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OUTDOOR
PHOTOGRAPHY & NATURE TOURS
Pelican is
situated within the Tongass National Forest, one of
the largest temperate rainforests in the world. When
you add the fjords of Lisianski Inlet and Straits
plus the outside coast of the West Chichagof &
Yakobi Island Wilderness Area, you have some of the
most awesome scenery in Alaska. Pelican based guides/outfitters
can take you on hikes through old growth rainforests
and alpine mountainsides. The mammals of the area
consist primarily of Brown Bear, Sitka Blacktail Deer,
land otter, mink, marten, and red squirrels. There
are a wide variety of birds; the American Bald Eagle
is very prevalent as well as the Blue Heron. Along
the coastline you will find Puffins, terns, gulls,
cormorants, ducks, geese. Mergansers, Kingfishers,
etc.
If
hiking is not your activity then hire one of the local
charter boats for a water tour. Pelican is close to
some very special whale viewing areas; in fact you
often hear the whales before you see them. Besides
whales, other sea mammals commonly seen are sea otters,
seals, and sea lions. A boat cruise is likely to allow
close up photography of Brown Bear grazing on a beach
without the trepidation of being on the same piece
of turf. It is very easy to spend the entire day cruising
and drifting in a boat while photographing the local
wildlife in the spectacular backdrop of our remote
setting.
KAYAKING
Pelican is
in the center of world-class sea kayaking waters.
There are approximately 40 miles of protected inside
waters immediately accessible in the form of Lisianski
Inlet, Lisianski Straits, and Stag Bay, (Chart 17303).
The outside coastal waters of Chichagof and Yakobi
Islands offer hundreds of miles of coastline dotted
with protected bays, estuaries, channels, etc. An
Alaska State Ferry travels to Pelican from Juneau
every two weeks in the summer months. The ferry offers
a convenient method for kayakers to transport their
watercrafts to and from Pelican. Kayaks are also available
for rent in Pelican.
HOTSPRINGS TOUR
Approximately
twenty nautical miles from Pelican is White Sulphur
Hot Springs. This site of a natural hot springs has
been developed by the US Forest Service to include
a guest cabin and a covered hot spring pool with a
bathhouse. There is an outside pool where one can
stretch out, soak the aches and pains away while listening
to the ocean swells break on the shoreline. The inside
pool has a shuttered front window, opening it one
has a panoramic view of Bertha Bay, (Chart 17321).
Contact one of the Pelican charter boat operators
for a quote on visiting this special place.
4th
of JULY CELEBRATION
Come and join
in on the festivities on the 4th of July. Starting
on the 3rd. There is a very substantial fireworks
display beginning at 11:00 PM. The rockets spiraling
skyward are dazzling; the explosions from the rocket
bursts reverberate within the fjord putting an exclamation
point on the very impressive display. Needless to
say the local “watering holes” are going
full steam with partygoers, you may find live music
and some contests inside that are best not described
here.
On
the 4th the day kicks off with a parade on the boardwalk.
This purely hometown parade is highlighted with several
“floats” and performances that are so
imaginative and uniquely Pelican that you must be
there to appreciate them. At the conclusion of the
parade there is a community picnic at the south end
of the boardwalk on “whisky flats”. There
are games and prizes for kids of all ages. Later in
the day there will be a very entertaining greased
trolling pole contest and the “anything but
a boat” float contest at the harbor.
PELICAN;
A SITE FOR RETREATS, REFLECTIONS, AND SMALL CONVENTIONS.
If you are
a group of one or 100 needing a place off the beaten
track to write a book, hold a work retreat, or conduct
a small convention, Pelican could be your answer.
Without the hustle and bustle of traffic, the noise
of emergency sirens, and other disturbances associated
with urban life, Pelican is the ideal location for
concentration, reflection, and/or introspection.
The
City of Pelican owns and manages the Community Hall,
a building that can easily accommodate a group of
75 to 100 persons. The Hall is equipped with a kitchen
and of course restrooms. The Hall is available for
rent to private and public groups. Housing can be
found from a number of businesses found under “Pelican
Lodging” on this website. If you have special
housing needs, a representative of the Pelican Chamber
of Commerce will assist you. They can be contacted
through the City of Pelican, 907-735-2202.
PELICAN
ATTRACTIONS
The itinerant
visitor will have a lot to see and do without even
leaving the Pelican City limits. The boardwalk stretches
over a mile from one end of town to the other. Strolling
the boardwalk you have a birds eye view of the harbor
and adjacent beaches. Here you are apt to see land
otter, mink, deer, Bald Eagles, ducks, geese, and
schools of herring. From mid-July through September,
salmon can be seen from the Pelican Creek Bridge as
they swim upstream to spawn.
For
the younger generation there is a school playground,
a covered outdoor basketball court, and the school
gym is often open in the evenings for basketball.
The Public Library may have a children’s story
hour; check the library bulletin boards for announcements.
The library is open during the summer and offers a
diverse selection of books and papers and a public
computer with high-speed Internet access.
Totem
poles have recently been added to Pelican’s
landscape. In front of City Hall towers the “unity”
totem pole and two more totems can be seen in front
of the Pelican School. The totems were carved as community
projects; many locals took part in the actual carving
under the tutelage of Stan Marsden, a Tsimshian master
carver originally from Metlakatla, Alaska.
HEALTH
CLINIC
The
Pelican Health Clinic is open Monday through Friday
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM; after hours emergencies can be
treated by phoning 735-2250. The Clinic is staffed
by a Community Health Practitioner. There is an EMS
Unit made up of an EMT 2 and a group of EMT 1’s.
The clinic has 24/7 telephonic advice/support from
on call Medical Doctors. |
