The cold water of Queen Charlotte Sound is creating morning fog and not inspiring me to swim. Inspite of the ambivalence of returning from the wonders of Northern BC, we are a little excited at returning to warmer waters. We are still hanging with Puffin and we left Sointula this morning and had a foggy trip towards Echo Bay to see Billy Proctor.

Yesterday we left Port McNeil and the engine sounded loud. Becky and I both looked to each other and we decided to return to North Island Marina. I had just changed the oil, with a different brand of oil, so decided to change it again. I went back to the store and they credited me with the oil and the price of the new. Fortunately it helped. Got to Sointula and Sam had a visit with Gardner Diesel guy, very interesting to visit with. Then we walked up to Tim Motchman’s, who we commissioned two carvings last year. It was nice to see him and his garden. Great visit with Joe and Sam on Puffin, Tim, his wife and a friend. Interesting day….
So passing through the Broughtons and thinking about blasting Johnstone Strait tomorrow to get to Desolation Sound.
It would be nice to go for a swim.

By Paul: It’s been so long since I have written anything, and so much has transpired that I have trouble starting. But before I get distracted and my inspiration vanishes like the humpback whale spouts we frequently see, I will put something down about my thoughts of our trip to Haida Gwaii. First of all I want to thank Jimmy Reid for making the trip out to see us from Florida. His boating skills, weather and routing collaborations and his nack for always popping an, after anchor down, IPA of the day were so much fun. He was greatly appreciated and we miss his presence onboard. Jim joined us in Ketchikan, where we surprised our other high school friends, Tom and Dina Butt,  who were departing. What a great, fun surprise; and a nice time in Ketchikan.

Jimmy made three large crossings with us. The 73 mile crossing from Ketchikan to Prince Rupert across Dixon Entrance and the two 80 mile crossings of Hecate Strait. Jimmy introduced me to the weather app, Predict Wind, which we used along with the ever cautious and conservative, weather Canada web site I was using; With his aid we made some pretty good decisions, adjusted our schedules and kept the boat together without shaking things up, to much. But after all it is a 38 ft boat.

Hecate Strait is a formidably 12 hour crossing that gives everyone pause, with good reason. But it takes you to a very different place. An Island isolated, geographically, biologically and culturally changed by the first encounters with europeans; decimated by small pox, with the loss of 95% of their population, most of their villages and way of life. The Haida were complicit in their demise, as well. They readily sold their sea otter pelts for renewed riches, which directly contributed to the Haida’s rich artistic contributions.  Affluent chiefs put on more potlatches and commissioned more totems. The potlatches were a great feast of gift giving and an interesting distribution of wealth. But alas with the loss of the sea otter and the influx of  diseases, everything crashed in the late 1800’s.

It was humbling and inspiring at the same time. We got to witness Gwaii Haanas National Park; with its Culturally significant Heritage sites. Culminating with the furthest south and most remote site of SGaang Gwaii with its still standing 200 year old totems. We visited with five very different Haida Watchman five different sites and got some great historical perspectives and recent insights. Gwaii Haanas with its unlogged and interesting forest; racked by wind and storms; quiet anchorages, saw whales and spawning salmon.

The memorable Burnaby Passage with its zig zag passage and my full astern, bow thruster rock avoidance maneuver. So grateful for my mate Becky for her bow watch and my running mate Jimmy for watching the ranges and getting me back on course. Sometimes with a current pushing you and three hard right to hard left maneuvers in a row, it take three sets of eyes to keep you square. Grateful that the water there is very clear. We actually tackled Burnaby twice, the second time with an opposing current which was much more manageable and with a mark on the chart for the rock. We left Haida Gwaii with a great sense of gratitude for the blessing of the opportunity to be there.

We visited a very welcoming people with a renewed purpose of sustaining a culture. There has been recent government recognition of the right to the Haida people to their lands, and there is a new awareness of pride and significance as to what that means. A beautiful place that is in flux. Most of the large timbers are gone, the fishing is a fraction of what it was. It will be interesting to see what they can do to sustain themselves. The isolation and beauty will draw many, but the cultural heritage sites are numbered in years. The culture allows for them to return to the land, one only hopes that the attraction won’t diminish.

 

By Becky: SGang Gwaay is recognized as a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Nan Sdins (aka Ninstints)is a former Haida village.  It has the largest still standing collection of original monument and mortuary poles.  In the past, some of the poles have been reset upright but will now be allowed to decay as per Haida culture.  You can still see where the Haida moved rocks to create a landing spot for their canoes in the bay.

