You hear a lot about the Alaska Marine Highway System, and no wonder. It's been around for more than four decades now doing yeoman service for Alaskans and Alaska visitors who are looking for a ferry cruise from the "Lower 48" states to Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound,and even to the Aleutian Islands. It's been a perennial huge hit.

But have you heard about Alaska's "other" ferry system - the passenger and vehicle ships of the Inter-Island Ferry Authority?

Unless you live in Ketchikan or in one of the communities on Prince of Wales Island or in Wrangell or Petersburg the name probably means little to you. That may change.

What they have - the people who live in these Southeast Alaska communities - is a really splendid little ferry operation connecting three islands and more than a half dozen communities to each other and the outside world. For Alaskans or visitors from "Outside" who are looking for an easily accessible "Off the Beaten Path" experience for a few days or longer the routes of the Inter-Island Ferry Authority (IFA) can be ideal.

Two Vessels

This pleasurable travel opportunity is possible because of IFA's two vessels: the m/v Prince of Wales which entered service in 2002 and the new-in-'06 m/v Stikine. Both ships are 98 feet long and can carry 160 passengers and 35 standard-size autos. And make no mistake about it, these are no plain and simple utility craft. Each contains a comfortable forward observation lounge with recliner chairs, reading room, a "quiet room" for passengers who need privacy, galley and restaurant, and a solarium. And attention parents or grandparents traveling with children: Each ferry contains a youngster's playroom.

Prince of Wales connects Ketchikan twice daily in summertime with Hollis on Prince of Wales Island (POW) and 1,100 miles of paved and gravel roads. These highways run through forests and alongside streams, lakes, saltwater inlets and bays. The fishing can range from good to grand and the wildlife viewing and birding can be equally superb. Colorful totem parks exist in Hydaburg, Kaasan, and Klawock. And for a walking tour unique in Alaska the U.S. Forest Service offers escorted underground excursions (bring your own flashlights) through the El Capitan limestone caves in the northern portion of POW. (The USFS asks for two days notice; call 1-907-828-3304 for details.)

Especially for visitors with RVs or autos the travel opportunities are the stuff of dreams. You'll find a number of government and private campgrounds and if you're not a camper don't despair. Friendly Alaskan hosts run lodges and B&Bs in the larger communities on the island as well as in Wrangell and Petersburg where you'll find comfortable hotels as well. After a day or two (or a week or two) of exploring POW travelers have only to drive to Coffman Cove Thursdays through Sundays to catch the new Stikine for a two-hour, 45 -minute ride to Wrangell on the island of the same name. The Stikine then proceeds on a one-hour journey to the southern end of Mitkof Island and 25 miles of road travel to Petersburg. Wrangell and Petersburg also are served by the ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Wrangell and Petersburg

You may have heard about many of the visitor attractions in Wrangell and Petersburg. At Wrangell you can book Stikine River tours up one of America's swiftest flowing navigable rivers, as well as a daycruise to observe and photograph the bears at Anan Creek. Too, you can view ancient petroglyphs along the city's shoreline, play a round of Muskeg Meadows golf, or take in a flick at the community's new movie theater. On Chief Shakes Island in the middle of the community boat harbor you'll find one of the most varied and photogenic totem parks in the Alaska panhandle. The Tlingit tribal house on the island is no small item of interest as well.

Petersburg, known as "Little Norway" because of its Nordic heritage and dcor, also provides access by daycruise to nearby thundering LeConte Bay and Glacier. Petersburg, you'll find, is an easy walkabout community. If you take a stroll be sure to visit the Clausen Memorial Museum where you can view a record 126.5-pound king salmon, the old Cape Decision light station lens, a Tlingit canoe and all kinds of old time fish processing equipment. At least one eagle is almost always in residence at Eagle Roost Park and whale watching can be awesome on day cruises from the community or from Outlook Park on Sandy Beach.

Ketchikan

At Ketchikan where travel aboard the Prince of Wales begins or ends the things to see and do are well nigh endless. You'll find three world class totem collections in the community - at Saxman village just south of Ketchikan, at Totem Bight State Historical Park 10 miles north of town, and at the Totem Heritage Center in the City Park near downtown. The heritage collection contains nearly three dozen magnificent ancient totem poles or fragments, retrieved from outlying deserted Tlingit and Haida villages. The center ranks as the largest exhibit of original totems in the United States. Other monuments in cedar may be seen around the community.

The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center on Ketchikan's Main Street near the waterfront is one of four federal Public Lands Information Centers in Alaska where visitors can gather tons of information about travel throughout Southeast Alaska and the entire state. Fishing charters abound in the city, as do daycruises to outlying attractions such as nearby Misty Fjords National Monument. A new (in 2005) attraction, Alaska Canopy Adventures, offers zipline tours, during which visitors "zip" through Southeast Alaska forest canopies at 35 miles per hour - suspended in harness from treetop cables sometimes 135 feet above the forest floor.

Want to know more about the Inter-Island Ferry Authority, including senior discounts on both vessels? Contact the IFA toll-free at 1-866- 308-4848. The authority also hosts an excellent informative website at www.interislandferry.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006 by Mike Miller; all rights reserved