16 July 2008, Sitka.

There was even less swell in the Ocean than the weather maps promised us so we had a very quiet ride to Sitka. It looked very miserable when we came in but during the day the sun poked through the clouds and it remained a good day to visit the place. The area around Sitka remained covered in low hanging clouds but somehow that goes well with Sitka. It gives a very atmospheric presence. Same for the ship. When you come back on the tender and you see the Veendam in a frame work of dark mountains and white whips of clouds, it somehow looks special.

Today we were together with the Oosterdam which we meet each cruise Northbound, then we land our guests at the same tender dock under the bridge. Southbound we are together with the Celebrity Infinity and as that ship belongs to another company; we tender into Crescent Harbor and keep our guests separated. The latter also pleases the shop keepers because one dock is at the west side of the main shopping street and the other at the East side of the main shopping street. So they get a shoppers flow from both sides.

Sitka is becoming a sort of meeting ground for Bald Eagles. Since the bird has been protected, it has made an enormous comeback and they are now everywhere. Most of all on Twin Island, which is the corner island when we approach the anchorage. This time I counted over 12 of them all sitting on a spot of rock no longer than 200 by 100 feet. Apart from the Bald Eagles there was also a Fish Eagle couple perched high up in the trees and those I had never seen before this close. Although the commercial fishing is down, it does not seem to affect the bird population for finding nourishment.

Another spot that seem to be frequented by bald eagles is the location where the hand over of Alaska from Russia to the USA took place. It is easily visible from the ship and when the tender comes to the dock Bald Eagles are often seen coming and going from the hill. It looks somehow appropriate to me, America’s National Symbol perching in the trees around a place where that other symbol, the Stars and Stripes was first raised over Alaskan soil.

In general Sitka has the most to offer in the category history of all the ports that we visit. Due to its Russian background there is a bigger connection with the past than most other towns that sprang to dominance much later. Skagway is probably coming next, but I would not be able to point out a 3rd town with a history that stretches over a long period. Alaska is the frontier state so many things are fairly new and that means history is only being made now.

However that is one of the attractions of Alaska, certainly for people like me, who can find in their home town without much problem traces of history that go back 100’s of years. Alaska is a developing state and that means that most of the things that are being done, are being done for the first time. Maybe for Americans it is no so apparent but for people from Europe it is fascinating.

Most of our guests did enjoy Sitka, so much that it was the first time this season that we left half an hour behind schedule. Not much of an issue for the sailing, I can make up that half hour and still arrive in Yakutat Bay on time, but unusual as thus far we have been on time during each Sitka call.

Tomorrow we are in the Yakutat and the weather for the lower bay is predicted to be rain. That does not mean too much, as the ice mass of Hubbard Glacier dictates the weather in the upper bay, so we will only know what we get, when we get there.