Ketchikan, Alaska (July 6)

Ketchikan, “the salmon capital of the world”, is the southern end of Alaska’s piece of the the Inside Passage. The Inside Passage weaves through coastal islands from Olympia, Washington to Skagway, Alaska and is traveled by some 36,000 recreational cruise boats ranging from solo sailors to mammoth cruise ships with 5,000+ passengers. Ketchikan can host up to 10 huge cruise ships at one time, so this modest town of 8,500 can burgeon to 50,000+ on any particular day. Some 20 properties in and around Ketchikan are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Creek Street, the old red light district and now a major tourist draw. (See last photo)

We opted for a UTV (utility task vehicle) off road “experience” across amazing scenery that also included a brief cruise on George Inlet to the lodge for a crab dinner/local beer tasting. The weather was perfect; off road scenery was beautiful (and very dusty); and Dungeness crabs and craft beers were delicious.