Really fresh Salmon, anyone? Scene from right beside our ship!Ketchikan! The first city in Alaska AND the Salmon Capitol of the World! Here's proof:
After making port and be able to disembark (get off the boat) we took a tour to and through the Tongass National Forest. We wanted to see what a rainforest in Alaska looked like. Rainforest in Alaska? You bet! The second largest rainforest in the world. 160 inches of rain per year. 17,000,000 acres in the National Forest.
Here's some of what we saw:
Ferns. Alaska? Yep!
Another wet lands denizen -- Skunk Cabbage.
Renewal. Note that the downed tee trunk is covered in mosses. A young tree has taken root in the mosses but has sent out root tendrils (the white "strings" in the left center of the picture) to try to reach more substantial soil for future growth.
When all goes well, that young tree will look like this in 25 to 50 years:
Those tendrils have quite the growth future in store!
But the rainforest is home to not just flora, but fauna, too. Here are some:
"Nevermore"
Juvenile Eagle posing in abandoned sawmill. He won't get his distinctive white head and tail until about age 5.
The Real Deal Soars!
And Another.
This Great Horned Owl is undergoing rehab, but wanted to be included.
Then it was back to the ship for a late lunch and an afternoon of, what else?, shopping. To escape terminal boredom, I made up a game for you. It's called Where is MMG? The game board is below. I guarantee that MMG is in this picture!
And a little oddity to share. We had to come all the way to Ketchikan to catch this picture of both ends of the road transportation continuum:
The latest in battery powered cars in the front, the horse-drawn wagon in the background.....
After making port and be able to disembark (get off the boat) we took a tour to and through the Tongass National Forest. We wanted to see what a rainforest in Alaska looked like. Rainforest in Alaska? You bet! The second largest rainforest in the world. 160 inches of rain per year. 17,000,000 acres in the National Forest.
Here's some of what we saw:
Ferns. Alaska? Yep!
Another wet lands denizen -- Skunk Cabbage.
Renewal. Note that the downed tee trunk is covered in mosses. A young tree has taken root in the mosses but has sent out root tendrils (the white "strings" in the left center of the picture) to try to reach more substantial soil for future growth.When all goes well, that young tree will look like this in 25 to 50 years:
Those tendrils have quite the growth future in store!But the rainforest is home to not just flora, but fauna, too. Here are some:
"Nevermore"
Juvenile Eagle posing in abandoned sawmill. He won't get his distinctive white head and tail until about age 5.
The Real Deal Soars!
And Another.
This Great Horned Owl is undergoing rehab, but wanted to be included.Then it was back to the ship for a late lunch and an afternoon of, what else?, shopping. To escape terminal boredom, I made up a game for you. It's called Where is MMG? The game board is below. I guarantee that MMG is in this picture!
And a little oddity to share. We had to come all the way to Ketchikan to catch this picture of both ends of the road transportation continuum:
The latest in battery powered cars in the front, the horse-drawn wagon in the background.....
THE END!
We still have to sail down to Vancouver where we will catch a bus to Seattle, but the cruise is really over, so this seems appropriate.
Our love to you all.
MMG and DDG
We still have to sail down to Vancouver where we will catch a bus to Seattle, but the cruise is really over, so this seems appropriate.
Our love to you all.
MMG and DDG
No comments:
Post a Comment