Nov 8, 2011
Pictures from Ketchikan to Monterey, Ca.
Final Alaska Thoughts and Adventure
We left Ketchikan on August 30th after spending all of August at the Ketchikan Yacht Club docks. We had a great time there and have made many friends who are residents. Chuck also enjoyed being able to fish and continued to catch more salmon, this time Coho. They are really excellent eating.Our trip through the inside passage of British Columbia was quite picturesque and easy. We encountered no weather issues and no rain. It was a very calm and easy ride. We arrived back into the United States at Roche Harbor in the San Juan Islands on September 15th where we enjoyed 4 days of fun. We then went to Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island and our plan was to have the boat taken out of the water and stored at the boat yard where we have left it previous years. As you may recall last year at this time we took the boat to San Diego so we could enjoy having it during the winter months. As we sat in Oak Harbor we kept looking at each other and saying, what a bummer it was going to be not having our boat for the winter. So, as we have often said here and other times, our plans became just intentions. Margaret said, "remember how much fun Monterey, Ca. was last year and I wonder if we could get a slip for the boat?"
Well, that was all she had to say, and a phone call later confirming we had a boat slip made up our mind. Down the west coast we would go again. BUT, the previous times we had made this trip no later than early September and now it was going to be early October, an entirely different weather pattern. We also decided the trip would be too rough for Margaret, so my friend Gary agreed to accompany me down the coast. On Sept. 28 we moved the boat to Port Angeles about half way out the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Margaret caught a flight into Seattle and back home and Gary flew in there to join me. On September 30th we went out to the end of the straits and spent the night in Neah Bay, an indian village. After topping off with fuel we got up at 3:30 am and departed around 5:00am for Newport Oregon, a trip of 253 miles or about 25 hours. It had been some time since I'd been on the water in the dark, so it was a bit weird leaving there with zero visibility using our instruments for navigation.It all went well though and while it was a bit rough, 25 hours later we arrived at Newport, Or.on October 2nd. We had to wait outside the harbor entrance for first light so we could see the entrance and also understand the wave conditions over the "bar" (a sand bar that forms from the outflow of the river), which can be quite dangerous in high winds and sea conditions. This time it was quite calm and we arrived at the fuel dock inside the marina at about 6:45am. Needless to say we were tired. But we had napped during the night and did not go to sleep until that evening. We did leave Newport until October 7th.as the weather was quite rough on the ocean. On 10/07 we departed for a non stop run to Crescent City, Ca., about 190 miles where we took on fuel and then went right back out heading to Monterey. Total trip, Newport to Monterey was 530 miles and took 59 hours. Much of it was quite pleasant but there was one 8 hour stretch where the wind blew 30-40 knots at times and the waves were quite high. A bit scary but the boat did well and we were never in any danger with swells in the 10-15 ft. range. So we had two full overnights and arrived in Monterey at 5:30 pm the third day or October 9th. We have a nice slip here and we love Monterey. It is a very beautiful place. We will spend the winter at home with our family but go to Monterey about once a month for a week or 10 days at a time. In mid April Gary and I will take the boat back to the Seattle area where once again we will head to Alaska, our most favorite place. Here are some statistics from our summer cruising:
Miles Traveled 3,170
Engine Hours 354
Average Speed Knots 8.87
Gallons of Diesel 2,593
Diesel Cost 10,498
Price Per Gal Avg 4.05
Miles per Gal 1.22
Chuck and Margaret
Well, that was all she had to say, and a phone call later confirming we had a boat slip made up our mind. Down the west coast we would go again. BUT, the previous times we had made this trip no later than early September and now it was going to be early October, an entirely different weather pattern. We also decided the trip would be too rough for Margaret, so my friend Gary agreed to accompany me down the coast. On Sept. 28 we moved the boat to Port Angeles about half way out the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Margaret caught a flight into Seattle and back home and Gary flew in there to join me. On September 30th we went out to the end of the straits and spent the night in Neah Bay, an indian village. After topping off with fuel we got up at 3:30 am and departed around 5:00am for Newport Oregon, a trip of 253 miles or about 25 hours. It had been some time since I'd been on the water in the dark, so it was a bit weird leaving there with zero visibility using our instruments for navigation.It all went well though and while it was a bit rough, 25 hours later we arrived at Newport, Or.on October 2nd. We had to wait outside the harbor entrance for first light so we could see the entrance and also understand the wave conditions over the "bar" (a sand bar that forms from the outflow