CRUISING ADVENTURES

Aug 17, 2014

August 16, 2014

We spent over a week in the delightful community of Sitka. One of the fun things we did was go to the "Raptor Center" where they rehabilitate, if possible, injured birds of prey. Many are released back into the wild, but sometimes they can't ever go back, so they are then used for educational programs so people can learn about these wonderful birds. The American bald eagle are extremely plentiful in Alaska. Sometimes they are called "glorified vultures" there are so many.

Bald Eagle wing

On June 24th we departed Sitka, heading back the same way we came, to Ketchikan. Our short term goal was to be in Sitka for the July 4th parade and celebrations. These small communities go all out, and it is quite a family affair. The parade is so small, they in some years, actually have it go around the block and come back thru a second time. If it rain, which it did, no one let's that stop them. As a matter a fact, if you let rain stop you from going out, then S.E. Alaska is not for you. For example, Ketchikan has approximate 250 days of rain yearly with an accumulation of over 140 inches per year!! We went back thru the anchorage where we got the crab, intending to catch more. But, the commercial crabbing season had opened, and the crabs of legal size were totally gone, caught by the commercial boats. No crab for us pleasure boaters. Also, we were going to anchor in various anchorages on Baranoff Island, but there were so many commercial fishing boats, we ended back up in Baranoff Hot Springs, Warm Springs. When we first went in there were no commercial boats. That evening the harbor filled with boats!

Purse Seiner Commercial Fishing Boat

Dock at Warm Springs, we are lost in there somewhere

Purse Seiner boats rafted 3 deep at dock

From here we transited back to Petersburg where we had a great time. We met up with 5 other boats and we had a great party on our boat with food and drink. Part of the fun of boating is all the nice people you meet on boats. Most often you meet people you really like and we exchange "boat cards". These are retired boaters business cards with the name, pictures etc. since most of us are no longer working. What is sad is most often you may not see these wonderful folks again. Friendships are short lived.

Our boat at the dock in Petersburg

Petersburg main street

Tired out by the parade

Even have a Rexall Drug store here!

Outside of Petersburg Chuck finally did some fishing and he brought home two Halibut, in the 25-30 lb range. These are small for halibut but they provide a tremendous amount of meat. We vacuum pack the fish filets and put them in our freezer. We must have had about 25-30 meal size packets. They are a very exciting fish to catch, as they fight very hard. Some grow up to well over 200 pounds. Some interesting facts. At a young age they have two eyes, one on each side. One eye migrates over to the other side so they are both on the same side. One side of the fish is black colored and the other side white. After they get very large the males transition and change sex to female!

The successful hunter/gatherer

A nice about 20lb King Salmon

One side of the King Salmon

After enjoying our time in Petersburg and cruising back towards Ketchikan, we arrived back at our slip at the Ketchikan Yacht Club. We flew back to San Diego to visit family for about ten days, then back to Ketchikan. We have been doing boat chores, getting the boat ready for the journey south back to Washington State. In one three day stretch we had about 8 inches of rain. Good thing our home floats!!

August 16, 2014

I can't believe I have two months ago without posting. So here we go.

I left off in the previous post where we were tied to a dock in Prince Rupert British Columbia Canada, and weather of high wind etc headed our way. Normally tied to a dock is a good thing when the wind, in this case, blows over 40mph. Actually hit about 48 at times. Unfortunately the dock actually starting coming apart at the joints and separating from the shore. A very scary time, but we did survive. This piece in the picture was swinging wildly, at least 60 degrees from what you see here. We thought for sure it was going to break off. We were tied to the piece in the right of the photo!

Prince Rupert Dock

Finally after 5 days at this dock we crossed into Alaska. What a relief to arrive at our boat slip in Ketchikan, Alaska's "first city" since it is the first place to arrive when transiting north from Canada.

Ketchikan Waterfront

On June 1st my brother and sister and spouses arrived to help Chuck celebrate his 70th! Hard to believe I am 70!!! We had a nice dinner celebration at a local hotel. Besides the six of us we had 4 other friends attend from the local area. It was great fun!

My brother and sister stayed in a local hotel, and after a day or so of sight seeing, my brother and wife left and my sister Annette and her husband Lee moved onto our boat. We left Ketchikan heading ultimately to Sitka over a period of about two weeks or so. The next three pictures are from before we left Ketchikan and did local sight seeing.

Local Park in Ketchikan

Misty Fiords National Park

When we left Ketchikan we traveled about 5 hours to an anchorage where we were the only boat, no other civilization, and extremely remote. The following day we went to the community of Wrangell, Ak. The population is in the low 2,000 count. A very small, but nice community. We went to the library in order to find an internet connection. Sometimes we have cell phone and no internet and other times, strangely enough, no cell service but good internet. After one night here we then went to Petersburg, Ak. Again a population in the mid 2,000 range. Petersburg and Wrangell are very large commercial fishing ports. Petersburg was originally settled by Norwegian people, and it still retains this heritage. I've been told there are also more millionaires per capita then anywhere else in Alaska. The millionaires are the fisherman. It is really BIG business. The previous year I was told deckhands working on the boats, made in excess of $100,000 for basically about 4 months work. Mostly college students. The salmon canneries work round the clock and there is the smell of fish in the air! The locals say it is the "smell of money", and based on what we learned, I'd say they are correct! After replenishing groceries and getting in some walks, in the rain, we left and headed to Admiralty Island and the Pybus Bay area and a beautiful anchorage called Cannery Cove, where a salmon cannery used to be. Now there is a remote fishing lodge in this location.

