Sitka
June 24, 2022
We left Juneau this morning and took a half hour flight to Sitka. Sitka is on Baranof Island, and faces the open ocean as opposed to the more protected towns we have visited thus far. The population is around 8,500.
Sitka was under Russian occupation until 1867 and boasts more Russian history than we’ve seen since visiting Kenai several years ago.
After arrival and a brief lunch, we took a scenic cruise around the Sitka Sound area. We saw lots of eagles, plus Stellar Sea Lions, otters and harbor porpoises. No whales.
We then went to Sitka History Museum and learned about Tlingit history, the later Russian occupation and the transfer of Alaska (which the Russians didn’t own) to the US. Throughout this trip, we remarked that the bounty of the land to sustain human habitation is quite remarkable. It is a harsh climate (at least to us) but it offers a lot. We then took a brief stroll around the town and saw the Russian Cathedral.
Saturday, June 25, 2022
This morning, we went to the Alaska Raptor Center a mile or two outside town. First we watched a short film, and then we saw eagles, owls and a hawk. Some are rehabilitating from injuries and will be released when healthy, and others are permanent residents. We took a walk through the forest.
Then we walked around the center of Sitka and took more photos of the outside of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral. After that, we walked to the Sitka Sound Science Center, with its small aquarium.
We headed back toward the town center, and stopped to visit the Russian Bishop’s House, built in 1843 and which is a National Historic Monument managed by the Park Service. We took a self-guided tour of the lower floor and then had an interesting guided half hour tour of the furnished upper story. This included a nice Russian Chapel.
After lunch, we went inside the cathedral, and then drove out to the Fortress of the Bear, which was just about at the end of the paved road heading south. This facility rescues orphaned brown and black bears. The bears were active and we enjoyed watching them.
Then we parked at the visitor center for the Sitka National Historic Park, where we saw exhibits about the history of the Tlingit, and then watched a video of the history of the area, including Russian and US impacts. We next walked about two miles or so on the Park’s trails through a lush forest looking at quite a few totem poles.
Tomorrow, we head to our last destination, Ketchikan.
