It Must Be Spring

The Smell of Spring

It must be spring in Ketchikan, because things are being cleaned up, fixed up and made ready for the first of our many visitors we will have this summer. It seems that every shop in the downtown area is busy bringing in they stock and cleaning off the winter dust and dirt. Most of the major projects that have been underway over the winter are coming to an end. The dock work on Berth #1 has really made progress in the last week and should be completed on time. Also, the work on the downtown Waterfront Promenade Walkway is coming along and should be done in a week or so.
One of the many ways we know that spring has sprung is by the skunk cabbage shoots coming up in all the soggy areas around and along the shore of the many creeks and lakes in the area. You can smell them from quite a distant and so do the black bears. When your out in these areas be sure to keep alert, because black bears feast on the tender roots of these plants after coming out of the den. I did see something that kind of threw me off a little while I was on my daily hike.  I saw several salmonberry bushes already had their flowers on them. It must be the fact that we had a fairly mild winter. This just means we'll be having berries soon. Time to brake out the canner and start collecting jars for this years jams and jellies.

Early Flowers Equal Early Berries

I have always looked forward to spring time in Southeast Alaska. It's what sold me on making Ketchikan my home and I've had no regrets at all. Spring time is such a great time here. Everything is being reborn or renewed. The forest is coming to life, you see the new growth on the Sitka Spruce, the new growth tips are made into jam, the cedar trees and all the flowering plants that are a part of the Tongass National Forest. The arrival of the 140 different species of birds that call SE. Alaska home for the summer. I love hearing and seeing the flocks of geese flying over head, because with them come the many beautiful hummingbirds and we have several species of them visit every summer. So, here's to Spring, the coming of warmer weather, sunny skies(fingers crossed),plenty of fresh fish and boat loads of visitors to Ktown. Get yourself out and enjoy the arrival of our Alaska spring.

Till next time,
The K-townKing

50 Years of Serving

                                          50 Years of Serving Alaska

As we start the summer season, the Alaska Marine Highway starts it's 50th year of service. The first commissioned ship in the fleet was the M/V Malaspina, which come out of the yard with a special paint job for the celebration. The Alaska Marine Highway now has a fleet of 11 ships that play a vital role in southeast Alaska, as it is one of the most efficient ways to transport freight, passengers and vehicles in and out of the smaller communities that make up the Inside Passage.

The Alaska Marine Highway(AMH) has a route of 3,500 miles (5,600 km) and runs from Bellingham,Wash. up the Inside Passage to Skagway, Ak. and west out to the  Aleutian Chain. You can also catch the Alaska Marine Highway at its terminal in Prince Rupert, B.C., Canada. The ferries serves communities in Southeast Alaska that have no road access, and the vessels transport people, freight, and vehicles. The AMH carries around 350,000 passengers and 100,000 vehicles every year.

The Alaska Marine Highway is a great way to take in all the beauty that the Inside Passage has to offer. All the main vessels have accommodations, but some like to camp out in the solarium and the fresh air. One of the great benefits of traveling on the AMH system is that you are able to get off at any port and explore it for a day or two or until the next vessel calls and takes you on your way to the next stop on your trip.

With the celebration of  the Alaska Marine Highway they are offering some special rates for travel. You can get all the information you will need to plan you trip to Alaska on their web site,  http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/ . So, if you have been wishing and wanting to visit Alaska, this the year to do it. Hope to see you in Ketchikan!

Till Then,

K-townKing

   

Hiking In K-town

3001 Foot Deer Mountain

When most folks think of Alaska, they think "adventure" and there are many adventures to be had in K-town on your visit. So many that you may have a hard time deciding which one's to enjoy. One of these many adventures is hiking. There are several trails within a short drive to explore, from the trails out at Ward Lake and Settlers Cove in the Tongass National Forest to the Beaver Falls and Sylvis Lake trails out on the southend. But the two I'm going to let you in on are less than five minutes from the docks downtown. They are the Deer Mountain Trail and the new Rainbird Trail.

