We’re Not In Kennesaw Anymore

We’re Not In Kennesaw Anymore

Wrangell, Alaska

September 16, 2022

Hunting season opened in Alaska yesterday. Today we saw a dead moose! First of the season in Wrangell. It was serendipity for us. We’d been looking at a recreation of a native long house above a marina in Wrangell, when Jim looked across the dock next door and there it was. The hunter was using the boat boom on the dock to move the moose from his boat to the back of his pick up truck. He reckoned it was 400-500 lbs. Not huge by moose standards, but would feed his family over the winter. Everyone I’ve asked up here say moose is delicious. But thy all wrinkle their noses at e mere mention of bear. An acquired taste?

The hunters go out in open boats powered by outboards and land on one of the dozens of islands around here and then hike in to hunt. It is against the law to either shoot from your boat or within 300 feet of a road. In other words, you can’t go out your back door and dispatch the moose that’s been cooling off in the kiddie pool in your back yard all summer.

When we were sailing from Kake last night it was clear. The stars were out, the full moon was rising. Perfect conditions to see the Northern Lights. When I woke up in the middle of the night and went to the balcony door to peek, fog. Nothing but fog. And no lights.

But we did arrive early this morning in Wrangell in the bright sunshine once again. The air is so pure and clear, the sky so blue. 

Myrta went off in a jet boat up the Stikine River into British Columbia. The border is indicated by a line drawn down a mountain. It is the largest protected wilderness in the US and Canada. They saw loads of seals and thousands of migrating Sandhill Cranes heading south for the winter. Spectacular sight. 

Jim and I were supposed to go on a walk through the rain forest but figured we had already walked through enough rain forests along our route so switched to a city tour with local guides. We lucked into a couple who’d lived in Wrangell for a long, long time. In fact, Craig was born here, grandson of a man who came to Wrangell as a young man to establish a trading post. Back then it was rough and rowdy, with muddy streets and canoes for transportation. Now it has paved roads, sidewalks and at least five restaurants, a Trident seafood processing plant (the big money maker is the Omega-3 fish oil pressed from salmon roe), commercial fishing and a favorite docking spot for pleasure craft. Smaller cruise ships call in here on a regular basis so there is tourist income, too. It has a wonderful, small but well designed history museum and a brand new hospital. There are three family practice docs in town but no anesthesiologist. If you need that, you go to Anchorage or Seattle. No birthing center either. 

Also, no street addresses. Everyone gets their mail at the post office. Directions are given, “I live up The Road (the main road has a name but it’s always just called The Road) just past Bob Smith’s place.” It could be Mayberry.

Craig’s wife Kerry, once worked for Cruise West, the first cruise ship we were ever on. She even wore her Cruise West name tag and we rode around the area in a little Cruise West bus. She was surprised that we had traveled with them through Alaska.  We saw a lot of the town, the museum and the petroglyphs on the beach. They were such fun to chat with that we followed them to the local place for a great cup of chowder and sandwich and continued our visit.

The town is very walkable. We wandered about, stopped at a drug store/general store for NyQuil. Only 11 dollars and change. We thought for sure it would be at least 20. More end-of-the-season low inventory of touristy stuff. Looks like I’ll be souvenir shopping in the Vancouver airport!

Back to a strong Wi-Fi signal, too. 

We leave at 7 tonight, about sunset. They’re having a special Indian dinner tonight in the Yacht Club, our favorite restaurant for breakfast and lunch. It’s normally not open dinner. The executive chef on board is from Mumbai so it should be good. 

We’ll be at sea for two days until we land in Vancouver where we disembark.