After a great overnight ferry ride, we arrived in Ketchikan under blue skies. The forecast for the rest of our time there was for ugly weather (heavy rain, high winds, low temperatures) so we made the most of our one beautiful day.
We kicked things off with a hike at Settler’s Cove. We enjoyed exploring the lush rainforest and rocky beach.
After finishing our hike, we made our way downtown. At the waterfront we gawked at the huge cruise ships and the thousands of passengers. Our walking tour included all the Ketchikan high points: Creek Street, the Waterfront Promenade, Totem Poles, etc.
The next day was wet, windy and cold as predicted and so as a birthday treat we checked into a nice hotel where we luxuriated in the extra space and warmth and appreciated the wifi. Jay donned the hotel robe and declared that he felt like a king.
The next day we celebrated Jay’s 12th birthday! After presents and far too much junk food and screen time, we checked out of the hotel and made our way to the aquatic center. The birthday boy had a great time joining the other kids for swimming, jumping off the diving board and whooshing down the water slide.
We ended the day at the Great Alaska Lumberjack show, where we all hooted and hollered as we cheered for the competing lumberjacks. Jay even won an autographed postcard for being one of the most enthusiastic audience members. Fun for all!
Next up is the three hour ferry ride to Prince of Wales Island, where we will explore for a week. As Jay says, “new island, new adventures!”