As mentioned, while I hid out for the day, my travel companions were able to enjoy the visit to Wrangell.

Wrangell is a small borough located on the northeast corner of Wrangell Island with a population of 2,127 people as of the 2020 census. Its history started when it was founded by Russians and is one of the oldest non-Native settlements in Alaska. The area was originally populated by the Tlingit people who traded furs with the Russians and later the Hudson’s Bay Company. The fur trade ended when the area’s stocks of sea otter and beaver were depleted after 1849. It remained under British occupation until the US bought Alaska in 1867. After that, it was a fort for the US and eventually was a trading post for the gold rushes between 1861 and 1897. Wrangell’s complex history continued after that, and you can read more on the weblinks I have supplied.

Near Wrangell is the Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park, which my friends visited. There are at least 40 petroglyphs in the boulders and bedrock outcrops on the shore. It is thought that the 8,000-year-old petroglyphs were created by the Tlingit tribe. They depict whales, salmon, and faces from the community. It is important to know that the petroglyphs are only visible at low tide as they are on the shoreline and not in the clfifs.

My friends also were able to attend a guided visit and talk in Chief Shakes Tribal House in Wrangell. The house is a replica of the traditional Tlingit clan house of the Naanyaa.aayi Clan. I understand that the chief himself gave the talk during their tour.

My friends also commented about the totem poles located at the house. While the totem poles were originals, many have been removed for preservation and are kept in a ‘carving shed’ where master carvers are working to create accurate replicas.

At the end of the day, our ship left dock and headed out towards our next day’s adventures.