Days 30-33: Sea Ferry

The Alaska Marine Highway is the nation's only scenic highway that isn't on land, and I can 100% understand why it's been designated that way. We spent 4 full days resting on a boat that didn't have cell service (except for time in port - and even then it wasn't a guarantee) or any available WiFi. It was glorious. I read books on two of the days we were at sea and spent much of the rest of the time whale watching.

On Tuesday, we didn't arrive in a port until maybe 7pm in Yakutat, AK. The town is incredibly tiny, but I saw 2 bald eagles in my 45 minute walk on land, so not bad for a day's work.

Our ferry, the M/V Kennecott

Wednesday we docked in Juneau and learned that the ferry terminal is 12 miles from downtown but only 5 miles from Mendenhall Glacier. No bus service (at least none fast enough to work with in the 3 hours we had to be off-ship), so Mendenhall it was!

Nugget Falls

Mendenhall Glacier

Mom @ Nugget Falls

Thursday's port was Ketchikan, and, praise be, there was a bus! For $2! We headed into town and went to the Totem Heritage Center which was FASCINATING. There are three First Nations peoples who have lived in Southeast Alaska for hundreds of years: Haida, Tlingit, and Tsimshian. All three use totem poles (and other wood carvings) to tell stories and convey ancestry and this center was established in 1971 to help ensure that cultural heritage isn't lost. Because so much of the 19th and early 20th centuries was spent actively suppressing native culture (Indian Schools punished children for speaking their native languages, dressing in traditional garb, and practicing art forms that had been passed down for generations), much of the history was in danger of being lost. So tribal elders collaborated to ensure that history wasn't lost (or at least not given up without a fight).

Raven Steals the Sun

That's a bear biting an orca's tail

Totem poles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries

I've always thought totem poles were beautiful, so it was fascinating to learn more about their history, purpose, and cultural significance. The center also included information about the types of wood used by native peoples for everything from art (including these totem poles) and tools to food, clothing, and medicine. So so cool.

Friday was spent completely at sea for the last leg of the trip to Bellingham, WA. I got to see my first Killer Whales (lots of them!) along with more humpbacks, Dall porpoises, sea otters, and more sea birds than I could shake a stick at. The last night on board was the first time the sky has been dark enough for us to see stars in weeks (definitely since week one), so we celebrated by staying up too late and admiring them from the boat.