June 29 Funter Bay

Cloudy morning but we had a pleasant passage to this small bay with government dock. The fish runs have started so we saw several humpback whales "out fishing". We are also amazed at the numbers of salmon that we encounter jumping in the air...like you could almost have them jump into your boat.

Not a lot of boaters out cruising but the ones that are seem to be friendly and enjoying themselves...we definitely are !!!


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My quote for the day

I used to live at work

Now I work at living!

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June 30 Hoonah

This is the largest Tlinglit Indian "village" in SE Alaska. They have a total population of 890 people and 80% are Indian. Primary industry has always been fishing. The town is served twice a week with the arrival of the Alaska State Ferry...pretty laid back...that was until the cruise ship population discovered it.

Not quite sure what came first but as of today they have at least one cruise ship anchored in the bay Monday and Tuesday of each week. Small boats run the ship passengers ashore and they have all kinds of activities waiting for them. A "consortium" of businesses has developed the site of the Icy Point Fish Cannery. It is all brand new this year with gift shops, local native artists, waterfront walking trails, fishery displays (lifecycle of a salmon, types of fishing, etc), Cannery demonstrations/tours, museum, snack bars, salmon bakes and restaurants. The tribal community is developing a tribal museum adjacent to it and puts on a native heritage show ($36 admission). It is all very high quality and well done. Local residents drive buses back and forth between the cannery site and "downtown Hoonah" to try to further capitalize on the "captive" audience.

We are going to stay here for a couple days and it will be interesting to see what it is like in "town" without the buzz of the cruise ship passengers (who number more than the total population of the town).

We are relaxed and enjoying our adventures...sighted a few humpback whales on our cruise this AM from Funter Bay to here...majestic to say the least.


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June 28 Auke Bay

This morning we moved from Juneau's harbors to Auke Bay. On the map it looks like a very small move until you realize that the small channel in between is too shallow for us to travel it. Instead we made a 33 mile trip down Gastineau Channel and around Douglas Island.

Auke Bay is the terminal for the Alaska Ferry (same one we took a few days ago to go to Skagway) and is also a good step off point for our upcoming transit to Sitka via a number of other harbors and the famous Sergis Narrows.

Juneau was unreal this morning as we left because ALL the cruise ships were gone from the docks. Popular transit day for them and we heard a number of them calling in on the radio to announce they would soon be transiting "Gastineau Channel"...right after we left it.

Some necessary tasks must be dealt with so we are currently playing the "waiting game" at the laundromat. Nice new facility and Gary is getting his dose of television news and documentaries.

Tomorrow should be a bit more exciting with someplace new to explore.

Take care...Linda

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Fuel Consumption - A frequent topic of conversation

Inquiring minds often ask about the following data so here it is:
Since we left Port Angeles in mid May we have logged 146 hours on our Cummins diesel. That was not just a direct transit Port Angeles to Juneau but lots of local cruising inSan Juans, Gulf Islands, Tracey Arm, etc, etc.
Fuel consumption has totaled 491 gallons (which includes consumption for espar heater and diesel generator)
If we ignored the heater and generator we have averaged 3.4 gallons of diesel per hours of engine operation
Total fuel cost $971 or an average of 1.97 per gallon
Most expensive fuel was $2.30 per gallon in Juneau
Least epensive was 1.68 per gallon in Port Angeles (but that was in April)
Moorage has been extremely affordable. Many government docks in small harbors and coves are free...who is going to be there to collect anyway? Juneau was the least expensive "Port" dock at 25 cents a foot...most others are 35 cents. Showers and laundry facilities are mostly run commercially and not part of or located at ports.
Groceries in Alaska are 25% to 50% more expensive but fresh and with good selection.
Cell phone reception is either excellent in larger communities or totally non-existant.
We purchased a satellite radio and get most of our news and entetainment (old time radio at night) from it.
Nuff for now.
Linda

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June 26 Ferry back to Skagway

Enjoyed our two nights in Skagway and met lots of really nice people...we are refferred to as "independents" when not traveling as part of the big tour groups. Independents tend to draw to each other and compare notes...similar people looking for more adventure than the regimented tours offer. We ended up sharing taxis and notes on the sights to visit...adds a new dimension to the adventure.