When we went ashore, we were greeted by the Watchman who led us on a long wooden walkway through the forests and to the village site.  It was the most interesting walk so far.  He was full of experience and information and said he would like several more hours to tell us all he would like to share.  It really is something that just has to be experienced to understand the feel of area.

The trip back through Burnaby narrows was not nearly as exciting since we knew where the rocks were and were going against a slight tide.  We stopped for the night in Echo Bay as a stage area for our early morning crossing back to Prince Rupert.  It was one of the best anchorages of our stay.  We took the dingy to a in-flowing creek and saw thousands of salmon trying to get upstream.  It was so fun to stand and watch even though mosquitos and no-see-ums swarmed and snacked on us.

As we headed out early in the morning we had a great rainbow over our path. While the trip back was kind of rolling it wasn’t bad at all.

 

 

The first Watchman site we visited is K’uuna Llnagaay (aka Skedans). First settlers could not pronounce  the name of the Chief of K’uuna and ended up calling the village Skedans which sounds somewhat similar to the Chief’s name.  Smallpox wiped out the Haida from over 10,000 to about 600 people.  The remaining Haida moved to a few smaller sites to survive.

Most of the sites have been vandalized and decayed over the years but there are still some remaining poles either leaning or laying on the ground covered in moss. There are large depressions that show how big the longhouses really were.  The Watchman had blown up pictures that had been taken around the early 1900’s that show how the abandoned village looked at that time.  It is so interesting, sometimes sad and sometimes encouraging, to hear of their culture and history and how they are now embracing the culture in new and/or traditional ways.

The next stop was at T’aanuu Llngaay (aka Tanu). Little is left standing there but the spirit of the site is still strong. The house depressions and fallen house posts still provide an idea of what the village was like.  Each Watchman added new information that helped us to understand how amazing the Haida culture was and is.  Each site also had a different personality and feel based on the growth of the forests and trees.  As I said before, I could stay at each site for a couple of weeks listening to the Watchmen and never get tired of it.

By Becky – We spent a leisurely morning in Murchison Island Cove and had a short run to Hot Springs Bay where we were blessed with a calm, sunny morning.

The Watchman, Carol, came to greet us as we landed since we were delivering much needed garbage bags to her sent from Reggie at Windy Bay.  She is a delightful Haida woman who taught us several Haida words.  She also insisted that we walk through her beautiful forest since we had enjoyed Windy Bay so much.

We had been conserving water and therefore not taking regular showers on the boat.  Even though the shower was just lukewarm, it felt great to get clean before going into the hot tubs.  We were given an hour to have all four pools to ourselves and loved each one.  They are well maintained and clean.  It was great to be able to soak and watch our boat in the harbor on a perfect morning.

After soaking we went for a walk through the old growth forest to the bay on the opposite side of the island.  We meandered around for a while on the beach then headed back to our dingy which (as expected) had been left high and dry due to the tide going out.  Carol rounded up a couple of people to help us carry it over rocks and kelp back to water level.

Cruising through Burnaby Narrows was fairly exciting since the charts don’t really show accurately where a huge rock is in the middle of the channel.  You have to zig zag through while water is rushing in or out of the narrows from both ends. There isn’t really much of a slack.  Jim and I helped Paul to line up with the channel markers while I stood as bow watch. There was some excitement when I found the rock where we didn’t really expect it but Paul was able to quickly back down and get us turned in the right direction even though the current was trying to push us on the rock.

We were ready to drop anchor in Bag Harbor just a little south of the narrows and had a very quiet night watching a group of about 5 sea lions floating in a pack on their backs waving their fins in the air to regulate their body temperature.  I can’t believe we get to have such an amazing trip seeing incredible nature at its best and meeting such welcoming Haida people who want to share their culture and history.

By Becky: We had a wonderful night at anchor in Thurston Harbor and had planned on visiting Tanu and then heading to Hot Springs with a plan of stopping at Hlk’yah GawGa which means Falcon Town also know as Windy Bay on the way back North due to tide timing.  We reevaluated the plan and decided to go to Windy Bay after all.

The watchman at Windy Bay told us about when he had been one of the over 200 people (along with 5 Haida elders) arrested for protesting the clear cut logging on Lyell Island in 1985. He gave great details of how the protests led to the co-management agreements between Haida Nation and government of Canada and the creation of Gwaai Hannas. He also told us about the huge celebration when the Legacy monumental pole was erected in 2013.

