A "Thriller" of
a Ride!
by Chris Wilhelm
July 27, 2005
Wednesday
Ketchikan, Alaska - A new powerboat has been seen in the Tongass
Narrows in recent days. It is the Thriller, a 50 foot sightseeing
vessel owned by Ketchikan brothers Martin and Axel Svenson.
The boat was brought up from Florida in June and will be operating
sightseeing excursions near Ketchikan. The brothers offer
a popular daily excursion to the Annette Island Reserve for a
traditional Native welcoming ceremony and dance. Visitors
tour the Tsimsian clan house and community of Metlakatla. Once
the Thriller has cleared the no wake zone in the Tongass Narrows,
it makes the trip to Metlakatla in a jaw-dropping eighteen minutes!
The Thriller powerboat
boards for departure...
Photo by Chris Wilhelm©2005
Similar to the open water racing
boats of the Florida coast, the Thriller has twin Yanmar diesel
motors that generate 1,000 horsepower. Its top cruising
speed exceeds 50 knots.
Tuesday afternoon an occasional excursion was offered which featured
wildlife viewing in Carroll Inlet on Revilla Island where the
city of Ketchikan is located. Each guest received full
rain gear and speed goggles for the 3-hour trip, as rain was
expected and indeed continued for most of Tuesday's excursion.
Captain Martin drew on his
many years experience as a commercial fisherman and steered on
several excellent viewing sights. A boat-wide gasp was
heard from all passengers as the boat passed rocks alive with
over fifty seals.
The trip begins as
Captain Martin steers out the Tongass Narrows...
Photo by Chris Wilhelm©2005
An excellent reward for those accepting the weather was a close
encounter with a Sitka black tail deer which stood, as one guest
remarked, 'Like one of those Styrofoam target deer', for many
minutes not 100 feet from the boat before shaking its tail and
foraging further along the beach .
One could easily have waded
ashore as the boat can operate in less than 5-feet of water.
An active eagle's nest, eagles, and many other waterfowl were
easily seen throughout the cruise of the inlet's beaches.
The Thriller is easily identified by its distinctive lettering
and colorful logo. Look for this "Thriller" of
a ride on the water near you.
Wildlife
Sitka black tail deer
Photo by Chris Wilhelm©2005
Seal group...
Photo by Chris Wilhelm©2005
Chris Wilhelm is a
freelance writer & photographer living in Ketchikan, Alaska.
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