We awoke to swells on the ocean and a rumble of thunder. But fortunately the seas calmed, and we were able to enter Sitka harbor. The sun shone, and we boarded the tenders, because this is a harbor that is too small for the big ships. So we got another boat ride as a bonus. First settled by the Russians, Sitka is a small town with about 8500 people, and sets at the base of a dormant volcano, which does spit out smoke now and then. Our guide shared a funny story about a town prankster who lit off his own volcano eruption on the 4th of July one year, using a pile of old tires and fireworks, causing many people to call 911, asking about the volcano activity.
We boarded a bus, which took us to St. Michael's Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church, which is beautifully restored after a fire in the downtown district years ago. Then on to the Convention Center, where we enjoyed a group of all woman-Russian folk dancers. We went to the Sheldon Jackson Museum of native arts, and were wowed by the amazing collection of artifacts and handiwork, and got our first close-up look at forget-me-nots! We also discovered an old miner (statue) walking around the town and took a picture of him. While driving around Sitka we noticed many eagles in the harbor channels, awaiting lunch from the canneries. We found our own lunch on a balcony overlooking the town, and then ambled around in the gift shops, discovering a pharmacy with an old-fashioned soda fountain. Of course we had to sample their ice cream concoctions (mine was Italian soda and hubby had his usual hot fudge sundae), and then boarded the tender to return to the ship. Nice memories of a wonderful day in Sitka!
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