Weissmann Reports Port Guide: Ketchikan

Introduction

Ketchikan, Alaska, is the site of an ancient Tlingit fish camp and was a supply town during the gold rush. Ketchikan is about 3 mi/5 km long but only a couple of blocks deep. Located on the southwest shore of Revillagigedo Island, it's the first port of call into Alaska, hence its nickname, The First City.

Ketchikan is considered an Alaska Native cultural center for the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian tribes, as well as a sportfishing mecca. The town generally gets more than 150 in/388 cm of rain annually, but don't let the liquid sunshine (as residents prefer to call it) keep you inside—Ketch...