Summary of Content
After our departure from Seattle, we arrived at our initial destination in Alaska – Ketchikan!
The thrill of finally reaching Alaska was overwhelming, prompting a swift breakfast as I eagerly donned suitable attire and set forth to discover Ketchikan.
The day’s agenda was straightforward: embark on a boat, catch several crabs, and return to shore for an extravagant crab feast!
Of course, I also aimed to explore Ketchikan, but I planned to do that after our crab dining experience.
The Inside Passage, by the way, represents a series of waterways connecting the expansive islands along the Pacific Northwest coastal region of the United States and British Columbia in Canada. This article on Wikipedia provides additional insights on this route and its characteristics.
Off we ventured aboard a smaller vessel (as opposed to the Celebrity Solstice), admiring the imposing mountains that dominated the landscape, seemingly reaching into the clouds! Their grandeur is indeed striking, and the entire vista appears truly dramatic!
Along the route, we observed bald eagle nests, accompanied by the majestic birds themselves (although at that moment, I had just acquired new camera lenses, resulting in a lack of eagle photos – rest assured, I swiftly adapted and captured excellent shots later on 😉).
We paused in the Inside Passage to examine the fishermen’s crab traps, where we retrieved a pot brimming with Dungeness crabs. (An interesting note – Dungeness crabs have been endorsed by Seafood Watch as a viable alternative to “overfished species or those caught in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.)
Unfortunately, the crabs we caught would not be suitable for immediate consumption; those intended for our meal were already boiling and awaiting us upon our return to the harbor where we embarked.
With that, we made our way back, eager to indulge in our crab feast!
The perspective of Ketchikan remains breathtaking, a clear demonstration of the remarkable Alaskan scenery.
Upon returning to the harbor, we acquired Alaskan beers, crab crackers (or any suitable tool to break the shells), and clarified butter – all in preparation for feasting on our freshly prepared crabs!
Interestingly, when the crabs first arrived, I initially thought, “What? Just one? I believed this was intended to be a feast!” and almost begrudgingly began eating the crab when I discovered that this single serving was merely an appetizer, with many more to follow!
At this juncture, we were distinctly ravenous, thus we wasted no time and began enjoying our meal immediately!
Fortunately, I need not have worried about the quantity of crabs available – one receives an abundance of crab during the feast! The service continues until you indicate otherwise!
I became so engaged in eating the crab, particularly when notified that the table accumulating the highest shell count would receive a reward (“Simple enough!” I thought, “I have no intention of stopping until they run out in the kitchen!”).
Unbeknownst to me, I had accumulated substantial amounts of crab ‘juice’ on myself – it was only upon returning to the Celebrity Solstice and later wearing the same jumper for dinner that I recognized I probably should have donned a bib. 😆😆😆 (All I could detect was crab aroma – suffice it to say, that jumper remained unworn for the rest of the trip.)
Despite our best efforts, the crabs triumphed over us, preventing us from achieving the crab shell stacking accolade!
Nonetheless, we departed with satisfied stomachs, filled with the most exquisitely prepared Dungeness crabs, which I consider a victory in itself.
Upon returning to Ketchikan, we were prepared for a stroll through the city.
Ketchikan is a relatively compact city, making it highly walkable; hence, it is ideal for exploration during a brief period of free time. It may not be bustling, but be sure to visit the Red Light District while you are here.
The Red Light District in Ketchikan is perhaps the most charming version of such an area you may ever encounter.
With colorful houses reminiscent of a storybook (some of which you can explore for intriguing historical accounts) and others from which you can procure Alaskan souvenirs.
Instead, we found ourselves captivated by the movement in the creek. It turns out that the creek hosts a significant number of salmon that swim upstream during their spawning season, and they tend to dart about energetically in the water.
This darting made more sense when we realized that seals also inhabit this creek! Seals enjoy salmon, and it’s safe to say that these seals had an abundant feast right here.
I found considerable joy observing the seals as they frolicked, completely unconcerned by the human activity surrounding them, until it began to rain, and we hurried back to the Celebrity Solstice.
Before I forget, the actual Crab Feast was an experience arranged with Celebrity Cruises prior to boarding.
While it’s possible to arrange excursions onboard or explore independently, Alaska is not a destination we frequent, and I wished to ensure all our experiences were organized ahead of time. You’ll understand why once you witness our adventures in Juneau – our subsequent stop 😉😀.
The view while departing Ketchikan, by the way, remains stunning, so be certain to obtain a drink and find a comfortable spot anywhere on the vessel (we procured a bottle of bubbly and utilized our balcony for both) to soak it all in.
^If you look closely at the image above, you can identify at least four bald eagles perched atop the tree.
Thus, we ventured onward, with a glimpse of the majestic beauty that Alaska has in store for us over the ensuing days… 😁
