Episode 709 – Princess Alaska: Ketchikan, Lumberjacks, and the “Zen Axe Master”

Ketchikan not only hasn’t changed since we were here two years ago, but according to locals hasn’t really changed in the last 30 years. The last big changes happened in the 1980’s when the Alaskan cruise industry exploded.

Ketchikan is the salmon capital of Alaska, but from the signs all around town you quickly get the idea that crab is king here, and really, who doesn’t love fresh Alaskan Red King Crab?

Well, Ted, who is allergic to shellfish, but apparently the answer to that is also our #1 grandson. He pronounced it “the texture of bocconcini cheese but not as good.” Fortunately, I like it enough that I ate his portion. At $120USD per pound, there was no way I was leaving any uneaten.

Clockwise from top left: Thanks Gramma, let’s do it, not impressed, and “here’s some more for you”.

After a less than successful lunch, I subjected #1 to some more silly photography. I took some, and he took some!

Then we returned to the pier to meet Gramps (aka Ted) for our walk to the Alaskan Lumberjack Show and our axe-throwing experience.

Four very fit young men competed, two assigned to the Spruce Mill Alaska U.S. team (in blue and black) and two to Dawson Creek, Canada (in red and black), recreating an old rivalry between two of the biggest historic spruce mills.

There was lots of cheering, there were lots of laughs, and there were some truly awesome skills demonstrated. Master of ceremonies and logging camp cook Lasagna Joe explained each event, and spurred on the audience to ever louder levels of enthusiastic cheering (and booing – it was a rivalry, after all).

Competing to see who can chop through a felled log first.

I was absolutely paying attention to the chopping skill and not the muscles… honest…

Lots of different logging tools were demonstrated.

Chopping down a tree while standing on a springboard? Sure… why not.

One of the most fun events was the demonstration of the balance needed to be a log driver. Naturally, it brought to mind The Log Driver’s Waltz.

Once the lumberjacks were soaking wet, the show was – of necessity – over, but having watched the professionals it was our turn to try axe throwing!

Does our coach Aiden look like he finds the idea of us throwing axes amusing?

I was, predictably, terrible at it. My excuse is that the axe is a lot heavier than it looks.

Grandson #1 was almost strong enough. He hit the target a few times, but his throw was just not quite hard enough to “stick”.

Ted, the only left-handed thrower in our group of 9, got better and better the more he threw, and after two rounds of practice, and three rounds of competition, he was the overall winner!