Following and earliest breakfast and in view of the fact we have a planned trip at 13.00 we decided to go into town for a couple of hours. Unfortunately there were three other large cruise ships in town with about 6/7 thousand people on board and so the town as very busy indeed. However we walked in to town although we did take the shuttle bus for the first part and then walked around the shops and bars and restaurants, most of the shops were selling the usual tourist stuff, t-shirts, hats,windcheaters and similar all announcing that you have been to Alaska or even Ketchikan. We then wandered back to the ship via the back roads and then had to re-join the the ship and collect our stuff for the afternoon event.
We had lunch on the patio deck with Noel having the hot dog and Jennifer and sandwich and then grabbed our things ready to join what they called the wilderness tour and all you can eat crabfest.
We boarded the bus with about 40 other people from the ship and with a half an hour drive down to a small port where we had to descend a steep staircase of 79 steps, and yes we have to do the same on the way back, down to the jetty where we boarded quite a small boat which then left for a trip out in to the wilderness of national park to the Dungeness crab fields. This took about half an hour and when we stopped there was a call for a volunteer to pick up the crab net and inside were about six crabs, I think they are specially trained, as they did not attempt to bite!!! The female tour guide on the boat talked non-stop and tried to make jokes and get everybody to cheer and pretend you were at a football match, not our scene really. Anyway they pulled out the net and played a bit with the crabs and eventually put them back after explaining that certain sizes of crab could easily exit the net if they so wished, but the don't as there is more food in the net than outside I guess. On the way back we slowed down to look at some black bears on the shoreside and also a pair of semi trained/tame bald eagles who came up to the boat for food. It would not surprise me if the bears were men in disguise for the the tourists.Then back to the port and in to a basic café where you can have all you can eat crab, anything that is is all you can eat does not really appeal to us but it certainly did to many others. The games continued with them measuring the remains of the crabs eaten to see who can create the tallest tower of crab bits, all rather childish and finally with the winners being asked to stand for a presentation which then turned out you having to dance to music like a crab, blood stupid in my/our eyes.
Then back to ship for a cup of tea then a brief rest before we went to dinner and it was Japanese Night only the sushi was not the best and as for the tempura, the chef need’s some lessons and I kindly told the head waiter this that after living in Japan for several years I think I know what good prawn Tempura should be like and it wasn't the way they served it.
Anyway we were a little tired and s after dinner returned to our suite for an early sit up in bed reading for an hour before turning in.
Tonight we head North overnight and to arrived in Misty Fjord where we will spend the day whilst people go out in rubber boats and exploring the lakes some more, but not us.
