Looking out from the Coral Princess berthed at Ketchikan, I couldn’t see much to stir my interest or whet my appetite for exploration. I saw a small town of clapboard houses stretched out string bean style along Tongass Avenue. Coming away from the docks, though, I realised that Ketchikan still has the rough-and-tumble flavour of its frontier past, when fishermen, loggers, and Indians all mixed at Creek Street, where "the men and the fish come to spawn."
Pilings over Ketchikan Creek supported most of the homes. Black Mary, Blind Polly, and Dolly have long since retired, and their houses are now a collection of coffee shops, boutiques, and galleries. These brightly painted boutiques once catered for gentlemen seeking the company of "sporting women." The museum at Dolly's House gives a look into those bawdy ways of frontier life. There visitors can learn about Ketchikan's colourful history – its guides dress in period costumes.
Ketchikan is still a major commercial fishing port with several salmon canneries and processing plants. Misty Ketchikan, the rainiest town in southeast Alaska, also carries the title "Salmon Capital of the World." Being the first port of call in Alaska, it also bears the title "First City," although with a population of 14,000, it is only the fourth largest in the state. Like many Alaskan cities, it occupies a huge area and consists essentially of several small towns or villages.
Ketchikan offers insight into what Alaska is about. Its attractions include a salmon hatchery and eagle centre, totem poles, museums, and art galleries. Fishing charters and sightseeing tours are available, as is kayaking. You can kayak in Misty Fiords or hike up Deer Mountain. It is the shopping mecca of the Alaskan cruise trail, with the big international diamond shops that cater for the cruise trade sited here, as well as many local tourist shops and galleries. Sales reps on board the ship give briefings on buying diamonds – I pondered on how many people would obtain a commission out of each purchase, and they were very unreceptive.
The climate is damp but mild. If you stay in Ketchikan longer than an hour, chances are that it will rain at least once - we proved fortunate. The average annual rainfall is 162 inches. Despite all the rain, the only people with umbrellas are usually tourists. First City residents seldom use them, nor do they let the rain interfere with their daily routines, even outdoor ones, such as fishing, hiking, or having a softball game. If they stopped everything every time it rained in Ketchikan, nothing would progress.
The port can only take three cruise ships at a time, and as they queue to get in, the time allowed only amounts to half a day, so it is necessary to have a plan of action. Some of the sights are a bit out of town - Totem Bight, for instance, is 10 miles out. Therefore, booking a tour may have an advantage.