Kodiak and Dutch Harbor Alaska

[PennyAgain]

Keith, here's a link to Kodiak's newspaper. You might find out more about what to do there and how to do it.

 

Here is the winery's WEB page. I would telephone them and ask how to manage.

[mr green]

John, how far was the winery from downtown Kodiak? Did you take a public bus?

 

Keith

 

Its been a few years, I would say that the winery would be at least an hour away. As for 'Public Transportation', I am almost sure that there is none.

 

john

[MalibuCA]

Keith and others -

 

Hopefully you are still following this very old thread. Once again, Crystal is going to Dutch Harbor and Ketchikan - this time at the very start of May. This thread has helped tremendously to describe sites to see. Keith - What did you and Anne Marie end up doing in these ports? Has anyone done anything in these ports not already mentioned in the thread? We have been to Ketchikan twice before as well as Seward, but it was a while ago, and I would appreciate any suggestions you may have for sightseeing. We love doing the helicopters to the glaciers in Alaska, but it seems that all of the companies we contact do not begin their helicopter runs until later in the summer - due to weather conditions, I'm sure. We adore the wildlife - any suggestions for private companies or private tours that you can suggest would be very helpful. Also, any specific Crystal excursions that you enjoyed.

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[Keith1010]

Shelley, we were actually there the last time in April but have been to Ketchikan many times. The first few times we actually went Salmon fishing but you would be too early in the season for that. Since that April was our sixth time there we just walked the town and since it was so early in the season there were very few tourists there so we did the things we normally don't do when the town is swamped with visitors. We walked over to Creek Street and we did to the tour of the Dolly Museum and then we walked over to the otem Heritage Centre, and from there we walked another few miles and then we went back into town and walked in and out of many stores that were open that in the middle of the summer are swamped with visitors. Since this came towards the end of a very long voyage this is one of those days where we just enjoyed the town without any formalities of touring.

 

Shelly, I went back to look and when we were there Crystal did offer a Seaplane Exploration of Misty Fjords as well as another Flightseeing tour.

 

We had previously visited the Rainforest several years before. If you like nature that is nice.

 

This was our first time to Dutch Harbor. We didn't do a tour there because it was very early in the season so we were limited in what we could do. It was Easter Sunday. So we walked and walked and walked. Rather than taking the shuttle into town (shuttle were vans) we walked from the pier to town which I think was a 45 minute walk. There was snow on the ground and some snow flurries that day. We just took in the beauty of the area. There you can see a lot of eagles and it is far less commercialized than places such as Ketchikan and Juneau. They get a handful of cruise ships per season. They do get tourists who from there go see a lot of the Alaskan Wildlife. There are various places to visit in town.

 

Because it was early in the season Crystal only had one tour of Dutch Harbor and it was your highlights type of tour so we just enjoyed the town on our own without the formality of the tour.

 

You will be there a few weeks later.

 

In Seward, we visited the SeaLife Center on our own and did spend a few hours there and again we walked this charming town. All the times we had been there we never had visited the SeaLife Center and we enjoyed it. Since we were so early in the season we had this town as well as the others for ourselves and it is just so much different than when they are flooded with tourists including several cruise ships.

 

You probably have done this already but if not I would post on the Alaska Ports Of Call Board about private guides and also use TripAdvisor.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Oops, Shelley I hadn't realized this is the Alaska Ports Of Call Board. Thought it might be the Crystal Board.

 

Keith

[MalibuCA]

Haha! That's okay, Keith. Crystal is usually where I post - especially if I don't find my answers on the board for the specific port. I appreciate your information. It will be a dream, I'm sure, to visit these small towns WITHOUT lots and lots of tourists. The seaplane trip is great, I know - we did it our first trip to Alaska, and then, took our daughters with us on the same tour the next time we visited Alaska. I never tire of that, and I hope that Crystal can offer it again. However, it has been challenging to find private companies to do that so early in the season because of the possible weather complications. I expect that if it's challenging for the private companies, then it will be challenging for Crystal, too. Although I've known Crystal to "move mountains" when faced with an "impossible" situation. What comes to mind (since you mentioned it) is Easter Sunday in Bordeaux earlier this year. We were in Bordeaux overnight - on BOTH Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (which is a national holiday in France as well). Somehow Crystal still managed to open up the "closed" chateaus for us for both gala dinners and tastings! I look forward to seeing what is ultimately offered in Alaska!

 

Thanks,

Shelley

[Gardyloo]

Maybe not your thing, but the Chain is ground zero for serious birders (although the Pribilofs are true Nirvana.) There are a couple of local tour operators offering birding trips - http://www.unalaska.info/visitors/tours