Cruising from Skagway to Haines, AK

 After playing in Skagway for the day and night, we got ready for our next leg of our adventure.  This included a ferry boat ride down the Lynn Canal of the Inside Passage of the Gulf of Alaska to the very “Alaskan” town of Haines. Before we could set off for the ferry line, some interior repairs needed to be made. One of the slide-out trim pieces came nearly 90% off (mishap caused by falling interior items, during our last drive, behind the slide-out and then getting jammed when the slide-out was pulled open) and needed to be screwed back in place.  I got right to work once we were able to find the right screws in town.  This is not the only repair we have had to make on this journey and I’m sure will not be the last. 

So, once again, we packed up, closed up

I loved that old truck and camper behind us! 

We became fast friends with the Québécois folk in the camper next us when they asked us if we had an air compressor (we did) they could borrow as they just discovered they had a tire with a leak. There were 7 people traveling in that camper for two weeks!

and moved just about 1000 feet to the ferry loading area.  The ferry runs once a day to/from Haines to Skagway and we knew to get our spot in line.  This wasn’t our first time taking the truck and camper over water, but it is a little nerve-racking. 

The dogs had to stay down with the truck as we rode the hour long cruise down the canal to Skagway.  If the weather wasn’t so misty and cloudy, I think we would have seen some spectacular mountains that slammed into the water.  There was a solarium on the top deck that we hung out in.  There were heat lamps and it was super comfy even with the cold wetness all

 

around us. 

   

Once arrived Haines, we off loaded from the ferry and drove to town where our next campground home was.  We were in walking distance to the museums, harbor, beach, stores and restaurants.  Sadly, most restaurants were closed and lack of staffing was the reason.  We visited the American Bald Eagle Foundation which had a huge display of stuffed animals and an aviary with live birds we could visit. 

We visited Fort Seward which is an old army settlement there on the hill of Haines overlooking the beach and harbor.  Beautiful site. 

As we were leaving the fort, we saw this cute art gallery and snapped a picture. The sign reads, “Usually open Daily”, very “Haines”.  Little did I know, the artist was just opening, that’s him in the corner, so we stopped in. 

The artist, Thresham Gregg, is a very talented person and we did a little shopping…

 

A fun small market we stopped into to grab a little lunch

 

If you look closely, this sign says “Welcome to Haines” in mixed media: shells and sticks.  It’s sitting on the dock where small passenger ships come in. 

Vic took himself on a distillery and brewery crawl and visited the Haines establishments.  He brought back some fine adult beverages. 

Chilcoot River Distillery

Vic’s flight of aged spirits: rum, bourbon and rye whiskey. 

  

The gentleman at the Haines brewery is filling Vic’s 32oz. cans of their IPA  and a lager

We parked next to this cool pop up camper that expands with windows all around it. 

Dinner of local grilled salmon, sautéed veggies, and our Skagway Brewery IPA 

It was a lovey visit to Haines.  There’s much to do here and we can see why this should be on your Alaska itinerary.  Now, we are off again back north through British Colombia and Yukon to head up to the Alaska Highway to make our way to Fairbanks.  We will fall off the cell signal landscape as we do this, so our next check in will most likely be in Fairbanks.