Around Ketchikan, Bigfoot, Rotary Beach, Saxman - on a Sunny Day - July 11

The sun is shining in Ketchikan, Alaska. It is calling me to get outside and enjoy the day. I decided to revisit some places I have been before, but to see them with the sun shining on them.

 I can't get enough of the beauty of the blue sky and water!

 Raven Stealing the Sun...this totem is a favorite and one I see often as it stands right next to the library and near the entrance to Creek Street.

 Bigfoot visits Creek Street. His photographer is usually trying to get visitors to have their pictures taken with Bigfoot and he charges $10. Usually when you try to take his picture he turns away and the photographer says he is camera shy. However, today the photographer must have been trying to get some advertising shots himself because Bigfoot was posing but looking only at him. Cameras were clicking all around.

Looking up Ketchikan Creek from Creet Street Bridge. Every time I am in the area I look for salmon, but so far ...none.
 

But the seals are here. So I suppose there are some salmon already here or the seals wouldn't be hanging around here. This one just seemed to be enjoying the sunshine too.
 
This bus is a free bus. It does a 20 minute loop around downtown and is especially available for tourists coming in on the cruise ships.

Rotary Beach - south of Ketchikan

Bull Kelp is so interesting. It looks like a "creature" if it is on the beach or in the water.

Here is the kelp with all the leaves still attached. These are what the otters love to hang on to.
 

 These are probably what is left standing from an old pier/dock. It looks rather mysterious and exciting standing out on the beach, like it has a story to tell.

Waiting for the bus... I get bored and take lots of pictures while I wait...

 Peeking through the trees back at the beach.

 Noticed the bush across the road. I see something red, so I zoom in...

 and zoom in some more...

 and notice the trees against the blue sky. But the bus finally does come for me and take me to Saxman Totem Park...

 I had a very nice chat with Helen. She was here from Juneau because her brother had passed away. The man with her is her cousin David.

Back in Ketchikan...

Standing on Stedman Street Bridge. There are two salmon in the water if you look closely. At least that is what the fishermen told me and I guess they would know.
 

Deer Mountain still has some snow on it.
 

 

The ramp down to the float, Stedman St. Bridge, and Creek St. in the background.

 Watching passengers get back on their cruise ship.

 Driftwood hangings that I like. I went to the store where I had seen them and took pictures of all of them, so I can hopefully make one when I get home. I have been collecting the driftwood.

 One of the buildings on Creek Street.


Waiting for a bus again, so I take more pictures...this time of the flowers outside the library.

Rotary Beach - Day 5 - June 20

                                            
The day started with eagles! A great way to start a day.  I see eagles all the time as I sit in the livingroom.  They will be soaring between the water and the trees. When I went down to the Alaska Marine Ferry to get information for our hoped trip to Skagway I noticed this beautiful bird. 

The American and Alaskan flags.

I have finally learned how to read the bus schedule, which is good because I have to ride them often.  The fare is $1 a ride. However, I buy a $2 day pass that allows me to ride as much as I need for one day.  There are 3 bus lines (red, green, and blue).  Often we ride one bus going somewhere and catch another coming back.  I like to catch the green line coming home.  When the green line is heading south it leaves Tongass highway and comes up Carlanna Lake Rd. which is right by our house.  Getting off on Carlanna means we walk DOWN the hill for half a block instead of UP for a block and half.  

These pictures were taken from the bus on the way to Rotary Beach Park:

The Ketchikan airport is directly across the narrows from where we live.

This is the ferry that we took across the narrows when we first arrived.

There is always so much traffic going up and down the Narrows. 

Rotary Beach Park:

Rotary Beach at low tide.  This is all covered during high tide.  The wall was built to hold back some of the water when the tide goes out creating this large tide pool.  The children love to play along the wall on both sides.

 Hey, Boys....doesn't this look like some sort of sea monster?  Want to know what it is?

Here is another picture of it out of the water.  Maybe that will help you.

It is called bullwhip kelp. A girl on the bus, who said she was a history major and seemed to know a lot of interesting stuff, said this kelp is loved by the otters.  I just think it is pretty unusual looking.

Another look at the large tide pool.  Also see all the huge pieces of driftwood along the shore.

A tug pulling a barge up the Narrows.

A close up of the tug.

 

Children playing on the sea-side of the wall.

 

 From out on the rocks back toward the shore.

A passing ship ....

....causes waves!

Some other treasures found:

Sadly the crab was dead. Probably because it was stranded out of the water.

On the way back to Ketchikan the bus went through Saxman Totem Pole Center. Juel and I plan to go and check out the totems here.

Here is another totem in front of a business in Ketchikan:

A cruise ship leaving the harbor in Ketchikan.
 

One thing I learned today--unless I know for sure exactly where I am going, I need to wear my waterproof hiking boots.  I would have been much more comfortable out on the rocks and poking around the tide pools if I had not worn my sandals. I had thought I would go downtown and through some of the stores, but my plans changed.