If there was any definition of a relaxing stay in an Alaska coastal town Haines would have to be it. The surrounding water, mountains, and glaciers are just beautiful. Haines has one cruise ship a week that stops here (we will miss it) and you can walk a block without meeting anyone.
We started the day by visiting the Sheldon Museum, a half block up the hill from the campground. It offers a complete history of the local Tlingit tribes as well as a complete summary of the founding of Haines and its growth over the past 100+ years.
Haines has the first survey marker placed in Alaska and has been a prominent part of its early development as one of the first 11 military posts established in 1898. Fort William H Seward was the only active military fort in Alaska from 1925 to 1940 and was decommissioned after WWII. 
Haines is also known for having the largest population of Bald Eagles in the world. The birds are soaring over Haines throughout the day and are easily spotted in trees throughout the area. During the late fall salmon run it is estimated 3500 Bald Eagles reside in Haines. The Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve here is managed by the State of Alaska to insure the perpetuation of the largest concentration of the birds and their habitat. The American Bald Eagle Society also has a beautiful Natural History Museum here in Haines. We visited the Museum today and were fascinated. 
We traveled a few miles up the shoreline of Chilkoot Inlet this afternoon to Chilkoot Lake, another bear and eagle habitat. No bears but several eagles were watching over the lake. The lake was as beautiful as the rest of the inlet and made for a great drive. 
The Oceanview Campground has just that and this evening we all sat on the shores of Lynn Canal and enjoyed a crab feed sponsored by the campground. Large Dungeness crabs and a pot luck salad and desert meal while watching cruise ships passing down the Canal! 
Tomorrow we head north towards Haines Junction back in Yukon Territory Canada.
