Day 3 Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise - Ketchikan (1st Port of Call)

Alaska Cruise (Ketchikan) . 2012 . Sep 17

Ketchikan is the first port of call for most North-bound cruise ships to Alaska, hence it is commonly known as the 'Gateway to Alaska'.  Also known as the ‘Salmon Capital of the World’, Ketchikan is home to some salmon hatcheries and its economy depends heavily on primary industries such as fishing and forestry.  It also depends on the seasonal tourism trade from Alaskan cruises.

Ketchikan sits on its own island, Revillagigedo Island and receives an abundance of rainfall every year.  In fact, it is also goes by the name of the 'Rainfall Capital of the U.S'.  Because of Ketchikan's climate, the area is conducive for the growth of one of the world's largest temperature rainforest – known as the Tongass National Forest.  The high amount of rainfall also means that the well-fed freshwater rivers attract spawning salmon every summer and this in turn attracts many other form of wildlife higher up in the food chain.

The Diamond Princess pulls into the sleeping town of Ketchikan early in the morning at 6.30 am.   Conditions are extremely cold, humid and misty then.   We took a picture of the town on our camera without using the flash function, and repeated the same shot with flash. See the amount of moisture in the air when you shine light through!

Ketchikan at 6.30am.  The cruise ship docked at our side of the ship (that's the benefit of the starboard - right hand side for the North Bound trip), so we could capture the various faces of Ketchikan town as the sun rises.   The town sits along the edge of the island and is heavily shrouded in mist.

The first sight of Ketchikan reminds me of Stephanie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’, where Edward had to go to Alaska to hide it out when he discovered that Bella’s scent appeals to him so much.   I could totally understand why vampires would like it here – cold, little sun and perpetually rainy and misty.

Breaking dawn over Ketchikan.

Breakfast brought back from the Horizon Court buffet line to our cabin as we watched the sun rise over Ketchikan.

Ketchikan brightening up, but still shrouded in mist.

 Full daylight over Ketchikan.

What a nice day! and we are ready for our first shore excursion of our Alaska Cruise...
Coming up next – Neets Bay Bear Watching Cruise!

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