Today's highlight is a floatplane (seaplane to some of us) ride to try to view black bears.
We dock outside of town at Ward Cove. There is a large building with souvenir shops housing the terminal where excursions get organized for departure.
A short van ride and we arrive at the floatplane base. Our pilot is a personable young woman who looks more like a teenager. Between liftoff and landing she proves to be a very capable pilot. The pilot is the short woman standing next to the door to the plane.
The flight is smooth with the landing superb. The pilot is young, cute, personable and COMPETENT. We are flying over gorgeous scenery.
There is no assistance at the dock where we land. The pilot must jump out, grab lines attached to the wing and stop and secure the plane. What happens if she doesn't. Her copilot, that would be CJ isn't going to be must help. Two men asked for the copilot seat. The pilot asked their birthdays. The other guy went first. It's the first time CJ's New Year's birthday has won him anything.
A short uphill walk, van ride, and downhill walk takes us to a viewing station above a salmon stream. We're informed that it should be the height of salmon season but they have yet to begin their run, our bad luck.
At the last moment of our visit, one of the group spies a bear.
How does our tiny pilot get us going for the return flight? She pulls the plane to the end of the dock, with us all onboard. She turns it around the corner of the dock. She jumps in, starts it up and off we go.
On the return flight, the huge cruise ship that was across from us at Ward Cove is backing out. Seven Seas Explorer is the smaller ship still at the dock.
We fly over the floatplane base before performing a tight descending 180 and landing.
We do not have time to explore the picturesque old town of Ketchikan.
Dinner is at the premium restaurant, Pacific Rim. The food is excellent. The use of a Guwurtz wine is ideal and the sake also very good.
And another beautiful sunset.
No comments:
Post a Comment