Day 3- Tuesday, May 14

 The ship arrived in Ketchikan early Tuesday morning.  It was gray (again) and raining pretty hard.  We ate breakfast in the dining room and visited with a very nice mom and daughter and then headed back to get ready for the day.  We were going to exit the ship, but decided since it was still raining to wait.  So we waited for a while for a break and after about an hour, the rain let up a little bit.

 (For some reason these pics are all out of order again.  Frustrating).  This was actually as we were sailing away from Ketchikan.  Still gray.

 Sailing away.

 Gray, yet still beautiful.

 The dolphins like to play in the wake of the ship.  We saw several dophins doing just this.

 A lighthouse on the sailaway from Ketchikan.

 After we disembarked the ship, we were able to take a bus tour of the city and area.  This was great cause it meant we were out of the rain, and that the tour was narrated by a local.  We have found that this is the best way to see places; otherwise, you don't really know what you are looking at.  This rushing creek was the first place we stopped and it is usually filled with salmon.  We were just a few weeks early for the salmon.

 See the bald eagle?

 He was a majestic bird and Ketchikan (and alot of Alaska) have a big population of bald eagles.

 A walk through the rain forest.  I did not realize Alaska had a large rainforest, but it does.

 These are skunk cabbages.  When the bears wake up from hibernation, they head to these plants and eat them first.  They are a laxative.

 Saxman Indian Village

 The clan house

 After the tour we walked around the town. 

 Creek Street.  It is built on pilings over the creek and years ago was filled with bordellos.

 For you Angie!

I found out rather quickly that the coat I bought was not waterproof, so Paul bought me this new waterproof pink coat.  I was much more comfortable after that.  Ketchikan is an island and the only way in is by boat or plane.  It rains alot here and it is the salmon capital of the world.  It was a very interesting day, but I was glad to get back on the boat and out of wet clothes.  We enjoyed the rest of the day on the ship, hitting the hot tubs, eating a delicious dinner and watching a show.  Next stop: The scenic passageway of Tracey Arm and Sawyer Glacier/