20230919 AAAA Trip - Ketchikan, Alaska - clear blue skies and warm weather (NOT)

2023 Alaska, Asia, Australia, Arabian Peninsula Trip 
Day 4/105 - Arriving in Ketchikan, Alaska with cold, rain, and clouds

We started the day earlier than usual due to some time traveling last night.  We were instructed to move our clocks back an hour as we moved from Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) to Alaska Daylight Time (UTC-8), or four hours behind the US East Coast.

Our sail-in into Ketchikan was wet and dark.  Thick, low clouds and pouring rain met us.  Clouds were resting just above treetop height so most of the hills were obscured.  As we approached Ketchikan, the rain seemed to slow and the promise was that the rain should move out by midday.

Ketchikan is known as one of Alaska's rainiest cities averaging around 140 inches each year. Luck was with us today because even though we sailed in through pouring rain, but the time we were ready to leave on our excursion, the rain was subsiding.

Our excursion today was to Potlach Park.  Potlatch is a native word meaning an opulent party where wealth is shown off and often also given away.  Potlatch Park is home to a recreation of a tribal village and home to many totems.  They also have a carving center where traditional carving methods are preserved.

The rains made for a swampy, muddy walk around the park, but other than a couple of very slight drips, we remained rain-free during our visit.  The following two totems served as an entry into the park.

Totems are carved from red cedar, known for its durability and natural resistance to the elements.  Totems are left to weather until they fall on their own.  When they fall, a carver recreates the totem from a new tree and installs the new one where the old one fell.  Because of this, nobody really knows how old the original totems may have been or how old the stories behind them are.

The stories behind the totems are told by the carver and handed down verbally from generation to generation.  This leads to slight, or wholesale changes in the story as time goes on.  The story behind this one was of the woman, the second carving from the top.  Her husband was out fishing and disappeared.  She asked the eagle, on top, to search for her husband, but the eagle was unsuccessful.  She then asked the whale, the next carving down, as she feared since the eagle didn't find him above the water, he must have perished below the water.  The whale was also unsuccessful.  This gave the woman hope so she asked the owl, the bottom carving, for help.  The owl, flying at night, spotted a small fire the man had set where his boat had crashed.  She was eventually reunited with him.

Interesting shelf fungi were growing

In an interesting non sequitur, they had a small old car museum as well

Warning: A disgusting topic is upcoming...

The color of totems is typically red, black, and turquoise.  The colors were traditionally made using salmon eggs.  The tribal women would chew the eggs to a fine slurry and then force the mixture out through their teeth by pressing it with their tongues.  This strained out and lumps and shell material.  They combined the egg/saliva slurry with charcoal, iron oxide, or copper shavings to make black, red, and turquoise paint.  Eww...

Dragon totems

Local school children painted the scales for the dragon totems

Family homes were decorated and had one small entrance, where Arlona was seated.  The small and low entrance served as a security measure as only one person at a time could fit through and had to duck to come in, making them vulnerable.

The bear's paws are open, signifying welcome.  The outward tongue signifies a willingness to share knowledge or wisdom.

The Thunderbird was said to take up a third of the sky and its wings flapped so hard that it made the sound of thunder

We heard a familiar screech and saw an American Bald Eagle perched high above the park.

We toured inside a recreation of a typical family home.  Totems were used as supporting poles.  The walls were carved as well.

A fire pit formed the center of the home for warmth and cooking

Our last stop was the carving center.  Once a red cedar was selected, they partially hollowed out the back.  Red cedar rots from the inside out, so hollowing it slowed the decay adding years to the totem's life.  Then a carver, using tools like a branch with a jade, bone, or tooth blade lashed to it would carve the design.

We saw several of these guys scurrying around the parking lot

Our guide, Issac, was terrific.  He was both our guide and bus driver.  Interestingly enough, he is a student in Utah and works summers in Ketchikan.  They were in a pinch with three ships in port today so they flew him in for the day to conduct two tours.  Ahh, the life of a college student.

After returning to port, we wandered around the shopping area for a bit.  

While we were wandering around town, a woman approached us and said, "You don't know me, but I know you!"  It turns out that she followed our blog through our world cruise.  She is on the Orion with us and recognized us from the blog.  It is always fun, and humbling when people do that.  Thanks, Patty!

This is a statue in port known as "The Rock".

The liquid sunshine meter

When we got back to our room, we had a brief period of brilliant blue skies and sun

We didn't find anything that we just had to have so after our wandering, we returned to the ship for lunch at the pool bar.

Viking burgers and onion rings

After hanging out in the room for a bit, we headed up to the Explorers' Bar for a pre-dinner cocktail.  We struck up a conversation and wound up staying there for a couple of hours.  This is what makes cruising fun.  You meet people.

We had terrific views of our sail away.

The Carnival Miracle was in port with us.  We have spent more than three weeks on this ship.

There was a light, but beautiful rainbow behind us

Even though it didn't look bright, you can see the rainbow reflected in the water

As we sat at the Explorers' Bar, we sailed and were heading essentially west.  This made for a great view of the sunset, even if it happened early and over a hill.

Ultimately, we headed to the World Cafe for dinner.

We were both tired.  We headed for the room with the intention of checking for Northern Lights after midnight. If it happens, I'll update you tomorrow.  Tomorrow, we'll be in Sitka, Alaska.