Waggoner's June1st Flotilla to Ketchikan

Magnitude 8.0 earthquake just occurred in Aleutians. Tsunami alert in affect. Said it might affect coastal waters, unknown how much or if it could affect the Ketchikan area tides. Just a heads up for our travelers north to monitor situation.
 
Sorry to hear about the wayward Bertram, Anne... any damage to your boat?

Wishing you safe travels,
Jim B.
 
No local Tsunami warnings here although I did listen for that. Thanks for your concern.

Regarding being hit, I have not noticed anything although it is still raining and I have not gotten close up to the port side where Cascadia took some hits. Unlike places where I have scrape marks from along a dock with no guards, these were brief hits. I am not ready to put the dinghy down and look in this weather since I now know who the driver is and a dockmate knows him.

Also another dockmate recently slipped off our dock in the rain and another fellow 2 slips from here got off his boat to try to get him, fell and was knocked out. The weather seems more significant here than what I am used to and so I am being very careful out here by the end of the dock :shock:

Victoria, where you may still be, appears safer currently!
 
Anne:

We appreciate and welcome your PNW/Alaskan cruising and landslide updates, keep them coming but please stay safe.

Jim F
 
Update from Anee:

I notice fishing boats coming and going all hours as each heads out hopeful. Why not just stay in and avoid the bad weather? Watch the World Cup?

The fellows on either side of me seem to be living on their little boats and I don't even hear a radio from either boat. One reads a lot and the other has his windows covered in his 28'. No tv's and maybe no refrigerators. More open cockpits than cabins...these are workboats.

Last evening while walking in the continuous downpour, I saw 4 fellows cleaning fish at the end of the dock where the stainless steel stations are.

There was a beautiful halibut, not too large, perhaps half a dozen kings and then quite a few of a different shape that were still fairly good-sized. One fellow smiled and reported yesterday was a "very good day!"

Slashing torrents had poured down all day as the wind blew and blew. Here on Cascadia standing water gathered on the skylights, with drips dropping into the cabin sometimes.

Gripped by boat-cabin fever, I had pulled on waterproof pants, rubber boots, raincoat and hat. After wandering in the rain and getting a couple of items in the Safeway (that was still open even after losing power) I appreciated how people here "carry on" and Safeway has a special system that keeps the registers on.

Walking back to the boat in the twilight, noticing those happy fellows, despite the weather, brought a big smile to my heart.

"So, it rains a lot in Ketchikan...
How easy it is to focus on an inconvenience."

Today a new friend stopped by and had suggestions of some safe places to boat, and I was very happy to hear the loop of @ 100 miles around Revillagigedo Island is a good one, traveling along beautiful Misty Fiords National Monument Wilderness.

Even better, I recently heard from Larry and Barb on their Ranger 25' that they enjoyed watching a bear there last week from the safety of their boat.

Life is very good!

Anne Cox
 
Anne glad to hear you are safe and that the earthquake didn't affect waters around you. The 1964 quake, although stronger and further south caused damage and death as far as California, with millions in damage to the Prince Rupert area from the surge.
I cant imagine how many Tuggers are reading your blog and thinking "If Anne can do it so can I". Its been over 30 years since I helped take a fishing boat north to Alaska but I still remember the challenges and respect that has to be shown to the region. I applaud your pioneer spirit. To make the trip solo is quite a feat.
Im curious as to how Ketchikan has grown. My uncle owned the local pharmacy there and I traveled there as a child. At that time there wasn't an airport and we arrived by seaplane. I remember my uncle knew the pilots and I got to sit in the copilot seat. How times have changed.
Please be careful in your travels and thanks for letting us explore Alaska vicariously through your writings.
 
Louie, thanks for the comments.

I am sure Ketchikan has changed a great deal in some ways but not others. This is rain forest country, with an average of 150 inches of rain a year, lots of fog, and a great deal of wind, sometimes up to 90 mph in the winter.

I see a grittiness along the streets I have walked that possibly reflects the character of the citizens here. I have not verified the population, but whether it is 9,000 or a few thousand more, I am experiencing high food and fuel costs, a summer economy driven by the cruise ships, and a challenging, and at times, dangerous, climate. Our wooden docks are saturated with rain, and can be slippery, as are the streets. I saw a 3 car wreck the second day here, and the roads were wet.

Friday I read the names of the cruise ships coming for the week, the arrival and departure times for each, plus the number per ship, which is apparently lower than it has been in earlier years. This week 8-10,000 people are arriving daily, although Saturday was much lower this week. Tour guides, retail workers in small shops, fishing guides, and pilots of small float planes must answer the same questions over and over and over without ever having time to converse.

