Sitka - Warm Springs - May 23

We pass Ursa Major in Peril Strait

We depart  Sitka at 4:54 with an overcast sky and calm seas.  Today we backtrack through Peril and Chatam Straits to reach Warm Springs.  On our way to Sitka, we covered this route in two days.  Today the tides and currents are in our favor and we will complete the run in just one day.  Our first goal is to transit Olga and Neva Straits.  This morning the maximum current in the channel is just one knot and we will "fight" the current for part of the morning rather than wait for slack.  Next we must tackle Sergious Narrows and while we have timed our trip to arrive here at slack, we arrive just over 1/2 hour early.  The water is calm enough that we continue on our journey without waiting for slack.  Then we continue to work our way through Peril Strait.  Almost no boat traffic and at times the sun peeks through the clouds.  It is a beautiful morning and I can't help but reflect on our time in Sitka.  Memories from our experiences are likely to follow us home.

Entering Chatam Strait

Humpback Whales!

Once we reach Chatam Strait we still have 20 miles to travel to reach Warm Springs.  By the time we arrive, we will have covered 85 miles at approximately 7 knots.  Slow speeds provide time to really soak up the environment.  We discuss alternate anchorages but all agree that spending another night in Warm Springs is the best choice.  As we turn into Warm Springs from Chatam Strait we are greeted by whales along the shoreline.  Pulling into the community dock, we are again met by Ilsa, the fisherwoman who lives at Warm Springs, and another fish boat.  As we tie up, they describe the amazing activity of whales in the cove that is being driven by the release of fish from the nearby hatchery.  As we are all standing on the dock, whales are passing within a few yards of us and one surfaces less than 30 feet from our boat.  This may be the closest I will ever be to a whale in the wild.  We relax on the boat and have a bite of dinner before I head for a soak in the community bath house.  What a treat!  I hope to return here again and again.