DAY 6---ICY POINT (HOONAH)

 

         This is our position today.  Overcast again and 54 degrees this morning.  Like Klawock this is our first time to visit this port.

BACKGROUND INFO

        Icy Strait separates Chichagof Island to the south and the Alaska mainland to the north.  We are docked at Icy Strait Point for our visit to Hoonah on the south side of the Strait and has a population of 931 but this can swell to 1300 during summer depending on fishing, boating, hunting, and hiking.  It is largely a Tlingit community on Chichagof Island.  It is 30 miles from Juneau, across the Alaska Inside Passage. 

        In the early 1900’s there were 8 fish canneries here but the last one closed in 1954.  The logging industry in southeast Alaska hurt the town economically in the early 1990’s but limited logging, tourism, and fishing have helped replace the void.  So now cruise ship passengers, fishing vessels, and summertime boaters who dock in the Hoonah city small boat harbor, all bring revenue to the city.  One of the world’s longest zip-lines is located here and is one of the ship’s tours.  The weather here is mild and much like that of Seattle.

        There is ferry service from Hoonah to Juneau.  There is a small 3000 foot runway airport also here.  The airport is planned for expansion to allow military C-130’s from the Coast Guard and Air National Guard to land here.

LAST EVENING

                                     Arnulfo is one of the best bartenders on Regent.

                   L to R:  Arcy, Risa, & Jasmine, are greeters as one enters Compass Rose.

        A new soup:  Alaskan spring salmon chowder with creamy potatoes and smoked bacon.  Very good.  I also had escargot.

       The chicken parmesan was prepared much better than the veal parm I had up in Sette Mari.

                              Some nice veggies that were not overcooked and served hot.

                               I enjoyed this Alaskan wild berry cobbler with ice cream.

                       This is what I usually order but had to try the cobbler.  Apple tart.

       We did not go see the comedian and retired to our suite.  I am sleeping so much better now.

TODAY

        Up shortly before 6:30 and opened our balcony curtains to find another cloudy day in Alaska.  After dressing I ran down to get our Americano coffees.  Jeff called about when I wanted to meet him for breakfast in La Veranda.

                I had a ham and cheese omelet.  The omelets are made to order and very good.

        Jeff went on a "Wilderness Hike" tour at 8:50.  Hike a 2 mile long old abandoned logging trail.  Tour was 2 1/2 hours.  I was scheduled for a 1 1/2 hour "Alaska's Wildess Kitchen" tour but did not go. 

                         Instead I just walked off the ship and looked around for a half hour.

                                                        This is the walkway ashore.

                                                       Gondolas for viewing scenery.

                                                             Gondolas up for zip lining.

          Heading back to the ship now.  There was a shuttle bus running to Hoonah that costs $10

        As this is largely a Tlingit (native Alaskan) community I thought it appropriate to tell you something about these folks.

THE TLINGIT PEOPLE

        It is not possible to talk about Alaska without a discussion of the Tlingits.  It is speculated that human occupation of southeast Alaska occurred 11,000 years ago by the indigenous Tlingit people.  It is not clear exactly where they came from however.  The name Tlingit essentially means human beings.  It was originally used to distinguish a human being from an animal since Tlingits believed there was little difference between the two.  Over time the word became their name.  The Tlingit people are grouped into units (like tribes) called “knan”. 

        Europeans (Russians) arrived in Tlingit country for the first time in 1741 but contact with the Tlingits was limited until well into the 1800’s.  Seems they did not like the Russians coming so fought to keep them out.  Eventually diseases imported by Europeans and Americans looking for gold, killed many Tlingits.  They fought American development of canneries, mines, and logging but it was futile due to America’s military strength.  In 1906, the Native Allotment Act, gave 160 acres to each adult “native” as long as the ground contained no mineral deposits.  Plus they could sell or lease this property without the approval of the US Secretary of Interior.  Basically, they got screwed just as are American native Indians were.  They were called Indians too and during the 1930’s, 40’s & 50’s, it was not uncommon to see signs on business doors in Alaska saying, “No Indians Allowed”.  Today, although the Tlingit people are much more accepted, their fight for survival continues.  There are an estimated 20,000 Tlingits today in Alaska.  They are a big part of Alaska’s history which has never been taught in our schools, as far as I know Totem poles in Alaska were originally from the Haidas & Tlingits. 

        The poles were never objects of worship even though the early European explorers thought they were.  Totem poles symbolize characters and events of a myth or relate the experiences of ancestors or living people.  Pole carvings may include animals, birds, fish, plants, insects, humans, or supernatural beings such as the Thunderbird.  The poles are typically carved from highly rot-resistant trunks of giant cedar or western red cedar trees.  They usually last 60 to 80 years.  

        There is the Disney ship docked but this Azamara cruise ship is anchored and tendering passengers ashore.  It is the Azamara Pursuit and is just a little bit bigger than our ship as it holds 777 passengers.  Our Regent Explorer is 750 passengers.

                                                                     Lunch menu

        I had this Alaska Fisherman's Pi, a first for Regent.  It has salmon, corvina, scallops, and cod in it with a whipped potato crust.  Delicious!

        This afternoon I did some cross word puzzles and Rebecca went up to the library to read.  Now I'm heading down to have my afternoon cappuccino.

        This evening at 6:00 is the Seven Seas Society cocktail party.  We will be going as Rebecca and I are the most cruised on Regent ships this cruise and the Cruise Consultant will be mentioning our names and have us wave.  We now have 1114 nights cruised on Regent ships.

        This is tonight's Compass Rose menu.  Our favorite menu as there is miso glazed sea bass on it.  It is always on the Seven Seas Society night.  Love the mykonos (Greek) salad.

        The three of us have been asked to dine this evening with our General Manager, Anatoli.  We will meet him at 7pm in Compass Rose.

        Finally there is a production cast show at 9:30.  It is "Divos & Divas".  We have seen this show many times but anxious to see this new cast.

        We will be sailing again at 6pm.  Our next port will be day after tomorrow in Whittier, Alaska (543nm away).  Tomorrow we will stop to view the Hubbard Glacier before sailing on.