I notice the north/south road is busy currently and could use repairs and cleaning. There seems to be a preponderance of trucks and well-used vehicles. I have yet to see a luxury vehicle, and doubt many folks can make a living "detailing" vehicles or boats here.

The marina I am in is full of fishing boats. I have seen a few C-Dory boats, but no other Rangers or anything similar in the marinas I have walked by. There is a constant parade of float planes dropping out of the clouds as they pass here then drop off guests. They fly low and sometimes are jarred by the wind gusts.

Outside the window here in Safeway, where quite a few of us are using free wifi, a very large white ship, The Grand Princess, slowly passes by at 5 knots. I just looked around and not one of us in this area is wearing white. (I imagine that is different aboard the cruise ships!)

I think Walmart is the biggest store, and there is only one Costco in Alaska. Bus fare is $1.00 each way and 50 cents for seniors. Not much roadway here on the island.

I know fish are shipped from here, but have not yet learned if lumber is a significant export.

The tax base could use an infusion but I have yet to see a gleaming office building or factory, nor many fancy restaurants. I wonder about the financial challenges for public works and services, and how such a small population base can provide for so many tourists.

There is a newly developed/expanded area near the cruise ship landing, including visitor information. I also noticed two shops nearby with fine jewelry and diamonds for sale. I wonder if the many shops in that area are closed when the cruise season ends?

I look forward to seeing this area on a clear sunny day! It is bound to be amazing 😀
 
Fascinating posts Anne. You are living what most of us just dream. I am curious what your plans are for the return trip? Will you regroup with some of those who made the trip up with you? How long do you plan to stay before your return? I hope you are able to plan the trip back with some kindred spirits.

Lee Shobe
 
Thanks for writing, Lee.

My plans are fluid, but I hope to stay north till September, spending some time in BC in August.

I am checking around for others to travel with. There may be one couple from our group who will be staying up here quite awhile. There is one more Waggoner group coming here in another week, and I hope to greet them when they arrive and learn if any might be interested in buddy boating as far as the Broughtons, at least, in early to mid August.

I am planning to contact a leader or two in the Sitka Coast Guard Auxiliary to see if I can connect with some members there. I understand that it is a quite active and busy group.

Sitka sounds like an interesting place with a Russian and native heritage, and the geography there indicates some challenging boating. I plan to express to the leader(s) there that I am eager to visit their community and am happy to pay for a ferry ticket if one of their experienced boating members might be willing to travel here and return together, advising me of the local knowledge I need to know to travel there safely.

I could take the ferry but love the idea of boating there and living there on the boat for a week or two, then moving on to Petersburg perhaps, which has a cultural heritage of natives and Norwegians, among others.

It is enjoyable for me to spend time here now as I am figuring out what I want to do and to see. I am confident it will be similar in other locales also. Taking the time to relax and visit with people who live here is meaningful to me.

Regarding the return trip, I hope to travel with at least one other boat if possible. I believe there will be people coming through Ketchikan to begin the mostly protected route back. I am putting the word out and will continue to watch for a buddy boat.

If that does not materialize, I am able to reverse the route we took up here. The leaders pointed out various places we may wish to stop at on the way south and there are a couple of special places that I know are quite beautiful.

If the wet/cool climate becomes an issue for me, there are the beautiful Broughtons and of course Desolation Sound and Princess Louisa.

When I first signed up I wanted to go at least twice as far as I now do. Driving every day was cumulatively quite tiring, and now I have picked a few places to visit for the next month or so. I am happy to have a more manageable budget and energy need. Having the boat to live on is most comfortable. However things evolve, this is an idyllic trip, with many options.

I find the open calendar relaxing now that I know I can head south when the opportunity and good weather coincide!

If you or other Tugnuts are interested in coming north to Alaska, I encourage you to do so if you can work everything out!
 
The latest from Anne in Ketchikan

Subject: The Alaskan Spirit

Day 11 here, and news to report.

Today's list is not a travelogue, but a few experiences.

Wednesday the sun came out mid-afternoon and the forecast was for no rain Thursday. I made up my mind to call early Thursday to a number of flight-seeing companies, and the four I called at 9:00 am all had space, so I quickly took the earliest I could make thinking the light might be less harsh.

What a joy-filled experience flying into the mountainous majesty of Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness. SeaWindAviation.com is a family business within a mile of this marina. Our pilot provided his 5 guests thrills as we flew up and over snow and ice, along canyons and high waterfalls, and even saw two adult "brownies" feeding on grass along a river bank adjacent to a pristine lake, where we landed for a few minutes. I sat in the back and had access to windows on both sides!

