Once called “The Paris of the Pacific,” Sitka stands out among other ports as a city rich in culture. Built on the empire of Russian fur trade, Sitka is set between steep mountain slopes and the Sitka Sound, just off the shore of Baranof Island. With a population of 8,500, it is Alaska’s fifth-largest city and has grown to be the cultural and artistic center of the Southeast. Sitka has a damp, moderate climate that is reminiscent of an England coastal community. The local economy is strongly centered on the timber, fishing and tourism industries. Famous for its sport fishing, Sitka’s two harbors are dotted with brightly colored boats that look out over the pine-covered islands of the Tongass National Forest.
Today was a very rainy day. We started our day with an excursion out into the water on a small watercraft built for navigating around the small islands that dot the area around Sitka. We had a very active morning spotting many sea otters, sea lions and gray whales that happen to be visiting during their migration. They are here for a very short period of time that we happened to hit. They stop here for a bite to eat while navigating to the Arctic for the summer. The sea otters we encountered were gathered in what they call a “raft” of otters. These little creatures can grow to be about 80 pounds and eat 25% of their body weight everyday to keep up with their crazy metabolism. They spend 99% of their lives in the water and swim off so many calories in a day that they need that much food to live. We spotted quite a few eagles today, as well.
After our excursion we took the shuttle in to the city of Sitka. The cruise terminal which appears to be very new is located outside of town by about 5 miles. Sitka cannot be reached by any highway, it is located on an island, therefore the cruise terminal, harbor and airport are the only ways to visit Sitka. Once in the city we walked through it one end to the other. Sitka has a lovely small town feel and the local shopkeepers and others we encountered couldn’t have been more friendly. It was a tough day to be here as the rain really began in earnest while we were walking around town. Seabourn provides each room with umbrellas and the town was filled with them today. Joe has taken to calling familiar looking people in port, “Seabourniens.” They were easy to spot today with their matching umbrellas. We stopped for an adult beverage in one of the saloons in town so Joe could take in a partial Stanley Cup playoff game. The woman next to me at the bar said that last week there was a day that 9000 extra people were in town with several cruise ships being there at the same time. Yikes! That is more than the town’s population. While they are dependent on tourism is felt like an “ick” to her. If everyone left our boat, which they don’t, we would only be 400.
We have found that many of the people onboard have been through “here” at one time or another in most ports we stop in. I can’t imagine a time where I might want to repeat a cruise that I’ve already experienced but, lots do. The crowd on these ships are older and like the pampering that comes with a Seabourn cruise. Lovely accommodations, no need to do your own laundry, cook, clean or entertain themselves and they make a decision to travel this way regardless of having been in the same part of the world again. So, they stay onboard and have groundhog day…everyday. 🙂 I’m ready to disembark on Friday…happily. While I have really enjoyed myself, I’m ready for home.
Fun Fact: Our next stop is Klawock, Alaska. The town has NEVER had a cruise ship stop there in its history. That ought to be interesting. The maintenance on a cruise ship is constant. Every time we are in port there is a major push to paint, wash, replace, repair and renovate one thing or another. It is always fascinating to see what the day will bring. Joe took a shower when we got back (after the painting outside our cabin) and sat in his underwear on our deck. It’s that secluded up here. No one to see as our cabin faces the water not the dock. Truly…the middle of nowhere…which is what people love about it.
