North to Alaska: Sitka

 The view from my breakfast room window this morning.

Sitka, like all places we’ve been so far … full of the scenery.

Those dead looking cedars are in fact dying from lack of snow. Apparently the snow acts as an insulating blanket protecting the roots from the cold in winter. Less snow means colder roots and the trees are damaged. They can’t be logged though bc this area is a huge national park.

Shore day in Sitka when there’s two ships in port means a doubling of the population, well potentially - if everyone got off the boats - and it sure seemed like that was the case when we were waiting in the interminable bank queues. It’s hard to believe that Sitka, perm population of 8,000 was once the capital of Alaska. It was also once Russian. This is plainly obvious in the st Michael’s cathedral which dominates the town centre. 

One with crowds & ubiquitous photobomb

One with crowds photoshopped out so you can see it a little better

The crowds inside were respectful but still treating this as a tourist attraction. I found this quite sad.

Some of the icons date from the mid-17th century & Russian roots but this building is a reconstruction of the original which burnt down in 1996.

The ship arrived late to Sitka, due to our delay in leaving Vancouver & then a wait not long out of Vancouver port for a medical emergency. So disembarking was late today and our lovely priority get-on-the-shuttle quickly tix were voided, bit miffed about this nonsensical reasoning for canceling this perk we have already paid for with not even an apology let alone an offer of compensation. The wait in the queues definitely detracted from the pleasure of the day, and the whole debacle meant we literally had 30 mins in Sitka before returning to line up again for the return trip and yet wait another queue for a whale watching experience. 

but

WE SAW HUMPBACK WHALES! And that was amazing! no photos bc those suckers are fast! 

We saw see otters, eagles, porpoises, puffins (oh goodness sooo cute!) none of which I can show you bc too fast, too far away, too many heads in the way.

I CAN show you sea lions bc these fellas are lazeee.