The plane was a DeHavilland Beaver, which I have often read about in Alaskan adventure narratives, learned about in a program on Public TV in Seattle as well as heard taking off and landing during the 14 years I lived in Kenmore and heard Kenmore Air DeHavillands. Many times I imagined flying on a Beaver into a remote Alaskan wilderness lake. Now I have!

After the 90 minute flight in the brilliant blue sky I stayed there at the waterfront for quite awhile soaking up sunshine and watching eager eagles also hanging out. Fishing boats were bringing in their catches next door, and the eagles were ready to help unload them.

Meanwhile a different boat was moored next to Cascadia when I returned. Dan had arrived from OR via Prince Rupert with his WSU Cougar (crimson and gray) Duckworth 26 Offshore, made in Ckarkston, WA, with two 150 Yamaha engines and a kicker. He is totally outfitted for fishing and says he fishes off of Newport, OR.

He travelled up here with friends in a 1950's Nordic Tug and I may travel south with them in August.

This morning while I was cooking scrambled eggs he and his buddy started to swing in then quickly backed up in the rain and wind to try again. I slipped into my shoes, opened the door and hollered. Grabbing my raincoat I climbed out, caught the line and the fellow jumped off but slipped on the dock. Luckily he was able to grab the boat, stay out of the water and not get pinned in.

That was a good result but scared them both. These wooden finger docks are built with the boards going crossways and momentum when jumping off is a real problem.

I am noticing here that the fellows (I have yet to see a woman driving) are not tentative driving in the wind and current. I have learned to be slow and careful when docking Cascadia, but that does not work here in the wind. They use the throttle coming in and leaving if the wind is active, (and 10 knots sounds like the average wind on the forecasts.) The other thing I am noticing is how quickly they get off the boat and hook that first line and grab the second line. It reminds me of rodeo riders jumping off their horse and tying the cow, racing the clock.

I have been working to resolve some issues the past couple days also. One local explained to me that living here requires learning how to fix things yourself. People clearly help each other, and can't pick up the phone and have repairs scheduled as easily.

For example, the Garmin Autopilot has not been working properly on this trip.

Ronnie, who delivered my boat, made a contact with Garmin and got me a name and phone number. I called the day after getting here and left a message. Then it was the weekend, and I decided to check around myself.

Getting a local phonebook helped, along with walking to a couple of nearby stores. I was unable to find any merchant who sold Garmin Marine products nor any certified Garmin Mechanic.

Finally I called the Garmin rep again, reaching him, and we arranged for a telephone appt. to see if together we could troubleshoot the wandering habit on the Garmin GHC10. He thought there was probably air in a line...

I tried following his directions but when scrolling down, the arrow went to the bottom of the screen and a beeping sound erupted each time.

The rep said he had no experience with this, so he said he would call Garmin and Ranger and get back to me in an hour. He did call back, with no results yet, and mentioned I might need to pay for someone to fix it and then perhaps would be reimbursed. He had also called a shop I gave him the number for and still not heard back. I waited 2 hours and called again, suggesting I go to the shop myself, which turned out to be a dead end.

I kept asking around and called a man's home number. Last night he agreed to come Monday and look at it. I will call the rep and perhaps he can talk this fellow through things to check.

Getting the DeLorme to work is another ongoing challenge for me. I entered updates on my phone for my account, address, phone, emergency contacts, etc. Everything seemed fine.

Then I lost time looking for a plug that I did not have since the update required a "plug in." Forget it, I went back online and followed the steps for the "mandatory update." Nothing!

Several days passed while I awaited an email reply to my question. Finally I called my son who reminded me plug-in is a computer action.

"Mom, you need to do that on a computer, not your phone."

"Oh...They got my money and address changes, so why must I switch now?"

Soon I will go back to Safeway, and try again.

Meanwhile, the rain returned and the cockpit is wet. I am keeping more stuff inside the cabin now and since it is not windy currently, there is not standing water in the cockpit.

Flash! There have been times lately I have felt like I was 40 years younger again, building and creating things!

I now use two 1/2 gallon milk containers, a water bottle and 2 juice containers to hold the Isinglass/Sunbrella panels out from the boat. That way less water enters through the zippers in the screen panels. My system does not hold when the winds increase, or when underway, but for now is helping.
I am now working on plans to go to Sitka after I get the autopilot working and the DeLorme leaving tracks of my travels.

Anne, In Alaska, where folks seem more self-reliant as well as very friendly!
 
Anne,
What a wonderful, continuing story. My hat is off to you. As stated before, you make us all want to go exploring. I look forward to reading your posts each time I log on!
Rick
 
The latest from Anne

Alaska is huge in SO many ways!
The mountains, the water, the winds, the tides, the currents; putting them all together means everything from williwaws to big rains, with weather that can quickly change from benign to challenging.
I love the rawness, the power and the size of challenges here.

