A new twist in tourism is coming to Cordova starting on Monday, June 3, with adventurers traveling on the upscale Uncruise Adventures’ Safari Explorer spending six hours on shore, ready to see the sights in this historic Prince William Sound fishing community.
“This is a new departure for us this season,” said Chris Myers, sales broker for Uncruise Adventures, with headquarters in Juneau and a satellite office in Seattle.
Many of the travelers on board, mostly 55 to 75 years of age, will be past clients of the company, which has been in business since 1996. They are folks who prefer smaller luxury vessels that can reach the wild areas where the big ships can’t go. With only 36 guests on board the ambience is decidedly exclusive.
The Cordova Chamber of Commerce is not currently planning any special events for these weekly excursions, but Cathy Renfeldt, executive director of the chamber, said a few business and nonprofit entities in Cordova were.
Lauren Bien, education director for the Prince William Sound Science Center, said the PWSSC is working with Uncruise Adventures on possible natural history tours of Cordova, starting at the harbor and then walking through the city itself, but had no firm plans as of May 24.
The Cordova Historical Society’s Ashley Bivin said the historical society planned to offer historic walking tours of downtown Cordova, also starting at the harbor and making their way up through downtown. That tour would also include a visit to the museum’s gift shop, where books, paintings, photographs, and jewelry made by local artisans are for sale.
Cindy Maxwell, owner of Copper River Fleece, said her shop is normally closed on Mondays, but she would open up for the hours while the cruise travelers are in town. The shop has for sale a variety of high-tech fabrics, including the “Race is ON” trim for clothing — designed exclusively for Copper River Fleece by artist Susan Ogle in collaboration with Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, on March 20, 1985. Also on their shelves are vests, jackets, hoodies, blankets, accessories, and pet supplies.
At the Ilanka Cultural Center, operated by the Native Village of Eyak, culture center coordinator Danaya Hoover said she has assigned a knowledgeable tribal member, Lennette Ronnegard, to be on hand at the center on Mondays to speak with visitors. The Ilanka Cultural Center includes a museum collection including Mike Webber’s Shame Pole, cedar carvings by John Hoover, Sugpiaq and Eyak models of traditional dwellings by Andrew Abyo, and more displays featuring artifacts and artwork. There is also a gift store with Indigenous artwork by local tribal members and the work of Native artists from all over Alaska.
“It will surely be a memorable visit, and we look forward to sharing our culture with them,” Hoover said.