of the river), which can be quite dangerous in high winds and sea conditions. This time it was quite calm and we arrived at the fuel dock inside the marina at about 6:45am. Needless to say we were tired. But we had napped during the night and did not go to sleep until that evening. We did leave Newport until October 7th.as the weather was quite rough on the ocean. On 10/07 we departed for a non stop run to Crescent City, Ca., about 190 miles where we took on fuel and then went right back out heading to Monterey. Total trip, Newport to Monterey was 530 miles and took 59 hours. Much of it was quite pleasant but there was one 8 hour stretch where the wind blew 30-40 knots at times and the waves were quite high. A bit scary but the boat did well and we were never in any danger with swells in the 10-15 ft. range. So we had two full overnights and arrived in Monterey at 5:30 pm the third day or October 9th. We have a nice slip here and we love Monterey. It is a very beautiful place. We will spend the winter at home with our family but go to Monterey about once a month for a week or 10 days at a time. In mid April Gary and I will take the boat back to the Seattle area where once again we will head to Alaska, our most favorite place. Here are some statistics from our summer cruising:
Miles Traveled 3,170
Engine Hours 354
Average Speed Knots 8.87
Gallons of Diesel 2,593
Diesel Cost 10,498
Price Per Gal Avg 4.05
Miles per Gal 1.22
Chuck and Margaret
Aug 11, 2011
Juneau to Ketchikan Pictures July 2011
Anan Bear Observatory Platform
Jet Boat we took to Anan on the beach at Anan
Our guide on the Anan boardwalk trail
Black bear looking for salmon at Anan
Ice from the Tracy Arm glaciers
Red Dog Saloon in Juneau
Jeff and Margaret on a bench in Petersburg
Tied to the dock at Taku Harbor
Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau
Jeff on water taxi in Ketchikan heading to the airport.
There is no road to get there as it is on
an island
Juneau to Ketchikan
Our daughters friend Jeff joined us in Juneau on July 23rd. The next day we toured the Mendenhall Glacier which is just a short bus ride. They have a fabulous interpretive center there as well as the glacier is quite interesting. After having a beer in the famous Red Dog Saloon, we had dinner in town that evening. The next morning when we departed, the weather changed from warm and sunny to rainy and it stayed that way for almost the whole 10 days Jeff was with us. Nonetheless we had a fun time. Our first night heading south from Juneau we tied to a dock in Taku Harbor and then explored the old cannery ruins located here. Our next stop was going to be Tracy Arm where there are two calving glaciers and spend the night there at anchor. Unfortunately the fog had moved in and there was no reason to go in there with visibility at near zero. So we had a longer day and tied to a doc about the same length of our boat in a small harbor called Hobart Bay and Harbor Island. This dock was so small and weak that when we stepped on the one end the water actually rose above the dock. None the less, it served its purpose and we had a restful night. The next day we went to Petersburg, where we enjoyed walking as well as we did laundry and grocery shopping. It was a very relaxing time. Then for the most wonderful part of our trip we traveled to Wrangell, Ak. population about 2,200 where we took a tour on a jet boat to the Anan Bear Observatory. Check it out at this web site. http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/recreation/wildlife_viewing/ananobservatory.shtml
This was a spectacular trip, about an hour or so by jet boat, then a 1/2 mile hike up to this observatory where you could watch mostly black bear but also some brown (grizzly) bears feed on the salmon trying to work their way up the river to spawn. Often times we were within mere feet of wild bears as they passed by our observatory platform. It was exciting and a little bit scary to be so up close and personal. Several of the bears had cubs too, so it was interesting watching the momma bear keeping the males away from the cubs. The males want to kill the cubs in order to get momma interested in mating again. Kinda gory, but that is nature at work. On our hike out down the trail, we came head to head with a black bear. Our guide who was carrying a rifle as well as pepper bear spray stood her ground and talked to the bear as she spread her arms out side to side. The bear looked at her and us and then went off the path and up a hill. It was a bit intimidating as you can imagine. After two days in Wrangell we left and stopped in Myers Chuck for an overnight and then into Ketchikan on August 1st. Jeff departed on the 3rd. We will spend all of August in Ketchikan and will leave here about September 1st heading into British Columbia Canada. The border is about 50 miles south of here. The last 10 days in Ketchikan have been wonderful weather, sunny, and almost hot, highs in the 70's. One day I went fishing with my friend John and actually had to use sun screen. Oh yes, we caught three salmon and an assortment of bottom rock fish. A good fishing day. Now as I type this the weather has turned rainy and cool. We are glad for an electric blanket on our bed at night. Otherwise we are doing well and enjoying Alaska as we always do every year. We especially enjoy our time here in Ketchikan. The city of about 12,000 has really grown on us.
