The Perils of Chatham Sound

Big Seas

We listen to weather and decide to head north this morning.  The tides are in our favor and the winds are likely to be less that 15 knots before noon.  The pote 

ntial issue is that the winds are coming out of the northwest and will be against the sea.

The seas are fairly calm when we begin our journey but it doesn’t take long for them to build and soon we are bow into 3 foot waves with an occasional big wave that results in water over the bow.  The boat doesn’t seem to mind and the cat has yet to go “under cover” but after about three hours Barrie and I have had enough and look for a sheltered anchorage.  There are several to choose from and we set our sights on Tenakee Springs.  While I drive the boat, Barrie heads below for a nap. 

Just as we reach the turn for Tenakee Springs, the sun comes out and the waters are calm.  After a short discussion, we opt to continue north and for several hours we have a lovely passage.  We now have our sights on reaching Swanson Harbor at the far north end of Chatham Strait and across Icy Strait.  The wind picks up when we are eight or nine miles from our destination and while that doesn’t sound like a lot of distance, in a 7 knot boat, it translates to over an hour of white caps and lots of water over the bow.  Both Barrie and I agree that while the boat is up to the task, we would both prefer to be tucked into a safe harbor.  We also both agree that with the sun out, the scenery is simply spectacular.  We can see several 14,000 foot snow-capped peaks in the distance while we bounce across Icy Strait.

We arrive at the entrance to Swanson Harbor at 3:30 and work our way through sheltered water filled with obstacles to the Refuge Dock.  These docks are funded by State and Federal Fish and Wildlife agencies and while they are available to all boaters, primarily fishermen use them.  The dock is perhaps 120 feet long and not connected to shore.  The wind is still howling and Barrie drives the boat aggressively bow-first into the dock and the wind brings her stern dockside.  Since the wind will keep us pushed up against the dock, the challenge is to get enough fenders between the dock and us.  Getting off the dock will be a significant challenge if the wind doesn’t abate.

We spend an hour or so tidying up the boat from our crossing.  I rinse the windows with fresh water before washing them.  The salt is so thick that it takes three attempts to get them reasonably clean.  We pick up books that have fallen from the shelf and dishes that have rearranged themselves in the cupboard.  We then spend the next hour recovering ourselves – the wind continues to howl, we remain firmly tied to the dock and a glass of scotch never tasted better.  We are both exhausted from the day and drop into bed with our books.  We are now positioned to reach Glacier Bay National Park tomorrow.