Postcard from Ketchikan, AK - Salmon Capital of the World
Mari
Ty and I began the first leg of our three-month exploration of the gorgeous state of Alaska a few days ago.
Okay, so the cruise part is really on a ferry. Ha! Isn’t it amazing that you can “drive” an RV up the Alaska Marine Highway (inside passage) via a series of ferries?!
We left Kinnikinnick RV Park in Port Edwards at around 4:30am (crazy early; I’m so not a morning person!) and headed for the ferry terminal. Check in time is three hours before departure; we were third in line and the ferry was only about 30% full anyway.
It works out cheaper to unhook the toad (tow car) and pay for each vehicle separately; Ty drove the RV on board the ferry and I drove the toad. (By the way, total ferry cost from Prince Rupert to Haines: $2,000, not including side trips we’re taking to Prince of Wales Island and Sitka).
I thoroughly enjoyed the four-hour ferry ride (despite my extreme fatigue due to no sleep!). The closer we got to Ketchikan, the more stunning the scenery became. Majestic snow-capped mountains as far as the eye could see. We got lucky with the weather: clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds. Here’s a video of our journey; it was a fab smooth ride.
Ty was one of the first vehicles on the ferry and one of the last off. Several crew members guide the big vehicles to pull forward then back several times to position properly for the sharp exit up the ramp… we didn’t get that part on vid! Maybe next time.
Now, we’re enjoying a 12-day stay at the Clover Pass Resort literally right on the waters’ edge! Lots of RVers here enjoying the abundant fishing. Ketchikan is the salmon capital of Alaska! We’re 12 miles north of the Ketchikan proper (as it was the only RV Park with wi-fi!).
The second derby weekend of the 61st annual Ketchikan King Salmon Derby concluded at 9 pm Sunday, June 1, 2008, and 9-year old Gage Heath is still at the top of the prize ladder with his 42.7 pound KING. Way to go Gage!
Current Ketchikan population is around 8,000 (11,000 counting all surrounding areas) and has a varied history - from mining to fishing and canneries many times over. Historic Creek Street is a hoot; it’s the town’s former red light district… “Where fish and fishermen go up the creek to spawn” so says the sign! See pic on left.
Now, Ketchikan is primarily a tourist destination with an abundance of high-end jewelry stores! One store owner told me two to four cruise ships come in every single day, seven days a week for five months of the year. By around 4:00pm the ships have left port and most all the shops close.
Ty and I toured around Ketchikan on a day after the ships had all left… and again a couple days later when there were four ships in harbor. The difference was astounding! Like comparing a ghost town to the heart of bustling New York City! Lol. Well, maybe more like Banff, Alberta! [pic right: the Norwegian Star, one of four mega cruise ships visiting Ketchikan - with "Thundering Wings" carving in the foreground]
Got any fave Alaska stories? How about suggestions for must-see places to visit? 
P.S. Do check out my fellow RVing friends, Carol and Phil White’s book Live Your Road Trip Dream: Travel for a year for the cost of staying home. The Whites have traveled over 50, 000 miles in the last several years, visiting all 50 of the states, all the National Parks in the continental US, and hundreds of places both quirky and fascinating!
Posted on: Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 8:55 pm 
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Hi Ty and Mari -
We were in Ketchikan a few years ago on one of the big cruise ships - the only cruise we’ve ever taken - don’t get me started - but the towns all through the passage are breathtakingly beautiful. Hopefully you’ll get out to some of the glaciers too - WOW!
Thanks for the nice mention of the book. We really appreciate it. It is still doing well in spite of gas prices - we all still have wanderlust in our hearts.
Carol
June 5th, 2008 at 11:07 pmHi Mari,
Thanks for bringing back some great memories. I made this very same trip 22 years ago when I went to seek my summer fortune in the cold storages of Ketchikan. What a great experience that was … and I remember the very EARLY morning boarding (I’m not a morning person either) like it was yesterday. Thanks again for sharing and I will look forward to more updates.
Tim
August 9th, 2008 at 10:31 pm