We then took a walk through the old growth forest that is known for a 1000 year sitka spruce tree that is over 200 ft tall.  The path led us through huge sitka spruce and western red cedar trees that we continually had to just stop and appreciate.  It was such a magical day!

We spent another extremely peaceful night at Murchison Island Cove.

By Becky – I don’t have words to express how much I enjoyed Haida Gwaii and Gwaii Hannas. It is a magical, sacred place full of history, culture and amazing nature.  We were able to explore part of Graham Island and all 5 of the Watchman sites.  Each one was different and enchanting in its own way. All of the watchmen were very welcoming and full of information. I could have stayed and listened to each one for over a week and it still would not be enough!

Our entire trip has been blessed beyond our imaginations!  It started with a crossing of Hecate Strait that was crazy calm and flat in waters that ranged from 40 to 300 feet deep!  We were able to squeeze into a spot at the fishing dock in Daajing Giids with the help of a local fisherman. The harbor master office closed at 2:00 so we were pretty much on our own.

The first 2 days we rented a car and drove to the orientation at the Heritage Center and wandered through the museum. Then we headed to Masset for a hike up a boardwalk trail around Tow Hill and down to a blow hole. It was beautiful. We drove through Masset and Old Masset and then stopped at Sarah’s gift shop in Old Masset.

The next day we explored Daajing Giids got provisions and had dinner at the Blacktail Bake and Brew Cafe. We sat at the bar for dinner and Paul ended up sitting next to Chief Skidegate. He is the head Chief over about 15 other Chiefs. He drove us around and showed us several poles he has put up in the last several years and gave us additional information about Haida culture.

The tall pole is one of the first ones installed after the ban on Haida culture was lifted.

This summer has been filled with love and laughter shared with close friends.

We had a crew change in Sitka with Deb and Jim Fields leaving and Tom and Dina Butt (high school friends of Paul’s from Virginia) joining us.  We were able to spend the 4th of July in Sitka which included a very fun, small town parade and various food and gift booths.  The coast guard did a fly over during the parade in three helicopters.  That was a very exciting addition to the parade.

Several of our new friends from last year’s flotilla were also in Sitka.  It was such a joy to turn a corner or go into a store and find our friends.  It added to the small town feel of belonging. We enjoyed planned and unplanned get togethers during the several days we were there.

We left Sitka after several days and headed to the Bairnoff Hot Springs.  Dina, Tom and I walked to the lake and then back to the Hot Springs while Paul stayed on the boat and cooked a great dinner of pork loin. Getting to the Hot Springs is partly on updated boardwalks and partly a scramble over roots, rocks and dirt path.  Once there, the top pool was WAY too hot for us so we sat in the lower one which was still hot enough to turn our skin pink.  I freaked out Tom and Dina by crawling down to a very small one-person spot down by the waterfall.  It was perfect temp and I could have stayed there for a couple of hours.

We continued on the Ell cove and the Lost Falls fish hatchery just around the corner.  There we watched several bears with cubs catching fish as they swam up a fish ladder.  The eagles waited on shore cheering them on and taking the leftovers. We anchored out in many different beautiful, peaceful bays where we all were relaxed and heading to bed fairly early.

We then did a long push heading to Tracy Arm and made it to Ford’s Terror just before low slack.  We made it through with no problems.  Another boat and sailboat watched us go through to make sure it was safe to transit. Ford’s Terror is a beautiful place with high cliffs and calm waters.  The sun came out to make it even better.  We discussed staying there for a couple of nights but decided to press on and let Tom and Dina see the glaciers up Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm.  Being from Virginia, they were entranced with the views of seals and glacier calving.

Anan Creek Bear Observatory was our next stop.  You walk about 1/2 mile on a boardwalk to enclosed platforms where you can watch bears catching fish.  One mother had 2 very small cubs who kept trying to get her to sit down and let them nurse.  She was more focused on catching fish.  It rained the whole time we were there so there were not as many bears as we have seen in the past but still so awesome to watch.

The final adventure was when we got back to Ketchikan.  We surprised Tom and Dina with the arrival of another of their good high school friends Jim Reid who would be joining us for the next two weeks trip to Haida Gwaii.  It was a great surprise for both of them and great for us to have Jim join us.  He has such good energy.  We walked around Ketchikan for a day and then went our different ways.

