Friday, June 12, 2015

June 11...Wrangell
I have been totally remiss about posting on this blog.  Not entirely my fault as the internet connections are few and far between.  When we are lucky enough to get on line, we usually have to haul all of our stuff to an internet cafe, post office or hotel.  Getting online on the boat is a rarity.  My last post was at Sitka and we have put some miles behind us since then.
We left Sitka on 5/23 and headed north back up to Sergius Narrows where we spent the night in Schulze Bay and got completely skunked on crab in the bay and prawns in the outer bay.  What a waste!   But Schulze Bay is behind Piper Island and is protected. There is a FS cabin there.  Quite nice and peaceful.
                                                                        Schulze Bay

                                                       A little fresh bread with a nice view

 The next morning, 5/24 we timed our arrival at the narrows just right be here came the HS ferry Chenago through the narrows so we went through canoe pass to miss them and their huge wake.  Good choice because the wake that hit us after beeing buffered by Rapids Island was not pretty.
We cruised on north into Hoonah Sound and were surrounded by whales.  Bust have been a lot of good bait there.  Into Appleton Cove @ 1400 for the night.
On 5/25 we pulled anchor at 0620 to continue north towards Icy Strait.  The water was flat and the skies blue so away we went.  There was only a 2 foot chop so I made some bread.  Not a bad life.  The water was so good that we went into Tenneke Inlet, past Tenneke Springs to Saltery Bay.

                                                                   
                                                                  Saltery Bay
  It is not well charted at all so Gary called the Tenneke harbor master and asked.  The man said...use your plotter and sounder and keep a mid channel course.   Lovely spot.  One charted rock center channel..easy peasey.  Lovely sot with some very nice crab hauled in in the morning along wiht about 1 dozen prawns.
Again an early start on 5/26 and out to a flat Chatham Strait and breaching whales.  Nice start to a day.  We made Hoonah (town) at 1400 where we ran into boaters from Anacortes and Burlington!  We then walked up to the carving shed where 3 carvers are working on the carvings to go in the new Glacier Bay National Park Huna Tribal house under construction.  If you'd like to see photos or check the amazing progress of these guys  search for "Glacier Bay National Park Huna Tribal House".  The carvings are lovely.  Hoonah also has a new harbor master since Paul D retireed and the Frick of Frack from a couple of yeas back did not work out....oh surprise!  Sherry is a delight and a hard working gal who will do well in the position.  No internet at the dock....and the bar and library are a bit far for old gimpy here.
                                                            Downtown Hoonah
                                                    A snow pole on hydrant at Hoonah

n 5/27 we slept in and woke to ugly skies and water.  Icy Strait was 20 knts and 4 ft seas so we ducked back to Neka Bay....behind Hoonah and one of our favorite places.  We were full of crab so put out no pots.  Just spent a leisurely day at anchor.  I made Crabby Mac 'n Cheese for dinner.  Not bad at all.
5/28    Pulled anchor at 0600 to calm winds and seas and off we headed to Glacier.  15 Kts were predicted but Icy Strait was flat!  Even ran the vacuum during the crossing...that is flat.  Made Glacier at 1100.   Skies are clearing and the peaks are peeking through.  If you come into the park on a private boat of any size or power you must declare your arrival with the park via radio and then proceed to Bartlett Cove for about a 30" orientation to the park, madatory each season.  The park has a limit of 25 boats per day allowed in so in busy season advance reservtions are important.  We were early and got in without issue.  More about safety than anything and pretty intereting.  There is fuel and water at Bartlett Cove along with a large lodge and restaurant, if you are so inclined.  We proceded onto to the South Arm of Fingers Bay.  Gorgerous!  In the wilds of Alaska wilderness when suddenly there are 10 hikers with a guide on the beach....there was a small cruise boat around the next corner.  Who knew? The next morning there were two porpoise  playing with our anchor as it came up at 0730

and we continued our trip into the Bay.  Gary found some goats on a mountain top and we found another peak where the snow melt pattern looked like a Bev Doolittle painting.
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It was a perfect day for viewing this pristine wilderness.  We even rode up on the open bridge and loved it.
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                                 Nothing like a ride in Glacier Park on the fly bridge.