Traveling across Frederick Sound to Pybus Bay

Cannery Cove in Pybus Bay

After a night we went to Red Bluff Bay on Baranoff Island about a 4 hour trip. Again we were all alone in a beautiful place. At the entrance off the main channel the bluff is a red color. Back inside, about 4 miles up a narrow channel, lies a beautiful bowl shaped bay. We had the fun of watching a large brown or grizzly bear feeding on the shore. We then headed to Warm Springs, Baranoff Island.

There is a natural bubbling hot springs about 7/10 of a mile back thru the woods. Someone piled up some rocks and this collected the sulphur smelling hot water. Someone said the temperature was 110 degrees. All I know is you could hardly stand being in the water due to it being so hot. There was also bear scat (poop) along the trail. A little concerning, as these are brown of grizzly bears on this island.

The local vacationers have piped the water down to some tubs within a private 3 stall shed for taking a bath. The one wall looks out over the bay as you sit in the tub. There is a large lake, fed by snow runoff, that then feeds a beautiful waterfall.

Waterfall from lake above at Warm Springs

Warm Springs dock

"DOCKTAIL" party, Warm Springs

Warm Springs Baths

After three nights at Warm Springs we then transited to an anchorage where Dungeness crab are known to exist. We put down our crab trap and over two days had at least 10 wonderful sized crabs! After cleaning them and breaking them apart, we boil them using a propane burner and a large bucket over the flame. Then comes the real work, 'PICKING CRAB"!

Crab trap on back deck with crabs

Crabs on back deck. Females are not kept!!

Cooked Crab ready for "picking"

Sister and husband "picking crab"

Each bowl holds crab meat!!!

After two days at the anchorage we then moved on to the community of Sitka, Ak. where Annette and Lee returned home to North Carolina.

May 22, 2014

Greetings:

Once again we are heading to Alaska. We never tire of the beauty of our travels. This year I plan to let the pictures speak more than my words.

We left Washington State the first part of May, transiting to British Columbia to clear customs in the city of Sidney. Most of you have heard of or know where Victoria, B.C. is located. Sidney is about 30-40 miles north of there. It is a very nice community. We then transited north thru the Canadian Golf Islands. The last 80 miles is open water in the area of Strait of Georgia. This can be a nasty body of water with any wind, but we were blessed with great weather. At the north end is the City of Campbell River. This is basically the last city of any size where all services are available. There we did some last minute grocery shopping. We also bought diesel fuel. Price was $1.30 per liter which translates to almost $5.00 per gallon. They US dollar is quite strong compared to last few years, so with the currency translation, there was close to a 10% discount.

The next stretch of water is called Johnstone Strait. This runs in a northwest to southeast direction towards the tip of Vancouver Island. The current runs both directions depending on the tide. Luck had it that we worked against the current. This reduces our speed and using higher engine RPM we burn more diesel. Our boat usually burns about 5 gallons an hour going 8 knots, about 1.3 miles per gallon. In the marine world this is about average. Heading up Johnstone we were going 7 knots burning 7-8 gallons per hour or somewhat less than 1 mile per gallon. We carry 600 gallons of diesel.

After anchoring for a night we had a very easy crossing around Cape Caution an open ocean crossing of about 2-3 hours. It is relatively simple as long as you wait for the right weather. We had good weather. At this point we are now in northern British Columbia and other than a few "First Nation" (Indian) communities and Shearwater fishing resort, this is very wild and remote territory. It is easy cruising because the channels are narrow and usually calm. Lots of waterfalls coming down from the lakes high on the mountains on either side of the channels. There is lots of tree log debris so you have to keep a very close watch so you don't hit these, as it would ruin your day to bend propellers by getting logs in them.

At the north end of the channels is the crossing called Dixon Entrance, the last open ocean passage. We travel north across this crossing into Alaska. To the west this entrance is open to the Pacific ocean. Watching and being careful of weather is extremely important on this crossing, as waves and wind generally hitting the boat on the side is not fun and if large enough can be dangerous! Just south of the crossing is the city of Prince Rupert.

Rupert as it is commonly called is a decent size city with lots of supplies and services. But, it is also a depressed city with lots of empty storefronts. This is a major port for ocean going container ships and grain export. My guess it all goes to Asia. The port has been expanded and growing so there is hope the city will recover. It is quite depressing to walk around here. I couldn't imagine living here!

So, we arrived here Monday May 19th and as I write this it is the 22nd. The weather has been awful for crossing Dixon. But the good news is we are tied to a dock with shore power, water and safety. We may be here until Saturday. The weather is dictating our travel schedule. Fortunately we have no deadlines.

Otherwise we are doing great and enjoying being on our boat and feel blessed to be able to travel in this fashion thru very pristine territory.

Chuck and Margaret