We were hoping to see wildlife along the way but with such dense woods, that was probably an unrealistic expectation. There were wildlife sightings in the water such as humpback whales and the captain would announce sightings from the bridge but it always seemed we were in the wrong place at the time. So we focused instead on the breathtaking scenery all around us that we would later learn was nothing compared to what was ahead.
The next morning day 3 we arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska. Jim had arranged a private fishing charter with The Alaska Catch , so he was up and off the ship early to meet Captain Mike. Meanwhile, Sheryl and I explored Ketchikan. Creek Street was built literally on Ketchikan Creek. After checking out a couple of shops, we headed to the Totem Heritage Center. This museum is the repository of a priceless collection of Tlingit and Haida totem poles. The red cedar poles, carved by local artists in the 19th century, were rescued and salvaged from Tongass Island, Village Island, and Prince of Wales Island with technical assistance from the Smithsonian Institution and U.
Forest Service. The Totem Heritage Center, located along the Ketchikan Creek, was the starting point for a lovely walk along the creek to Salmon Row where the hatchery is located, and ending at the Salmon Ladder. Pacific salmon are anadromous, that is they hatch in fresh water, migrate to the ocean to spend most of their life, then return to the area where they hatched to reproduce and die.
When they leave the ocean, they stop feeding and their stomachs disintegrate to provide more room for the developing eggs and sperm. The rapids in the Ketchikan Creek is an extreme challenge for the salmon to surmount to reach the spawning area upstream.
The Salmon Ladder on the creek assists thousands of salmon to reach their spawning area by allowing them to use the ladder which is essentially like stairs in the water rather than face the rapids.
