Looking for Sarah Palin #4

Ketchikan!

Well, I wish I could have gotten to this entry earlier, but it’s been busy out my way, my apologies.  Next on the itinerary was Ketchikan. We arrived early, around 7 am, but didn’t have much time in the town. The ship was going to leave at 1 pm.  We had excursions to visit Totem Bight State Historical Park and see a Lumberjack show. 

 

Ketchikan is probably first “big” town in Alaska you’ll come to on the inside passage.  The inside passage is that arm of Alaska that reaches down into Canada on the coast. There’s a lot of islands and inlets. It’s considered the southernmost entrance of the inside passage. It’s also considered Alaska’s first city, as it’s the first one you’ll encounter as you come up from Puget Sound.  Ketchikan’s airport is on a separate island close to the coast, but once you land, you need to take a ferry to reach the city proper. 

 

On the day we visited, there was a light rain and mist. We rushed off the ship and found our line to visit Totem Bight State Park. It’s 33 acres and features vivid totem poles by the Tlingit and Haida Native American Indians. Not only that, there’s a Tlingit Clanhouse among the poles. Each totem pole told an amazing story (sadly, I don’t remember many) but what a rich culture. In the early 20^th Century, the area was abandoned by the native peoples, and in the 1930’s the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) was hired to restore the poles. They’ve done an amazing job. I would love to spend more time in this area. 

 

Here's a link for more info: https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totembgh.htm

 

At the park this was this plant called a skunk plant. I remember it was a big plant with bit yellow blooms. I guess the native wildlife will eat it, but it’s a bit of laxative and it really loosens the bowels. We were cautioned not to eat it.

 

We must have been there around an hour and 15 mins. I would have enjoyed more time visiting the park, but we had to make the Lumberjack show. 

 

Who knew Lumberjacking was a thing? We went into Ketchikan proper and found the show. I learned there are colleges which offer courses in lumberjacking. Lumberjacks climb poles, spilt logs, throw axes, etc. It was a very excited show. The small seating area was spilt into 2 and our section was rooting for the Canadians who won. After that we rushed to boat and stopped at a tourist shop with just enough time to buy souvenir stickers! 

 

I fell in love with Ketchikan. It was so lush and green. Heck, it’s considered part of a National Forest! I wanted to bring an NHL Hockey team to Ketchikan. But I don’t know if that would be do-able.   Heck, I was looking on Zillow for summer homes in Ketchikan. 

 

I definitely wanted to spend more time in Ketchikan and learn more about the town and its history. I heard Ketchikan is called the salmon capital of the world, but I was so rushed, I didn’t have time to discover why. Maybe next time I’ll try the salmon. 

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When Sarah Palin was running for governor, she supported a bridge be built between Ketchikan and Gavina Island, the home to the Ketchikan airport. As governor, she vetoed the legislation that would have provided it, citing fiscal responsibly. Sadly, this decision made the residents of Ketchikan a bit miffed, and boy do they hold a grudge. In 2022, the Republican party of Ketchikan voted to censor her to that decision she made back in 2007. 

 

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes by Sarah Palin:

 

“Buck up or stay in the truck.”

 

“America is looking for answers. She’s looking for a new direction; the world is looking for a light. That light can come from America’s great North Star; it can come from Alaska.”

 

“I love those Hockey moms. You know what they say is the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull is? Lipstick.” 

 

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Looking for Sarah Palin #3

Glaciers & North to Nature 

 

It was our day to cruise Glacier Bay. Heck, I didn’t know much about Glaciers, so I was ready to learn! Our first Glacier that day was coming up at 9 am. I got up early and went up to Deck 16 for a little breakfast before coming down to see the massive ice formations.  My husband and boys were already in the cabin, on the balcony, ready to check it out. Heck, they even ordered room service!

 

The earliest known writings/recordings of the Glacier Bay we know today, came in 1741 by 2 Russian explorers. They met the Tinglit tribe at that time. These native Americans still live there today and have been part of Alaska’s fabric since the land was formed. Then in 1794, the Brits showed up and laid claim to the area.  Big fight. The Russians were there first. A convention in 1825 settled in the Russian’s favor and they sold Alaska and this area to the USA in 1867.  The boundary with Canada was settled in 1903.

 

When the Brits visited in 1794, Joseph Whidbey, wrote that the glaciers were deep. Then in 1888, when John Muir visited, he noted how the glaciers had receded. 

 

Whidbey said it was 48 miles into the sea. Muir stated it had retreated 44 miles from the sea. Now, it’s retreated 65 miles from the sea. However, there is still one glacier that is growing into the sea. I believe it’s the John Hopkins glacier. These are tidewater glaciers that end at the sea, which is different from an artic glacier. Per accepted scientific data, tidewater glaciers go through centuries long periods of advancing and retreating and are LESS affected by climate change than other glaciers.   And I would argue, from what I saw, this is most definitely the case, but I’m not here to talk about climate change. I’m here to share my thoughts, observations, and pictures of the glaciers I saw in Glacier Bay national park. 

 

The park itself is 3.3 million acres. We saw the Margerie, Lamplugh, John Hopkins, and Reid Glaciers.  Per park rules only 2 cruise ships can enter the Inside Passage which contain the glaciers at a time. 

 

The area was very chilly, and we definitely had to bundle up as we cruised through the area.  The Margerie was considered stable, not growing, not retreating.  The front was very solid and ice blue.  When a glacier is so cold, the ice turns blue. We heard cracking and saw ice coming off the glacier.  I was able to get several photos of the ice in the water. 

 

John Hopkins looked the firmest, with a big glacial sheet of ice falling deep back into the mountain ranges. The mountains did seem not so tall to me, and there were several times, the clouds dusted the mountain tops.  My husband saw a lone goat on one of the mountains, but I couldn’t pick it out.  We saw a lot of sea otters (my favorite cutie water animal) and my son saw dolphins, but no bear or whale sightings. 

 

We sailed the inlet about 3-4 hours total, and left the area roughly, around 1 pm.  National Park Rangers joined us around 7 in the morning and were giving presentations all day.  We were told the ship slowed down, but did not stop for them so the Rangers had to come up alongside us, and climb a rope ladder to get onto the vessel.  The NPS rangers left us at around 2:30 pm. 

 

Seeing nature so alive in such in cold environment like that makes you see it in a different perspective. For me, it was quiet, calming, and amazing. To see the sea otters just floating on their backs enjoying life despite the harshness is a lesson we can strive to emulate in our own lives. 

 

Alaska’s nature was raw, beautiful, and poignant. Heck, I had already fallen in love with Alaska but seeing Glacier bay and it’s cool, raw beauty was the diamond ring. Alaska has everything I think of when I think of nature. It’s kind of nature I want to surround myself with. 

 

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In 2010, Sarah Palin’s Alaska aired on TLC.  It only had 1 season and 8 episodes. I didn’t even know about it until now when I started poking around, so I’m definitely going to try to find these episodes and check them out.  I watched this clip about counting fish and could so relate after exploring Juneau on the Salmon bake and Skagway.  The water is incredibly clear the fish are abundant. Alaska is a place where you have to go it, but it will blow you away. North to the Future!