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.