This was a spectacular trip, about an hour or so by jet boat, then a 1/2 mile hike up to this observatory where you could watch mostly black bear but also some brown (grizzly) bears feed on the salmon trying to work their way up the river to spawn. Often times we were within mere feet of wild bears as they passed by our observatory platform. It was exciting and a little bit scary to be so up close and personal. Several of the bears had cubs too, so it was interesting watching the momma bear keeping the males away from the cubs. The males want to kill the cubs in order to get momma interested in mating again. Kinda gory, but that is nature at work. On our hike out down the trail, we came head to head with a black bear. Our guide who was carrying a rifle as well as pepper bear spray stood her ground and talked to the bear as she spread her arms out side to side. The bear looked at her and us and then went off the path and up a hill. It was a bit intimidating as you can imagine. After two days in Wrangell we left and stopped in Myers Chuck for an overnight and then into Ketchikan on August 1st. Jeff departed on the 3rd. We will spend all of August in Ketchikan and will leave here about September 1st heading into British Columbia Canada. The border is about 50 miles south of here. The last 10 days in Ketchikan have been wonderful weather, sunny, and almost hot, highs in the 70's. One day I went fishing with my friend John and actually had to use sun screen. Oh yes, we caught three salmon and an assortment of bottom rock fish. A good fishing day. Now as I type this the weather has turned rainy and cool. We are glad for an electric blanket on our bed at night. Otherwise we are doing well and enjoying Alaska as we always do every year. We especially enjoy our time here in Ketchikan. The city of about 12,000 has really grown on us.
Jul 24, 2011
"grid" where you put your boat at high tide, when
tide drops you work on bottom and float off at
high tide.
"Purse Seiner" salmon fishing boat, Petersburg
Greetings. We left Ketchikan on June 26th, and we headed south then west over to an island called Dall Island where we found a nice cozy anchorage. Our plan was to move around to various anchorages for the next several days but then the weather changed and we decided to get to the city of Craig where we could tie up to the dock while bad weather passed by us. Now you have to understand that Craig has barely over 1000 people, it is really small with no amenities. Well, we kep waiting for three days in this place going stir crazy, so we finally left and headed to a nice anchorage. The next night we went to an place called Devilfish Bay. We like anchoring where there is little or no wind, but the wind here was blowing about 20 knots. Our anchor is big enough that this is not an issue. But when the wind went over 30 knots and starting blowing 40 knots around 10PM at night, it required not going to bed in case the anchor came loose. Well, just as it turned dark, the anchor let loose, or so we thought, and we had to pull it up in the dark with wind howling and rain pouring down. It was scary, to say the least. The minute the anchor came up on the boat, the wind went to ZERO! Really weird. So we anchored again and the rest of the night it was calm. The next day as we proceeded to our next anchorage, we were motoring at about 8 knots of speed, Margaret was napping and we were on some open ocean type water, when all of a sudden, WHAM-BANG-SHUDDER-BOAT ROLLED HARD SIDE TO SIDE. We could not imagine what we hit. I looked out the side of the boat, thinking we had hit a very large log (of which there are many) but instead a HUGE whale came up next to our boat. The whale had tried to surface directly underneath the boat! We were very fortunate to have not received any damage other than to our nerves which took several hours to settle down. The whale did not appear to be hurt, we just rode crossways over the side of the whale. After this experience the rest of our trip was nothing exciting. We proceeded to the town of Petersburg, population about 2,500 where we spent July 4th. They can't do fireworks until after 11PM because it is not dark enough until then. They had a parade with about 10 wheeled vehicle, mainly logging trucks as the theme was TIMBER. The parade was so small, it went around the block and they did it twice. A very nice community with a Norwegian heritage. Then we went to Sitka another really nice town. Chuck spent two days working on the fuel lines on one of the engines which was sucking air into the fuel. This is not a good thing, but after lots of work, finally solved the problem. We thought we had fixed this in Ketchikan, but it came back. So, we think its fixed now. Time will tell. After Sitka we proceeded to Juneau, the capital of Alaska, population about 30,000 or so. We arrived here on the 21st of July and will leave on the 25th. Jeff, our daughters very best friend has joined us for the next 8 days and we will travel back to Ketchikan. Otherwise we are doing well.