It is such a blessing to have so many good friends to hang out with all summer!!

 

It has been an exciting, busy couple of weeks. We were blessed to have Debbie and Jim Fields join us in Ketchikan for two weeks. When they arrived we headed to Meyers Chuck and ended up staying 2 nights due to weather. We were able to talk to several residents who told us that there is a building boom going on even there. There are at lease 8 new homes being built and others being updated. After cinnamon rolls from the local baker we were ready to head out.

The trip to Petersburg was smooth and we ended up staying there for two nights also. Deb and Jim hiked all through town and beyond. We left on a wonderful, calm morning and ended traveling with a flotilla of Grand Banks most of the way to Tracy Arm. We traveled for a while with a pod of orcas which was great fun to watch.

Our anchorage in Tracy Arm was beautiful with a peek a boo view through some trees up the arm. In Tracy Arm we were able to ease our way through ice until we were in easy viewing distance of the glacier. There were several mother seals with young pup floating on some of the ice. We were glad the boat didnt seem to disturb them.

After Tracy Arm we worked our way to Barenoff Hot Springs stopping in Snug Bay, Red Bluff Bay. We had a great soak in the most amazing hot spring where there are two very hot pools in bowls in the rocks right next to a beautiful waterfall. The walk to get there has been improved since we were there last but it was still a scramble up roots and rocks to get to the pools.

We spent the last few nights before Sitka anchoring in Takatz Bay, Baby Bear Bay and DeGoeff bay loving the peace and wildlife. We hit Serguis narrows at slack so had no problems getting through. I think we all had mixed feelings about leaving the quiet bays and getting into Sitka.

Ahoy from Glen Farr

I wanted to provide you with an update on our cruise aboard Ellie K. We began from Anacortes, with Paul aboard to show us the ropes, so-to-speak. Don Chesnut jumped aboard as well, albeit we had to pry him away from his beloved French canal boat in order to join our adventure.

We began our voyage with the Waggoner Flotilla by making the hop to the Canadian Gulf Islands to clear customs, and then we clicked off some beautiful daily passages as we continued northbound through desolation sound. We continued onward through the Broughton’s with a provisioning stop at Port McNeill. In Port McNeill, we dropped off Paul to join Becky in their van and then continued northbound beyond Cape Caution to Fury Cove.

The passage around Cape Caution became quite sporty. We were fortunate to have a very little wind, but swells were large enough that we lost sight of the the superstructures of the very tall trawlers in our flotilla. One trawler, with about a 25 foot air draft was completely out of sight in between swells.

It’s easy to have a love affair with Ellie K. She is what I call a regionally appropriate boat. That’s what lobster boats are to Maine. That’s what deadrise crab boats are to the Chesapeake. In the Pacific Northwest, the regionally appropriate boats are trawlers and trollers, especially if they are constructed in wood. The Cherry-on-Top with Ellie K is that she is also a stunningly beautiful boat, a real eye catcher. It’s fun to hear the favorable comments of other boaters or dock walkers who are certainly attracted to her good looks.

There once was a boat named Ellie K
She’s so pretty that you couldn’t look away
From the sketch pad of Sam
My eyeballs scream “hot damn”
I can’t stop admiring her all day

So, with more than half the distance to Ketchikan in our wake, we ride aboard beauty while surrounded by beauty. Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy Ellie K. We are mesmerized with each passing minute.

Glen, Don and Paul, aboard Ellie K, onward to Alaska.

Our wild adventures are starting to wind down. We had a great couple of weeks with our daughters and are now on our own again.

Paul and Ellie hiked all the way up to the infamous Trapper’s cabin in Princess Louisa Inlet. It is a very steep, rough climb where several people have fallen and ended up with serious injuries. Paul and Ellie were both sore and very hot when they got back but were glad they made it to the top for a cool dip in the waterfall there.

After Princess Louisa we had to take Ellie to Powell River for her air flight home. As we pondered what to do next we saw that there were predictions of high winds all week. That didn’t sound like much fun for our crossing of Strait of Georgia! Since things were predicting to get even worse in the next week, we decided to work our way as far as we could towards Nanaimo until it got too rough. We got a late start of about 11:30 am due to waiting for Ellie’s air departure. It was pretty crazy because we had calm seas all the way across except for the last hour or so. It also turned out that we hit the tides perfectly for Dodd Narrows so we kept on going. We finally anchored in Ladysmith harbor around 7:30 that night.

