July 7 Long trip to Sitka

We started off the day to make a relatively short transit of 4 hours to "Angoon" just off Chattam Straits. Cruising books indicated a dock to tie to and fuel available. We had not topped off our tank in Hoonah or Tenakee since their furl was not real easily accessible...i.e. on top of a 25 ' high dock on pilings. So we were down about 1/2 tank and below our "comfort zone".

When we arrived at Angoon we found that their dock had fallen into the straits since the guidebok author had last visited. They had moorage docks but they were in a channel which was not safely navigated by us. The nearest sure thing for fuel was back where we had just come from...BUMMER.

We quizzed the person on the Angoon radio and found there was an old cannery across the strait that might be able to provide us fuel. This cannery was not easy to find but when we called them on the radio they said come on in as long as you do not mind paying $3.10 per gallon for diesel. At that point we would have paid anything! Arrived there and found that their fuel dock was also 25' in the air...BUMMER.

Their caretaker came in from fishing, climbed the ladder 2 rungs at a time (he did NOT us) and lowered down the green diesel nozzle. He surprised us when he said he preferred we write a check for the purchase. It saved him time going back to his residence for change or to do bank card...he wanted to get back to hs fishing! I gave him a $5 tip and you would have thought it was $50...sweet young man. The cannery is closed down and he is merely a caretaker and working or restoring it for historical purposes.

Well once we had a full fuel tank and had gotten out of the 4 foot swells in Chattam Straits...we did not want to go back out there. We had startd out at 7 AM, left the cannery at 1 PM and figured the timing was good to try a transit of the famous "Peril Straits" and "Sergis Narrows". We hit the narrows about an hour beyond the desired "high water slack" so we had a current pushing us along. Our normal cruising speed of 8 knots became 13.5 knots "speed over ground". It was a bit squirrely but we came through just fine.

We arrived in Sitka at 9 PM dog tired but in a good, calm slip with electric, water and showers available. I can even see the local McDonalds...just beyond the city's only traffic light.

Highlight of the day were awesome sightings of humpback whales...a couple surfaced within 50' of the boat...very impressive!!!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Nite All,
Linda

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