Icy Strait Point, a converted old cannery. Notice the zip line seats in the sky at the right.
After our Glacier Flightseeing was cancelled (due to the very low ceiling; Icy Strait is just 22 miles southeast of Glacier Bay National Park), we booked the Whale & Marine Mammals Cruise excursion in its place. Saw lots of whales – even a baby! – and had a lovely time.
Icy Strait Point is located near Hoonah, the largest Tlingit Indian settlement in Alaska. The Cannery was converted by a collaboration between local communities and the cruise corporations to be a base for various local excursions. The port hosts only a single cruise ship at a time. The Cannery has a museum, lots of little shops selling Alaskan made goods (some fantastic stuff), and the longest zipline in Alaska.
Ships anchor off Icy Strait Point in Port Frederick Bay. The cannery dates back to 1930.
Outside the Cannery Museum, which shows all sorts of fish-processing machinery and systems.
(During) Lunch at the Cookhouse.
Since we had a couple hours before the whale watching tour, we decided to grab a bite at the Cookhouse. Not a lot of options – we choose the fish (halibut) and chips (right), and the shrimp and chips (top). (About $16 apiece.) Oh. My. God. Fresh, sweet, delicious – just amazing! It was SO good, we had to do it again! We ended up spending nearly $80 on lunch!! And it was worth it!
It was a good visit: good food, good shopping, and good whales!
Alaska 2009 Cruise Home Page
Whale watching