Today started off sunny, then fogged up and the rain started. Then it abruptly stopped, and we had lovely sunny warm weather.
We left Haines at 1000 which coincided with low tide. In the picture (right), the harbor master's shack at the top of the ramp is about 40' above water level.
As we were puttering at 1120rpm (making turns for 6.5kts) we had a favorable current and were riding the incoming tide, so we did about 7.5kts over ground (I hope that makes sense). Wheee!
We passed this thunderous waterfall about 2/3rds the way up. There is a lot of water draining and pouring off these high mountains all around the Lynn Canal.
As we approached Skagway, we saw 4 cruise ships in port. That represents about 8,000 people. That's a lot of people to add to a small town. By 8:00pm the cruise ships are all gone, and the town goes to sleep, awaiting the next cruise ship installment at 0700 tomorrow.
We pulled into Skagway about 1230, tied-up, and went out for lunch (Indian). And we did a bit of tourist shopping too.
Skagway (formerly Shgegwei, shgagoue, and a lot of other spellings) was a Tlingit trading center as they controlled the various trading routes connecting the Chilkoot, Chilkat, and other coastal regions to the interior of the Yukon. Skagway means "Roughed-up water, whitecaps, windy".
When gold was found in the Yukon, the population exploded from a few hundred to over 20,000, reaching a reported high of about 40,000 people. Conditions then must have been miserable as people, mostly miners were waiting to amas supplies, guides, and laborers to haul the necessary supplies over White Pass or Chilkoot Pass. The history is daunting. No way could anyone I know survive let along thrive in conditions like what these miners experienced.
In 1942 after the Japanese bombed Dutch Harbor, the Army moved in and built a railroad to supply the Alaska military bases from Skagway.
Now, Skagway is a quaint, restored, village that harkens back to the 1897/1898 Yukon gold rush era. Very few people live here year-round. Most everyone we talked to lives and works here seasonally. Here are some pictures of downtown.
For those of you who live in snow country, here's the perfect gift for every do-it-yourself'er. Your own train engine mounted snow blower.
Personally, I don' want to live where one of these is a necessity!
An afternoon of reading and napping was followed by dinner out. We both wanted fish and we didn't have any aboard. So, we went to the Alaska Crab Legs & Fish Halibut Restaurant as that was recommended by the local shopkeepers we asked. I had the Halibut Puttanesca and Karen had the Grilled Fresh Wild Salmon. The wine was a 2022 Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia as that was the most food-friendly red wine the restaurant carried. The food was quite good and very well prepared. The wine was OK, but nothing special, but at $17/bottle, it was very drinkable!
And then there was the fresh unsweetened blackberry pie a-la-mode. Urrp.
Here are a few shots from around the harbor which is located in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Large tidal range here. Like Haines, it is about 24' or so.
I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay, watching the tide roll away, Ooh, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wasting time... For you younger folks, that is a great Otis Redding song.
I remember listening to “dock of the bay””, on the record player in the living room on Pembroke street. I learned you could sing anything you wanted, as loud as you wanted and not care how it sounded. Thanks Mom!
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