Its 147 residents make their living fishing. Safari Quest under way in Tracy Arm, Alaska. American Safari Cruises photo. Or, at least, they used to. These days this little town, built in 1938 to support a large fish cannery, is struggling because last year the processing plant was closed.
Residents are seriously concerned about how they are going to earn money, and some are bailing out.
We visitors really weren't supposed to learn this. But in doing those things, we met the local people, talked with them and learned of their plight. But we also shared their joys. Two students were graduating from high school the next evening and we were invited to stay and celebrate. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be as our small-ship cruise was leaving the next morning, but this chance to experience a real fishing village, without tourist trappings, was just one more dimension of an Alaskan cruise experience I'll never forget.