It was so windy and rainy this morning, that after breakfast we could not get out on the promenade deck for a walk. All of the doors were roped off. We figured the only good reason for the closure has to be an over-cautious move to prevent accidents. The winds were reported to be from 25 to 30 knots, and combined with very wet deck, it may be an accident waiting to happen.
Oh well, it was a good time to make a visit to the Lido and check out the breakfast items there. Just as we expected, the Lido was full of hungry guests. We noticed that most of the stations have gone back to full self- service. Yesterday we had received vouchers for complimentary cocktails in any bar in lieu of the Mariner's event. Jennifer had called and said there were no Mariners receiving medals this cruise, so she sent the drink vouchers as well as spa and Shop money. The spa credit of $70 was only good for a service, not products. They had to be used on a port day, which is today. We passed on this perk. The $200 credit was for something "Effy", the high end jewelry. However, it is our experience that most of their items are already discounted and the $200 would not apply. Oh well, we appreciate the thought.
Since our arrival time to Ketchikan was not until 11am, we decided to take the time to give our thanks to helpful crew members on the Navigator app online. That's when the Captain came on with an announcement that we may not be able to dock in Ketchikan. He said a big white ship (?) was just turned away due to 35 knot winds. He said they would try their best, but it may not be possible. He brought the Volendam close to the dock, and slowly pulled alongside. We had made it safely despite the winds and rain and we were only 45 minutes late. Many of the tours had been cancelled by the operators such as the jeep and canoe safari, the bear encounter, the trip on the Aleutian Ballad crab fishing vessel, sea kayaking, and a boat ride in Misty Fjords. There was a shore excursion team member ready onshore to substitute another tour for the cancelled ones. Or refund their money later.
We left the ship around 12:20pm, where we were invited by one of the security gals to go ahead of the line. She knew we were President's Club, and knew we had the option of having priority disembarking. We seldom use this perk, since we usually wait until the crowd thins out. No one objected, so that was good.
It looked like the wind and rain will be with us all day, so we just relied on our waterproof jackets and boots to keep dry. Too windy for umbrellas. We headed towards Creek Street and the hike uphill. This is the very first time the entire place was "people-free". Without three or more ships here, the town was empty. Most of the guests must have taken tours, or stayed onboard today. The creek was full and running fast. The further up we went, the more fish we saw. Many were already dead on the banks, while the survivors fought their way up the fish ladder. Last time we were here, they were working on tree trimming. Now we noticed that the short stretch of muddy and graveled pathway has been replaced with wooden stairs and railings. So much better especially on wet days like this one.
From the top, we followed the road and the creek, which fanned out at this point. The salmon numbered in the hundreds if not more. Stopping on a side street, there is a spot where you can access the banks of the creek. While we were taking pictures of the fish, a local man came along walking his little dog. He told us that the rain had swollen the creek in just one day, and they were happy because it washed the dead salmon back out to sea. Not sure the type of salmon that were on this run, he confirmed that they were the pink or humpies as the locals call them. Then he added that there was an 11 year old bear that comes down to the creek every night to feed, and a younger one was way up the creek. Pretty exciting.
From here, we made our way to the Deer Mountain Hatchery, which is no longer a fish hatchery, but has gone into hydro-gardening. It is not open to the public. The garden is always nice to wander around. Then we continued across the wooden bridge and over to the Totem Heritage Center. Not much was happening here, so we headed back towards downtown. We noticed that the road was closed, then we saw why. The American League building had burned down recently and there was no traffic allowed on this street. We could still smell smoke. Bet this was an historical building.
Time for lunch, we headed to the Alaska King Crab Company, which is located on the top floor of a store right across the street from the ship. It wasn't busy, and we were seated by the window. It was a bit shocking to see the prices of the crab items, and we were glad we were not ordering it. Instead, we had a shared plate of chicken tenders with a pile of thin French fries. This time we had enough room for a slice of cheesecake. And we also had two Alaskan Amber beers. By the time we left, our jackets had dried, only to get soaked once again.
A store up the street apiece had just what one of us was looking for……a Lazy One sleep T in red with a bear on it. And on sale too. We also wanted to check out Tongass Trading Co. and found some more bags of popcorn to buy. One last stop was at the tourist info center to collect some brochures, then we went back to the ship. The gangway wasn't as steep as the tide must have gone out. The rest of the afternoon, we worked online until it was time for dinner.
The ship left the dock promptly at 6:30pm, since all must have been onboard. It was raining even harder by then. Dinner was back in the Main Dining Room with starters of crispy egg rolls, Caesar salads (hold the anchovies), and mains of sweet and sour breaded shrimp. All good, although the food could have been hotter. That was our fault for not asking it to be served hotter. This evening was the Orange Party in the Ocean Bar at 9pm. Some folks dressed for the occasion, including us, but we have never actually attended one. It's really a promotion to sell drinks we believe.
The entertainer tonight was Elliot Finkel, a famous concert pianist who we have seen many times on different HAL ships. His show is guaranteed to wow all ages. And finally, the clocks moved ahead one hour tonight. One more day at sea, and we will be back in Vancouver. This week has gone by in a flash……
Bill & Mary Ann
