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Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,541
Likes: 5
From: Weatherford Texas.
I recognize the old cannery at Icy Strait Point. What did you guys think of Hoonah?
I think it's one of the most genuine stops of the ships. Do they now let the ships moor at that side of the Strait?
Bring home any of their salmon?
Do anything special while at Hoonah? Go into town?
Pop
I think it's one of the most genuine stops of the ships. Do they now let the ships moor at that side of the Strait?
Bring home any of their salmon?
Do anything special while at Hoonah? Go into town?
Pop
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
When we were there in '06, they made us anchor on the other side of the strait and tender in all the way across.
The cruise lines musta' put some pressure on the Hoonans to save some considerable time, though it DID preserve the true beauty to do it that way.
The zip line is new since then. Eventually, they'll turn it into a major attraction, and all lines will stop there, which will detract from the native atmosphere they strove to maintain, and was the real call.
Are they allowing more than three ships a week, now? More than one a day? More than one at the same time?
"Pave paradise and put up a parking lot....."
Pop
The cruise lines musta' put some pressure on the Hoonans to save some considerable time, though it DID preserve the true beauty to do it that way.
The zip line is new since then. Eventually, they'll turn it into a major attraction, and all lines will stop there, which will detract from the native atmosphere they strove to maintain, and was the real call.
Are they allowing more than three ships a week, now? More than one a day? More than one at the same time?
"Pave paradise and put up a parking lot....."
Pop
Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,541
Likes: 5
From: Weatherford Texas.
All they can handle is one a day and so far it is only Royal Carribean/Celebrity and Princess. I think their highest season was 80 ships last year was abt 60. The bus driver that took us to the zip line said it was the town of Hoonah that had the zipline installed and begged the cruise lines to start stopping there. He said it started when the cost of fuel went up and the price of fish dropped, being primarily a fishing comunity they had to come up with another way to make some money. The went to all the cruise lines and the only one to agree in the begining was Royal Carribean. As far a major attraction Iam disappointed in what they did around Mount Mckinley, it used to just be the park, train station, and visitor center, now just outsdie the park is a large resort town called Denali I wish the state hadn't allowed that it really detracted form the wilderness of the area.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
What did you guys do at that port?
We barbeque'd our own fish out on the point, and went into town. Since my wife's a legal secretary, we poked around the courthouse (which is open only one day a week).
Icy Strait Point was a nice counterpoise to the long-established towns and tours.
Pop
We barbeque'd our own fish out on the point, and went into town. Since my wife's a legal secretary, we poked around the courthouse (which is open only one day a week).
Icy Strait Point was a nice counterpoise to the long-established towns and tours.
Pop
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
After you prolly stopped in Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau and maybe Sitka, I'd think your friend would be gift-shopped out.
Did'ja know that many of the gift shops (especially the jewelry stores) are owned by the cruise lines?
The people that staff them live in trailers in the area, then close up shop in October, move on to the Caribbean.
I bought "she, who must be obeyed" a ring in Aruba in February 2006, then spotted the same saleslady in Juneau in September.
You know what's worse? Look at the labels on many of those trinkets. Made in China!
Damn near everything for sale at the bird sanctuary's gift shop in Ketchikan had China labels on them.
In the back room were pasteboard boxes stacked to the ceiling with Chinese characters on them.
Step right up and buy yourself a totem pole made by natives. Natives to China...that is.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,541
Likes: 5
From: Weatherford Texas.
We think that the shopping is the only reason she went, she HAD to buy something in every stop especially jewelry, she is the type that buys a new outfit for everything. We went all the way to fairbanks so her shopping got old really fast. We got off the boat in Seward went through anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, to Faribanks. And yes the Jewelry stores are mostly co-owned by the cruise lines, there are a few that are locally owned.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 17,988
Likes: 207
From: La La Land
The big trading-post "pow-wow" they have in Quartzite every year is to buy the stuff for the season from the Chinese.
Native dream catchers? Navajo rugs?
Yea, sure.....
Pop
Ford Parts Specialist
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 88,826
Likes: 784
From: Simi Valley, CA
We think that the shopping is the only reason she went, she HAD to buy something in every stop especially jewelry, she is the type that buys a new outfit for everything. We went all the way to fairbanks so her shopping got old really fast. We got off the boat in Seward went through anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, to Faribanks. And yes the Jewelry stores are mostly co-owned by the cruise lines, there are a few that are locally owned.
Downtown Ketchikan has two large stores owned by locals that carry native made goods...Alaskan natives, that is.
When you went to Anchorage, did the bus you rode from Seward stop at that large outdoor 'swap meet' across from the Hilton?
All that stuff is made in Alaska.
IMO, the best place to buy native goods is in the pawn shops, this is also the case in AZ and NM.
btw: Did'ja happen to read my post #303? Y'all may have missed it...since the little weas...uh...Anthony changed the subject.
