Sitka

Sitka sits on the western coast of Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska. Ships either dock at the Old Sitka Dock or anchor and tender to the downtown waterfront. Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano across Sitka Sound, provides the backdrop. Sitka was the capital of Russian America before the 1867 purchase by the United States, and Russian influence is still visible. St. Michael's Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church with an onion dome, sits in the centre of town. The Sitka National Historical Park has totem poles along a rainforest trail marking the site of the 1804 Battle of Sitka between the Tlingit people and the Russians. The Alaska Raptor Center rehabilitates bald eagles and other birds of prey. Whale watching in Sitka Sound (particularly humpbacks) is popular. Harrigan Centennial Hall and the Sheldon Jackson Museum have local art and artefacts. Fresh halibut and salmon are on restaurants menus. The US dollar is the currency.