At the same time, I am alone on the boat and do not know the waters.

Boating to the places I want to visit is somewhat on hold. I have discovered it is much more difficult to find others to boat with than I had hoped, and the CG Auxiliary in Ketchikan currently has very few active members and no boats active.
Cascadia is ready to go, with the autopilot fixed, the DeLorme finally set up and I now have a Forest Service map showing some mooring buoys and a couple of docks in the area, including around the 100 mile Behm Canal, and Misty Fjords. I am ready for that trip and soon will know more about getting to Wrangell and Petersburg also.
I have been diligently searching for others to boat with, and found some folks open to buddy boating after their company leaves and the dad gets his fill of fishing. I think it can work out and am hopeful we will do that in perhaps two weeks.
Yesterday I chatted with the leaders of the Sitka CG Auxiliary, who are most helpful and welcoming. I will travel there, hopefully go on a patrol or two, learn what the Auxiliary does there, and learn about beautiful Sitka.
After reviewing the 200+ mile boat trip there, and the winding narrows that run at 12 knots at times (yet are very doable at slack) I do not want to do that trip now as a single boater without a buddy boat. After I see the area I expect to know more about what to look for in the future.
Today I spent quite a bit of time at the Alaska Ferry Terminal and explored a variety of scenarios. The most direct ferry to Sitka leaves in the wee hours and arrives 23 hours later, still in the wee hours.

I will bring my sleeping bag, my Auxiliary drysuit, etc. some food and a few clothes, but am bothered by the departure and arrival times in both directions.
I looked for other options and found a great one with daylight departures and arrivals, which will allow lots more time on the water.

As a walk-on passenger who does not want a cabin, nor bringing a bike or kayak, I do not need a reservation! The boat I now plan to travel on will go to Wrangell, Petersburg, perhaps Juneau, I forget, then Haines and Skagway.
For an extra $48. above the cost of the trip to Sitka, I plan to walk on the ferry coming up from Bellingham Sunday morning and ride it all the way to Skagway, letting the pilots "do the driving" while I see firsthand what the route and waters are like as well as the country!

The price is $48.00 more than the ferry from Ketchikan to Sitka. The same ferry returns via Sitka, (or I may see about a hostel in Skagway or Juneau and then go to Sitka.)

The return from Skagway to Ketchikan is $57.00 more than from Sitka back to Ketchikan, since I plan to stay in Sitka for perhaps a week.
So, on Cascadia's first trip to Alaska, I am adapting my goals to my reality and the conditions I have seen up here. I will do some exploring by ferry, traveling on Cascadia only in the area of SE Alaska near Ketchikan, including Petersburg and Wrangell.
I continue to explore on land here, and yesterday took the bus to the north end of the line and back. Another day I will take the bus there again while it will still be running for a few hours, get off and explore Totem Bight, the shores, the totems and the wonderful water views there at the Alaska state park.
I have visited the new library in Ketchikan a couple of times and ridden by the indoor athletic complex near the library. I hope to swim there on the next rainy day and check out the jacuzzi, racquet ball courts, and the rest of the facilities.
Nearby that there are (all dirt) ball fields for each youth age division, and adults, batting cages, and a skate park, which afford these citizens many opportunities for a city of perhaps 14,000 people.
Earlier this afternoon I was watching 3 small kids in lifejackets, 1 on a scooter on the dock and 2 hustling to their boat where they live. These kids are sturdy, and yes, local kids do play and swim in this cold water in the high 50's, (but not in the marina.)

Now the rain is pouring down, I am seeing whitecaps, gillnetters with bright lights out on the water, an inflatable roaring by and I am about zip up my raincoat and leave the Safeway wifi area to head back to the boat.

Anne
 
More from Anne:

Whistling wind, flapping tarps, rivulets of rain everywhere, water slapping, slapping, slapping the boat, all night and all morning.

Cruise ship slowly gliding south at no-wake speed, small planes landing and taking off so low overhead it seems they will hit us as the fog takes away our sky.

Weather radio July 4, 2014, 11:00 AM: "Ketchikan 54, rain and fog, winds 12, gusts 18."

2:00 PM:

Different cruise ship glides north amongst whitecaps, rain stopped, water slapping, slapping, slapping the boat. Look up! A tiny patch of blue amidst clouds and fog moving east at different levels.

Quick! Pull on boots, raincoat and hat; go celebrate good weather in Ketchikan!

Anne, heading outside
 
Anne is on the move!