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June 25 Whitehorse antique Railroad trip to mountain summit

This was a very scenic day with a new vista around every curve...literally. It was a very expensive item ($89 per person for 3.5 hours) but in addition to the georgeous scenery and train experience you also learned the history of the area and saw the trails they wore in the rock ledges carrying the required ton on supplies and gear over the summit to reach the Yukon gold rush areas and their dreams of prosperity.

Later in the afternoon we went to the "Spirit of '98" show...it was a historical presentation of Skagway's history complete with can can dancing girls and gun toting western characters. Very entertaining!!!


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June 27 Mendenhall Glacier

Number one tourist attraction in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier which is just 15 miles out of the downtown area. We wanted to really go "deluxe" so we took the Glacier Express bus for $5 each way. Could have joined one of the Princess cruise tours for megabucks but we actually got the best deal in town with a Tlinglit Indian driver who was very proud of his heritage and the sights of Juneau. He was pointing out all the landmarks along the way plus spotting the large numbers of eagles along the way. He even took us down to the local fish hatchery to show us the scores of individuals pulling in the returning hatchery salmon. They gut them right there and the eagles soar overhead waiting to swoop in on the discarded trimmings. Quite a sight...and this was all in addition to him taking us out to the National Park visitor's center at the glacier.

Before getting there I could not imagine how we could get right up to the edge of the glacier and yet not be in a boat. It was awesome and quite an experience. Their park displays dealt with all the common questions like "Why is some of the ice so blue?" and "How fast does the glacier receed?" We learned a lot and gained a greater appreciation for all those icebergs we were cruising amongst in Tracey Arm.


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June 24 Skagway is so beautiful

We arrived this afternoon in Skagway via the M/V Fairweather, the new fast catamaran ferry run by the State of Alaska. It took just 3 hours to get here up Lynn Canal. The vessel was traveling at 43 knots...compared to our normal Old Bro cruising speed of 8 knots that means we got here in 1/5 the time it would have taken us to cruise here...AND that does not include the extra time I would have taken ploting it out and then wringing our hands over the potential conditions one can encounter in this passage. But of course the water was smooth as glass and beautiful instead of the 10 foot standing waves than one can encounter on a difficult day there.

The scenery is breathtaking. I know now why they call this a "little Switzerland". The snowcapped mountains are all around us and the waterfalls and glaciers we viewed on the ferry trip were inspiring. We met some nice people from Arkansas and visited with them on the ferry ride. Also while waiting for the ferry, Gary spent over an hour visiting with a young commercial photographer from Belgium. The young man who sold me a train ticket here in town today was from Forest Grove, Oregon. What a small world and so many interesting people to meet.

This is a deep water harbor so the cruise ships dock here but not in the numbers that we have encountered in Juneau and Ketchikan. What a racket, the cruise ship companies own a number of the local gift shops and "double dip" so to speak. Local merchants post signs in their windows...this business owned by native Alaskan residents...can't blame them.

Tonight we walked around before stopping for dinner and then visited the local ATM machine to replenish our wallets. It is expensive here but we are really enjoying ourselves.

Tomorrow we are going on the famous small gauge train ride up to the mountain summit above here. It will be a 3 hour trip and has been highly recommended as a "Must See" adventure.

We are staying two nights here in Skagway before we take the catamaran ferry back to Juneau. Our tug is just tied up in Juneau taking a rest while we are away.

Hope all is well for everyone at home.

Gary & Linda

June 21 Sizzlin in Juneau

We had a very pleasant trip north from Taku Harbor into Juneau this morning.

Haven't done much exploring yet as it was so hot we were lucky to just find the showers and try to sneak back to the boat without building up a new sweat and wiping out any benefit the shower accomplished.

We are so spoiled with local boating marina having nice shower facilities but then again those are the ones that charge $1 to $1.25 per foot per night...Like I told Gary for the cheap moorage here...$9.07 per day we can afford to taje a taxi to the shower if it was a problem. I am just having problems going to pay showers in te laundromats...just different but it works.

11 PM and it has finally gotten dark,,but of course it will be light again at 3 AM...land of the "Midnight Sun".

Nite all...Linda

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June 23 Juneau sets new heat records

We are kicking back and relaxing in Juneau and trying to stay out of the sun. This will be the 5th consecutive day of record setting temps over 80 degrees here. Does not seem that hot at home, but here it is just too hot to do much "tourist stuff" out and about.

