The day looked clear and sunny so we decided to walk into town (about 1.5 miles). There's not much to see in Hoonah (town) but the stroll along the boardwalk to get there is amazing. Here's a map of the area for those interested in checking this out.
Of course there's the usual cruise ship trinket stores right at the cruise area (shown on the map), but there's also a very nice nature walk that we took before heading into town, right at the end of the dock. This quiet trail through a lush forest should be enjoyed early before the zip line and other noisy activities get going.
We were amazed by the trees that grow in unusual directions over the rocky shoreline. The flora is filled with exotic looking plants and everything is covered in moss. It's a very short, level trail so just about anyone can do this little walk.
As we walked along the Tenakee Inlet we saw Humpback whales and bald eagles. Someone even said they saw a bear with her cub at the island across the bay. The tide was low so the eagles would swoop down and grab fish then head back up to their high perches in the fir trees.
Park benches are placed strategically along the path so we would sit down and just watch the action for a while. Just experiencing this peaceful, pristine setting for taking in the beauty around you is a pleasure beyond compare. When we finally got into town we watched some natives working on a totem pole and asked a local if there was anything else to see in town. She said not much so we opted to head back to the ship. Here's one of their finished totem poles. You know that saying, "he's not high on the totem pole" that we always assumed meant "he's not important"? It seems the lower on the totem pole the more important the person is so that saying is completely backward.
There's an old cemetery along the way with some Jewish graves from the 1800s. It's small but somewhat interesting. I wish I knew more about the history of this place.
At one of the restaurants right in the cruise area we considered getting an Alaska crab lunch but the cost was $100 for one crab. I don't think so! The ship was offering a seafood feast in the Tuscan Grill specialty restaurant for $70, but we were scheduled to fly into George Inlet Lodge for a crab feast the next day. Instead we headed back to the ship and noticed some starfish on the supports for the pier. Here's a not very good picture of them. Notice all the barnacles as well.
Back on the ship we ate lunch and then went back up to the pool to relax. What a perfectly peaceful day! The ship sailed at 3:30 p.m. so most everyone was back on board early. We finally enjoyed a true Alaskan sunset.
I want to include some pictures of the cabin since everything has been re-done. It is very stylish and functional with a weathered wood look, but still not much drawer space. The shower is much nicer, with a glass door and more space. These aren't my pictures. Our cabin never looks this neat!
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