SAILING ALASKA 2007 – Ch. 8

June 28 – At last writing we had just arrived here at Sitka. We planned to stay three nights at the dock but found so much to see and do here that we stayed an extra day. A lot of Alaskan History took place right here and we were kept busy trying to do and see all we could in this short time.

"Sitka is situated on Baranof Island, on the outer coast of Alaska’s panhandle, the narrow strip of lands, islands and waterway clinging to the western edge of Canada’s British Columbia. The city rests in the heart of North America’s only temperate rain forest, the Tongess.

Sitka is old. The history of the United States is but a heartbeat in the history of Sitka. The eruption of Mt. Edgecumbe 8,000 years ago is the cultural starting block. It can be viewed from miles around with it’s beautiful snow-covered volcano peak.

The Tlingits thrived undisturbed on their island paradise until 1799, when the Russians arrived. It wasn’t long before Alexander Baranof, manager of theRussian American Company, established a fort a few miles north of present day Sitka. The Tlingits grew immediately hostile, understanding that submission to the Russians meant allegiance to the Tzar and slave labour to the fur trade company. Their suspicions turned to violence when the Tlingits finally attacked the Russian outpost in 1802, killing nearly all of the Russians and their Aleut slaves.

Two years later Baranof retaliated. For six days, the island natives fought gallantly, but were ultimately outgunned and exited silently into the night. The Russians re-named the settlement New Archangel. Russian Orthodox Church clergy soon took up residency and fortress-like structures systematically replaced clan houses atop a shore side hill, a sight later known as CASTLE HILL.

The fur trade flourished and the Russian American Company became the most profitable fur trader in the world. By mid century, however, over-hunting had diminished the number of sea otters and therefore the Russians’ interest in the new world. In 1867, the Russians sold Alaska to the United States for $7.2 million with a transfer ceremony that took place on Castle Hill which today is a National Historic Landmark. Sitka served as the seat of Alaska’s Territorial Government until 1906, when that responsibility was yielded to Juneau."

Sitka combines a treasury of Native culture, Russian history, and Alaskan Wilderness. Their rich historical past is well documented in local museums and buildings.

One highlight was the RUSSIAN BISHOP’S HOUSE built in 1842 for Alaska’s first Russian Orthodox Bishop. The impressive structure is the largest Russian log building in North America, and is literally a time capsule for 19^th century Russian living with original furniture, appliances, and examples of period wardrobe still in place. Dedicated Russian missionaries first brought Orthodox Christianity to Alaska and among those was Saint Innocent Veniaminov (1797-1879) the first to reside in Alaska. His endeavors to spread the Gospel of Christ throughout Siberia and Alaska required of him a life of great hardship and love for his people. He was also a man of many talents: he designed St.Michael’s Cathedral and also built its original clock. He translated the Bible into native languages such as Tlingit and Aleut. ST. MICHAEL’S CATHEDRAL – a reconstruction of the original which burned to the ground during a devastating fire in 1966. It was the oldest church structure from the Russian era in Alaska. Since nearly all the icons were saved from the fire, the building has not lost its significance.

SITKA NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK – Founded in 1910, the 100 acre site it contains historic sights and structures related to the Tlingit Indian and Imperial Russian History in Sitka. The park preserves the remains of the Kiksadi Fort and the battleground where the Kiksadi and Russians fought in 1804. We visited the cultural center for Indian history and artists, a museum and a beautiful wooded park set aside for impressive Tlingit and Haida totem carvings. Hope you enjoy the pictures!!

We walked miles enjoying the above and many other things of interest such as the RUSSIAN REPERTOIRE – the New Archangel Dancers who performed a few spirited renditions that represented the cultures of Russia and surrounding areas. Norm and I even found time to take a couple hour hike through the woods up through the Indian River Estuary.

And, oh yes, Friday was our 50^th Wedding Anniversary and we were so happy that Marg and Dave and Carol and Dean joined with us at a lovely restaurant for dinner and a good time.

We heard it stated that there are more eagles in Alaska than all of the other states put together. If seeing is believing then I believe it!!

Saturday – the last day in June. We are ready to fuel up and make our departure. I can hear sighs of relief in that you are "thinking" that the Sitka stories have finally come to an end. How can you tell I like history?

The big decision now is will we backtrack as we head south or be adventurous and travel south along the coast of Baranof Island which will be open water to the Pacific? Yes, we chose the latter. And so we traveled 8 hours on this beautiful, sunny day and dropped anchor in Still Bay. Our next lap took us down and around Cape Ommaney and that took 7 hours. It was a bit breezy and cool and there was a low swell with some whitecaps. We saw many trollers fishing, and lots of sea lions on the rocks, a couple of whales and our first "puffin" sighting. They are such pretty birds but when we got close enough to take a picture they dove – but another time maybe? You can likely imagine that this is a rugged and very picturesque coast line.