We are 4.8 hours out from the marina, surviving and bouncing in Clarence Strait, with the fog lifting and whitecaps appearing. We will be turning after Misery Island into Ernest Sound.

The 30' Catalina travels at 5 knots without a push from the current or motorsailing.

They just radioed and are interested in stopping at Meyers Chuck, right after the turn, that is 4.2 more miles, which means we will be 31 miles from Ketchikan and 58 more miles till Wrangell.

I believe the other boat wants to take 2 more days to get to Wrangell, then spend 3 days there, then a day to Petersburg, maybe 3 days there and linger more returning.

The autopilot is not doing well in the whitecaps, so I will get back to steering!

Anne
 
Anne's on the move again!

This was an interesting morning, with the boat very still at 6:30, which was refreshing. By 7:15 the breeze had begun, and no matter where I seem to be in SE, there is a breeze, although this morning it was not like it usually is in Ketchikan.

Listening to the 7 am forecast went like this: " High pressure developing today, (YEA!) with a low pressure system arriving tomorrow morning, increasing Friday." Oh, Alaska...)

The day began with grey skies, then exiting Thom's Place, an interesting place to anchor, we saw some blue to the southwest. Wow! That was fun! We turned the corner and headed north, and the clouds were low along the mountain tops, so we didn't really see the mountains, or the snow or signs of a high pressure system coming.

However, the trip to Wrangell was fine. I was in the lead today, and was traveling at 1150 rpm 0.8 gph (gallons per hour) with a speed of 5.6 kt. After winding through a series of narrows, the passage opened up and when we turned a corner and another waterway joined in, our speed dropped as we had more wind now to deal with, so we went to 5.0-5.2.

I forgot again that sailors like wind, and soon the sail was out, and they were now going 6.5 kn, and I needed to bump my engine to 1360 rpm, to stay with them. They sped up in the wind, and my fuel went from 0.8 gallons per hour to 1.2 gph.

Unfortunately, they soon had to take the sail down. A gillnetter traveling on their port side called them, using the AIS information, and told them another gillnetter was just setting up to let out nets across a narrowing area ahead of us.

My first thought was "Why doesn't the gillnetter parallel the shore so it doesn't force everyone else over to the side?"

"Not very sensible for trying to trap fish, is it, Anne?"

We proceeded to Wrangell, tied up, and I took off to explore the town. First I checked out the Anan Bear Sanctuary boat trip, as well as the jet boat up the Stikine River. Yikes! $260.00 for the 4 hour trips.

From there I went to the Alaska Ferry terminal, which was locked, and will open Thursday afternoon. Ok, not too many ferries stop here.

Next up, the library, and internet. My how time flies when there is wifi! Seems like lots of folks that live here need these computers, just like the tourists.

Then the swimming pool, and it is nothing like the one in Ketchikan, but will be a good place to get exercise when the rains start up tomorrow.

I would like to go to the nearby tidewater glacier, but I believe it takes a guide from here. Petersburg will have an easier access I believe, but need to check that out. I wonder what it will be like to take the boat in around small pieces of ice...probably not as scary as the winds, but then again, maybe tricky...

Stay tuned for that

.Meanwhile, there are two museums here to visit, places to walk and swim, whether it rains or not, so all is well in the small town of Wrangell, with a marvelous view out to the west and north as bodies of water join up. Tonight the water is glassy calm!
 
More from Anne

We had a peaceful sunset in Wrangell tonight with calm-looking water and beautiful mountains all around! This reminds me of joyful times in the Puget Sound when Mt. Rainier "is out" as the locals say. The previous weather projection happily did not happen.

It has been a beautiful day here again, and I am enjoying small-town Wrangell. Most of us transients, as we are called, with boats under 35' are here at the harbor right in town, where it is simple to walk everywhere.

In Wrangell all but a couple of eating places are closed by 6 pm, including the 2 grocery stores. There are no sightseeing seaplanes here taking off and landing all day till the cruise ships are gone like in Ketchikan, and except for some people, mostly the young and some travelers out walking, I wonder if families are home for dinner?

The Trident seafood processing plant is the only thing open round the clock. The late night eatery, the bar that serves pizza, right by the marina, closes at 9 pm.

I just learned tonight that the only places open on Sunday are the hardware stores, from 10-3. I do not recall when I last experienced even the grocery being closed!

It will be an interesting day here Sunday and I am curious to see if the locals might be going out fishing if the weather holds.

Today I swam laps at the pool then hung out a bit with the women from the water aerobics class, which is an easy way to meet locals. Everyone is cheerful and welcoming, and I learned that some have moved here recently, and others have been here for many decades.

