Marine Travel in Alaska
A rich history of ocean travel from steamships to fast ferries
Marine travel provides a ready way to explore the many wildlife viewing and recreational opportunities found in coastal Alaska
Alaska is rugged coastal state, rich with maritime traditions and nautical history. With more than 90 percent of the State's population living along its coasts, marine transportation dominates as the prime means of access for visitors to Alaska. Coastal visitors can retrace the steps of prospectors and early explorers, experience simply incredible fishing opportunities, enjoy world-class wildlife and glacier viewing, and visit an incredibly diverse variety of Alaskan communities. So sit back in your Captain's chair and read about marine transportation in Alaska.
The Past - Alaska Natives plied the coastal waters for thousands of years in a variety of craft. There were the Aleut Baidarkas, Eskimo Kayaks, and Tlingit Canoes. European contact occurred with the arrival of Spanish explorers, Russian furtraders, and New England whalers.
Large-scale commercial passenger service did not begin until the series of gold rushes starting in 1896. Grand steamships like the SS Portland and SS Excelsior carried prospectors to droves from the docks of Seattle to Skagway and Dyea. Paddlewheel riverboats powered by wood-fired boilers traveled the Yukon River carrying travelers and freight into the Canadian territory. Following Japanese attacks on the Aleutian Islands, Alaska saw a major buildup of military shipping with the advent of World War II.
The Present - In terms of shear numbers, the cruise industry brings the most people visiting Alaskan waters. The Cruise Lines International Association estimates 3.2 million cruise passengers visited Alaska in 2005. Crew and passengers spent $515 million during their visits to the State in the same year.
Independent visitors can travel through the coastal waters from the Port of Ketchikan in the south to Skagway in Southeast Alaska. They can transit Prince William Sound between the communities of Whittier, Cordova and Valdez or cross the Gulf of Alaska and stop at towns along the Aleutian Island Chain on Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) ferries. The communities of Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Coffman Cove have established the Alaska Interisland Ferry Authority to provide service in southern Southeast Alaska. Ferry travel is perfect for independent travelers that have the time to explore the many ports of call. Many visitors bring their bikes and kayaks, camping along the way.
The Future - You can see a glimpse of the future in the recent construction of two high-speed ferries by the AMHS. Fast Ferries Fairweather and Chenega now sail the waters of Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound. The Matunuska-Susitna Borough is building a new high technology ferry to provide commuter service across Cook Inlet connecting the cities of Anchorage and Wasilla. Using a catamaran hull, the 196-foot icebreaking ferry was a moveable center section that can shift to meet sea conditions. Estimated costs for the new ferry are $45 million.
Travel Alaska's coast by ship this season and see another world from the water.
