Whidbey Island

Woke up this morning to beautiful sunshine.  Nice way to complete our trip.  This morning the ebb current will carry us south to Cattle Pass (between San Juan Island and Lopez Island).  Brought up the anchor for the last time on this trip just after 9 am -- we wanted to time our run south to arrive at Cattle Pass at slack water.  Very pretty morning and after coming through the pass, we find ourselves in sunshine and calm seas in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Listening to the weather we hear of fog on Whidbey and also on the mainland in Everett - but there is none here.  As we continue our trip south to Admiralty Inlet we see Smith Island on the horizon -- and then we don't!  The fog has rolled in!  We have recently seen a sailboat nearby - so we know we are not alone.  We turn on the fog horn and carefully watch the radar.  We have a new radio (still in the box) for the boat that would provide AIS information but for now I power up my cell phone and use the Shipfinder app.  Barrie tells me that running in the fog is good practice.  For the next few hours we go from limited visibility to no visibility and back again.  We slowly make our way to the shore of Whidbey Island about 3 in the afternoon.  Our island moorage is at Lagoon Point and we must wait for high water slack (6 pm) to enter the shallow narrow channel.  We spend the afternoon just off-shore looking at the houses along the beach.  The dolphins keep us company for much of the time.  As we approach Mutiny Bay we see our friends Larry and Annette Fisher sitting on the lawn in front of their condo.  We call them from the boat to say hello and they invite us to drop the anchor and come ashore.  But, it is time for us to return to Lagoon Point and dock the boat so we will have to save that for another day.  Barrie steers us through the opening to the canals and we are soon at the dock.  Larry and Wilma have come to greet us and take us home.  A glass of wine and a toast to a magnificent trip and we are on our way.

Parks Bay & Friday Harbor

Speiden Island

Schooner Zodiac

Another short day with the intent of positioning the boat for crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca.  Took the scenic route from Winter Cove to Parks Bay.  We started by exploring Port Browning and considered tying-up to the public dock for an hour to search for a bakery.  As luck would have it, the dock was full, so we were saved from a few hundred empty calories!  Then across Boundary Pass to Waldron Island to "drive-by" Gary and Joyce Johnson's cabin.  (They spend much of the summer on Waldron Island but were not there today).  Then to John's Island and through John's Pass to Speiden Channel.  We slowed in Speiden Channel to pay tribute to my mom. (It has been 12 years since we placed her ashes in the Channel.)  At the same time we called U.S. Customs to check-in.  Since we both have NEXUS clearance, we are generally able to clear Customs with a p
hone call and not required to come to port.  The process worked perfectly - except for the Customs Agent asking Barrie several times for his State of birth.  Barrie was born in the District of Columbia.  You would think a government employee might know that D.C. is not in a State!  We then continued around the north end San Juan Island where we saw boats "racing" toward shore where whales had been spotted.  Even the Victoria Clipper stopped to watch the show.  Finally into Parks Bay where we dropped the anchor for the night.  Barrie was content to relax in the sun but I opted to drop the dinghy and go into Friday Harbor.  The Boston Whaler is perfect from crossing San Juan Channel -- speedy and safe.  As I was tying-up to the dinghy dock, I could hear a sole bagpiper playing.  Now, that is what I call a real welcome.  Wandered through town a bit and stopped at the store for fresh local strawberries and ice cream before heading back to Parks Bay. 
Around 6 o'clock we watched a wooden schooner come into Parks Bay and anchor.  Quite a sight.  Tomorrow we will be home.

Winter Cove & Irish Inlet - Monday

For the sake of completeness, I will finish blogging our trip (even though we are now safely home and have been for two days!).  We departed from Otter Bay mid-morning and made the very short run to Winter Cove.  The winds were blowing just right to upset Winter Cove and we opted to drop the anchor in Irish Inlet - literally around the corner.  Trails ashore that are calling to me - but not so loudly that I am willing to brave the rain.  Cozy afternoon devoted to reading and to beginning to get our minds wrapped around returning home.