Later I got into a conversation with a man born and raised here who had recently returned, after 40 years, from the Seattle area. His parents are deceased now and he is fixing up the family home.

He reported that in Alaska, homeowners are eligible for up to a $10,000. grant to insulate their homes. He is getting storm windows and insulation put in, at no cost to him. As a senior now, I understood him to say there is no annual tax now on his house, up to a $600,000. home, or vehicle license plate. He also mentioned that after one year, new residents receive a check for $900.00-$1,000. from a state account, which I believe may be from oil revenue.

Back to the water view here...three trollers returned at sunset. Lots of fish are being unloaded here every day currently. The packing plant seems to employ fellows from Africa, who are looking at their cell phones whenever I walk by the benches where they sit outdoors on their break.

In Ketchikan I noticed Asian and Hispanic workers filling those jobs. The processors seem short of workers all over Alaska since the crackdown on work permits for foreigners.

BUMP. A log on the incoming tide just hit the boat. I noticed a fellow this morning wearing a Fire Dept. T-shirt motoring by then returning hauling a large log. Quite a few large pieces of logs are traveling in these big tidal exchanges.

WONDERFUL NEWS!

On a final note, I am happy to report that last evening a boater from Edmonds, WA whom I had welcomed when they arrived and chatted with later on the dock commented that they are headed south August 15/16, weather permitting, and I am most welcome to travel along with them. This is their 4th trip to Alaska, and they travel on their 37' Nordic Tug.

That is a great offer that I am happy to receive and implement, as you can imagine, especially when we have two sections with open ocean that can be troublesome if weather deteriorates. Planning will be double checked now with two of us doing it, and we will have more eyes watching out!

We exchanged boat cards, will be in touch, and plan to connect on August 15th, hopefully at Thomas Basin, then will heading back to WA!

This will make the rest of my time in Alaska more relaxing since I now have companions to travel south with and a date and place to meet. Very good news indeed!

Anne
 
Another update from Anne

Many things are large in Alaska, including the tides. I need to think more when anchoring, and as all the chain goes down I consider how hard it will be to pull it up if for some reason the windless fails, as it did last summer, and as it has 3 times for my sailing friends recently.

Rather than worry, I say to myself "this is a lot easier than hauling heavy kayaks above the waterline which is always so far up when landing, and always feels equally far in the morning to haul them out to the shore at launch time."

Having a well-equipped boat and windless extends the boating opportunities, for those who can afford such items, to see and somewhat experience what only the very hardy and determined could previously.

Monday I went on a trip (recommended by everyone I asked) to The Anan Wildlife Sanctuary. Some people go in their own boats and if very fortunate, may score and get a ticket. Someone has to stay back on the boat, but at least there is a way to get there and hopefully get in.

I went with a guide and 5 other guests, plus 2 young deckhands. I chose to go on a smaller boat than most and with a 4th generation person from Wrangell.

On the 1 hour trip there Brenda, our guide, suddenly slowed since she saw bears. Mama bear was light brown and very thick, with a large head. The 2 little ones were black. They were turning over rocks, finding food along the shoreline, with overhanging trees helping hide them. By the time I found them they were headed into the forest. Apparently murrelets live there in the old growth trees along the E. coast of Wrangell Island.

Anan is a special place in the Tongass rainforest, and salmon and bears, both black and Alaskan brown bears, have been coming there for a very long time. The tide flows through a smallish opening and the water and fish enter into a large estuary rich in nutrients. That area fills and partially empties, leaving the stream bed and a large meadow-like shallow area between high tide cycles.

We arrived at very low tide due to the -4.2 that morning. The eagles, ravens, gulls and other birds were providing a cacophony of noise and entertainment as we were walking the .5 mile through the woods. Currently there is a fine boardwalk for all so we were not tromping through the mud.
Nor do the bears. I almost stepped in fresh bear scat.

Just as we were @ 50 yards from the viewing platform, Brenda received a radio call from another guide about a young brown bear on the trail ahead of us, around the corner. She quietly checked and returned to tell us we would wait until the bear moved. We did, as did the other group and their guide. Eventually the young bear went into the forest and we stepped aside for those leaving, then climbed a few steps up to the viewing platform.

The location is ideal for viewing salmon up close trying to clear tough boulders and fast moving water. I groaned watching those swept back down again, after almost making it to the flat water above.

This wonderful resource is closely monitored by the US Forest Service. An employee met us when we went ashore, repeating everything our guide Brenda had prepared us for. No food of any kind, no flavored water or drinks, remember we are the guests, when walking stay close to our guide, while on the viewing platform step backwards when a bear comes close, and speak in quiet voices except when on the boardwalk going to and from the viewing platform.

