June 12th
Woke up in Alaska’s first city to the roaring sounds of the float planes flying over us. They started at 5:45 this morning. They are one right after the other all-day long. Our dock is about a mile and a half from the historic section of town. There is a bus stop right at the harbormaster’s office, which we took full advantage of quite frequently during our stay. It is $2 every time you get on, no transfers. The fares were posted at the bus stop and David read that seniors were 50 cents. He was set straight rather strongly by the driver when he slipped his dollar into the cash box. Another 3 dollars were quickly produced. They really need to update their fare postings.
Today was errand day. Repairs and replacement parts are all a big part of boating. Our bull work door got caught on the bull rail of the dock and the hinge needed to be repaired. We needed to find a welder which David did. He called ahead and was told to bring it on in. These welders were big time welders working on boats and machinery. The fellow took the hinge from David and in no time at all, returned it fixed and ready to go. He did not ask for any payment saying that it wasn’t worth the paperwork but said, “When you get something bigger, come back.”
A pig tail connector hose needed to be found for our propane tank. After checking every hardware store and even Walmart, we were directed to a propane shop. Lots of propane but no parts. The young man there called a propane supplier which was way out of town. We spotted a Walmart shuttle at a nearby gas station and took that to Walmart and then a taxi from there. The driver was kind enough to turn off the meter while David went into the propane office to see about the hose. We had come to the right place. They made up a duplicate hose in no time for us.
Filters for the water-maker were also found after multiple rides today on buses, free shuttles, and a taxi. Ketchikan makes it pretty easy to get around town if you don’t have a car, and downtown Ketchikan is compact and comfortable to walk. It did seem strange to see so many cars and traffic after only seeing boats for so long.
David had to have a document notarized for the office. Jessica forwarded a contact that Carol had found and a gentleman came down to the boat to help us out. He did not ask for any payment for his services, but David insisted he take something for his time. There are plenty of kind and friendly people here in Ketchikan, indeed.
Our marina neighbors
The family arrived around 4:00 on the 14th. We took it easy that first evening having dinner on the boat and getting them all settled into their 5 star accommodations.
The next day was "let's play tourist' time with a trip to the Saxman Village and a walk among the totem poles, carving shop and meeting house. The kids brought California sunshine with them. It was the only day with no rain since we arrived. Ella fell asleep on mom’s back while strolling Creek Street and downtown. Jessica found a great hole-in-the-wall fish and chowder place, Avala’s, and we enjoyed some of the best fish and chips we have ever had. When the kids got droopy, we hopped on the bus and did some sightseeing of the area. When we were all worn out, we headed back to the boat. It was a full day.
Our bow is at the fairway of the marina so the Duck Boat tours float right in front of us. Ella and I became part of the tour waving and shouting “Hi” to the tourists aboard. Many were taking photos of us as the guides urged them to yell out, “Quack quack!” Ella giggled with delight.
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