Yesterday we took a taxi to the center of town, down where the cruise ships dock. On any given day they have 8,000 to 12,000 people in town off the cruise ships. Gary likened it to "Disneyland" as we watched the throngs of people tour the streets and all the fancy gift shops.

We hung around down there just long enough to get brochures on the sights and adventures that we might like to get involved in...then we walked back to the boat with stops for a breakfast out, internet access at an office supply store and a visit to the State Museum. The museum was done very nicely and was one where you could spend hours if you wanted to read every one of the exhibits. Excellent displays of native tools, clothing (parkas made out of animal guts) and everyday living.

Tomorrow we are going to take an Alaska fast ferry (catamaran) north to Skagway and stay two days. During that time we will take the excursion ride up into the mountain ranges on the old narrow gauge railway...and hopefully take in a "wild west" show.

Reading books and "chillin out" today.

The crazy pair

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June 20 Dodging Bergy Bits in Tracey Arm

We managed to "tear" our selves away from the ravenous bugs in Hobart Bay and moved on North. In search of or first glacier sighting we turned into Tracey Arm off Stephen's Passage. The cruising book warned that the trip was 22 miles and that many people are turned back by the abundance of floating ice and qthe peril which they present.

Even before we crossed "Tracey Bar" at the entrance to the fiord we were struck with the size of the icebergs. They floated out in the main channel and gathered along the shoreline. The colors were such deep rich colors of icy blue...yes, we took pictures but they will never do it justice. It has been record breaking temperatures locally and we think this increased the number of bergs falling off the glacier. They finally became so close together that we had to turn around about 2 miles short of the actaul glacier. It only took hitting one to convince us that it was not worth puttiang our vessel or our prop at that much risk.

The tip was not wasted as the sights we encountered were glorious. In addition to the bergy and "bergy bits" we enjoyed an abundance of waterfalls the like of which we have never seen. Many tour boats as well as other personal vessels enjoyed the sights and "posed" in front of the natural wonders. Most of the tour boats are designed to withstand the ice and I expect before the trip is over we will board on to get "up close and personal" with a glacier.

At the end of our day we pulled up to another quiet, secluded government dock this time in Taku Harbor. The cruising books predicted bears and river otter on the dock...neither one materialized but instead we again had the pesky, large flying, biting insects. In spite of their presence we took a walk along the shoreline to check out a old abandoned cannery site. Afterwards we joined other boaters (OK 8 of us total) on the dock to tell cruising stories while we each attempted to swat away the eager bugs. Finally we retreated to the shelter of our boats and leisure pursuits...reading, listening to satellite radio and doing needlepoint.

Tomorrow north to Juneau...

Linda

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June 19 Besieged by Hobart Bay

We headed north from Petersburg this morning leaving at 6 AM. It had been light since 2 AM so I had been up and down sure we had missed our early morning travel window.

We have opted for a relaxed travel pace so our destination for the day was Hobart Bay, 14 milea north of Cape Fanshaw and 6 hours cruising (at 8 knots) from Petersburg.

The morning was textbook perfect with calm glassy water and a very light breeze. As we rounded Cape Fanshaw and neared "Five Fingers" islands we watched closely for the humpback whales we have been told are ALWAYS there. We even followed a whale watch boat for a bit but only had two small sightings and they did not put on much of a "show". Why is it I expect the whales to come out and greet us the way the Tourist Bureau employees greet the cruise ships? Oh well they must be hiding from the brilliant sunshine which we are told is not typical for this area...I will just have to be patient!

Well Hobart Bay is a very small indentation on Entrance Island which you would never know exists were it not for the cruising guide books. The entrance is well hidden and if not for a state maintained 100 foot long floating dock you might not venture to enter. The books all say to get here early if you want to tie up to the dock. We pulled around the corner and were surprised to find the dock unoccupied. WOW...as we tied up I told Gary...I could stay at a place like this more than just one night. No sooner had I uttered those words than the "flying bugs" decended upon us. It was like "fresh meat" had arrived and we were it!

