Prince Rupert, Canada

 

Photo stop on our trolley tour

We did a trolley tour of Prince Rupert which proved quite entertaining. Our guide was a great storyteller. The town has had numerous boom and bust cycles. This is the western most, ice free port in Canada, the closest to Asia. In the early 1900s it was a logical port for the end of the Canadian Railroad, since Asian goods could reach the interior much faster from here than using the Panama Canal. Unfortunately, the major financiers for this project died on the Titanic.

Last train station and the port

Forestry became the major industry during both world wars providing spruce for airplanes and housing. The US stationed 2000 soldiers here during World War II, part of the defense against a Japanese invasion. Today, fishing and tourism are the major industries, but a $3 billion port is about to be built here, resurrecting the railroad vision.

Fishing is still king

While I struggled with the many days of fog in the Bering Sea, we’ve had excellent weather, none of our excursions (except Nome) have been spoiled by rain. We saw a lot of eagles, harbor seals, and whales. The landscape of Alaska is gorgeous with numerous glaciers, huge forests, snow covered mountains, and waterfalls. We also went to many ports that are rarely visited, each with its own story. We spent almost every night with Ray, Sue, and Carol drinking Smoky Old Fashions, wine, and Manhattans.  Often joined by our trivia partners Chris and Tracy.  If we had only won trivia at least once. Overall, a great cruise!