Page 16 - SE-vol15-issue2

magine being startled by a bald eagle with a 5-foot pepper then deglazed with brandy and a touch of
wingspan as it swoops down and grabs a fsh of cream, is rich and rewarding. The view of the Tongass
the surface of the water an arm’s length from the Narrows out your window might include the festive
Istern of your tiny fshing boat. To experience the lights of a massive cruise ship – or maybe just the
momentary adrenaline rush as a 40-foot whale silently sparkle from the town below. The beds are massive
breaks the surface and then sinks gracefully beneath and pillow soft. The wireless Internet service is quick
A short escape to Alaska? That might be stretching the water 10 feet from your ocean kayak. To have a and fawless. And of course there’s meeting space on
vigorous tug-of-war with a sea lion that wants the
site for groups from 10 to 200, and the adjacent Ted
the defnition a bit…but not by much, as it turns out fsh on your line as much as you do and isn’t giving up Ferry Civic Center can handle events of up to 500.
easily. To be able to experience the sheer wildness of a
If you have time, ride the funicular down the
place like Alaska. To be right out there and in it, rather hillside into town and check out some of the local
than watching it glide by from the rail of a cruise ship. history and color. Ketchikan is a fascinating mix of
Out Most people are surprised to learn that Ketchikan, shopkeepers, service workers, tour operators, pilots,
To be close enough to touch it, taste it and feel it.
people passing through on their way to somewhere
That’s a diferent kind of sensation – an unforgettable,
else and the blue-collar residents who entertain them,
once-in-a-lifetime sensation.
outft them and get them where they’re going –
It’s not as hard to imagine as you might think.
etc. Truly a unique place.
Alaska – jumping off point for a trip to the nearby
A SHORT HOP WEST
Waterfall and Steamboat Bay sport fishing resorts
The next morning, after a “Tundra” omelette of
– is only about 90 minutes by air from Seattle. It’s
reindeer sausage, onions and mushrooms topped
like taking a flight from Boston to Washington, DC
with melted swiss cheese, you pack up and head
or driving an hour-and-a-half from Chicago to Lake
down to the Promech Air terminal on the waterfront.
Geneva, WI (more about that on page 12). Certainly
Ketchikan’s geographic position as the southernmost
well within the boundaries of a quick getaway by
Alaskan city with a major airport and cruise ship facility
any definition.
has made it a popular portal to the state’s vast and
There Alaska? For someone like me – whose only prior a trip to Waterfall or Steamboat Bay – just a short hop
Why would you want to go sport fishing in
beautiful wilderness. It’s also the departure point for
fishing experience was standing by a pond with
west by foatplane to Prince of Wales Island, and 45
a fishing pole for hours on end and not catching
minutes later you’re tying up at the dock.
anything – it was certainly a valid question. As it
A word here about these two properties and
turns out, it’s not just about the fish. It’s about the
what differentiates them. Waterfall Resort is older
whole package. The yin and the yang. Hard work
and larger— a commercial cannery from 1912
and relaxation. Solitude and camaraderie. Furious
through the late 1960s, it was a rugged community
action and quiet contemplation. Raw nature and
of seiners, fish trappers and international workers
man-made luxury.
all coming together to manage the most prolific and
And catching fsh…which I discovered is a whole
innovative salmon processing facility in Alaska.
lot diferent than fshing.
Beginning in 1983, a group of investors
A DIFFERENT WORLD
powerful water and electrical capabilities. In the
From your window seat on the fight out of Seattle,
you watch the suburbs recede and the snow-capped remodeled all the buildings and docks, adding
years since, Waterfall has hosted more than 50,000
and the low-hanging clouds. Soon you’re gazing down at from companies like Ford, Toyota, and American
guests – a lot of them corporate incentive groups
peaks of the Coastal Range begin to poke through
Tire Distributors, many of them multiple repeat
a diferent world. Soaring, snow-covered mountains.
Cold, clear ocean inlets. Roiling, crashing rivers
visitors. Accommodations range from 26 waterfront
In It
rushing to the sea. Tall-growth, temperate rainforests
cabins to 10 lodge rooms above the still-operating
stretching out to – and beyond – the horizon.
wood-burning fireplaces.
Arriving in Ketchikan, you fnd the city occupies General Store to 8 suites with full kitchens and
about four square miles of land hugging the western Operated by the same management company,
edge of Revilla Island on the Inside Passage. No big Steamboat Bay opened about a year ago on Noyes
chain hotels, no fast-food franchises, lots of jewelry Island, just northwest of Waterfall. This intimate,
stores and souvenir shops (catering to the cruise exclusive lodge hosts groups of up to 16 in four
ship crowd, naturally), a few bars and restaurants. oceanfront and four forest-view luxury suites, all
Like most cities in Alaska, Ketchikan retains a certain conveniently located just down the hall from the Great
frontier vibe. Ninety minutes from Seattle? Feels more Room, where guests gather for meals, drinks or just
like 90 years. to enjoy the breathtaking two-story views of the bay,
That is until you check into the Cape Fox Lodge the huge stone freplace, native Alaskan artwork and
for an overnighter before departing for Waterfall numerous comfortable couches and overstufed chairs
or Steamboat Bay the next morning. Perched on a perfect for relaxing in after a day of fshing.
clif overlooking downtown Ketchikan, the 72-room The lodge’s executive chef prepares fresh
property features all mod cons. menus daily, customizing each order to guests’
The microbrewed Alaskan Amber beer in the personal preferences, and a hosted open bar
Heen Kahidi Lounge is ice cold. Chef Craig Royball’s provides complimentary drinks, including Pacific
signature pepper steak, crusted with crushed black coast wines, Alaskan microbrew and brand name
16 SHORT ESCAPES SHORT ESCAPES 17