Early in the morning, National Geographic Sea Bird pulled up alongside the dock in Petersburg, Alaska. After a few cool and rainy days, we were delighted to step outdoors and feel the sun on our faces in 60-degree weather, perfect for our busy day exploring town.
Petersburg is a small town located on Mitkof Island, settled in 1890 by Peter Bushman, a Norwegian entrepreneur. He saw the potential of this town because of its proximity to rich fishing grounds and large icebergs calved from the LeConte Glacier, which could be used to pack fish and ship it to other states.
Today we experienced Petersburg in many ways. Some guests walked along the very docks of Petersburg that helped to establish the town. Others trekked into the forest, only to emerge at a muskeg, a type of peat bog. Flying in a float plane over Petersburg and the nearby LeConte Glacier allowed a bird’s eye view of Alaska and a greater understanding of how glaciers formed this landscape! This beautiful, sunny, blue-sky day in Petersburg offered a great peek into local Alaskan life.