We haven't moved that fast in a long time...we quickly finished securing our lines and closing ourselves inside the boat. As soon as we whacked and slapped to kill any of the gargantuous (spelling escapes me at the momenta) flies, bees and other flying nasties that had accompanied us inside...then we opened the screened windows to keep from roasting. So much for the gentle dinghy ride we were going to take to explore and so much for the silence that we have since broken with the sounds of our boat generator and air conditioning...Now where did I put that bug repellent I was so careful to bring along but had yet to need?

Tomorrow will be another leg in our passage to Juneau and other sights which await.

Linda & Gary

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June 16 Petersburg (A taste of Norway)

We had a gloriously beautiful trip up here today from Wrangell. The weather has turned sunny and warm and the water was perfect. We are getting good at timing our passages and today was the BIG challenge coming through Wrangell Narrows...the current changes mid way through and you want the tide to be changing when you enter that section. It worked great and we arrived at about 3PM

Petersburg is known for it's Norwegian heritage. It is a small, clean, neatly laid out town with a population of just 3600. It is known as the halibut capital of Alaska as it's economy depends on its fishing fleet and seafood processing plants. It is the major fish-processing center in SE Alaska. We are currently docked in amongst fishing boats of all sizes and our directions to the particular docks were along the line of "go past the green fish processing plant, take a right turn at the stern of a BIG fishing boat, go down 8 slips and your is in between the boat covered with blue tarps and one named Gina." Obviously we found it.

And by the way for you boaters...when was the last time you got overnight moorage for just 35 cents a foot? That amounts to just $11 plus $4 for electricity for our "cute ltttle tug"...pretty affordable and we don't even have to go to a tavern for our shower!!!

We decided it was time for a bit of resting up so we will stay here 3 nights before heading towards Juneau and several stops along the way. I might even get my hair trimmed tomorrow and check out the tourist info and other items of interest. Beautiful totem poles, norwegian viking ship replicas and such.

Take care all.

Linda & Gary
"We have a weird and wonderful relationship...he's weird and I'm wonderful!"

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June 14 Wrangell

This was a perfect day for our transit North from Meyers Chuck to Wrangell. The winds were very calm and the sea nearly flat. We had timed the 50 mile journey to coincide with a negligible current even through the twists and turns of Zimovia Straits. We left Meyers Chuck at 6:30 AM and arrived in Wrangell right on schedule 6 hours later.

Since we were traveling unaccompanied the auto pilot worked flawlessly and we were soon on our second pot of coffee to keep from dozing off during the uneventful passage.

I kept scaning the expanses of shoreline to search out the illusive bears...but today all I found were "fuzzy rocks" and nearly got seasick from the concentration of binocular scans.

Upon arrival we found the Wrangell boat harbor crowded as predicted. We opted not to raft 3 and 4 boats deep with the fishin vessels and instead took assigned moorage at the outer horseshoe dock where the cruise ships dock. This is not the threat it was in Ketchikan as the ships are much smaller (less than 100 passengers) and only stay 90 minutes.

Wrangell is a very run down little rough and tumble type of town but everyone is very friendly and willing to help.

We are meeting lots of other boaters, many on the same general route we have selected so I think we will all be good friends before long.

We are staying well and enjoying our new relaxed traveling pace.

Each day is a new adventure,
Linda & Gary

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June 12 Lazarette diving in Ketchikan

Today has been an exciting day of minor repairs on the boat. One had to do with the septic floats...and we won't even try to joke about that one...it's done and that's the important part.

The second adventure that had me "diving" in the lazarette (storage compartment on rear of boat...for you non-nautical types) was attempting to reconnect a heater air duct hose that had come loose. Of course all sorts of gadgets have been installed in the space between where I was trying to "slither" in and the disconnected hose so I was talking to them in very unladylike terms while I was "contorting" my body parts to try to get closer. I think it will work better now but trust me I will be eying all the midget type men (if there are any of such stature in the great state of Alaska) in the hopes of eventually conning one into taking a "dive" into the land of close hoses and instrumentation to perhaps fix it even further.

The weather here has been VERY wet and windy. They have 162 inches of rain per year in Ketchikan and I think we are getting more than our share. The warm weather clothes I brought along are in no danger of getting worn out at this rate...and that is exactly why we were working to improve the efficiency of our Espar heater system.