We were there 4 hours on a warm sunny day while other groups cycled in and out. A ranger was on the platform the entire time except to go pick up a lens cover, and the atmosphere felt hushed and almost reverential as everyone was enjoying the fish, the eagles and the bears.

The peaceful water above and below seemed to focus us even more on the very challenging trip the salmon struggled with, as well as the easy task for the young fish to grab them at the top near the shore.

The adults chose larger fish and quickly disappeared into the bushes so the birds left them alone.

The youngsters sometimes wandered off, leaving the fish after a few bites, and when returning, the fresh salmon had either been drug off or a couple of large eagles were not inclined to move away for the small bears. One younger one wandered around looking, walked in the water across the stream then just sat down, as if perhaps saying "Mom, this is not fair!"

Anan will be a lifetime memory for me, if I can remember 🙂

Anne
 
And Another Update:

A couple of us on the dock were amazed at how the green slimy stuff was so long even though we left from Anacortes quite clean, and have been traveling hundreds of miles.

I asked our guide Brenda about her boat, since she is out almost every day and travels fast in the metal boat with almost a rocker bottom similar to a river kayak.

I could barely believe her when she said her boat goes on the grid every month. Every town has them, no charge, but it does require stooping to work low/down-under.

I watched several folks using the grid and it is very practical. Drive the boat on when the tide is up, secure it, then return in low tide to scrub, repair some areas, paint, probably change the zincs...

Divers in Wrangell are $100. an hour if you can find one in fishing season. The big lift is $300.

I noticed sailor friend Ray working on the bottom of his sailboat so I checked out his system. He had a 2" clamp holding a very stiff vegetable brush on the black piece near the end of the boat hook.

I put together a similar system since the growth on Cascadia was 12inches in places.

The project was successful except for the trim tabs, and filled parts of 2 days, standing, doing knee bends, twists and even stretched out on the dock.

When in Alaska, improvise!
 
Anne is "Living the Dream"!

My sailing friends from BC decided to head out for Petersburg about the same time I was deciding to go to Anan to see the bears.

Earlier I had reviewed the route carefully and saw that once across the large open fetch and finding the entrance, it was going to be very straightforward winding through the Wrangell Narrows that are very well marked. I was very confident given good weather it would be fine to do myself.

For some reason I was a bit confused with the Garmin chart and did not put in the route. I studied it, and on the water Navionics was easier for me to navigate, so it was most helpful to have two screens going.

I left later than I had planned so burned extra fuel getting across Summer Strait to Mitkof Island. I did not have good depth perception with the many shades of grey and shapes of islands, and was looking around watching other boats on the screen and the water to confirm I was going where I wanted to go.

The goal in going north from Wrangell is to figure out the timing to ride the tide north in the channel and then be able to catch it when it turns to get to Petersburg. I had not factored in that there would be small boats fishing near shore and at the south end of the channel. Since I was not traveling with my sailing friends I powered up when it was clear, and caught at least 2 knots riding much of the way north.

It takes more concentration in the confined space of a channel, especially such a long one, but the markers make it very simple. I kept waiting to see my friends heading south, but never did, so figured they must have moved south a day earlier.

After exiting the channel I found the fuel dock and filled up then called the Harbormaster again. I keep finding they do not want calls until boats are close to the docks most places, despite what the guidebooks suggest. (I hear in every marina that there are still not as many touring as in 2007.)

Amazingly when I was given my assignment it was in a slip immediately next to my buddies. They had windlass problems again while anchoring out in a bay near Baird Glacier and Ron was fixing it.

That evening I had dinner with 3 couples and a solo from the 3rd Waggoner Flotilla and 3 of the boats were getting parts and help for issues such as thrusters, windlass and something I did not catch.

I discovered two other couples from the Anacortes area on our dock that I had met previously and John, a Waggoner boater with his 22' C-Dory arrived the next day. Also the next evening a large sailboat that had been at Meyers Chuck arrived and invited me over to eat with them, which was delightful.

It is very handy to have boat cards when traveling in SE Alaska. There are many boaters roaming around in this amazing area. It seems that the docks are filled with fishing boats coming and going, along with private boaters, mainly from western WA.

Some are leaving their boats in SE Alaska over the winter. Storage is much less, there are big savings by not boating the 1500 miles to and from WA, and then saving at least 2 + weeks traveling up then another similar amount traveling south, and that is IF the weather is good for the 2 open ocean crossings.

In listening to the forecast for Dixon Entrance currently, I hear nothing under 15 knots and high swells, which for most of us that means waiting for better weather.

