[Sung To the tune of “Singin’ in the Rain”]
{with apologies to Gene Kelly}
It’s Sitka in da rain, yeah Sitka in da Rain
We’re walkin’ and shopin’ for tchotchkies again,
The tour’s startin’ soon, We'll see Bears or a Loon...
It’s Sitka in da rain, yeah Sitka in da Rain
We’re walkin’ and shopin’ for tchotchkies again,
The tour’s startin’ soon, We'll see Bears or a Loon...
It's Sitka, Sitka in Da Rain
Honest...it did go that way... sorta... here’s how it started.
“I wish they’d fix the weather channel on the boat, do we know what the temperature is gonna be?”
“Cold dear... COLD.”
“No really, but I need to know how to dress.”
“Well if you think it’s gonna rain, wear your hooded jacket and layers, no telling how cold it will get in the forest.”
“I'll just wear my light jacket...”
“I think you should bring the plastic poncho’s?
“Naw, I'll be just fine.
Sooooo...10 minutes off the boat, it starts to rain... and of course, no poncho for her.
“I wish they’d fix the weather channel on the boat, do we know what the temperature is gonna be?”
“Cold dear... COLD.”
“No really, but I need to know how to dress.”
“Well if you think it’s gonna rain, wear your hooded jacket and layers, no telling how cold it will get in the forest.”
“I'll just wear my light jacket...”
“I think you should bring the plastic poncho’s?
“Naw, I'll be just fine.
Sooooo...10 minutes off the boat, it starts to rain... and of course, no poncho for her.
The rain is light and starts and stops, then gets heavier, then stops.
“Welcome to the weather of Alaska,” says a native shop keeper. Called the capital of Alaskan rainfall, Sitka gets an average of 9 feet [yes feet] of rain during the summer. My heavy jacket is water proof and of course I have “The Hat”, but would she listen???
She finally agrees to buy a $1.50 throwaway poncho... only to put it in her bag and continue on with just her Wooly Wolf hat. All I need is for her to catch a cold. Oh welllllll.
She finally agrees to buy a $1.50 throwaway poncho... only to put it in her bag and continue on with just her Wooly Wolf hat. All I need is for her to catch a cold. Oh welllllll.
On the way out of the Crescent Bay Pier, we passed
what could only be described as a once in a life time sight... the Grand Yacht “Dragon Lady”, Really, I swear [see the pic]. Needing a bit of work, she’s a real steal at $345,000She now has her on Navy!
Sitka, the first capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1912, is
another of those coastal islands that consists of 6 blocks of downtown tchotchke
shops, a 1 screen movie theatre, the Pioneers Home for pensioned gold prospectors and lots of history including the lovely 113 acre Sitka National Historical Park. The ancestral home of the Tlingit [Klin Kit] Indian nation, the 
Russians arrived in the 1700s and built a fort and trading post called St Archangel Michael, also the name of the quaint Russian Orthodox Church in the heart of town. Being disappointed in the Russians actual intentions, the Tlingit burned down the fort and the Russians returned in 1804 for the 6 day battle of Sitka in what is now the park, driving the Indians to the other side of the Island. The sale of Alaska to the USA, for $7,200,000 in gold was formalized in Sitka on October 18, 1867.
After walking all 6 blocks of downtown Sitka on the perpetual tchotchke hunt, and requisite “Illy In a Cute Hat” picture we grab a Reindeer Red Hot, their version of a hot dog [not bad]
and head back to the pier to meet our guides for the “Historic Sitka, and Nature Walk” tour which heads straight to the Church for a look at 
some of the worlds finest Russian Icons and artifacts that were saved by the townspeople when the church caught fire in 1966. We then head through town, past totem Square with its original Russian cannon, and representative totem pole, the Pioneers Home, the Russian Bishop’s house, one of the oldest colonial Russian structures in America and by the bankrupt Sheldon Jackson College the oldest continuously operated educational institution in Alaska founded by Presbyterian Missionary Sheldon Jackson in 1878, created as an industrial training school to teach the native Tlingit tribe.
