Excursion Shakes canoe tour at Wrangell

Discover Tlingit culture and take an enjoyable paddle by 17-foot canoe to Shakes Island to visit the Shakes Tribal House. This excursion is geared to the novice, but those with more experience will also enjoy the destination as much as the short journey. Shakes Island is on the National Historic Register and receives over 10,000 visitors a year. This island was listed as a historic site for being one of the view living examples of the Alaska Native population of the Southeast, and for their legendary totem art.

Meet your guide at the pier, a Tlingit retired school teacher who can tell you all you need to know about the canoe, as he once paddled from Seattle all the way to Wrangell in his younger days and continues to take annual adventures in Southeast Alaska and Canada. Once you receive your safety gear and get a safety briefing, embark on your 30-minute canoe ride to Shakes Island.

The primary landmark of Shakes Island is its replica 19^th century tribal house of the Tlingit Nation. Receive a window onto Tlingit culture at Chief Shakes' Tribal House, where you are an invited guest. You are greeted by local tribe members as you land at the boat ramp. Once you are granted passage to Shakes Tribal House, enjoy a presentation on the history and cultural attributes of the Wrangell Tlingit. Learn of the Tlingit way of life and hear stories that have been passed down generation to generation.  Please bring a curious mind as you are encouraged to ask questions.

After your visit to Shakes Island, hop back into your canoe and paddle back to the pier.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: Shakes Island, Shakes Tribal House, cultural presentation, canoe ride (1 hour round-trip)

Note

Please note: This tour involves moderate activity and the physical ability to enter and exit the canoe and 100 meters walking to the canoes on a ramp that can be steep at lower tide. Assistance is available, but guests should be able to have some maneuverability and the ability to help with self-rescue in case of an incident. This tour is not wheelchair accessible or recommended for those with limited mobility. Guests must sign a waiver to participate on this tour. Children under 9 that can listen to direction may participate if they are accompanied by an adult guardian. Depending on weather conditions, guests are recommended to wear warm wool or fleece layers, a waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, scarf and rain gear, as well as comfortable shoes for walking and standing. Space on this tour is extremely limited; to avoid disappointment you are recommended to book early.