Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
August 6, 2013 Tuesday
Day 30
We made ourselves get up at 4:30am, yawn. It was beginning to get light and we wanted to watch the ferry navigate through the narrow Peril Strait as we approached Sitka. Pretty spectacular to watch. We walked a few brisk laps around the ship's deck, while watching the beautiful morning light change colors as the sun rose behind snow-capped mountains. Glorious way to start the day.
Arrived in Sitka at 6:45am, set up camp at Sportsman RV Park, right on the water. It is a couple of minutes from the ferry and 6 miles from town. Once in town, we had breakfast at Victoria's Restaurant, where we ran into a bunch of folks we had met on the ferry. Small town. We immediately fell in love with Sitka, a small fishing village with natural beauty and native and Russian heritage. It really is a charming town surrounded by majestic mountains, beautiful water and it is known as one of the best places in the world to fish.
The lack of sleep caught up with me by 11:00am or so and Michael was tired too, so we headed back to the camper for a 2 hour nap. Woke up, had a picnic by the water, went to see the sights and shops in town, booked a fishing trip for Friday. Can't wait, I have never fished before, but they say they will help and they bait the hooks, take caught fish off the hook, process them, flash freeze them and ship them to our home. Sounds easy enough, right?
Stopped in for a beer at the Pioneer Bar, which everyone calls the "P" Bar. That is one colorful place. I felt like I needed to shower after eavesdropping on some of the . . . um . . . conversations of the locals who were having a good time at the P, haha!
Drove back to our camper and stopped on the way to admire Swan Lake, a pretty little lake with lily pads and ducklings, right near town.
Our camp dinner was easy and delicious - salads and some smoked salmon from Petersburg with cream cheese on crackers.
One thing I haven't mentioned, I don't think, and that is Ravens. Ravens have been everywhere on this trip and I really get a kick out of hearing their different cries. It can be so quiet outside when suddenly you hear an almost human sounding "hey" or "cawww" from up above. It's like they have Tourette's Syndrome or something. It actually sounds like they are having a conversation with each other when you hear one calling out across the trees, then you hear an answering call. I like to pretend that I am learning their language, (maybe I am?) and I relay their messages to Michael who by now probably thinks I am looney.
Ravens are known to be some of the smartest of birds. One of our guides on the bear tour told us this story: she was working a summer job at a wildlife refuge that had some injured ravens who were kept in a big enclosed area outside because they weren't able to be released back into the wild. These ravens, of course, were fed regularly by humans at the refuge. Our guide said they observed their ravens communicating with wild ravens outside the enclosure and they were actually bartering. The captive ravens gave food to the outside ravens in exchange for shiny things that the outside ravens would bring to the captive ones. Fascinating. I love ravens!
Wildlife Sightings
Bald Eagles
Ducks on Swan Lake
Ravens
- comments
Kathy McElroy What an exciting trip. Love hearing about Ravens. Have you ever heard a screech owl? They almost sound human too. Very eerie.
Carol Kathy, the ravens really are fascinating; glad you liked reading our blog! I don't believe I have heard a screech owl, but I hope to some day. Your Twigs looks amazing, great job!