I just got finished laying out the course for the next "leg" of our adventure...from Ketchikan to Wrangell. We will do it in two days running with an overnight in Meyers Chuck. Hope to have the winds subside enough tomorrow morning to be underway by 7am.

More later in the next installment...

Linda

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June 13 Meyers Chuck, Alaska

Meyers Chuck occupies less than one mile of land and water 40 miles NW of Ketchikan at the tip of Cleveland Peninsula, a heavily forested arm of the mainland that extends west into the islands of Alaska's panhandle and points toward Prince of Wales Island.

As it has for more than a century, Meyers Chuck maintains an outwardly sleepy semblance while remaining fiercely independent from the world outside. There are no roads, no runways, no taxes, no local government and little need for them, according to the dozen year-round residents who thrive in the rigorous solitude of life here.

After traveling 33 miles from Ketchiken this morning in seas abeam and then following we squeezed behind Meyers Island and felt like we were stepping back 100 years to what we had pictured Alaska to be. Old homesteader and miner's shacks line the waterfront and cling precariously to the hillside. We are told there is a total of 48 houses in the community but only 8 of them are occupied year-round.

There are few traces of "modern" development in the area. The Alaskan government installed a government float a few years back and there is a float plane dock but we have yet to see any arrive. On the shore the community centers around a community bulletin board, one dilapidated phone booth and a weathered street corner US mailbox.

The mail is picked up just once a week and taken to a neighboting community to be sent out. Incoming mail is also just weekly but I don't think these folks need to be concerned about getting bills for their garbage service, utilities or propery tax...which are non existent.

They have a small rustic gallery back in the woods with a large assortment of hand crafted items made in the community...handknitted wool socks, carved wooden bowls, intricate beadwork, quilts and jewelry made of natural materials (earrings out of the ear bone of whales).

Each person you meet on the well worn trails has a sincere smile and warm greeting for you.

Back in the woods we discovered the old school house which was closed 8 years ago due to lack of students. It is for sale but as yet no takers.

In case you might think this would be the "perfect" spot you might also want to know the following statistics:
longest day = 17 hours, 28 minutes
shortest day = 6 hours, 6 minutes
temperature range = -10 to 92 F
precipitation = 82 inches

We met a nice couple from Oregon who are traveling on their Krogan 48' motor yacht. They were leaving Ketchikan at same time this morning as us and headed same direction so we "buddied up" so to speak. Tomorrow we are on to Wrangell.
the old bro' and his misses

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June 11 R & R (Restin' & Relaxin') in Ketchikan

Yesterday we came to the realization that it was time to slow down, relax and enjoy the beauty around us. Our fish camp friends are doing this as a business and are under time pressure to find a weather window to get themselves out to Dall Island and their fish camp setup in preparation for their first paying guests who will arrive on the 15th. We do not have that same pressure and so decided to step out of the pace they are keeping.

First step was that we moved from the hustle and bustle of the downtown commercial docks right along side the BIG cruise ship docks. Bar Harbor moorage (where we are now) is a couple miles out of the downtown area but still close enough that we have can walk or take a bus there.

Gary suggested (jokingly) that we could still go back to the tavern for another shower but I was quick to locate the very nice ones owned by the Port here. Moorage is VERY reasonable at $11 per day. No electricity but we just run the generator a couple hours a day.

Just a block away is a large laundromat where we caught up on our wash yesterday afternoon. Found a nice little restaurant nearby to have a hearty Alaskan breakfast this morning.

Just encountered one of our fish camp friends and found that they have opted to stay at the docks as well because of the blustery weather conditions. Glad they are safe and not out battling the wind and rain that we currently have.

Had an awesome experience yesterday. We had walked back to the commercial dock to pay Captain Pete (fish camp owner) for some diesel we purchased from him a couple days ago. While we were sitting on the Northern Legacy chatting I was treated to an awesome sight on the commercial floats next door. You know how when you go to the coast and throw out bread the seagulls will circle around your head swooping down to get their share. Well, a fish processing employee was out throwing pieces of fish cuttings onto the floats. Circling above him was not seagulls but in excess of 20 large bald eagles! From the road side, you would have missed this sight but from where I sat I could see it all! Just AWESOME!