Otter Bay - Sunday June 22

Another great cruise day.  Caught a southbound ebb just beyond Gabriola Passage and "raced" toward Otter Bay.  Tie up just aft of Bill & Karel's "Doozy"

Kendrick Bay - Saturday June 21

Beautiful cruising day.  Absolutely smooth water with just a bit of a ripple.  The sun was out for the entire crossing.Arrived in Kendrick Bay mid afternoon and dropped the anchor.  Also, dropped the dinghy and took a side trip to Silva Bay.  On the morning slack we will transit Gabriola Pass and head down to the Gulf Islands where we will meet up with Bill & Karel Deibel.

Comox - Friday June 20

A leisurely start to the day, pulling up the anchor just after 11.  Our timing was again based on waiting for slack.  Heading south from the Octopus Islands, we reached Surge Narrows and Beazley Passage for an easy transit.  At the head of Surge Narrows we found many sailboats milling about waiting for slack to arrive.  Beazley Passage is even narrower than Hole in the Wall.
We lit off the generator and made fresh water and did a load of laundry.  The route through Surge Narrows brings you into middle of the Strait of Georgia.  The seas had 1 to 2 feet of chop but no swells.  An easy passage to Comox.  We anchored inside the harbor.  Phoned Larry and Wilma to update them of our progress.

Octopus Islands - Thursday June 19

Today was a layover day.  Our original intent was to explore the area by dinghy but the winds kicked up and it seemed like a much nicer day to stay inside and read a book!  Neil came to our boat by dinghy and picked up some spare filters for his water maker.  Later in the day, Barrie took our dinghy over to their boat and took photos of ideas for Chug.  I remained on the boat making sure our anchor held in the increasing winds.  When Barrie returned to the boat, we watched a movie.  All in all a lazy day.  Tomorrow we continue our trek south.

Octopus Islands - Wednesday June 18

Slept in this morning before completing our run through the rapids.  Slack tide was not until mid-morning and we had just 4 miles to go before arriving at the northern end of Dent Rapids.  We transited the rapids about 30 minutes before slack and then went through Yulculta Rapids (also on the slack).  After a bit of consideration we decided to head to the Octopus Islands for tonight.  Again we had to wait for Slack tide.  Hole in the Wall Passage takes you from Calm Channel to Okisollo Channel.  This is a very narrow passage with a rapids at the western end.  We dropped our anchor in Florence Cove and had a bite of lunch while we waited for slack.  Florence Cove is really just a wide spot in the channel and we had a bit of trouble with the anchor holding.  Good enough for lunch but not good enough to take a nap.
A few minutes before slack, we completed our transit of Hole in the Wall and took the narrow passage along Quadra Island into Waiatt Bay.  This is a good sized anchorage with room for many boats.  When we arrived there with a half dozen sailboats anchored in the center of the bay and a Krogen 48 anchored in the small cove.  We snugged in near the Krogen 48 and set the anchor.  Shortly, Neil and Lynn Porter arrived by dinghy from "Navigator" and invited us for cocktails on the deck.  Very enjoyable fellowship. 

Frederick Arm - Tuesday June 17

Frederick Arm

We spent a very enjoyable evening in Port Hardy including pizza dinner at the Red Shoe restaurant.  If we remember to bring a red shoe with us next time - dessert is on the house! George pointed out the grouping of trees to watch - if they are still in the morning, good chance Johnstone Strait is calm enough to transit.
At 6 am the trees were still and the channel was flat.  Better yet, the flood tide carried us the entire distance to Sunderlund Channel.  Great passage.  We went only as far as Forward Harbor before dropping our anchor to wait for slack tide to transit Whirlpool and Greene Point Rapids.  While at anchor, we had a "Larry breakfast" including hash browns!  The "turn to flood" slack was the only time we could catch a slack tide today - so we went with it.  It meant that we had to push against the current for 12 miles to get from Whirlpool to Green Point.  Still, we arrived in plenty of time to safely transit the rapids.  Because of the phase of the moon, the tides are quite large for the next several days and that means that it is not possible to do the remaining two rapids until tomorrow.  We opted to anchor at the end of Frederick Arm -- absolutely beautiful and no other boats.  There is a log booming operation near where we anchored.  We watched them close up shop for the day and head home in a boat (no roads here!).  Very quiet evening with a true sense of peace.