Next stop is the Sheldon Jackson Aquarium and Hatchery for a look at some of the most interesting star fish, and underwater life found in
Crescent harbor and the surrounding waters where they are also raising several species of salmon to release into the wild. Crescent harbor has also yielded tons of junk since there is no official dump on the island. [see the pics of the remnants of a texting while driving exhibit] There is also, no fresh produce on the island, a fact bemoaned by our guide. Since Sitka is an island and only reachable by boat or plane, it’s pretty expensive to bring anything in and as most of Alaska, there is a lot of internet “Click and Shopping” done here. In fact, Alaska has the highest rate of Internet usage and internet shopping in the USA.
Along with our cute local guide Kelsey, we climb a small hill and enter the National Historical Park or “Totem Park” as its known locally, home to 28 hand carved Totems, some over a century old. Once common and designed to preserve native Alaskan heritage most of the other totems in the area have rotted or burned. Along the way to the entrance of the Park, we stop at a picturesque clearing for an excellent view of Crescent Bay and Mount Edgecombe which is a dormant volcano. We also have a great view of O’Connell Bridge leading to the Airport, with one of the shortest runways in America. [Those O’Connell’s are just EVERYWHERE] the pic is on the 35mm camera.
The trek through the forest, in the rain, was most educational with our 
guide offering lots of botanical facts along with some folklore as we came upon one of the famous Salmon Runs, a stream that the local salmon return to, to spawn and die. She tells of how when finished laying their eggs, you could walk across the stream on dead fish which make up the locals refer to as the “Big Bear Buffet”.
Speaking of bears... there were reports of a mother and her cub in the area but unfortunately [or fortunately... depending on your view of bears] there was no contact made. Dragon Chic was not happy about this... she so wanted to experience the rush of coming face to face with a Big Brown Bear... NOTTTTTT! There were, however several Eagles and hawks perched and soaring above.
W
e came out on the other side of the park and the rain started to really come down, but by the
time we climbed the hill to our next stop, The Alaska Raptor Center it has subsided. The center is a unique game preserve where rescued bald eagles, hawks and owls are nursed to health or kept safe it they were too injured to return to the wild. It was here we got some 
great, up close pics of these magnificent creatures. VOLTA [above] was a victim of a high tension electrical accident, hence the name. The Center is so important that Alaskan airways will fly any injured raptor to the center for free from anywhere in North America. It was here that the tour concluded and we boarded a bus back to the pier to make our 4:30PM departure. Along the way, we had the bus 
drop us off at the “Heart of Sitka”... the one and only Grocery Store. Since we had been experiencing severe leg cramps, we realized we hadn’t been hydrating enough so we picked us a 12 pack of bottled water to get us through the rest of the trip. As on MedCruise, the ships tap water is too chemically treated and the bottle water is sold at a premium.
Once back on the ship, we stopped at Crow’s Nest for a wine and cheese party and a great view of Sitka as we embarked, then dressed for the 2nd formal dinner which was the second time only two other table mates were present. One couple only made it the first night and was never seen again...hmmmmm maybe they’re the ones they keep calling for after we depart each port... seems someone may have missed the boat. It HAS been done often we’re told
After taking in the best show of the cruise in the Vista lounge, we headed back to 6153 for an early night as the next days adventure would start at 7AM. But of course Chuckie just had to get out this NOWAT.
Stay tuned for the Dragon Lady’s flight through the trees of Ketchika’s extension of the Tongass National Forest on a ZIP LINE. Now THAT...we ALL want to see.
Ciao 4 Now,
Chuck & the very damp but VERY HAPPY she could hug the trees, & see the Big Birds up close, Dragon Lady.
Sitka, the first capital of Alaska from 1867 to 1912, is
another of those coastal islands that consists of 6 blocks of downtown tchotchke
shops, a 1 screen movie theatre, the Pioneers Home for pensioned gold prospectors and lots of history including the lovely 113 acre Sitka National Historical Park. The ancestral home of the Tlingit [Klin Kit] Indian nation, the 
Russians arrived in the 1700s and built a fort and trading post called St Archangel Michael, also the name of the quaint Russian Orthodox Church in the heart of town. Being disappointed in the Russians actual intentions, the Tlingit burned down the fort and the Russians returned in 1804 for the 6 day battle of Sitka in what is now the park, driving the Indians to the other side of the Island. The sale of Alaska to the USA, for $7,200,000 in gold was formalized in Sitka on October 18, 1867.