Today will be dedicated to reading novels, napping and beginning to plan the next "leg" of our adventures.

Take care....
Linda

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June 9 Ketchikan...more of the story

It was another rough day with high seas and strong winds. The swells from yesterday were closer together and nearly cresting at the top so it was a real "hammer" day. Our little Nordic Tug can really handle it...even if we did get a bit more water in our chain locker than it could handle. We will know what to look for and avoid next time if we ever get into a similar situation. Considering the fact that we have travelled nearly 800 miles to get here and done it in a fairly compressed amount of time...it has gone excellent.

We were relieved and overjoyed when we finally saw Ketchikan, complete with 4 large cruise ships, Alaska Ferries, float planes coming & going, plus boats moving everywhere.

We are currently tied up to the city pier with commercial fishing vessels all around. Both the enormous cruise ships (I counted 13 floors on one)that were docked along side pulled out about dinner time and all the little tourist gift shops closed down for the night...or until the next cruise ship (their bread and butter) pulls in.

Once we cleared US customs, I hopped (figuratively speaking) onto a bus to go out to the main post office to retrieve a package of drugs (prescription of course!) that Cindy had forwarded "General Delivery" to us here.

We were surprised that the docks we are staying at do not provide restrooms and showers (like the marinas at home) AND TRUST ME...AFTER 4 DAYS WITHOUT A SHOWER WE REALLY WERE COUNTING HAVING ONE. I scouted around and a nice lady at the espresso cafe told me there were shower and laundry facilities at the tavern down the street. I walked there and the lady behind the bar confirmed that in deed they had such facilities.

Mistake #1 was I did not ask to see them...I really needed this shower and every other business in Ketchikan is a tavern or a liquor store so why rock the boat(so to speak).

Mistake #2 was when we came back to use them, I let my dear husband use it first (if I needed a shower...he REALLY needed a shower). This tavern was located in an historic building...surprised they even had indoor plumbing when they built this...anyway to cut to the quick...by the time I had my turn there was little hot water left, the floor was covered with water(I hope it was from the faulty shower curtain and not the yucky toilet)...I did get my $2 shower but felt like I should take a course of penicillin to keep from catching any nasty bugs there.

Overall I think the highlight of our shower venture was the drunk who greeted us at the door of the establishment. It was like we were his long lost friends. When Gary left after his shower our new friend wanted to know what Gary had in his blue bag...he was disappointed when Gary replied that it was "dirty clothes". When I came out he wanted to know what we had "going on back there" and he and two buddies started to follow me down the sidewalk. I think perhaps in the light of day they came to their senses.

Speaking of "light of day" the further North we get the later it is light...really spooky and I am having trouble getting to bed at a decent time at night.

omorrow promises to be a day of rest before we journey out to the fish camp site on Dall Island. Beyond that we expect to start traveling by ourselves and at a more leisurely pace as we head North to Craig and points of adventure beyond.

Thanks for the reports back from those of you who are keeping track of us on this weblog.

Have a wonderful summer and keep checking here for more updates.

Linda & Gary

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June 8 Nakat Harbor - Just North of Canadian/Alaska border

By th end of this day we had traveled 13 1/2 hours, most of it across the first section of the way across the open and treacherous waters of Dixon Entrance. For those of you who are Pacific NW Boaters, it was like a very bad day crossing the Straits of Juan de Fuca but it was like it would not end! The swells were 12 and 15 feet and all the while you are trying to dodge logs and logging debris.

Our group was additionally slowed down by having a transmission going out on one of their 28' Uniflite boats. The 85' Northern Legacy end up being the tow boat in these instances, plus the 28' Uniflite that broke down was also towing a skiff behind. They were quite a sight. Captain of the boat in tow was Jan Snyder who was a tug boat captain with Foss for years...his good natured comment on the CB was "now I know what it was like to be a barge!"

