Alaska is not only a wildlife-rich destination. It is a culturally-rich destination as well. I hadn't consider this as much as I should have before I booked my cruise. However, I was very grateful in the end for the knowledge and experiences of the native Tlingit tribes we were able to see on our trip. The word Tlingit is pronounced "clink kit" (or something to that effect) in English. In Sitka, we viewed a wonderful performance from the Klingit dancers. They showed us a series of dances that includes different drums and movements. In the center of the hall there was a area for burning fires and the performers invited us to join them in a dance around it. Afterwards, we spent some time outside the hall taking photos and chatting with the families.
The following day we arrived in Petersburg and were greeted by the Sons of Norway community. The invited us in to their hall and performed a few traditional Norwegian dances by the youngsters of the group. They continue to pass down the art of these dances from generation to generation. The majority of the families in Petersburg sustain themselves by working in the fishing industry. They provide a large quantity of salmon to the rest of the world. The children who performed also baked several different cookies and treats for us to purchase. The donations went to further the work of the Norwegian community group in sustaining the traditions for the next generation.
We visited the local museum in Wrangell the following day. They took us out to Petroglyph Beach which is a State Historical Park in Alaska. It was a twenty minute walk from the main town and when we arrived, the sun shone down on the beach with such clarity.
Our guide walked us down the beach and pointed out the petroglyphs along the way. She poured water over them and suddenly stood out against the rocks. They do not know exactly what motivated the artists to create these rock carvings. Some think that they were created to commemorate different events in the history of past tribes. Other archeologists believe they were used to communicate between peoples who moved over these lands in the past. On one part of the park there is a stand where you can read through the history of the park and create your own petroglyph drawing to take home.
Later on in cruise, we stopped by Ketchikan, Alaska and took a walk around the town. When we pulled in to the harbor there were a few other ships docked but we were the smallest by far. We were parked at the end of the pier and quickly filed off onto the waterfront. The other passengers boarding their floating cities sat in long lines that wrapped down the pier and into town. We were so thankful for our ship and the personal service we received!
I don’t have the words to describe it but the last week has been one of the best I can remember. 6 days of adventure in South East Alaska including trekking through lush rain forest, sitting in silence listening to glaciers calving, up early to see the northern lights, kayaking and stupidly swimming in iceberg frozen waters ! (That actually hurt).
Animal sightings including black and brown bears, Minke and hundreds of Humpack Whales, porpoises, sea lions, mountain goats, harbour seals, bald eagles, salmon and more birds than I can count. Wonderful friends and connections made. A huge shout out to Trevor and his totally amazing crew on the Admiralty Dream whose energy and enthusiasm made this most incredible experience.
DAVID JAMES
3 weeks ago
From the initial booking all the way through the trip, this was by far our favorite trip. Small boat travel is the only way to see a location. The excursions were so much more than I could explain. The locations were remote and awesome.
Lori I
1 month ago
Personal, knowledgeable service. We felt so informed and supported before our trip. Highly recommend and would use again.
Michelle S
1 month ago
First off we had great weather all week.
We had a wonderful Naturalist on board the Admiirality Dream. John was a very knowledgeable and shared history and folklore with facts about wildlife every day. The entire crew made sure everyone had everything they needed. We were very impressed with all the work they did every day. Loved the fact that there were 49 passengers and you were able to meet and connect with so many people. Highly recommend!
Jessica T.
2 months ago
Jess was very helpful in planning our last minute trip to Alaska. Her promptness in responding to our questions was particularly impressive.