One of my favorite trails is the Deer Mountain Trail. Over the 30 years I've lived in K-town I've hiked this trail dozens of times. The first time in the dark, a story for another time. I simply love it. It's 2.5 miles from the trail head to the summit. The trail head is about 1.5 miles from the docks and is all up hill, duh. I would suggest saving your energy for the trail and take a taxi to the trail head. It's under ten dollars from the docks. 

This is the trail to hike if you want to spend your day enjoying the wonders of an old growth forest, spotting birds and wildlife, great scenery and unbelievable views of Ketchikan, the Tongass Narrows and the surrounding islands. In my younger days I could do it in 1.5 hours(under 50), but the last time it took over 3 hours of huffin' and puffin' to make it.

Now this is not an easy hike, it's rated difficult, but don't let that stop you. This is because the trail has many steep switchbacks, rocky and uneven surfaces. Like most trails found in southeast Alaska the terrain varies from gravel to wooden stairs and boardwalks, stone steps, small creeks and muskeg. In spots it may be very muddy and may still have snow early in the season. The weather can be another factor, it can change quickly and become quite foggy or rainy. So be sure to dress in layers and don't forget a waterproof jacket.

Rainbird Trailhead

Rainbird Trail start @ ASU Campus

The newest trail in K-town is the Rainbird Trail, ok, it's not really new. But lots of people didn't know about it till the by pass was built. I use this trail for my quick work outs. If you have kids and they need to burn off ship boredom this will do. As in going to Deer Mountain, I suggest taking a taxi to the trail head, it's about 9 dollars and you save your energy for the hike.

The trail is about 1.5 miles long and has been rated as "moderate". The trail head is located at the UAS campus on Jackson St. and runs high above the 3rd Ave by-pass back towards downtown. Even though the trail has been resurfaced in resent years, it is still typical of hiking trails found in southeast Alaska. It starts with a slight incline and is made up of gravel, wooden stair steps, stone steps, tree roots and a small creek or two to cross.

On the trail you will walk through old growth forest with plenty of the local foliage to view along the way including skunk cabbage, salmon berries, blueberries and ferns. There are also plenty of birds. Eagles, ravens, woodpeckers, stellar jays and many more. You may even run into a Sitka blacktail deer or a black bear, you never know.  

Again, it's best to dress in layers and have your jacket handy if it starts to rain. Take along some water and your cell phone if you carry one. There's no need to think about getting lost. If you'll begin you adventure by stopping at the Ketchikan Visitors Information Center, you can pick up a free personal locator beacon. If you do become lost just activate it and it sends a distress signal and GPS location that is picked up by the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad. When you've finished your adventure simply return it to the center.

Well, I wish you good hiking and hope to see ya in K-town some time this summer.

Till Next Time,

K-townKing

PS.  For a great tour when in Ketchikan check out yourktowntour.com

K-town's Totems

Chief Kayan Pole In Whale Park

 Ketchikan is home to a large collection of totem poles both original and replicas. Totems played a very large part in the local Native culture of Southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Ketchikan is fortunate to have three tribes of natives in and around the Ketchikan area. They are, the Tlingit, the Haida and the Tsimshian and each have their own unique styles and technics for their art.

 

There are individual totem poles scattered all around downtown Ketchikan, but there are 3 parks that have great collections of replica totems and the Totem Heritage Center has a display of original totem poles and pieces of poles in their museum. The Heritage Center is in the city and all the totem parks are outside the city.  

There are 2 totem parks located about 10 miles north of K-town. The most popular is an Alaska State Park, Totem Bight State Historical Park. This park was created back in the 1930's and was constructed by the CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps)  boys. They were mostly local Native carvers and craftsmen. The park is a replica of a 18th century Tlingit clan village and consists of a clan house and about a dozen totem poles.
Right next door to Totem Bight is a newer park which is also quite impressive. It's the Potlatch Park and it has a carving shed, where you might catch a master carver working his magic, and Russian Museum. Both of these parks would make a great excursion when you are visiting Ketchikan.