Thanks to the local knowledge and skill of our fish camp crew (after 13 years of making this trek North and South each year) they had a friendly, sheltered harbor for us to hide away in for the night before we tackled the rest of the "crossing". It was a bit deep (100') for anchoring but it was o sheltered and we were so tired that we just put out our anchor and nearly all the 200' of chain...set the anchor alarm and went to bed...zzzzzzzzzz


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June 10 May be headed to fish camp today

If we disappear off the radar screen of communication for a number of days again it will mean that we are relaxing at the fish camp on the southern end of Dall Island. We are currently in a holding pattern to see if the window of weather that could enable the trip holds.
Later.

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June 7 Lowe Inlet, Grenville Channel, Northern BC

Beautiful weather all day long. Started off the day "sleeping in" till 8 AM while the fish camp crew were finishing up repairs on one of their boats. Whenwe left at 9 AM we took the lead and set the pace at our optimal cruising RPM of 1800. Most of the day we were traversing long, narrow channels or "reaches" (as they are called here). Lots to see along the bank with picturesque lighthouses and Coast Guard Stations plus waterfalls and snow capped mountains.

We encountered very little other boat traffic but the mass of the BC Ferry boat when it came by made up for it. We had a humpback whale putting on a show right in front of oir boat. Beautiful "tail flukes" rose high into the air as it dove. We actually had to turn our boat sharply to avoid running into him...he was that close. My first humpback whale in person and it was a real thrill.

When we entered our final destination of Lowe Inlet after 11 hours of running we had a surprise waiting for us. We pulled right up beside the 37' Nordic Tug owned by our friends Mike and Jan Bohart from Anacortes. What a pleasant surprise to see them and visit with them until I was literally falling asleep on their couch.

Took a quick dinghy ride over to see the falls at the head of Lowe Inlet before we finally laid our heads on our pillow to sleep.

Need diesel in the morning...will have to take advantage of the fish camp's onboard fueling facilities...wonder if they also do windows???

Two more days and if the weather holds we should be in Ketchikan.

still...Old Bro's Old Lady

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June 6 Salmon Bay (off Mathieson Channel Northern BC)

We left Port Hardy at 0500 this AM for the trip North past Cape Caution. Seas were initially flat but quickly got over it. Passing Cape Caution, the seas were 10' plus out of the west/northwest. Swells were at 10 to 15 seconds apart.

North of Bella Bella in Seaforth Channel we encountered following sea swells again in excess of 10 feet. It was a real challenge to maintain an efficient course, dodge logs and debris and handle the effect of the swells. We found auto pilot pretty ineffective considering the conditions. We gained valuable experience in handling the large seas.

We had begun the day out ahead with one other boat and were able to cruise at our optimum 8.6 knots consuming less than 3 gallons of diesel per hour. 5 hours into the day the rest of the flotilla caught up with us and then we had to kick it up to 10 knots which works our engine much harder(2000 rpm) and consumes 7 gallons per hour.

From Lama Passage on, we played "tag" with an extremely large cargo barge in tow behind a commercial tug. The barge was so big that it had van boxes stacked on it 8 high, 12 wide and about 40 long. The very top row was vehicles including a large Mayflower moving van...that really put it into perspective! The tug captain was very polite and cooperative on the radio sorting out where our flotilla should be to avoid the path of their transit.

It was a VERY long day (15 hours under way!) and when we pulled into Salmon Bay at 8 PM it was very sheltered and peaceful. All you could hear was the drop of each of the anchors into the water. We all enjoyed watching a black bear enjoying a tidepool smorgasboard on the shore oblivious to our arrival.

Needless to say, once our anchor alarm had been set we enjoyed a well deserved sleep.

That crazy pair,
Linda & Gary


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June 9 Ketchikan at last

More details later

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June 5 Port Hardy...a haven from the storm

Slept soundly last night knowing we were savely tied to the dck in this charming fishing town on the north end of Vancouver Island. Did not realize how exhausted we were from our long day of adventure yesterday...until our heads hit the pillow.

Leisurely breakfast at the local motel diner with a view of the harbor mellowed it all out this morning. Even the large imature eagle perched atop the local lookout gazebo is staying put today. Gary just walked by and informed e that the gale force winds will continue today so we are staying put till tomorrow AM. Want just the right conditions for the passage of open sea that is ahead of us...guess there is good reason why they call it "Cape Caution"!

Walked into a little marine/hardware store next to the cafe this morning and found a copy (actually several) of the Ports and Passages tide & current books that everyone south of here were totally sold out on...score one for my off the wall shopping super sleuthing!

