Go to Canal Street in Ketchikan, Alaska. This is the main tourist street and has several float-plane sight-seeing operation offices. Browse through the flight options for air explorations of the Misty Fjords region. Ask the office personnel about charters or conditions for flights. Mornings tend to be foggier due to the marine layer settling over the water. As the name suggests, this is normal, and if possible, go for a morning flight to truly enjoy the juxtaposition of the fog and sea cliffs.
Prepare for the flight exploration with a map of the region, ensuring the camera has charged batteries, empty SD cards or plenty of film. Get a tide book from local banks or gas stations in Ketchikan and try to time the flight during the ebb between high and low tides. A phenomenon known as a "skookumchuck" takes place at several areas of the Misty Fjords, particularly in narrow channels. Skookumchucks are narrow passages between rock cliffs that force water through the passage between tides causing whitewater conditions. Ask the pilot to fly over these areas and prepare to take pictures.
Book flights that land on the water in the monument. Try to find one that allows you to get out and hike the beaches of the Misty Fjords. If no scheduled air flights with this option are available, book a custom charter and tell the office your desires to land and hike.
Find boat tours to Misty Fjords on the Canal Street walkway. Half- and full-day boat tours are available. There are boats that run tours through the aforementioned skookumchucks, adding to the excitement. Prepare for the day with heavy duty rain gear, rubber boots and non-cotton clothing. Cotton, when wet, has no thermal qualities and is a dangerous fabric for the heavy, cold rains of the region.
Bring a map on the tour and monitor where you are during the day. Additionally, find boat tours with onboard naturalists who give live narratives on what is seen throughout the day. Keep cameras full of batteries and SD cards (or film.)
Pack motion sickness meds if you are prone to seasickness. Conditions do get rough while exploring Misty Fjords by boat.
Rent sea kayaks at a number of rental agencies and outfitters in Ketchikan. It is a long paddle from Ketchikan to the fjords. Hire a water taxi for drop-offs. Like most things in Ketchikan, boat taxis and water charters are found along Canal Street. Arrange drop-off and pick-up times with the water taxi. Popular drop-offs include Walker Cove, Rudyerd Bay and Punchbowl Cove.
Rent one of the 13 Forest Service cabins within Misty Fjords for long explorations. Make reservations for the cabins online and book early. Summertime rentals of the cabins book up months in advance. Reserve through the Forest Service website. Plan a multi-day trip going from cabin to cabin, taking time to hike the beaches at low tide.
Do not attempt to kayak skookumchuck waters unless you are an advanced paddler. File a float plan with the water taxi charter for emergencies. Pack bear spray, keep food in bear resistant canisters and be sure to have heavy duty rain gear, and calf-high rubber boots.