Port Harvey - Monday June 16

Port Harvey Marine Resort

As of today, we have been on the boat for exactly one month.  The entrance to Shoal Harbor is shallow enough that we chose to depart before low tide.  The anchor was up at 5:58 and we spent the day meandering through the Broughton Archipelago.  Overcast skies with just enough blue to entice us onward.  We looked for old First Nations villages and navigated through very wee passages.  Dropped the anchor for lunch and to wait for slacker water in Chatham Channel.  Followed a couple of tugs with their log boom tows for awhile and passed them by before we reached the narrowest portion of the channel.  Our stopping place this evening is Port Harvey Marina just off Johnstone Strait.  We wanted to position ourselves for the eastward run in Johnstone before we turn into Sutherland Channel for the run through the rapids.
Port Harvey is a relatively new marina (just 5 years of operation) run by a couple from Alberta.  Very friendly and accommodating.  The is also a restaurant on the dock where we had our first pizza of the trip.  The wind continues to howl but with luck will die down later this evening.  If the winds are not too strong in the morning we will poke our nose out into the strait and make the Johnstone run.

Shoal Bay - Sunday June 15

Echo Bay Marina

The 5 pm cocktail gathering last evening had a Hawaiian theme with one of the dockhands playing keyboard.  Since we had Hawaiian shirts on board, we dressed for the occasion.  The owner rewarded us with a coupon for a free apple turnover in the morning.  The evening festivities also included a contest of who could hit a golf ball off the end of the pier and hit the flag on the floating #1 hole (this is the only 1 hole golf course I have seen).  If you hit the pin, your moorage was free!  We all missed - some of us by a mile.

Echo Bay Marine Park

This morning we woke to sunshine in Sullivan Bay and had a very leisurely start to the day.  I even went to the floating gym and ran 4 miles on the treadmill!  Came back to the boat for a quick shower and then headed down the dock to claim our prized turnover.  They were going like hotcakes!  We got the last one - and it was cherry rather than apple but it was hot and good!  Spent some time catching up on the computer and reading before departing the dock at noon.  We took a slow scenic (everything up here is scenic) route to Echo Bay where we docked for an hour or so and walked the trails.  Untied from the dock just as a torrential downpour began and headed south to Shoal Bay to anchor for the night. Lots of rain but we had the place to ourselves.  Left over halibut for dinner.

Queen Charlotte Sound - Saturday June 14

Winds in the Sound are forecast at 10-20 from the SW and changing to the west.  That is more wind than we would like to face (the boat is good for it but are we?).  The forecast calls for the winds to increase further beginning tonight and lasting several days.  Decided we would poke our nose our into the Sound and see how we felt.  Could always return to Fury Cove or stop either before or after crossing Cape Caution.  Departed Fury Cove at 6 am toward the end of an ebb tide.  With winds on our starboard quarter we rode the low swells in relative comfort.  The ebb tide gave us a lift and at times we were doing over 10 knots.  As the passage progressed the seas calmed and the trip was altogether agreeable.  We crossed Cape Caution with calm seas and sunshine.  Just as we were rounding the Cape we were hailed by a passing 54' Selene headed north.  Gordon, the captain, told us he had just taken a couple of great photos of Chug and would like to email them to us.  We shared emails and wished each other a good voyage.

We reached Queen Charlotte Strait just as the flood tide began and so continued our "ride" doing well over 7 knots most of the way.  We had considered stopping at Blunden Harbor again but the weather was so beautiful and the seas so calm that we continued to Wells Passage and turned into the Broughtens.  We chose Sullivan Bay from the guidebook and pulled into the resort just before 4 pm.  A very friendly place with plenty of amenities and a great staff.  Treated ourselves to Halibut dinner at the opening night of the season at the floating restaurant.  Rained in the evening.

