Ketchikan & Victoria
Days Six, Seven, & Eight - Alaska - 2018
To close out the trip, I did a fantastic wildlife boat tour in Ketchikan, Alaska, and a short walking tour in Victoria, British Columbia.
Map Credit: OpenStreetMap
1. Bald Eagle and Totem #1
A bald eagle sits atop a totem pole in Totem Bight State Historical Park, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Day six was something else. While awaiting departure in Ketchikan’s harbor, I simply posted, “Perhaps the best Thursday ever,” to social media. We didn’t have much time in Ketchikan, likely because of the long cruise we had to get to Victoria, British Columbia, our necessary Canadian port-of-call. Nonetheless, I opted for a boat tour called, “Lighthouse, Totems, and Eagles,” and -within fifteen minutes- it lived up to two-thirds of its promise in pretty stunning fashion.
2. Bald Eagle and Totem #2
A bald eagle sits atop a totem pole searching for a meal in Totem Bight State Historical Park, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Photographer’s Comment: If this eagle hadn’t moved shortly thereafter, I would have assumed it was a fake. This was a tricky shot to compose - the boat was slowly moving away from the edge of the park, and focusing in on the eagle atop the pole became trickier with each passing second. Catching a trough of a wave, I got the shot (with the help of a mid-range telephoto lens).
3. Totem Bight State Historical Park
Totem Bight State Historical Park, located just north of Ketchikan, Alaska - “Alaska’s First City” - is home to a dozen hand-carved totem poles, each of which tell a unique story.
We did not go ashore at Totem Bight, but seeing the line-up of the totems from the water gives you a unique perspective on their size and carvings.
4. Whale Ahoy!
A humpback whale appears in front of the Guard Island Light.
The sun was shining brightly down - a rarity in the rainforest of Ketchikan - and, perhaps as a result, we were unexpectedly greeted by a humpback whale.
5. (Two) Whale(s) Ahoy!
Two humpback whales appears in front of the Guard Island Light.
Soon thereafter, we realized this whale had a traveling companion.
6. (Three) Whale(s) Ahoy!
Three humpback whales appears in front of the Guard Island Light.
We weren’t expecting to see three whales, and the captain of the boat remarked that this was an exceptionally rare sight on this tour. He commented that a single whale sighting occurred maybe half of the time, so three at once is pretty unheard of.
7. Out to Sea
The waters west of Ketchikan are plentiful with fish, and humpback whales are known to feast here before making the short trip back out into the Pacific Ocean.
This, I assumed, was the last whale I’d see on the trip. As mentioned, it was certainly a bonus to see one -nonetheless three- and I was grateful for the perk.
8. (Three More) Whale(s) Ahoy!
Three humpback whales appear off Rock Point near Ketchikan.
I really was floored when three more whales appeared off in the distance. What a totally unexpected surprise!
9. Immature Bald Eagle
This immature bald eagle lacks the white head of its older relatives.
We always associate a white head with bald eagles, but birds younger than 4 typically lack this white coloring. I was pleased to have gotten such a clear photograph of one in flight.
10. The Guard Island Light
This concrete lighthouse was built in the 1920s to replace a weather-beaten wooden version that was built some 20-years prior.
We had reached the turn-around point of our trip, this typically-Alaskan lighthouse.
11. Behm Canal
Despite its name, Behm Canal is a natural channel rimming Revillagigedo Island -on which Ketchikan is located- to its north. Here, the U.S. Navy tests submarine equipment to ensure quietness.
Taking a brief break from random wildlife encounters, I had a chance to take in the waterways around Ketchikan. Quite a peaceful place.
12. Dayboard Bald Eagle
A bald eagle sits atop a channel dayboard searching for its next meal.
The boat’s captain spotted this bird and slowly moved towards it. The bird, clearly undisturbed by the vessel, kept keenly to its task. The guide commented that it was rare for the boat to get quite so close to eagles without them flying off.
13. (Even Three More) Whale(s) Ahoy!
Three whales surface synchronously in the waters north of Ketchikan, Alaska.
