May 19 - Back to Ketchikan

 

May 19 – Back to Ketchikan

 

Workday.  Steve and Michelle are returning to the fleet today.  Dave and Jane have some work to do in town, I have a couple conference calls plus a few other calls for my NSP board work.  Glen, well he will find something to do. 

 

On the way we received a radio call from Spirit from RHYC.  Patrick and Miriam Gill are back on the water this summer which is wonderful.  They have Harry and Terri Johnson on board as friends and crew this summer which is great too.  They reported that Maximo with Steve and Kim Oberto are heading up  in a couple days from Seattle.  We look forward to crossing paths with all these friends this summer.    We now know of five RHYC boats in Alaska this summer, there may be more.  The weather and water have been great so far this trip.

 

We got into town and docked up with time to spare before taking the little boat over to the airport to pick up Steve and Michelle.  We’re glad to have them back with us.    This time we are moored in the Barr Harbor basin with lots of fishing boats, which is always fun.  It is much closer to the stores, not that a walk would hurt us.  Last week we were in the City Dock basin closer to town (tourist area). 

 

We did a quick run to the grocery, fishing tackle, and hardware stores looking for those last minute ‘we really don’t need but just want to haves’.  Like the 5 bags of potato chips; neither Glen nor Steve could resist the buy 2 get 3 free deal.   Luckily they only added 5 bags each to the inventory.  

 

I likely didn’t say it last week but Ketchikan, the more touristy areas like Creek Street etc… look like a ghost town.  Most stores are closed-up with windows covered with paper.  No cruise ships, and no hundreds of people walking the streets.  While Michelle, Jane and I were walking around we only a found one store open on Creek Street.  Covid has taken a toll on this city.   Very sad.   We are also not seeing nearly the boat traffic that we’ve seen in the past, but it is still early in the season.

 

The group minus 1 (me due to conference calls) went out to dinner.  Annabelle’s, buy a drink get dinner for $5