Sitka, Alaska was our port of call today and there were a total of 19 tours offered here. Too many to list, the most reasonable ones were a downtown walk for 1 hour and $55, or Sitka sites for 3.5 hours and $110. A fun one was a pedal and pub crawl for 2 hours and $120, or a bike and hike tour for 3 hours and $150. On the high end there were excursions that involved fishing…specifically salmon and Dolly Varden fishing. Since it is way too early for the first salmon run, we do not know if these tours happened today. One was a guided fly-fishing for 4 hours and $290. Or remote flyfishing with lunch for 6 hours and $350. Finally, there was a King or Coho salmon fishing for 4 hours with a light snack for $530. If you caught one, having it processed and mailed home was extra. One excursion we did here years ago was fun and that was sea otter and wildlife quest for 2.5 hours and $180. We did have an opportunity on this cruise to take a free tour at the Fortress of the Bear, but it was too early in the season, and it was closed.
The Volendam docked out of town by 7:30am with temperatures in the mid 40’s, 92% humidity, and light winds at 2.6mph. It was overcast, foggy at times, light rain briefly and some sun upon leaving the port. Typical early in the season Alaskan weather. A complimentary port shuttle was provided which we were advised to pre-book. A letter of instructions was given to us a few days ago. Since we do not have a cellphone to copy a QR code, Jonah said she would get one printed for us. So after breakfast, she stopped by the Pinnacle Grill and handed us the ticket for a 10:30 to 11am time window. If there happened to be a line for the shuttle, we would get priority over those without the ticket. Without a ticket, you had to wait until the end of the line to board if there was room.
We hung around after breakfast like we always do and left the ship when a sound testing on the speaker system was taking place. Literally drove us off of the ship as annoying music was blasted throughout the ship. Another inconvenience was the fact the ship’s water system was going to be shut down from 9:30 to 1:30. Nothing would work in the rooms ship wide. Then we were advised to flush the faucets with plenty of water to clear out the rust particles. This was at least the fourth time this cruise that the water had to be shut off, mostly due to flooding problems we had. That was resolved thank goodness. Anyway, it was another good time to leave the ship and head for the shuttle.
We lined up for the next bus without anyone checking the ticket. We did notice, however, that this whole terminal looked different with new additions. Asking the bus monitor lady, she said the new improvements had been done after Covid in 2020. Much improved and easier to access, we decided to check out the new shops on the way back. The buses were school buses we think due to their tight seating. Like no leg room at all, we had to sit sideways. We could not help but notice that some of the guests were getting cranky when they made comments to people that were moving too slow. When being told to keep moving to the back of the bus, another lady said there were no seats and that was why she was not moving…..adding is that a good enough excuse for you? Sure shut up that cranky lady. Some nicer folks moved to seats together making room for the last two guests. And we wonder why we do not like tours anymore……
We were dropped off in downtown at the Harrigan Centennial Hall, with views of the snow-covered mountains where conventions and trade shows are held. Sometimes there are maps and information inside, but today being Sunday, we were not sure they were opened.
We took off walking from there to the Sea Walk along Crescent Harbor . This walk took us past homes, the Russian Bishop’s House (closed), the high school and an extensive playground for the kids. The harbor was full of small pleasure boats as well as some fishing vessels. We continued past the Sitka Sound Science Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to marine research and education. It was closed to the public and work was also in progress with the hands-on experiences inside the building. There is a fish ladder here where you can watch the salmon come during their runs. The nets were up at the opening, but there were no fish to be seen.
Continuing up the road, we ran into four of our friends as they were just returning from the National Park and the totems there. Already on their way back to town, we had no doubt they were going to find a place for lunch as it was already near noontime. Following the paths along the water’s edge, we ended up at the Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska’s oldest. The highlights here are the massive Sitka spruce trees with a dozen or so very tall totem poles. It is also home to the fort and battlegrounds of the 1804 Battle of Sitka. Excellent signage along the way described the history here. It was a long hike, but there were many benches to sit and take in the views of the harbor and river. Except for some locals walking their dogs, not too many people from the ship ventured this way. We did run into two more sisters that were hiking here, and they shared some news that people had spotted whales on the bus ride to town. They advised us to sit on the left side of the bus on the way back and we might see them. Funny, we always sit on that side.
We got to the old fort area and the battleground, then the trail wrapped around and headed back to the visitor center. There were nice restrooms there as well. Being that today was Sunday, the playground was full of young kids having fun. It did not matter to them if it began to drizzle for a bit. A little water never hurt anyone. We ended up back in town by 1pm, searching for a pizza place that advertised wood-fired pizza. On previous stops here, we dined at the Westmark Hotel’s restaurant, but we noticed that name was not on the building today. It must have been sold, and the restaurant had a different name, but it was closed on Sunday. Oh well.
We headed up the street and uphill passing the Orthodox Church. As we were waving at a group of pedalers on the bar hop tour, a local lady recognized us, calling us by name. She admitted she was holping to run into us as she has been following the blog for many years. Always nice to hear from readers world-wide that enjoy our travels. She even admitted to marking our stops with pins on a map.
Heading towards the St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church, we located the pizza place nearby. It sure was not what the website showed. It was tiny and had very few narrow tables with rickety chairs where you order your food and pick it up at the counter. Not to our liking, we decided not to stay. Way too claustrophobic for us. Even the hot dog stand from a food truck in the parking lot looked better. So we headed back to the shuttle after walking in and out of a few stores. We could order room service instead.
Two shuttles were waiting at the hall, and we were off in no time for the short ride back. Sitting at the back of the bus, we did see some whales very near the shore. Captain Frank mentioned later that they were gray whales and they were working the waters all morning. With a moving shuttle, we were lucky to get one shot of a whale while it briefly surfaced. No diving, just blowing of the spouts. Sometimes these are called resident whales that never migrate. The boat tours that people take often will locate the pods and get really good pictures. The one time we did that tour, a whale came up right alongside the boat and blew its spout, spraying an oily smelly substance all over us. Smelled for days.
Back at the terminal, we passed through the old building, then wandered through the shops in the new part. The two levels of stores resembling what we would see in Juneau and Ketchikan. And being that we were the first cruise ship here we think, there were no close-out sales or end of season…everything must go bargains.
We were back onboard after passing the facial recognition check near the gangway. That was the first time we did that on the whole cruise. We instantly ordered Cobb salads and a shared club sandwich which arrived on time….no extra waiting.
Between 3 and 4:30pm, we all had to visit our muster stations and have our room keys scanned. This is a 30 day mandatory safety essential and was very easy. No waiting, we were back to the room within 10 minutes. Captain Frank came on with his sail away info after 4:30pm, reminding everyone to attend the simple muster check. He hoped everyone had a good time in Sitka with the mostly favorable weather. We now have 233 nautical miles to reach Ketchikan tomorrow. He said to watch for whales on the way out, which we did, but saw none. He expected to dock portside in Ketchikan where the US Coast Guard will be boarding with inspections. The weather would be much the same as today.
Dinnertime found some good items on the menu. We ordered double vegetable spring rolls with extra sweet chili sauce. One of us had the shrimp cocktail, then we had a mushroom quesadilla and one boneless rib plate with creamy mashed potatoes. Desserts were jello and pistachio ice cream.
Looking forward to Ketchikan tomorrow, our final Alaskan stop.
Bill & Mary Ann