Fury Cove Layover

Chug at Fury Cove

Spent the day enjoying Fury Cove and waiting for the weather to change.  Lit off the genset to charge batteries, heat water for showers and do laundry.  Talk about all the comforts of home.  Took "Toot" to shore, walked the clam beaches and explored a rustic cabin.  Talked to a couple who are into their 5th summer of exploring the inside passage in their sailboat.  He suggested several places that one could pull out of the weather along the Queen Charlotte Sound crossing.  We took mental notes and went back to the boat to sketch out our crossing plan and wait for a weather update.  Just before bed, listened to forecast and learned that winds were no longer forecast to be gale strength but would still be blowing in the am.  The problem is that if you don't go now, it could be several more days before a good opportunity opens up.  We decided to get up early and make our decision in the am.

Shearwater to Fury Cove - Thursday June 12

Today we began the process of positioning the boat to cross Queen Charlotte Sound.  The weather forecast calls for several days of gale force winds - so we will start to work our way to Fury Cove and wait for a better forecast before we attempt the six+ hour crossing.  Depending on weather, we may stop at Codville for tonight - a place recommended by Mel & Bernice as being "bombproof" to the weather.  The tides were favoring us this morning and the inside passage calm, so we opted to continue on and dropped our anchor in Fury Cove just before 1 pm.  We had stopped here on the way north and it was just as beautiful.  White midden beaches that remind us of Tahiti!  The sun is out and the cove is calm - hard to believe their are gale force winds on Queen Charlotte Sound.  I spent the afternoon topside soaking up the sun and reading while Barrie staked out his place in the pilot house to read.  A very relaxing lazy afternoon.  Now, this is how recreational boating is supposed to be.  For dinner we had some of the salmon that Barrie had caught just two days ago.  Fresh and yummy.

Shearwater - Wedneday June 11

Sunset over Shearwater

Another early morning .  The alarm went off just after 4 so we would be ready to be picked up by Mel at 5 am.  Beautiful calm morning with flat seas but the forecast is for a storm to pick up this afternoon and the winds could last for 2 or 3 days.  We decided to spend the morning fishing and head to Shearwater before the storm arrived.
Within about 30 minutes we had our first fish aboard -- a nice King that weighed about 15 lbs.  The next fish was a 35 pound beauty.  Barrie played the fish and brought it to the boat.  The "monster" broke free as Mel tried to net it.  It was a beautiful sight and we really don't have room in the small freezer for a fish that size.  What an experience.  Shortly after Barrie hooked into another 15 pound King.  With our limit on board we headed back to Mel & Bernice's boat where Mel cleaned the fish while Barrie looked-on.  I then worked with Mel & Bernice to vacuum pack the fish.  Barrie had the job of labeling everything to comply with the Fish and Game requirements.  A wonderful time with our new friends. 
We had the anchor up at 9 am for the 20 mile trip to Shearwater.  We arrived in time for lunch and a chance to catch up on email and the BLOG!

St. Johns Harbor - Tuesday June 10

Mel - Fishing Master

Barrie - Fishing Novice

Mel - Fast with the Filet Knife

One thing we learned - you can set your watch by Mel.  He arrived at the swim step of Chug at exactly 5 am.  We climbed aboard and headed to the fishing grounds which were less than a mile away.  Mel demonstrated the lure set-up, downrigger assembly and rod handling and Barrie was soon fishing for salmon.  Mel did the hard work but Barrie reeled in three salmon (8#, 10# and 11#) and then released them.  I accused Mel and Barrie of harassing the fish but Mel explained that he was their personal trainer -- just helping them get strong!
Returned to Chug for a late breakfast and a chance to warm up before heading back out to fish at 1 pm.  At the end of an hour, Mel finally caught the first fish of the afternoon - a very small salmon (less than 2#) which he released.  Just as Mel released the fish, an eagle swooped down and picked it up before it could get away.  It was a spectacular sight.  After another 30 minutes of fishing (we no luck) we pulled in the lines and went for a tour of St. Johns Bay.  Mel and Bernice have spent summers there for 15 years and the tour was incredible.  Beautiful coves, white beaches, eagles, otters and stories of cougars.  We made plans to fish again in the morning.