Gary is working at washing the thick layer of salt off the exterior of the boat...we really busted some big ones last night! I do have to say that both the boat and it's occupants handled it very well. They don't call the Nordic Tugs a "wet" boat for nothing...she rides low in the water an really cuts through the waves.

I am busy drying out some towels that got wet but once the dryer finishes I will have the rest of the day to explore,read, stitch and maybe even nap!

I could get used to this adventureous life of leisure.

Later...
Linda

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June 3 Murphy's not on a 9 to 5 schedule

We got a nice phone call this afternoon from our fish camp friends as thy moved north towards us. Pete said it was going great and best of all no mechanical problems with their floatilla of boats!

Well it was just 20 minutes later he called to report a bearing failure in one of the boats and could we help search out the needed parts. Well we found out how challenging it can be to locate parts late in the day...Murphy evidently does not work on a 9 to 5 schedule.

Finally after many cell phone calls, round trip taxi fare and a $50 emergency call in surcharge...we had the needed $20 bearings that would have stopped the flotilla from proceeding the next day.


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June 4 Blown Out of Port Alexander...Literally having a blast!!!

We were up at 4:30 AM to shower and be ready for a 5:30 departure with Alaska Fish Camp flotilla. It all went very smooth with us all looking like baby chicks (11 of them) accompanying their mother duck...in this case the 85' Northern Legacy.

Everyone watched out for each other calling out on the CB to report the many logs and obstacles we were dodging as we negotiated the famous Seymour Narrows and Johnstone Straits. Even going through at the optimal "slack tides" we at times had currents in excess of 6 knots pushing us along the waterways...nearly out of control as the steering gets pretty squirrely!

We made good time and arrived at our destination of Port Alexander anchorage in 11.5 hours. Only problem was that they had revised the weather forecast during the day and upgraded the predicted winds to "gale" force. Before we could even get all anchored and settled in our destination bay...all HELL broke loose with 45 mph winds gusting higher. Anchors started slipping, two boats nearly went on the beach and very quickly the flotilla "Captain" Pete declared us "OUT OF HERE"! We back tracked A VERY WET AND WILD 20 miles to Port Hardy...VERY protected and we ended up all tied to docks. Another storm is set to hit in the AM so we may get a chance to take a look at the town...at least the nearest breakfast spot1

Just one more chapter in the adventure!!!

Linda & Gary

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June 2 Taste Testing in Campbell River

I'll keep you guessing on the title for a few lines here.

We have been enjoying some liquid sunshine off and on here for the past few days and then finally today the sun came out in all its glory. It is even warm as the previous wind has also calmed down.

We spent yesterday walking around shopping for some additional tide/ current books and some spares for the boat. Went out of our way to a large auto parts store in search of the special Delo motor oil that makes our Cummins diesel happy. Did not find the oil but really got our exercise for the day and thoroughly "stretched our legs"until they screamed.

Today Gary started out with one of those "nasty" little jobs that boaters do NOT look forward to. He replaced the "duck bill" valves in our septic macerator. Suffice it to say they look like the bill on a duck and do lots of dirty work! Nice to have that periodic maintenance done for another couple seasons!

Next he took off to hike again to the marine supply store and pick up parts ordered yesterday. This was in return for NOT having to go with me to the big super grocery store.

In Canada all the brands and labels are different (plus having French on one side) so it took me quite awhile of reading labels to make my selections in both the variety and grocery sections of the store. Hardest of all was trying to find something similar to our favorite Kashi Go Lean Good Friends cereal. We don't just eat it for breakfast but it is our standard snack food and satisfaction with it helps to keep us from all the "junk food" that we used to eat. Anyway I ended up bringing back to the boat boxes of SIX different cereals. We sat and did the taste test as well as analysing the fiber, calorie and carbohydrates involved. After dinner we ended up back at the store to purchase multiple boxes of our two favorites...not quite the wine tasting adventure that many might enjoy on their travels but none the less it was entertaining.

We have verified that the Group we are going North with left Port Angeles today and will catch up with us tomorrow. It will be so nice to follow someone through the rapids and passages who travels this route every year.

More later as we head North and our adventure expands.

Linda & Gary

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