Totem Bight Clan House

The 3rd totem park is located 2 1/2 miles south of K-town and is in the City of Saxman. This park is run by the city and there is a fee to view the park. The park is well cared for and the totems are kept up nicely. There are around 15 poles within the park and they have a small collection of pictographs, which are cool. 

Winter on Totem Row Saxman

So if you have an interest in totem poles and the many tales and stories they tell, be sure to visit one or all 4 of the totem exhibits on your visit to Ketchikan.

Till Next Time,

K-townKing 

   

I Love This Time of Year

Spring Time in Southeast Alaska

I love this time of year in SE. Alaska. Spring, I start looking for it around Thanksgiving. After my first winter I was ready to pack it in and head for drier pastures. But along come spring and it's what really sold me on staying in this pristine part of Alaska. No matter how miserable the winter, how badly you suffered from cabin fever, the first days of spring are welcomed warmly. I can't speak for everyone, but for me, the energy just leaps from me. This morning I awoke to the sound of song birds instead of the crunching of snow and ice under the passing vehicles. Even though the snow is lingering and the temperature is on the chilly side, there where many folks up and at'em, as evident on my morning walk. It was so enjoyable that I extended it by visiting Ward Lake and taking a stroll along the creek. Ya got to love it!

Along Ward Lake Creek

I wasn't the only one with the feeling of spring, it was apparent all through Ketchikan this fine morning. Downtown, they where busy pressure washing the grim of winter off several buildings, as well I saw several people cleaning the windows of their businesses. With only a few short weeks until the first cruise ship visitors, there is a lot to do before they arrive.

Speaking of a lot to do, I need to finish my laundry, so that'll do for now. If you haven't been out and experienced SPRING, GET OUTSIDE!!!


 SPRING ON & ENJOY,
the K-TOWN KING

Grilling Fish Outdoors

      In SE. Alaska when it comes to grilling seafood, fish is always be at the top of the list. With some nice fishes and a grill alone, you would be able to produce so many delectable dishes with only that. In grilling fish, you would first have to classify fish into firm and tender, whole and fillet and use different grilling approaches when in comes to the fish depending on how you would classify them. Be aware that aside from direct grilling, you could also roast, sear and do a lot more with fishes on the grill.

     When grilling fillets, make sure that it is at least 1 inch thick and reasonably large for consumption. When putting them on top of the grill, do not forget to turn them every 2 minutes or less. You will know if you are doing this right if you have a nice set of grill marks on the sides of the fish, this of which is the sign of a grilling master.Make sure that the fire is not too strong as not to burn the fish but just right as to make the fish juicy and tender right after being grilled. Another way to cook fish is to have them smoked with the use of seasoned wood chips. The smoke made by these chips would infuse the fish with a different but really pleasant flavor.

    When it comes to marinating fish, you can come up with virtually anything you can imagine as long as it would taste good on the fish, just take note that liquid marinades are easier to absorb and would seep deeper into the fish as compared to sauces. When marinating fish, put the fish and the marinade together in a container and allow 30 minutes for the fish to soak up. Refrigerating while marinating is also highly advised, only bring out the fish when it is ready to be cooked.

     If the marinade used on the fish should be used as a sauce, have it boil by itself for at least five minutes. Since the fish was raw when it was soaked in it, it could have traces of bacteria which we would not want on the sauce. Boiling it eliminates bacteria in it.

 

     There are just three things to keep in mind when it comes to grilling hygiene; that of which is it should be hot, it should be oiled and it should be cleaned. You can start of by having the grill cleaned every time before you start grilling. Make sure that you scrub all residues off the surface since these can fall inside the grill and cause flare ups or induce a different flavor into the items being grilled. You would not want to grill fish and have it taste like prime rib.

     After that, you should make sure that the grill is pre heated even before throwing in the items to be grilled. This is the most common mistake people make especially for those who own gas grills as they would tend to throw items in the grill immediately after starting the fire. The last one is you have to make sure that the surface is oiled well enough to keep residue from sticking to the grill’s surface later on. You can do this by spraying small amounts of vegetable oil on the surface before grilling.