St. Johns Harbor - Monday June 9

Made for St Johns Harbor this morning to find Mel and Bernice.  Stopped on the way at Klemtu to use internet to purchase fishing licenses.  Interact access was very tentative -- after many tries was able to complete the process for obtaining a fishing license for Barrie.  Spent the next hour trying to duplicate the process and obtain a fishing license for me.  No luck.  One of the local residents offered to let me use the internet from his house -- a short walk away but by then we needed to leave the fuel dock so another boat could tie-up.  So, no license for me this time.
While I struggled with the internet, Barrie poked his head in the salmon processing plant.  Amazing.  The plant employs 32 people (if the all show up) to gut fish and pack them in ice in styrofoam containers for transportation to Vancouver.  Each truckload of fish represents $200,000 in sales and they send out four truckloads (on a barge) every two days -- $1,000,000 per week!!
Another day of calm seas and good weather caused us to consider taking the short-cut across Millbank Sound rather than through sheltered waters.  The crossing was good but we did find combined seas (on our bow) of over 6 feet resulting in a very gentle rocking horse action.  Arrived in St Johns Harbor about 1:30 and dropped the anchor. 
When we parted company with Mel & Bernice in Shearwater almost 2 weeks ago, we knew they were headed to St Johns Harbor and that is was "just around the corner" from Shearwater.  In a later conversation with Larry, I learned that Mel & Bernice had a dock that was "way back to the left after you entered the harbor".  That was the extent of our directions to find them, so we dropped the dinghy and went off in search of them "camp".  Boy, were they surprised when we arrived but we were greeted warmly and made plans to go fishing in the morning.  Mel would pick us up in his 17 foot fishing boat at 5 am.  We were to dress warmly and come prepared to catch fish.

Finn Island to Bottleneck Cove - Sunday June 8

Continued cruising in sheltered waters.  Ran the genset and made water.  Also did a load of laundry while we were underway.  Barrie spent the day relaxing, napping and reading a book.  He was tired from too many days in the engine room addressing "issues".   Also due to concern about high winds last night, he slept in the Pilot House to keep an eye on the anchor.  Everything held tight but a bit of sleep was lost.  I drove the boat through the steep canyon and past dozens of waterfalls.  Bottleneck Cove is perfectly named -- once you are through the narrow neck, the cove is completely sheltered from wind.  An interesting fact is that the canyon is so steep and the inlet so narrow that GPS cannot follow you!  Looks like we have hit land.  We will sleep well tonight.

Lewis Island to Finn Island Saturday June 7

Slept in this morning and didn't get the anchor up until almost 8 am.  Water level in engine is holding.  Fingers crossed that this time we have fixed the problem.  Weather is overcast with some rain leaving us at times with less than 1/2 mile of visibility.  Quite day but much more boat traffic (mostly fishing boats headed north) than we are accustomed to.  Pulled into Cerlew Bay on Finn Island to anchor.  Forecast for wind tonight and tomorrow.

