Dawn in Ketchikan, Alaska.

View from the ship: Ketchikan, Alaska.

New Eddystone Rock.

We got to set the clocks back one more hour today, making us 4 hours behind EST.  That was a good thing because we were up at dawn for an early excursion to Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness.  On a high-speed catamaran we covered 100 miles, traveling through the Revillagigedo Channel to Behm Canal and around New Eddystone Rock (initially mistaken for a sailing vessel by Captain Vancouver), before entering the National Wilderness through Rudyard Bay.  As a glacial fjord, it looked very much like New Zealand’s Milford Sound, complete with narrow waterfalls, deep water and dramatic sheer cliffs.  Incredibly, we had another majestic day; chilly but with a dazzling blue sky and sparkling, calm water.

Upon returning to downtown Ketchikan, we walked around and saw famously bawdy Creek Street (the creek having no visible salmon today), and shops, ultimately finding Annabelle’s Famous Keg & Chowder House for lunch.   Our Halibut sandwich was fresh and delicious; expensive too.

After dinner we positioned ourselves in the ship’s Sky Lounge (top, forward) to look for whales during the sail through Snow Passage.  We weren’t disappointed.  We saw a number of “blows” and some surfacing in the distance.  Upon learning some were expected starboard in a few minutes, we rushed back to our room and were rewarded by seeing a young Humpback whale flip his tale for us.  Mama stayed under.

So far, our starboard cabin has had perfect views.