 

     Grilled fish is best served with other grilled seafood such as scallops, shrimps, or crabs. It would also do well with grilled peppers, asparagus and onions. Grilled fish looks very appetizing when it has grill marks on the side, this of which is commonly noted as the mark of an expert when it comes to grilling.

     This does not only look appetizing but is also a good way of judging that the fish is cooked right. Serving it with a salad and a soup would have everyone eating it have a good memory with grilled fish.

 

     Well I've gone and done it, I've made myself hungry, so I believe I'll fire up the barby and practice what I wrote about. Don't you wish you could be here couple hours from now? 

 

Enjoy Your Day,

K-townking

 

 

 

 

3 Tips On Kayak Fishing

Let me start out by saying you'll never find me doing this, fishing from a kayak. I first heard about kayak fishing in the newspaper and I've seen it in action. I was out for a leisurely boat ride one day last summer when we spotted this guy in a kayak just cruising through the water, as we come closer he yelled "It most be a monster!" He told us he had it under control and off we went to enjoy our day.

It takes a long time to learn the art of kayak fishing. An apprenticeship must be served in order to transform a novice kayak angler into a veteran kayak angler, which can be discouraging and take years to prefect.

The nearest thing to a short cut is to find an old-timer and have him take you under his wing and then accompany him on his kayak fishing trips.

Generally, kayak fishing increasing in popularity and steadily creating sustainable gratifications aside from the fact that kayaks have been used for fishing for a long time.

History has it that even in early times; kayak fishing has been the primary source of fish supply ranging from "big flat halibut" to other types of big fish. These activities, which took place from the mid 18th century until the late part of it, were all noted by the Russian Orthodox priests. These turn of events are know as "The Native History"

From then on kayak fishing continued to grow and dominate the fishing industry, when once, people were doubtful if it could aid the anglers to catch fish. The steady feature brought about by its "sit-on" type has long been the primary characteristics of kayaks that made it an ideal fishing boat.

However, with kayak fishing, you have to be able to multitask, keep the kayak steady as you paddle through the water keeping the fish on the line, which is part of the whole process.

Therefore, for folks who wish to know the tips about kayak fishing, here's 3 tips that might help you enjoy this tricky activity.

1)  Safety First
Like any activity, it's necessary the before you plunge into action, you must first and fore most observe some safety measures, be sure you can protect yourself from any imminent danger.
The kayak angler must check the weather, tide conditions and any elements concerning kayaking.

2) Hatches Should Be Closed At All Times
The kayak angler should always try to keep the hatches closed while fishing. Water can never seep into you kayak when you keep the hatches closed.

3) Steady Fish
It will make things a lot easier for the angler that when out on the water to drop an anchor to help keep the boat steady while your on the verge of catching a fish.
Best of all, before you head out on your kayak, it would be a great idea to inform family or friends of your whereabouts. In this way, someone can keep track of your activity.

As we say in Alaska, safety should be first!!!

Remember that fellow at the first of this post, we passed him as we were coming into K-town. He showed us the salmon that was towing him, a nice bright King salmon about 40lbs.

Go Have Some Fun!!

K-townking

Cruising to Alaska-What to Look For in a Cruise Line.