Dixon Entrance - Friday June 6

Sunrise at Foggy Bay - A good omen

Dixon Entrance - Sunny and Calm

Smooth seas and sunshine.  The Dixon Entrance could not be calmer!  Barrie checked the engine and added more water.  We kept our fingers crossed that nothing bad would happen to the engine as we made the crossing.  Our plan was to get to Prince Rupert where services are available and try to sort out the issue.  In the middle of the crossing I discovered  that I had CELL service.  We made a call to American Diesel and Barrie had a long conversation with Brian regarding the engine issues.  Brian provided lots of insight and talked of BAD things that could be causing the problem but he also suggested that Barrie look into a couple of less scary possibilities first.  I drove the boat across the entrance (standing on the deck and absorbing the warm sunshine) while Barrie toiled in the engine room.  Eureka the problem has been found!  Way way in the back of the engine room, Barrie found a coolant leak coming from the outboard cap of the Webasto System Heat Exchanger.  The last person to work on the Webasto had failed to tighten the end cap bolts and it took several hundred miles for the leak to develop - but there it was.  We will watch it for the next several days but we are hopeful that this problem is now behind us.
We cleared Canadian Customs in Prince Rupert around 2:00 and temp-tied at the PRRYC while Barrie napped and Karen went back to the museum and did a bit of shopping.  We headed out again about 4 and reached Lewis Island at 7:15 where we dropped the anchor for the night.

Behm Canal - Thursday June 5

Rudyard Bay

Duffy plans the cruise

Awoke at 5 to blue skies and a bit of fog in the distance.  Raised the anchor at 5:20 and slid through the narrowing opening past the Yes Bay lodge and back into the Behm Canal where we ran into a thick bank of fog.  We opted to return to Yes Bay and drop the anchor while we waited for the fog to lift.  Shortly after breakfast the breakfast dishes were done, the skies cleared and we once again pulled up the anchor.  By the time we nosed back into Behm Canal, the fog was gone and the day just got better and better.

Foggy Bay at Sunset

Our first port of call was to be Bell Island Resort and Hot Springs that was written-up in the guide book as a seasonal resort -- but this wasn't the season, the place was shut down and looked as if it hadn't operated in years.
Checked the engine around 11 and discovered that we are still losing coolant.  Evidently the new Heat Exchanger did not solver the problem.  The Behm Canal is absolutely beautiful) a bit like Yosemite of the north) but it is also very isolated.  We had no radio contact and saw only two other boats all day.  With engine issues continuing, we decided it was time to head closer to civilization.  We took time for a quick tour of Rudyard Bay (and made notes to come back some day) and then headed for the southern entrance of the Behm Canal.  We checked weather when we were finally back in radio contact and learned that we had a short window to cross the Dixon Entrance before a new storm moved in.  We did some quick calculations and decided we could make it to Foggy Bay by shortly after 9 pm.  The good news is that this far north the sun sets after that (but just barely).  We arrived in Foggy Bay after a long day and had the anchor down at 9:19.  We are positioned to cross the Dixon Entrance tomorrow  if the weather continues to cooperate.  Meanwhile, we will continue to check the engine and add water as necessary.

Behm Canal - Wednesday June 4

Yes Bay

Started the day with our final "Larry breakfast" -- we have been so spoiled by having an excellent short order cook on board!  Larry made eggs, sausage and hash browns and we all lingered a bit over our last breakfast together - then it was time to say our goodbyes.  Larry headed north along the waterfront to catch the Alaska Ferry to Bellingham (it will a be a 40 hour ride).  Barrie and I headed to the local IGA for a few provisions (although we certainly are not short of food on board!).
With the new heat exchanger installed, we are quite certain that our coolant issues are behind us but we are feeling less brave about heading further north and decided to try a tour of the Behm Canal and Misty Fjords National monument.  Once again we have beautiful weather and take our time along the canal finally arriving at Yes Bay - a perfect anchorage.  The guide books all warn of rocks and narrow passages but we find the passage easy enough and arrive in a completely protected bay.  Today we saw two Orcas and no other boats.

Ketchikan - Tuesday June 3

Larry and Barrie at Totem Bight

Today is the day that the heat exchanger goes in!  After picking up the heat exchanger from the FedEx site and unpacking it at the boat, Barrie discovered that it was painted basic gray and would not match the red Lehman engine.  Imagine that!  So, last night he hiked to town and bought a can of spray paint then returned to the boat to paint it.  Unfortunately he picked up marking paint.  Sometimes things take time.  This morning Barrie and I hiked back to the hardware store and got the correct paint.  While the paint was drying Barrie, Larry and I took the bus to Totem Bight - an Alaska Heritage State Park.  Amazing totem poles and a clan house that was open for viewing.  We all thought it was a terrific afternoon.  Back at the boat, Barrie installed the repainted heat exchanger and Larry packed for his trip home. 

