September 30, 2006
My Ketchikan
This post is part of our series, "My Hometown" These posts will feature the hometowns and local connections that our employees have with the ports that our small-ships visit. This week's post is submitted by Larry Johansen, our Southeast Division Land Manager.
Q: What is your connection to Ketchikan?
A: Ketchikan is my hometown. My family first came there when Woodrow Wilson was president. Alaska was still a territory and people lived close to the land. They still do. I was taught to fish and hunt by my grandfather who lived off the land to feed his family. Encounters with wildlife were common, respect for the land was a lesson taught early.
Q: Do you have a funny story or little known fact about Ketchikan you’d like to share?
A: Ketchikan is a town on an island. To get there today you need to land on a nearby island and take a short ferry ride from an airport built in the 1970's. Before that time jets could land only as close as 40 miles from Ketchikan at an old WWII airbase on Annette Island. From there they would fly to Ketchikan aboard amphibious aircraft called Grumman gooses. They took off on land and landed in the water in front of town. Sometimes the pilots would "forget" to mention that the aircraft was capable of landing in the water and sometimes first-time visitors would arrive in town with a "thrill".
Q: What is your favorite time of year in Ketchikan and why? A: May in Southeast Alaska is the nicest time to visit. It’s the driest time of the year and the scenery is the most photogenic with lots of snow still on the tops of the mountains. Lots of daylight and fewer crowds too.
Q: Is there a particular food or song that reminds you of Ketchikan? A: In Ketchikan there is a berry bush that grows abundantly here that is called a salmon berry. The fruit
is ripe in two colors- bright red and bright orange. In the case of bright orange they look a lot like caviar. There is a bird called the Swainson's Thrush that has a particular fondness for these berries. The
song of the Swainson's Thrush is beautiful ululating spiral of a song that fills the air in the spring. When I hear the Swainson’s thrush it reminds me of home.
Q: What is on your “must see” list for visitors to Ketchikan?
A: The totem art in Ketchikan is outstanding. The art traces its hearth to the area. The collection scattered through town, and its two totem parks, is the most concentrated collection in the world.
Q: Do you have a favorite area of the city?
A: Creek Street in downtown Ketchikan is a fun place to people watch and walk around. In the late summer you can see salmon jumping up the rapids on the creek and watch the local kids try to catch them before they head up stream.
Q: Is there a favorite activity that you enjoy in Ketchikan?
A: Ketchikan used to be known as the Salmon Capital of the World. The fishing is great anytime of the summer. I was there a couple weeks ago and landed three salmon one of which was a nice King Salmon. Ketchikan is usually at the end or beginning of a trip to Alaska and adding on a night or two here would allow time to drop a line for a day.
Q: Is there a particular restaurant that you’d recommend for visitors?
A: I always liked Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House. It’s been around for many years and has a good lunch and dinner menu. It just feels comfortable.
Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
A: Bring a rain jacket but don’t be discouraged if it does rain. I played little league baseball in Ketchikan and we never cancelled a game due to rain. Not that it wasn’t raining but rain never stopped us from doing anything!
Most of our fleet passes through Ketchikan on our
Gold Rush Inside Passage cruises and on our classic
Inside Passage cruises. If you'd like to learn more about Ketchikan, consider visiting the
Ketchikan Visitor's Bureau website.
Posted by Larry on September 30, 2006 8:52 AM
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