Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan is a colourful town clinging to the sides of the sloping mountains and woodlands of Tongans National Forest. It is on an island so access is by air or boat. As it is the ‘First City’, it is visited frequently by tourist ships, consequently it is full of souvenir and jewellery shops. 

 Once you are past them , you head for the historical area . This is Creek Street. It gained a reputation as an area of  ill repute in the 1900’s. Many of the houses in Ketchikan were built on piers because it was so difficult to build on the rock.

   
In the creek we saw seals fishing.Excuse the grainy photo but it was raining quite hard.

The creek has a salmon ladder leading to a fish hatchery. Once the fish spawn, they die which explains the interesting odour .

Originally the town was separated by a hill known as Nobs hill because the wealthy lived there. People would walk around a wooden plank footbridge to houses and shops on the other side.A tunnel was built through the hill giving everyone free access. Now you can go under, over around or through the hill.Some streets though run along or up the hill. On this stairway halfway up ,horizontally,  is Bayview Street, while the vertical stairs are Barber Street. I wonder if the supermarket would deliver my groceries.   
The town is known for its totems and art.

Despite the rain, you are off to Potlatch Park this afternoon. When a tribe had a gathering, they would have a clan house and areas for guests to stay. It has important totems for storytelling and perhaps a carving area. We are visiting the Raven clan potlatch.

Entrance into the main clan building is generally small. This was a safety feature as women, children and old members of a clan would be better able to protect themselves if attacked while the men were hunting or fishing.

      All totems are made of red cedar. When they start to rot , they are taken down and put into a forest. Here they start to provide homes for moss and new trees.Tomorrow is Juneau. Look sky has some clear bits…..maybe less rain. Fingers crossed.