After walking all 6 blocks of downtown Sitka on the perpetual tchotchke hunt, and requisite “Illy In a Cute Hat” picture we grab a Reindeer Red Hot, their version of a hot dog [not bad]
and head back to the pier to meet our guides for the “Historic Sitka, and Nature Walk” tour which heads straight to the Church for a look at 
some of the worlds finest Russian Icons and artifacts that were saved by the townspeople when the church caught fire in 1966. We then head through town, past totem Square with its original Russian cannon, and representative totem pole, the Pioneers Home, the Russian Bishop’s house, one of the oldest colonial Russian structures in America and by the bankrupt Sheldon Jackson College the oldest continuously operated educational institution in Alaska founded by Presbyterian Missionary Sheldon Jackson in 1878, created as an industrial training school to teach the native Tlingit tribe.
Next stop is the Sheldon Jackson Aquarium and Hatchery for a look at some of the most interesting star fish, and underwater life found in
Crescent harbor and the surrounding waters where they are also raising several species of salmon to release into the wild. Crescent harbor has also yielded tons of junk since there is no official dump on the island. [see the pics of the remnants of a texting while driving exhibit] There is also, no fresh produce on the island, a fact bemoaned by our guide. Since Sitka is an island and only reachable by boat or plane, it’s pretty expensive to bring anything in and as most of Alaska, there is a lot of internet “Click and Shopping” done here. In fact, Alaska has the highest rate of Internet usage and internet shopping in the USA.
Along with our cute local guide Kelsey, we climb a small hill and enter the National Historical Park or “Totem Park” as its known locally, home to 28 hand carved Totems, some over a century old. Once common and designed to preserve native Alaskan heritage most of the other totems in the area have rotted or burned. Along the way to the entrance of the Park, we stop at a picturesque clearing for an excellent view of Crescent Bay and Mount Edgecombe which is a dormant volcano. We also have a great view of O’Connell Bridge leading to the Airport, with one of the shortest runways in America. [Those O’Connell’s are just EVERYWHERE] the pic is on the 35mm camera.
The trek through the forest, in the rain, was most educational with our 
guide offering lots of botanical facts along with some folklore as we came upon one of the famous Salmon Runs, a stream that the local salmon return to, to spawn and die. She tells of how when finished laying their eggs, you could walk across the stream on dead fish which make up the locals refer to as the “Big Bear Buffet”.Speaking of bears... there were reports of a mother and her cub in the area but unfortunately [or fortunately... depending on your view of bears] there was no contact made. Dragon Chic was not happy about this... she so wanted to experience the rush of coming face to face with a Big Brown Bear... NOTTTTTT! There were, however several Eagles and hawks perched and soaring above.
W
e came out on the other side of the park and the rain started to really come down, but by the
time we climbed the hill to our next stop, The Alaska Raptor Center it has subsided. The center is a unique game preserve where rescued bald eagles, hawks and owls are nursed to health or kept safe it they were too injured to return to the wild. It was here we got some 
great, up close pics of these magnificent creatures. VOLTA [above] was a victim of a high tension electrical accident, hence the name. The Center is so important that Alaskan airways will fly any injured raptor to the center for free from anywhere in North America. It was here that the tour concluded and we boarded a bus back to the pier to make our 4:30PM departure. Along the way, we had the bus 
drop us off at the “Heart of Sitka”... the one and only Grocery Store. Since we had been experiencing severe leg cramps, we realized we hadn’t been hydrating enough so we picked us a 12 pack of bottled water to get us through the rest of the trip. As on MedCruise, the ships tap water is too chemically treated and the bottle water is sold at a premium.Once back on the ship, we stopped at Crow’s Nest for a wine and cheese party and a great view of Sitka as we embarked, then dressed for the 2nd formal dinner which was the second time only two other table mates were present. One couple only made it the first night and was never seen again...hmmmmm maybe they’re the ones they keep calling for after we depart each port... seems someone may have missed the boat. It HAS been done often we’re told
After taking in the best show of the cruise in the Vista lounge, we headed back to 6153 for an early night as the next days adventure would start at 7AM. But of course Chuckie just had to get out this NOWAT.
Stay tuned for the Dragon Lady’s flight through the trees of Ketchika’s extension of the Tongass National Forest on a ZIP LINE. Now THAT...we ALL want to see.
Ciao 4 Now,
Chuck & the very damp but VERY HAPPY she could hug the trees, & see the Big Birds up close, Dragon Lady.
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