High Seas - Monday June 2

Island Princess - BIG

Last night when we listened to the weather - high winds were still in the forecast for Clarence Strait.  This morning we got up at 4 am to hear the updated weather forecast.  The forecast has abated a bit but still winds are forecast as high as 20 knots and seas up to 4 feet.  The problem is that the weather won't improve for several days.  The good news is that winds are from the NW and will be on our stern.  Also, we have an ebb tide that will help carry us to Ketchikan and provide us with a following sea. 

We slowly poke our nose out past the protected cove and find high seas and confused waters.  Larry and I quickly finish lashing down everything that could possibly move and the cat dives under the covers.  In a few minutes, we have made the turn to the south and things start to calm down.  Soon with a following sea, we have a quite comfortable ride and find ourselves doing over 9 knots.  We were passed by two Cruise ships in the Tongass Narrows. 

This time we found mooring in Thomas Basin -- closer to the downtown part of Ketchikan.  We are just steps away from the famous Creek Street. 

Barrie and I walk several miles to the south of town to see totem poles at Saxman Village.  We met a well respected Tlingit woodcarver, Nathan Jackson, who was working on an eagle that will be atop one of the main totem poles in downtown Ketchikan. 

Saxman Village Totems

Rode the bus back to town then took the tram to Cape Fox Inn for lunch and a brief stop at the boat before walking to the other end of town to fetch our FedEx package.  Package is in hand - great news.

Final stop at Safeway to purchase fresh Copper River Salmon for dinner.  Just $12/pound.  Returned to the boat where Larry had cold beer waiting.  Fixed dinner on the boat and relaxed.

Nathan Jackson at Saxman Village

Meyers Chuck - Duffy settles in

Passing time in Meyers Chuck is easy to do.  Cassy arrived to deliver fresh, hot cinnamon rolls at 7 am.  She seems to have quite a business.   After delivering to 5 boats on the dock, she hopped in a small skiff and delivered to the boats that were anchored in the cove.  Turns out that she is also the Post Mistress.  Mail goes out on Tuesdays and is delivered on Wednesdays.  Post office is smaller than Greenbank.

View from dock at Meyers Chuck

This morning we hiked on the west side of the island.  A lovely public path takes you along the narrow part of the island -- sometimes right past the front door of someones house.  We stopped at one house to talk with the owner - who lives in Bellingham and often summers here.  They too were former Krogen owners.  They owned Pico Blanco until several years ago.  We chatted for several minutes learning a bit about the history of the island and its residents before continuing on our walk about.

Duffy settles in

Barrie & Duffy at rest

Overnight the wind picked up but the sun stayed bright.  I took advantage of the sunshine and washed windows.  Much improved.  While working on the boat we saw a float plane fly overhead five or six times.  The pilot was testing the winds and trying to find a place to land in the crowded small cove.  At one point he flew very close over a boat anchored in the harbor - hoping to gain their attention and get them to move the boat.  No dice.  Eventually, he was able to land the plane and pick up his passenger for the 1:30 flight.  Then looking for enough room to take off, he worked his way back into the corner of the cove and turned 180 degrees.  From our vantage point, it appeared he cleared the rocks at the entrance to the harbor by at least 10 feet.  Yikes.  It was quite an impressive show.

 Tomorrow we head back to Ketchikan to pick up the heat exchanger and install it in the boat.  Hope the wind dies down and the mail arrives.  So far it has really been an amazing trip.

Pacific Airways landing in Meyers Chuck

Meyers Chuck Saturday May 31

Coast Guard Boarding

Clarence Strait - Smooth as Glass

Barrie exiting the Engine Room

Today we are headed north to a small Alaska settlement called Meyers Chuck.  Total run is just under 40 miles.  No long after leaving Ketchikan, we saw a small Coast Guard boat approaching very rapidly.  Surprise - we were chosen for boarding!  After running astern of the boat, their small inflatable pulled up along the port side of Chug and two officers stepped aboard for the inspection process.  We were awarded a clean bill of safety compliance. 