Almost immediately after spotting the eagle on the dayboard, the captain turned the boat back to Ketchikan to see these three whales working their way back to open water. Since they were heading in our direction and about to submerge, the captain thought it best to cut power to the boat and wait for them to pass.
14. Two Humps and a Whale Tail
A humpback whale’s tail appears before submerging.
We waited in silence for the whales we assumed were passing by. Then, a sudden “whoosh” was heard, and one of the whale’s mouths appeared off the bow of the boat, engaged in an activity called “bubble net feeding.” After disappearing again underneath the water, they appeared a short time later off of the port side of the ship. We could hear the giant beasts gliding across the water, we could hear the bellow of their blows, and we could hear them “singing” to one another. It was truly an amazing experience.
15. A Close Call!
A humpback whale, as seen in close proximity.
This one got very close to the boat, almost too close for comfort given what it would do to our relatively small ship if it miscalculated.
16. Ready to Submerge
Traveling in close proximity, this humpback whale executes a precision dive next to its companion.
I am rarely at a loss for what to do when photographing - usually some form of autopilot takes over and I somehow manage to get the shots I want to get. In this case, the whales were appearing so quickly and so closely, it is amazing I could snap any of them in time.
17. Splash!
A whale prepares to dive and head out to sea near Ketchikan, Alaska.
This was the last whale I saw up close on this trip, but it certainly gave me a nice party piece. And, breathe!
18. A Team Effort
Two eagles seek out their next meal.
Pulling into harbor, we passed these two bald eagles sitting atop a tree looking out into the water. I think any other day I would have been elated to see just this, but as the denouement of the journey, I think it was even more special.
19. Fishing Boat in a Sea of Nothingness
A fishing boat sits in crystal-clear water in Alaska’s Inside Passage.
We left Ketchikan mid-afternoon to set forth on a day-and-a-half cruising the Inside Passage. A large portion of this trip was in open Pacific water, and sights were few-and-far between. We came across this lone fishing boat about two hours after leaving Ketchikan, and I couldn’t help but wonder how isolating such a profession would be. “Could I do that?” I wondered. “Three days, tops,” I concluded.
20. Light Reflected Off a Light
Sunlight reflects off the Pacific water below and back off the reflector inside the light.
I could tell by mid-evening that we were going to be in store for a fantastic sunset, so I retired to the sun deck of the ship with a drink and enjoyed the day’s last little bits of sunlight.
21. Pacific Ocean Sunset
A multi-colored sunset lights up the evening sky between Ketchikan, Alaska, and Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
My instincts for sunsets is still strong, and this one was a true stunner.
22. Heron Nesting
Beacon Hill Park in downtown Victoria is home to nesting Great Blue Herons. The herons once abandoned this nesting site after their nests were destroyed by what was believed to be a single eagle, dubbed “Birdzilla” by locals.
After a very long day at sea, we arrived in Victoria, British Columbia. Originally I wasn’t planning on getting off the boat, but after getting a bit of cabin fever, I figured walking around couldn’t hurt. It was nearly dark when we arrived, and I asked someone at the information desk pier side what I could see on a short walk. The stereotypically kind Canadian woman recommended I visit Beacon Hill Park and see the Great Blue Herons nesting there.
23. Victoria Harbor
The harbor of Victoria, British Columbia, covered in clouds.
While Victoria is a charming little town, the cruise afforded little time to explore, and I barely had enough time to take this harbor photo on my stroll back to the pier. As it turns out, the port call was basically a throw-away so the ship could be compliant with duty-free laws by stopping at a foreign port of call. Perhaps I’ll take some extra time one day and see what else this town has to offer.
Shortly after sunset we set off for Seattle, arriving uncomfortably early the morning of day eight. All in all, I came away with generally positive feelings from this trip despite not knowing what to expect. I concluded I am not a “cruise person” and -as anticipated- I didn’t make use of many of the amenities on the boat. I think if I were to visit this part of the world again, I would make use of the Alaska Marine Highway system so I could hope from town to town at my leisure. It is something I will considering doing in the future, as I didn’t feel I had nearly enough time to explore in any of the ports of call. But, from a value for money point-of-view, the cruise was a fantastic deal and I am pleased I went as my primer for travel in Alaska.
