River empties into the Pacific Ocean a few miles north of town. You can take an exciting optional jet-boat ride up the river to Shakes Lake and glacier. At the mouth of the river lies Garnet Ledge, the source of most of Alaska’s garnets. The original owners willed the rights to mine and sell the beautiful stones to the village children. They sell their precious stones from a dockside stall.
Autumn 2010 I WORLD OF CRUISING
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