Sunday, June 1, 2014

The next leg to Wrangell

One of the joys of travel for me is the chance meeting with new people from all over the world.  Before we left Ketchikan, we had the opportunity to camp beside some wonderful folks from near Sidney, Australia. It was an immediate connection and we do hope well see them again along the journey. Serendipity!


After saying goodbye, and packing up from our site in Clover Pass, we made sure to have plenty of time to visit the third point of interest that we read about in Ketchikan. You remember the first, Creek Street...

 
And the Southeastern Alaska Discovery Center...

The third special spot is the Totem Bight State Park. 

A bight being just what it implies, a piece of the shoreline that looks like a bite was taken out. It was protected enough to be a place where First Nations people might settle.  This park is just such a spot and provides the opportunity to walk through the woods into the area of the native clan house and totem garden.

                                     




                                     



                                    
                
                                                                     


We visited a carving demonstration ...


And walked through another replica of a living area built on actual fishing grounds of an earlier clan. This was also the spot where a gathering called a potlatch would be held.  We learned that this was a celebration of an important event in the community.  This could be a birth, death or the raising of a new totem.  At the later occasion the one who designed the totem would tell the story that it represented. It made me think of our term "potluck".'

                                        

After lunch, we lined up with other travelers to start the journey to Wrangell.  We met another couple, Joan and Jim and spent time with them.  Their rig was the tan and blue one almost beside ours.

 
The ferry ride was from mid-afternoon until ten at night so we had a different experience from our first leg on the ship several days before that was an early day voyage.


Goodbye Ketchikan.


Looks like something we have seen in Boston Harbor.


The float plane business is a major industry for these towns along the Inside Passage.

Off we go...










We arrived at ten ar night, and still had a bit of daylight, and found our way in a light rain to the "City RV Park".  We were glad to stretch out and have a place to rest, but it was truly parking lot camping that cost $15.  It was right beside the harbor area so we heard lots of truck and boat traffic early in the morning.


The top of each pole that marked the parking lot was growing a terrarium garden, and is a good illustration of how wet it is in this area.




After a nourishing breakfast we tried to see the Museum and learned it was not open on Sunday. We did have some interesting things to see on the outside.




We enjoyed the town murals and finally, visited Petroglyphs Beach before lining up for our final ferry.




I met some wonderful people on the beach while trying to find the petroglyphs, and saw my first Harlequin Duck. What a treat!

This last leg will be 20 hours with stops in Petersburg, and Juneau. After we arrive in Haines we will start the final road piece, about 800 miles to the campground on the Kenai. We are looking forward to more adventure and exploration AND working in the Klondike RV Park. 

Time to line up...the ferry is almost here.


No comments:

Post a Comment