Hey, y'all! Welcome to Ketchikan! It's Alaska month here on M&M. So far I've shown you Endicott Arm Fjord, Skagway, and Juneau. Today we're checking out my favorite stop on our cruise, Ketchikan.
Isn't it glorious? I could totally see myself living here. It was love at first sight! We booked the Orca Beach Nature Trail excursion through Carnival. We took a bus out to gorgeous Knudson Cove where we caught a rib boat to a neighboring island for a lovely little hike. The boat ride out was stunning and the air blowing through our hair was so relaxing.
We were greeted by a convocation of photogenic eagles (did you know a group of eagles is called a convocation???).
The "hike" turned out to be more of a 3/4 mile walk on a rustically constructed boardwalk. Considering how much walking we had done this week, it was actually a welcomed relief! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and shared with us information about the island and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
Like this history behind these logger notches (pictured above)...
...and the story behind these stripped trees. The natives used to strip trees, like this one, and use the bark for the construction of canoes. When they stripped the trees, they only took the bark from the side of the tree that is facing away from the water. By doing this, they were able to preserve the tree. Pretty responsible, right?
We also learned about this fungus called witches broom.
Oh.... and I also kissed a banana slug and walked around the woods singing, "I kissed a slug and I liked it" to the tune of Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl (and I Liked it)". I'll share more on this another time... ;)
We enjoyed a light snack of smoked salmon, cheese and crackers before we headed back for Knudson Cove. Our rib boat was manned by two of the most charming guys I've ever met. They were so sweet, fun and easy-going! We spotted a humpback on the way back to the cove so our captain circled back and sat for a bit so we could watch the giant creature.
He also pointed out an active eagles nest, pictured above. The nest was about 6 feet wide and housed eaglets. Adorbs, right?
This was hands down the best tour we took through Carnival. Someone owes these guides a beer! After the tour we headed into town to do a little shopping before we sailed off for Victoria, British Columbia.
Watching the sunset on Ketchikan as we sailed away was the perfect way to end the day.
Ah, I just can't get enough of this place! Take me back! This must be what heaven looks like! I apologize for all of the teeny-bopper exclamation marks.
In our next post, I'll show you the gorgeous island city of Victoria, British Columbia. Be sure to subscribe to the blog or like me on Facebook so you don't miss it! See you soon!