Haines - a Delight!

Sunday June 4 - Tuesday June 6th - Haines Alaska

View from Chilkat State Park across the Lynn Canal
to Glacier Bay National Park

Haines is a perfectly delightful town with tons of things to see and do along with great services for travelers! On Sunday we rode the Alaska Ferry down the Lynn Canal from Skagway to Haines - a 45 minute ride that was well-worth the $200 fare - in the time saved (we didn't have to drive the distance up and around and back down) and the fun it provided for us! It's a fast ferry and the scenery - in true Alaskan style - was tremendous - huge glacier-covered peaks surrounding us on all sides.

We also enjoyed the entertainment:

• Two frantic Arctic Terns who had laid their eggs within inches of the vehicle boarding ramp of the ferry were determined that no humans or monster vehicles would damage their progeny. They attacked everyone and everything in sight with a vengeance. So far, they are winning, since the fine for damaging the eggs or birds is substantial (quoted to us as in the $100,000 range). All of the dock personnel responsible for vehicle loading had to duck and run from the diving birds. We remained safely in our vehicles with our windows closed.

Mama and Papa guarding their two precious eggs

• All long vehicles had to load the ferry in reverse. Try backing up a 40 ft. long truck and trailer combo or a behemoth 45 ft. motor home down a ramp and up a ramp and onto a ferry (making 3 turns). The ferry staff was talented and knew all the tricks...we could have never accomplished that feat without their substantial guidance. All accomplished while carefully avoiding those precious Tern eggs. Bravo!

Slowly...ok, to the left...no the birds! To the right...OK

• The ride on the ferry was fast and fun! It took a 3 hours wait to get on the boat and 45 minutes to get to Haines. The views were spectacular!

It was fast! Skagway in the rear

Heading up Lynn Canal toward Haines

Fun!

Docking with the Glacier National Park in sight across the canal

We stayed for three nights at a cute little private RV park in Haines. It provided all the amenities (hot showers, electric hookup, travel assistance, and beautiful grounds) - and we sure appreciated them.

Over the next two days we toured the local sights: the Klukwan Heritage cultural center, the Chilkat State Park on the edge of Glacier Bay, the Chilkoot Lake Recreation Area, the American Bald Eagle Foundation Museum and Aviary, the Sheldon History Museum and last, but not least, the Hammer Museum. We had originally scheduled a two-hour Flight-Seeing trip over Glacier Bay, but the heavy winds and rain prevented it.  Better safe than sorry. We'll take a flight somewhere else. We even had a tasty dinner at a fantastic little farm-to-table restaurant in town, the Pilotlight! We loved the town and the area, which was lush and intensely green. We didn't dare stand still here very long here, or we would be covered by plants.

The town was authentic with small stores that carried local art.  It was perfect!

The Pilotlight, where we had a fabulous dinner one cold rainy evening -
it reminded us of Mendocino in the 70's

Yes - why not ?

Off-the-boat fresh fish stew complete with clams, mussels, halibut and calamari. The best!

Salmon burger supreme!

Klukwan heritage site, just opened in 2016
to celebrate the final return of their most cherished art (stolen in the 60's)

Klukwan site potlatch art

Hammer museum - including over 2000 hammers -
even a frying pan (an angry wife's hammer)!

Amma's great aunt - coyote at the Eagle Foundation museum

Sheldon Museum in town

Whale baleen

We picked up some smoked salmon for our stay at Denali...the bears will love us!

Ernie's catch of the day!

Hanging Glaciers across the Lynn Canal at the Chilkat State Park

Campground Host Cabin at Chilkat State Park - now this is a tough gig!
A home, stipend for food and a fabulous view. The hosts were originally from Grass Valley, CA

Weir at the Chilkoot Lake Recreation site -
39 total Sockeye since early June, 4 today and counting

Chilkoot Lake - like a mirror - It is sacred to the Klukwan people

Chilkoot Lake canoes waiting for guests

Waiting for the salmon to begin their run!

The Native-owned cannery where we purchased our smoked salmon

We loved Haines since it represented much of what we had been seeking when we started this trip: authenticity, friendly people, breathtaking scenery and a beautiful local artwork. We are so glad we stopped here for several days.