Also used this run to start the genset and make GREAT water.  The quality of the RO process is amazing and the taste is terrific.  Around 8:30 we passed the Disney Cruise ship.  This is the passage that my brother and his wife took a year or two ago with their grade school age son.  Passing a cruise ship is a sure way to feel small!!  We found a spot at the free government dock and settled in for what appeared to be a very promising day.

Chug at dock in Meyers Chuck

This is a spot that Larry's friend Vic has visited many times and Larry was here 28 years ago.  It is a wonderfully protected cove surrounded by a small community of homes.  Perhaps as many as 100 residents although less than 10 live here year round.  When Larry was here, there was a larger full-time community including a school.  The school was looking for a teacher and Larry gave it serious thought but ultimately followed another path.  We walked on shore along an artsy path that went by an art gallery before descending to a beach on the far side of the island.  We also saw a sign that said we could order cinnamon rolls by phone and have them delivered to the dock in the morning.  Now, who would be crazy enough to pass up on that opportunity. 

Ketchikan Friday May 30

Slept in an extra hour (Alaska time is one hour earlier) and headed out of Foggy Bay for the short cruise to Ketchikan.  Just outside the entrance to Foggy Bay a whale greeted us!  The transit to Ketchikan was calm and easy and we arrived at 10:45. 
Our first task was to find the FedEx package with the heat exchanger.  Shortly we learned that 2 day air service to Alaska is really 3-day service and that the exchanger would arrive on Monday.  Despite our efforts - there was nothing that could be done to speed the process.  So, we will go cruising for a couple of days and return on Monday to pick up the package and make the repair.  The good news is that the engine continues to run well -- we just have to keep an eye on the coolant level and add a bit every two or three hours of run time.  It will be nice to get it fixed. 
Since leaving home, Larry has been our Breakfast Man -- producing great breakfasts!  We will certainly miss him when he departs next Wednesday.


Total hours from Lagoon Point to Ketchikan -- 109 hours at 1600 rpm (or less).  Plenty of fuel remaining for the return trip!

Prince Rupert - Thursday May 29

Today was a day of indecision.  We listened to the weather.  Our dilemma was to forge ahead to Ketchikan or stand fast in Prince Rupert.  The plan in P.R. was to visit a cannery in Port Edward that is being restored to show how the cannery functioned and what it was like to work there.  We finally decided to continue on our way.  Larry's friend Vic (another former Krogen owner who kept a boat in Ketchikan for many years) had sent us a "back-door" route across the Dixon Entrance which included an overnight in Winter Harbor.  The weather forecast had predicted wind and chop - so we were delighted to find calm seas!  So calm in fact, that we changed course and headed straight across the entrance.  We stopped in Foggy Bay for the night - leaving us just 33 miles to reach Ketchikan in the morning.

Prince Rupert - Wednesday May 28

The day started with a short easy passage to Prince Rupert and we were docked at the Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club before 8:30.  Don't be too fooled by the name -- not particularly fancy but a perfect location.

Barrie tended to the genset - cleaning up after an oil leak and finding replacement fuses in town.
In many ways the morning resembled a scavenger hunt.  Found some fuses at the Marine Supply store but had to walk to the hardware store to find the others. 

Also searched in vain for someone to pressure test and weld up the leaky heat exchanger for the engine.  One possibility was sending the unit to Prince George on the bus and wait for its return.  We finally opted to order a new heat exchanger to be delivered in Ketchikan on Friday.  Completed the order with American Diesel with just 20 minutes to spare before the FedEx shipment was picked up. 

In the afternoon we went to the Museum which was first rate.  Great exhibits of First Nations artifacts and history of the settlement of the town.  Walking back to the boat, we passes an interpretive center that was run by the Port of Prince Rupert.  We accepted the offer of a free tour and were astonished by the scope and quality of the promotional piece.  The expansion of the Port and the high-tech approach to international shipping was quite stunning.