Alaska - Wrangell, Petersburg and the Wrangell Narrows

Travel Photo Tuesday

The Wrangell Narrows are a 22 mile stretch of water between Wrangell and Petersburg in south-east Alaska. Navigating the narrows has been likened to playing nautical ping pong with a twist of Russian Roulette. Each turn of the ship must be lined up precisely with one of 60 navigational lights and buoys and the history of the narrows is littered with stories of vessels which failed to make it through.

Most cruise ships are too large for the passage and must head out to deeper water, missing the most exciting part of our journey on the Alaska Marine Highway.

Continuing my (new) tradition of devoting Tuesdays to travel photos, today's post shows snippets of life aboard the Alaska Marine Highway, the ports at Wrangell and Petersburg and The Wrangell Narrows. Click here for my blog post on our journey through the narrows.

The Alaska Marine Highway


How amazing is this! These tents are pitched on the back of a ship, and people actually sleep in them - on the way to Alaska. Check out the guy with the guitar.

The Alaska Marine Highway
The Alaska Marine Highway
Some passengers didn't even have a tent, they slept in the Solarium which was open on one side - they definitely do things differently in Alaska.

Solarium on the Alaska Marine Highway
Sleeping in the solarium on the Alaska Marine Highway.
Cabin onboard the Alaska Marine Highway
Our cabin was not flash but infinitely better than sleeping outside.


Canadian settlement, Alaska Marine Highway
One of the last Canadian settlements we saw.
One of the last settlements in Canada.
Flying the flag. If these settlements look isolated, it is because they are!

Wrangell, Alaska 


Wrangell, Alaska
Wrangell, Alaska


Wrangell Alaska
Arriving at Wrangell, Alaska

The Wrangell Narrows


The Wrangell Narrows
Navigational buoys at the beginning of the Wrangell Narrows

The Wrangell Narrows
The Wrangell Narrows - the setting sun added to our sense of danger

Petersburg, Alaska


Petersburg, Alaska
Arriving at Petersburg, Alaska
Petersburg, Alaska
The Alaska Marine Highway ferry wharf at Petersburg, Alaska

For all my blog posts on our Alaska and Canada road and ferry trip click  here.

32 comments:

  1. Great shots.
    Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/02/old-san-juan-pigeon-park.html

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  2. I remember doing the overnight ferry from Italy to Greece. A fellow backpacker had advised me not to pay for a cabin but join the hoards who sleep out on deck (for a fraction of the cost) it was the most uncomfortable night. Several years later I returned and this time paid the extra for a cabin. We woke feeling fresh while our fellow backpackers were a sad sorry bunch :) PS the weather was even warm in Greece.

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    1. Yes, all those fresh enthusiastic looking campers and outdoor sleepers looked a lot more weary as the days went by.

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  3. Oh wow, absolutely stunning! I'm very jealous:) #TeamIBOT

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    1. Wait until you see next week's photos of the Mendenhall Glacier!

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  4. Someone else linked a post about Alaska to IBOT last week. It's clearly a sign that I need to go and visit. ;)

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    1. Hah - it was probably me. I'm pretty sure I linked one up with photos of Ketchikan.

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  5. I would love to do a cruise of Alaska/Canada but think I need something a little more luxurious than camping on deck ;-)

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    1. We started out by booking a cruise but when we found out how much more Australians were charged for the same cruises as Americans the gloss went off the idea. Then we found out about the Alaska Marine Highway which turned out to be a lot of fun. If you want to read my post about Australian's being charged higher prices you will find it at this link - http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/2016/02/alaskan-cruises-do-australians-pay-more.html

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  6. I don't know if I would want to sleep outside on a boat! Must be some hardy people.

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    1. I'm with you. I could say that I am much too old but I don't think I would have enjoyed it much even when I was younger.

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  7. I'd go for a cabin too. Great shots.

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    1. The cabins were more expensive but the main issue is that there aren't enough so only those who booked really early got one. Fortunately, my other half David, is very well organised when it come to travel.

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  8. Deck camping. That's new to me. That's why travel is so amazing. Alaska is so beautiful. I can't wait to experience it.

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    1. Other readers have told me that deck camping also happens in Scandinavia - it must be something about cold places.

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  9. Love your photos! And I loved traveling Alaska by ferry. Would love to do it again and include Petersburg - it was on our itinerary originally but we ran out of time!

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    1. Unfortunately we didn't see a lot of Petersburg. Because of the need to sail through the Wrangell Narrows on the right tide we arrived in Petersburg quite late at night. David and I admired it from the deck but didn't leave the ferry.

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  10. fresh n lively photos! Love them :)

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  11. Beautiful photos, but I don't think I would like to sleep in a tent on the deck of the ship! I have travelled to Canada several times but not Alaska. I think I should put in on the bucket list!

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  12. Very beautiful towns and scenery! Traveling by ship /boat thru these areas feel like an adventure (at least to me).

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  13. Passing through this narrow passage must have been a little nerve racking. This cruise ship doesn't look like a very luxurious one, but rather like a ferry. Was it a ferry? I can't imagine a cruise ship where they allow people to sleep in tents on the deck. Very curious...

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    1. It was a car ferry. Terrific fun but not luxurious. We got to meet lots of interesting locals too.

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  14. With views to capture such as these, I'd be sleeping out on the deck. Haha! It looks like you had a great experience here.

    Sharing snapshots at Captured By Jade

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    1. I hadn't thought about the views in relation to sleeping on deck, just the discomfort - lol!

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  15. Lyn, I just love, love, love the Alaska Marine Hwy. There is just no other way to see these small Alaskan towns.

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    1. I absolutely agree about seeing the small towns. It is great to hear from someone who has had such a positive experience of the highway. Most people seem never to have heard of it - especially here in Australia.

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  16. WOW, I am envious of your trip. Some day I am going to make it up to Alaska. I think I might have to get over my cruise fears, and visit the Alaska Marine HWY. Thanks for linking to Life Thru the Lens, I am super happy to have you there. Sorry I am late in visiting this week, I was a bit busy celebrating my birthday.

    Lisa @ LTTL

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    1. I am delighted to be part of Life Thru the Lens. It is great to see what other bloggers and photographers are up to.

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