If I was not a liveaboard I have been thinking about leaving Cascadia here and trying that out. Perhaps I can be a house sitter since a number of retired people here go south for the winter. OH, but what about 100+ inches of rain...?

WAIT. I sold my house to live on the water full time. I love the beauty of the water, the sky, the birds and waterfowl, the compactness, the freedom to travel...

Anne, living the dream!
 
Anne is on the way to Sitka.

Thursday I received an email from Rick, a member of the Sitka CG Auxiliary and long time boater who lives near Kake, Alaska. Weeks earlier I had sent emails to a few Auxiliary members in SE Alaska, wondering if I might connect with them or others so that I could learn local knowledge about boating where they live and volunteer.

Rick was one of those who replied, and his latest email said that Friday would be a good day to move from Petersburg towards Sitka. I have wanted to visit Sitka almost since deciding to visit Alaska. Whenever people asked where I planned to go, I would always answered Wrangell and Petersburg (which I knew I could get to) and that I really wanted to see Sitka also, because of its history and is in a beautiful setting. Then I would listen to those who have been to Sitka, and some who have not.

Sitka is on the west side of Baranof Island, along the Pacific Ocean, in somewhat of a bay and sheltered by some islands. To get there by water requires traveling either along the outer coast, or in Chatham Strait, which is a long and straight channel directly off the Pacific, so is subject to more wind than small power boaters like. High winds, wind against current and fog are all potential issues.

Some warned me about Chatham Strait, and Sergius Narrows, which can move at 12 knots. I was also spooked by the name Peril Strait, the turnoff to get across Baranof Island. I read and reread everything I had about that area.

Those who have boated there universally reported I was capable of making that trip and volunteered what to watch for and be aware of, beginning with weather. Next people spoke of the availability of places to wait out the weather, and which of those they have visited. In addition all said to take Sergius Narrows at slack.

Rick's email said the winds and weather were looking very favorable for Friday, which was wonderful news. I replied back with questions (as usual) wondering about possible challenges where the waterways merge, etc. Meanwhile I reread a guidebook, checked the tides for Friday, purchased a Marine Atlas for SE to have additional visuals, did laundry, added some fresh food, planned the route and checked the fluids and set the iPhone alarm before going to bed.

I awoke to fog at 6 am, and listened to the weather. I went to the office, which is always open, and asked if fog was common occurrence in early mornings in that location and what the fishing boats were reporting? The fellow suggested I might want to wait a day since many boats were returning because a fishery had just closed at midnight. Hmmm. I left still wanting answers to my questions...

I returned to the boat, emailed Rick, topped off the water, which I had forgotten, and set my alarm for 8 am. Opening my eyes then, I immediately noticed more light, and looking out I saw fog was still present but had lifted. I quickly went to the office, with new staff on now, to ask what it looked like on the water around the corner, heading north. An older fellow sitting on a bench piped up, reporting "I have a clear view to the north now from my house up the hill." Yes!

I hustled to the boat and had a new email update from Rick referencing a buoy report, another weather report, and the view from his place were all providing the same good news. Time to open the engine compartment and check the oil today, then cast off and go see for myself!

Turning west out of the marina I noticed fishing boats returning and a view of beautiful mountains and a glacier. Onward!

A quick message from Rick warned me no cell/email service going forward but to radio in when I was at Punta rocks.

Boats were heading towards me, the water was quite calm north and into Frederick Strait, and the weather was holding,

At one point I saw an occasional whale, and after 3 hours the rocky islets were nearby. I radioed and connected with Rick, reporting all is going well and I plan to continue on. He confirmed that today was a great weather day, and that Peril Strait would be the ideal spot to overnight.

It seemed like a long run to get to and then across Chatham, reflecting my anxiety from 4 weeks of hearing weather reports about winds there. But not today!

I noticed a large waterfall on the east side so took time to check it out, then continued onward, happy to have the time to enjoy the vastness of the area filled with mountains, trees and this beautiful water trail.

The hours were passing and today I had the luxury of being able to get up and pull out food as I chose, check the large map, the chart book and guidebook whenever I wanted. As the afternoon continued I was able to identify places I might choose to turn in to and explore, and perhaps "drop the anchor," as boaters say. But not today, because the winds were expected to pick up again tomorrow.

Eventually Peril Strait was on my port, and I was eager to see what it was like, so turned in, winding among several islands that could have been avoided if conditions were rough or foggy, but no need for that today! After awhile I began to see high misty-looking water spouts up ahead, and knew there were whales here, bigger whales than the orcas I love to watch.

There were no other boats anywhere around, just Cascadia and these whales, moving about, and letting me see where they were, sometimes coming quite close...

It was magical!
 
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