Sitka - Alaska

High Street Sitka

There is no doubt that this quirky little seaside town situated on Baranoff Island is the prettiest of the Alaskan inside passage ports of call and historically significant to the United States.

The main shopping area is essentially one street bulging with strong Russian and Tingit focused tourist paraphernalia, all on 50% discount as the snow season is one month away so the town shuts down for three months. We are the last cruise ship before Winter shutdown and it is VERY cold.

There is free wifi all through the town provided by Sitka City Council. As the word went around, imagine 2000 passengers perched on rocks, chairs and sitting in gutters with their Iphones and Ipads out syncing and sending emails. The scene looked like a homeless peoples convention as hunched over shivering people tapped out messages to loved ones, then wives, husbands and children.

Alaskan seaside living

Historically, Russian fur trading companies were hunting for valuable Sea Otter pelts in the 1700’s. As the numbers of Sea Otters depleted the Russians moved east to Alaska to capture the market and steal it away from the Americans. They decided to set up a local Alaskan fortress to control the area and in 1799 the Russian Fur Traders, under the leadership of Alexander Baranoff, invaded. The original land owners, the Tingit Tribe, were not happy with these rude visitors so burned down the Russian Fort hoping they would go home. The Russians fought back and eventually in 1821 both sides, hungry and depleted, decided to call a truce and have lived happily thereafter.

Modern Sitka is a 3000 strong mix of Russian and Tingit influence

What makes Sitka more sgnificant in USA history is that it is also the site of the 1867 land transfer ceremony of Alaska from colonial Russia to the United States for $7.2 million. The town centre is centred around the imposing St Michaels Russian Orthodox Cathedral, built in 1848, that holds artifacts back to the 15^th century so is worth having a look inside.

No, it is not a bad Star Trek episode, these are dry suits for cold water diving.

So, we shopped for a few more Patrushka dolls, looked inside the church, visited the site of the Alaska handover and then went scuba diving around the island. The diving was challenging as we had to use dry suits to protect from the freezing water but it is no Great Barrier Reef!