We made it as far as Reid Glacier
                                                         Magic in front of Reid Glacier
which is the only one you can safely get close enough to for a photo  op...which we took full advantage of......I see some new boat cards in our future.
It is 40 miles back to Reid and then, since the anchorages are limited, we had to go back quite a way to get to Berg Bay for the night where we found a raft of sea otters.
                                                                         A raft of sea otters.
5/30 ..anchor up @ 0530.  The entry into Berg Bay is quite shallow and we need to heed the tide to get out.  We were anticipating about 7 feet but ended up with 12.1 so all was good....and then we exited to breaching whales again.  We left Glacier Bay we found 4 foot seas BUT we had a following sea with outgoing tide and current which, believe it or not, gave us quite a comfortable ride all the way to Couverden/Swanson Harbor.  There were very few boats on the water that morning but lots of sea lions and whales...which we never tire of.
A large yacht ~ 80 feet named Midsummer Dream came in via her crew who quickly jumped into dinghys and took table and chairs to a beach, gatherer firewood for the campfire and then waited until the owners came in via fishing boat.  After drinks they were taken ashore for their dinner on the beach! I need "crew".
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The next morning we pulled anchor to reports of 22kts W in Icy Strait but we were protected in Chatham Strait and the water was pretty calm.
                                                Point Retreat Lighthouse, west of Juneau
  We got into Auke Bay for what will probably be the last time.  ....and let me tell you about it.
1st.  There is no asssignment of slips.  First come, first served and you batlle it out with large and small vessels.   We finally settled for the breakwater which is about 1/2 mile from the ramp and has no power.  2nd You need a car!  Everything is far away.  Rent a Wreck is no longer in business so our car cost us $140 for one day to do gorceries and laundry, get propane and do some internet business, and go the the vet for more "doggie downers"...he hates any kind of wave/wake on the boat.  Long story.  3rd.  The gals working in the office were most unhelpful.  uninformed and frankly, just didn't care....and so early in the season.   They will be downright crisp by August!
6/2 We were off the dock at 0830 (remember that time!)  bound for Taku Harbor which we made by 1400.  Put out some crab pots and called it a day.
6/3 0730 pulled anchor and retrieved our crab pots with a nice haul and headed out southbound.........to be turned back by 5 ft, head on seas and 20 kts.  Tried again at 1130 to more of the same.  Back to Taku for the next two days.  Tied to a public dock which is not a bad place to be.
6/4  Snug at the dock with gale warnings out.  Seas outside predicted to be 7 feet w/wind at 40 mph.  The public FLOAT to which we are tied is protected from the outside waves and wind.  The public DOCK takes the wind a bit more.  For socializtion in good weather, the dock is fine.  When it comes to protection, the float is the place to be.
06/05  Off the dock at 1130....looks like a break in the weather.  Going back to Juneau.  This time Harris Harbor downtown.  Need to do some business that we forgot.  We had 20 kts and 4 ft seas but they were following so it was not a bad ride at all.  We had big winds at the dock that night....we think > 50+.  Edred Rock on Lynn Canal reported 59 kts for days!
6/6  Decided to stay on due to winds.  They won't quit!  It rained all day again. We walked to a coffe shop to get internet.  There is a new IGA down near the harbor....very nice.  And with an Ace Hardware inside at one end!  Cool.  Only in AK!
6/7  Finally off the dock!!  0510.  Calm seas reported all around with sea < 3ft in Stephens Passage.  Life is good and away we go.
1300 +  FLAT water in Frederick Sound so we decided to press on....since we lost a few days.  The worst water we had were a couple of riptides in the outflow of Taku Inlet and Tracy Arm...with some BIg ice bergs on the far east side of the passage.
1600  Pybus Bay.
                                                                        Pybus Bay
Lovely place to spend a nice night.  Bears on the beach.
0230  DAYLIGHT!
6/8  0530  Beautiful morning.
0645  Anchor up.  And away we go.  Frederick Sound is flat again!  Heading to Port Camden.
                                                                     Port Camden
Gorgeous, quiet, 30' deep, big crab.
6/9 0830..  Anchor up.  Onwards to Rocky Pass.

Anchored at marker # 22.  Rocky Pass is a narrow channel separating Kuiu Island and Kuprenof Island.  It is narrow and rocky!!  but very well marked with over 40 markers.  We saw two were missing....one was taken out several years ago, I have it from a very reliable source, by a USCG cutter...which will remain nameless!!  The most important thing to remember about this channel is to remain alert and stay inside the markers using binoculars to line up markers which may be distant in the fog or rain!!  We are not woossey, but this is a big deal.

It is a beautiful stretch of water, there are ample instructions in Douglas about tides and currents at The Summit and Devil's Elbow but bottom line is you want to be at Devil's Elbow...appropriately named....at high water slack.
The other big issue in this channel is at The Summit....a narrow dredged channel about a mile in length.  The dredge piles are lined up where they were dumped at last dredging...along the edges of the Summit.  Problem is....those piles of rocks and gravel are NOT charted!.  So when Douglas says you "can anchor almost anywhere in Rocky Pass....the operative word is ALMOST.  Those piles are visible at about 1/2 tide but not above that!



                              There are piles of dredgesd rocks under this calm water.  Very deceiving.

So if you think....oh, that looks like a good place, both visually and on the chart, to take a lunch stop or wait for the tide change...think again!!  We almost made a huge error!  Fortunately, the piles were above the water and Gary said....wait, those rocks aren't on the chart!!!!  Be aware. It took us 2 hours to go from marker 22 to Conclusion Island at the south end.  We continued on to Wrangell for a holding tank issue...made for a very long day but the weather and water held and it was worth the time.
We spent two nights at Wrangell...the holding tank issue is a post all of its own....but I managed a hair cut and....now this is really important....City Market delivers to you BOAT, FREE!!!  Yikes!  I filled my cart and about an hour later here came my "people" with three boxes of groceries.  Gotta love Wrangell!!!  About 3 pm Gary needed some more clamps we we mosied down to The Stikine Inn again for a late lunch...he had been working since about 10 AM.  They may have the best food in SE Alaska.
I am now caught up.  The plumbing issues are taken care of, the oil is changed, we are rested and about to depart.
























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