Sitka

Sitka was our 3rd port stop.  At Sitka we took a walk through the hemlock forest and saw some amazing old growth hemlocks as well as areas devastated by wind.  Wind is the primary factor which shapes the temperate rain forests since the root systems are shallow due to glacial rock substrate and the high rainfall levels make the undergrowth too wet to promote forest fires.

Totem poles were a major icon of the native Indians in these parts.  Totem poles were not religious artifacts but were use for three basic purposes:

1)  To honor (or shame)

2)  To tell a story

3)  To memorialize

Shaming totem poles were often made very small to the extent of "hand-held" as a further implication of the dishonor and insignificance bestowed upon the recipient.