Sitka

                         Sitka in southeastern Alaska

Judy and I are back on the Alaska Marine Ferry system traveling from Haines at the end of the Alcan highway to Sitka in southeastern Alaska in the Inside Passage.  Sitka has no roads leading to it.  Our ferry takes 20 hrs and we have an overnight berth.

an absolutely mirror surface

We saw rafts of sea otters up to 50 individuals.  We were told that females and pups form their own rafts separate from the male rafts. 

Sitka was settled by Tlinget people over 10,000 years ago.  The Russians claimed Sitka in 1799 and the Russian Orthodox Church is prominent throughout the Inside Passage.  The Alaska Purchase was signed in Sitka in 1867 when Russia decided to sell Alaska to the U.S. when they saw no future in Alaska making money for them.

Sitka's Russian Orthodox Church

A Tlinget ceremonial canoe that Judy and I watched being launched and rowed across the bay.

The brown bear (grizzly) is the only bear species in Sitka.  We got to see this one swimming!

don't know if they are kidding or not?

?????

western red columbine