Hoonah



Canoe Carving Shed, Hoonah

Slack water for departing Angoon on July 14^th was at 4:50am and 11am, we chose the earlier departure for the seven hour cruise to Hoonah located on the northeast end of Chichagof Island.  Chatham Strait was again glassy, smooth and Icy Strait presented only a 1 foot chop after rounding Point Augusta.  On two occasions whales rose out of the sea near Got d’ Fever, then quickly dove under to avoid a collision, their fluke seen directly in front of us!  They seemed to magically appear and then mysteriously disappear.  

Finished Canoe, Hoonah

We reached Hoonah by noon, the largest Tlingit village in Alaska with a population of nearly 800 - 53 percent Native and 14 percent of mixed ancestry.  It is here at Hoonah that carvers created poles representing the four founding clans of the Tlingit and are continuing to work on house panels, a project for a longhouse to be raised at Glacier Bay National Park in Bartlett Cove, land cleared by the Tlingit more than 250 years ago due to an advancing glacier.  

Creek Totem, Hoonah

During our visit to Hoonah, a posted sign at the carving shed indicated that the three carvers; Gordon Greenwald, Herb Sheakley, and Owen James were currently at Bartlett Cove raising the four corner posts for the longhouse.  We saw younger members of the tribe at Hoonah working on canoes, some of which were used later that day for an excursion out in the bay.  The Native culture at Hoonah seems to be alive and well.  

Historic Cannery, Hoonah

We saw several new additions since our last visit, a new totem pole and the completion of the new cruise ship terminal next to the historic cannery (early 1900's). 

New Cruise Ship Terminal at Hoonah

No doubt the cannery museum/shops and the adjacent world’s largest zip line attract visitors and new business.  The newest shop in Hoonah is the Icy Strait Brewing Co. opened in August of 2015 offering draft beers and nice views.  (More information and pictures of the old cannery and the zip line at Hoonah can be found in last year's blog site at www.LLCruise4.blogspot.com posts dated May 17 and 18)  

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Icy Strait Brewing Co., Hoonah

    

View from Icy Strait Brewing Co., Hoonah