Petersburg

Tuesday July 31 to Thursday August 2

Preparing to Tie up to Dock in Petersburg in Pouring Rain

Petersburg has a proud Norwegian heritage.  Nearby LeConte Glacier was the source of ice for the fish cannery built in 1897 by the Norwegian Peter Buschmann.  Many Norwegians came to work in the cannery and there are lots of blue-eyed blonds on the streets.

Today, the importance of fisheries is evident miles before reaching the harbor, as packers pass by fully loaded toward Petersburg.  Then as the harbor comes into view, we also see swarms of Arctic terns and sea gulls feeding on fish waste.  Closer, we notice the smell of fish and the noise of the machines.  There are 3 large harbors filled with large and small fishing boats.

We moored next to a fishing boat run by a gentle, young family with two girls about 8 and 10 years old.  They had been out fishing and came into port just to reprovision.  In the morning, they left at 4 AM.

Raven Song in Middle of North Harbor, Petersburg		Packer in North Harbor
Seiner Tidying Nets		Fish Processing Plant

Sing Lee Alley

Wednesday was a sunny warm day. We walked all over town and talked to lots of very friendly people. All of the buildings on the waterfront are on stilts, as the water comes way in at high tide. Walked on the boardwalk along a slough; houses lined each side. At low tide, people can walk across the mud to visit their neighbors. By 8 PM, we were hungry but all the restaurants were closed. One woman told us to try the pizza parlor; even it wasn’t taking any more orders.

Sons of Norway Hall		Memorial to Fishermen overlooking Slough
Hammer Slough		Hammer Slough