We caught Ketchikan on our way back to Vancouver. Ketchikan, located 235 miles south of Juneau, has its share of claims to fame. It’s the world’s fourth wettest locality (Mount Waialeale, Kukuiula, Hawaii, gets the most rain), it’s Alaska’s very first city, and it’s the salmon capital of the world.

Becky and I took this photo from our balcony as we docked in Ketchikan. Many, many floatplanes were taking off and landing and dozens upon dozens of bald eagles soared above and below our deck. The eagles loved fishing as much as the professional fishermen. The name Ketchikan comes from the native word Katch Kanna and means “spread wings of a thundering eagle.”

Radiance’s enormity astonished us as we walked the streets of Ketchikan. In this photo she seems as though she could be larger than all of Ketchikan. Notice the bridge in the top-left of the photo. The bridge is the primary station from which the ship is guided. Also notice the solarium’s retractable roof in the top-right of the photo.

Our stateroom’s balcony is pictured here. It’s on the deck immediately above the street corner’s overhang and one door to the right of the tip of the overhang (one door to the left of the room with the light). We would have preferred to have been at least one deck higher, but that’s just being picky. We had a magnificent view for the entire cruise. At the top of the photo you can see Radiance’s rock-climbing wall.

Here’s another photo that illustrates Radiance’s mass. The teal glass structure on the right is Radiance’s exterior elevator shaft. If you didn’t know that Radiance’s ninety thousand tons were floating upon Alaska’s Marine Highway, you might assume her weight was supported by the same earth that supports the shops across the street.

Becky and Mr Bear pose for a photo outside a gift shop in downtown Ketchikan.