Jun 25, 2011
May/June 2011 Alaska Cruise Notes
We uploaded our boat off the Dockwise transport ship in Nanaimo B.C. on May 28th. This was an uneventful evolution. We stayed in Nanaimo for a couple days as we needed to put refrigerator type foods on the boat since we were not able to run our refrigeration as we were transported from Mexico to here. We actually arrived a couple days before the boat so we had time to "tour" around Nanaimo, mainly riding the bus system. When we left Nanaimo we decided to make the 581 mile trip as quickly as possible as we want to maximize our time in Alaska, and in particular in Ketchikan. Since our usual speed is about 9 knots you can understand this takes a number of hours to make this trip. Consequently it was not uncommon to have 10-12 hour runs. Longer than we usually do. We were about 150 miles from Ketchikan when we got into a pretty bad wind storm. The winds we up to 40 knots and we were taking spray over the top of the boat when we ducked out into an anchorage for a couple days waiting for the wind to die down. Our arrival into Ketchikan was on June 9th. We had a few mechanical problems that I fixed when we got to Ketchikan. First we had air in one of the diesel fuel lines, then our electric compass went out so I replaced that and finally fixed the UV light function of our fresh water filtration system. We have tanks that hold our fresh water, and when we draw from those tanks we have two filters plus the UV light. The light sterilizes the water and kills and "bugs" that might be in the tanks. There are probably none there, but it is a just in case thing.
While in Ketchikan now on June 25th, we have had a GREAT time. Chuck has enjoyed fishing with other guys who live here and have been kind enough to not only take him fishing on their own boats, but also to teach him the techniques and tricks to be a successful fisherman. We have really enjoyed getting to know everyone much better here at the yacht club. There is a great group of people here.
We are leaving here on the 26th and our next posting will be from Sitka so we will update you on those travels at that time. Here is a recap of the trip from Nanaimo to Ketchikan
MILES 581
ENGINE HOURS 67
AVERAGE SPEED 8.67 KNOTS
GALLONS OF DIESEL 432
M.P.G. 1.34
COST OF DIESEL $1,894
$ PER GALLON $4.38
Check out the pictures in the next section.
Chuck and Margaret Herr
While in Ketchikan now on June 25th, we have had a GREAT time. Chuck has enjoyed fishing with other guys who live here and have been kind enough to not only take him fishing on their own boats, but also to teach him the techniques and tricks to be a successful fisherman. We have really enjoyed getting to know everyone much better here at the yacht club. There is a great group of people here.
We are leaving here on the 26th and our next posting will be from Sitka so we will update you on those travels at that time. Here is a recap of the trip from Nanaimo to Ketchikan
MILES 581
ENGINE HOURS 67
AVERAGE SPEED 8.67 KNOTS
GALLONS OF DIESEL 432
M.P.G. 1.34
COST OF DIESEL $1,894
$ PER GALLON $4.38
Check out the pictures in the next section.
Chuck and Margaret Herr
May/June Pictures
Apr 20, 2011
2011 Cruising Plans
Hi Everyone---We are quickly approaching our cruising season for 2011. It is hard to believe this is year #7 for us on the water. Our usual routine is to get started in early May and return back to Escondido in mid October and this is what we'll do again. Also, we usually store our boat during the winter in Oak Harbor, Wa. but as you can see from previous posts we brought Mairead down to San Diego. So now we have to get her back north. We have hired a freighter to take the boat in mid May from Ensenada Mexico (about 50 miles south of here) and deliver it to Nanaimo, British Columbia. If you go to http://www.yacht-transfer.com/ you can see the web page of the company we use, Dockwise Yacht Transport. This is a very interesting process. They literall sink the cargo area of the ship, and I will drive the boat into the ship. At this time they have divers under the boats, positioning proper supports. They then pump the water out and the boat settles onto the supports (hopefully)! Five days later the process is reversed and we float off the ship. The date is not exact, but pickup is scheduled for May 17-20th. Delivery will be five days later. We will fly to Vancouver and then take a sea plane from there to Nanaimo to meet the ship. Then, once again, off to Alaska for the summer. We just love it up there, mainly because environment is so pristine, no crowds, very few boats. It is like stepping back in time. We had given serious thoughts about driving the boat to the Panama Canal and then on to the east coast of the U.S. but have decided against doing that for several reasons. The primary reason is we love Alaska. But we also decided we didn't want to endure the heat and humidity of the east coast. Also, traveling in Mexico and Central America is not something we feel comfortable doing. We could ship the boat to Florida from British Columbia but again we relish the Alaska environment and just wouldn't be comfortable in the crowded east coast. BUT, in the boating world, it is often said, we only have INTENTIONS, NOT PLANS.
We will do a much better job of updating this blog as the year progresses. Here are pictures of the last time we loaded on Dockwise.
We will do a much better job of updating this blog as the year progresses. Here are pictures of the last time we loaded on Dockwise.
Pictures from along the West Coast of the U.S.
Dolphins off our bow near Dana Point.
Sunrise off Pt. Conception near San Luis Obispo
Otter off our boat in Monterey. We could have touched it.
Taking Spray off the west coast
Foggy morning in Newport, Oregon
Gray's Harbor, Wa. spectacular Sunset
Back in the big city, Marina Del Rey in Los Angeles
Off Santa Barbara, off shore oil wells
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