Ketchikan and Beyond

Ketchikan and Beyond

January 15,2020

Well the last 3 plus months have been a blur and time has flown by since our last up date. We have celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas, and we have lots to be thankful for in 2019. Let’s see if we can get you caught up with the Ramblin Ruis adventures.

August 30 to September 30

Ketchikan Alaska

Creek Street in Ketchikan

We arrived in Ketchikan at 7:00 am on August 30 via the Alaska Highway Ferry. Once we off loaded we met Ashley at the local Walmart at around 8:30 am where she picked us up and off to Allen Marine we headed. We agreed to work for Allen Marine for the month of September as Dock Representatives. So not wasting anytime we went to the office and met the staff, filled out our paperwork and went to take our drug test. After completing the paperwork we picked up our uniforms and officially became members of the “Green Team” which is the nickname for the dock reps as each member wears a bright lime green tee shirt and or a lime green rain jacket. After finishing our pre-employment obligations we headed off to set up our home for the month which was located at the Clover Pass RV Park and Marina which is located on the island north of Ketchikan. We were given a great site at Clover Pass which backed right up to the bay and looked over the Marina.

September 1 was our first day of work so as dock reps we had to be at work by 630 am so we could meet the arriving cruise ship passengers and escort them to the appropriate awaiting Allen Marine tour boat. We had 5 team members Paula and I were filling in as most of the dock reps from the year were college students and left at the end of August to return to school.  As we quickly learned this was a fairly fast paced job that was on a tight schedule. We usually had 2 or 3 tours going at the sametime from one of the 4 berths that the cruise ships were docked. We were divided into 2 teams and dressed in our green shirts and rain jackets we would stand in front of our assigned ship with a sign for the tour. These tours numbered any where from 20 to 150 passengers depending on the tour. We would either gather the tour and walk them as a group to their tour boat or we would send them down the pier to another “Green Team” member who would direct them to their tour boat.

One of us would collect their tickets and board them on the tour.  Once the tours left, we would fill out paperwork for the cruise line to verify the total tickets to be reimbursed to Allen Marine by the cruise line. Then we would go back to the cruise ship and reconcile with the ships repersentive.  This was pretty much our work schedule while in Ketchikan.    

Besides working and helping Allen Marine out, Ketchikan was the best part of our Alaska trip. Spending time with Ashley and Tristian was wonderful as they were great host.

Not only were they great hosts but they spoiled us several times a week with the great meals and deserts that Tristan made, key lime pie, cranberry coffee cake, and cloudberry cheesecake to mention a few. We had wonderful time picnicking and hiking, wildlife watching and gazing at the northern lights just to mention a few of our adventures.

Needless to say, this month was a priceless part of our adventure in Alaska.

 

Courtesy of Peter Straight

We left Ketchikan on September 30 on the historic last ever ferry from Ketchikan to Prince Rupert Canada. Because of US Customs requirements that their personnel be armed while on duty, and a refusal of Canada to allow US personnel to be armed, the decision was made to close the US Customs office in Prince Rupert. So, with no customs no more ferry service between these cities.

From Prince Rupert we caught the BC Ferry to Victoria Island and then the Blackball ferry line from Victoria Island to Port Angeles Washington.  Once back in the lower 48 we spent time at Olympic National Park, Cape Flattery, Oregon Coast and then made our way back to Las Cruces. We then rented a car and made a whirlwind two week trip back east to see family and friends making several stops going and coming to visit with members of our “Yellowstone Family”. 

So, from the time we left Ketchikan until we returned to Las Cruces for the winter we drove almost 8000 miles, were in two countries, traveled through 18 states ,crossed 7 time zones and rode 3 ferries.

WOW

NO wonder we were worn out and haven’t done much exciting since we returned to Las Cruces.

Closing out 2019 were have been very blessed with the adventures we have been able to take, the new friends we have made, renewing old friendships and spending priceless time with Ashley and Tristan along the way. As we look forward to the new decade, we will leave you with a review of 2019 in pictures.

Matanuska Glacier

Break Time in Whittier Alaska

Until Next Time 
Ramblin Ruis