A banner summer for Whittier businesses

Ken Smith/Turnagain Times August was a banner month for Whittier businesses. An unprecedented amount of sunny days welcomed record numbers of tourists coming to the western gateway to Prince William Sound. Cruise tours and other local businesses were busy throughout the month. A tour boat (above photo) passes by the face of a glacier in Blackstone Bay as seen from a cruise tour with Prince William Sound Cruises and Tours during the second week of August. The company runs its last glacier cruise of the season, Sept. 16.

By Ken Smith
Turnagain Times

Unprecedented sunny skies during the month of August in Whittier translated into a banner summer season for businesses. “Every year seems to get better and better,” said Margaret Varlmos, co-owner of the Swiftwater Seafood Café. “It rained 29 inches last year, and it wasn’t anywhere near that this year.” It was a sentiment expressed by many business owners on Labor Day when tourists were still piling through the Whittier Tunnel to fish for Silvers and enjoy the blue skies over Prince William Sound. The Sound will always be a draw for locals and visitors alike, but great weather definitely translates into increased business. Cruise ship workers and visitors spend more time in shops, milling around the harborside stores and cafes, and more Anchorage visitors driving down with their boats to get on the Sound and fish or just enjoy some recreation out on the Sound. “The weather is a whole lot better,” said Brenda Tolman, owner of Log Cabin gifts, a business she’s run for the past 18 years. “We had a lot of overcast days, but a lack of rain and wind definitely helped things. I’m real happy.” Everything seemed to work out this year for Whittier businesses, sunnier days, less wind, and even the silver salmon arrived earlier—at lease two weeks earlier than last year. And when the fish are in, the tourists are in as weekend fishermen come in droves to catch the jumping salmon in the placid bay, especially during the Silver Salmon Fishing Derby, which kicks off in September. But the fish were early, opening a new window of opportunity for summer business and fishermen. The run is expected to end three or four weeks earlier this year. Last year the silvers were running into mid-October. But the early run is just fine with the seasonal businesses, most of which close down by at the end of September. “It’s a cycle,” said Rebecca Langten, who works at Fee’s Custom Seafood. “It happens every once in awhile.” Fishing charters especially benefited from the good weather. Last year there were 39 cancellation days compared to nine this year, reported Deanna McClelland, co-owner of Sea Mist Charters. “It all starts with better weather,” she said. “It just makes people happier. Ferries have been busier, cruise ships, Whittier was just better as a whole.” As she spoke, a gentleman walked in for ice cream. “We only have three selections left,” she told him. End of summer, ice creams running out, fishing was plentiful, and businesses are having a record year. Yes, things were good this season in Whittier. “It was wonderful,” said Diane Heckey, who took over the Tunnel’s End Café, after inheriting the businesses from her daughter-in-law, Joanne Heckey, who passed away Jan. 26. This being her first season running the café, Heckey did not know what to expect. She lives in Bonita Springs, FL, and spent her first summer in Whittier. “I was surprised how much more of a tourist town this is,” she said, “and people come from all over the place.” Benjaman Cottle spent his first year in Whittier as well, working as the General Manager of the Inn at Whittier. “Business here has been steadily increasing, especially the Alaskan business,” he said. “Occupancy is steadily increasing over last year.” They also had six weddings this year, he said, and three more are on the way. Cottle added that the Inn would be open during the winter this year. Last year it was closed in the off-season. Winter rates will be less, he said, with rooms starting at $99 per night. They will continue to cater to weddings, special events, Christmas parties, and company retreats. The numbers are up in every business this summer in Whittier, even at the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the 2.6-mile vehicular tunnel that leads motorists into Whittier from Bear Valley. The tunnel had a record number of round-trip vehicles pass through this summer (May through September). At the end of August, the number of round-trip vehicles reported had already reached 83,478, up from last year’s number of 76,159. The second highest number of roundtrip vehicles counted from May through August was in 2005 when 80,949 vehicles passed through the tunnel. More sunny days, more vehicles through the tunnel, more fish arriving earlier, and more tourists and locals spending their time and money in Whittier. It’s all the ingredients for a happy summer for all.