Are you planning a cruise to Alaska this summer? If so, you are not a lone. The season has just gotten under way and K-town has had ships in port everyday since May 6. This is just the start as Ketchikan will have more than 800,000 visitors from the cruise ships alone. If you have never been on a cruise, you may be wondering what activities, facilities, and services can be found onboard. The activities found onboard will vary from one ship to another, but many cruise ships have a number of activities and services in common.
Cruises to Alaska are a popular vacation choice. Instead of visiting a beach,an amusement park, or going camping, more people are making the decision to book an Alaskan cruise. If you're interested in taking  an Alaskan cruise vacation, there are a number of decisions you must make. One of those decisions is finding a cruise line to vacation on.
Selecting a cruise line to vacation on may seem an easy decision, but for many it's not. There are a large number of cruise lines currently offering vacation cruises to Alaska. To find the cruise line that will offer what you want, you are encouraged to research and fully examine all of your choices. This should include examining well-known and lesser known cruise lines.
Some of the most well-know facilities found on cruise ships are dining halls, restaurants, and cafeterias. Large cruise ships may offer a number of onboard dining facilities. It's important to note that many of these dining facilities are considered upscale restaurants. In addition to a sit-down restaurant, there are usually a number of small eateries located onboard. Elegant dining restaurants are popular among cruises. To ensure that you are able to enjoy an elegant meal, you are encouraged to schedule a reservation as soon as you board ship.
Aside from dining facilities, bars and dance halls are also found on most cruise ships. As with most of the bars and dance halls found at home, there maybe age restrictions in place. If you are traveling with your family, they may have to complete other activities while you enjoy the nightlife at sea. If this should occur, you are in luck because most cruise ships have daycare centers and other activities geared towards children of all ages.
When examining each cruise ship line, I encourage you to view the company's online websites. These websites are sources of valuable information. In addition to learning about activities offered onboard, you can often take a virtual tour of the ship. This tour will give an idea as to what you should expect from a particular ship. If you don't have access to the internet, contact a cruise line representative.
Selecting a cruise line to vacation on is almost as important as the cruise ship itself. I encourage you to review feedback from previous customers. This feedback can easily be obtained online.You should also examine the cost of your Alaska cruise. You'll see that a number of cruise lines charge higher prices for their cruises. Your ability to afford these fees should be examined closely.
Take your time to research and examine each cruise line before coming to a decision. I also encourage you to take what you have learned and apply it to what you want and need out of your vacation. Doing so will ensure that you book a cruise with a cruise line that can provide what you want.

Hope to see you in Ketchikan, Alaska this summer,

the K-townking

Fishing License

Fishing is just one of the many forms of enjoyment I get to do with my family and friends. It's a time for relaxation, bonding with the grandson and a great escape from the pressures of daily life.

To be able to fish, you have to obtain a fishing license since it's required by law and the regulations regarding fishing varies from state to state.

Getting a license to fish is really quite simple. You may obtain your fish license in just a matter of minutes and be ready to go catch your limit.

The fishing license allows you to fish or possess any aquatic creature as long as it is authorized by the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game regulations. The license is non-transferable and is not refundable. Your license is only valid for one year or season.

Fishing licenses vary from state to state, a fishing license can either be a resident license or a non-resident license. To qualify for resident license, you should been a resident for about 6 months, should be a local tax payer, must be a registered voter and have a valid driver's license from that state. In addition,one can not possess or apply for any resident hunting, fishing or trapping privileges in any other state or country. A non-resident fishing in another state must be accompanied by a person from that state.

There is no age limit for anyone to acquire a fishing license.People both young and old can obtain it.Usually a person under 12 may fish without one and in Alaska retired people get theirs for life. Everyone in between must obtain a fishing license.

Now that you have your license, grab some bait, fuel the boat and your ready to go FISHING !!!
See Ya On the Water

K-townking

T'is the Season

Man, I can't believe how fast the year has flown by. It's really been one filled with learning alot of new things and having a ton of FUN doing it. If someone had told me this time last year that I would have accomplished the things I have, I would have told them they were NUTS!! I hope those of you who have taken the time to read this blog will continue to follow the K-townking and that you will learn a little about Ketchikan, Ak. and some of the many things to do and see when you visit SE. Alaska. Whether you come by cruise ship, plane, Alaska state ferry, or your own boat this is the place to learn about our BIG little town, of Ketchikan, Alaska.
I know that things have been on the slack side here lately, but life got in the way and I needed some down time. So, now that I'm all rested and ready to get back at it, things will start rolling along shortly after the HOLIDAYS. I want to wish all of you the very best that the season has to offer. May you all find PEACE and HAPPINESS in the coming year, make it a good one, I know I will.

MERRY CHRISTMAS &
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!

Till Then, K-townking

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