We heard the next morning that things were very rough around Nanaimo so we were glad we had pushed through. Ladysmith was a good place to wait for the next weather window although we were trying to get down to Friday Harbor area to meet up with our good friends, Michael and Krissi from Logum. Once again the weather mostly cooperated and we were able get back into the USA and to anchor with Logum side-tied to us. What a great couple of days eating, drinking and having a great time with great friends.

Unfortunately, we have to shift gears now and think about the timing of getting everything off the boat before and after the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show and then Ellie K will be put on the hard (stored on land on support blocks) in Anacortes for the winter. We will really miss being able to cruise during the winter months in the Columbia River area but it will be less of an ordeal to head out next summer for more adventures, whatever they may be. Also the slip we have kept our boat in for the last several years is being sold so we don’t have a place to keep her in Portland this winter.

By Kassia

10 year reunion tour has commenced! I, Kassia, am a little grayer. Ellie is a lot taller. All four of us are, of course, 10 years wiser and exponentially funnier. Some things, however, have not changed. Routine game night is full of laughter. Watching passing scenery and pointing out breathtakingly beautiful nature moments remains a favorite pastime. The collective genius brainstorming the next art piece of culinary delights continues to impress and leave everyone feeling sated and content. Life is lovely in a boat with loved ones in Canada!

By Ellie

It’s great to be back on the boat in salty water! After busy months full of working, I’m relishing the downtime that cruising entails. I can’t ask for a better excuse to cozy up with a good book and a morning scone, and watch the mountains pass by. After long days on the water, I’m antsy to get out and stretch my legs. Hiking through moss covered forests, jumping in crystal clear waters, or kayaking at sunset is the perfect way to cap off the days up here. After spying some tempting cliffs as we sailed into Doctor Bay, Papa and I motored over in the dinghy and I got do some rock climbing over deep water. The rock was great and it felt great to stretch my climbing muscles, although there are far fewer barnacles in the gyms where I usually climb 🙂 Looking forward to another week full of adventures in this beautiful place!! -Ellie

By Becky

It is so much fun having our daughters here to share our adventures. They bring a new energy and focus to the trip that is like a breath of fresh air (even though we have LOTS of fresh air up here). On this section of the trip, we have seen whales and different birds and even had a blue heron land on our forward deck as we were playing cards. We all had huge eyes as we got such a close up look of him. I started to take a picture of him but the movement scared him away. So many unique adventures with birds on our boat!

As we head south towards Desolation Sound, there are more and more boats everyday. Some anchorages and docks are so full we can’t even get in the harbor. We are so thankful for all the amazing adventures and people we have encountered so far and look forward to even more.

By Becky – Paul and I were awed by the incredible beauty of the many fiords we were able to explore. They was otherworldly and felt sacred. We wanted to be able to share them with others but enjoyed that it was just the two of us sharing these very special places. We could stay there for at least a month enjoying the changing weather and different mountains and anchorages. Sometimes dropping or pulling anchor in the rain or clouds or sunshine.

We finally had to go back to Shearwater to get water and ice before heading towards Cape Caution. The weather window caused us to make the crossing a day or two before we wanted. On to new adventures with new people.

Steve’s bucket list: So nice to be able to assist in checking something off of it…. Sharing our exploration of Alaska with him, was so much fun; its nice because he reminded me of my attempt to keep my boyhood curiosity. His anecdotes of situations always piqued my interest and I so much appreciated getting to know him better. Conversation were fun and I enjoyed seeing him on the foredeck watching the pod of Dalls Porpoise that escorted us once for 20 minutes. I still smile when I think of the expression on his face, and with everything new we experienced. Its a small boat but he settled in and it was comforting to see him sleep so nicely. I look forward to being on Flathead with him again.

We started in Petersburg. We decided to go back up to Juneau so we could get a cell signal and internet to take care of a few critical items. Then down to Endicot Arm where we were able to get very close to the glacier. Gambier Bay was a very quiet spot to anchor with a beautiful waterfall. Kake is suppose to have the tallest totem in the world and had a 4th of July parade. People tend to be nervous of Rocky Pass due to current and curves but we timed it perfectly and just had a great trip. We went across a very rough channel to Point Baker where we were disappointed to find the pub closed down. We overnighted at Coffman Cove and had a great hamburger and shake then headed over to Kassan where Steve was able to fulfill his search for totems and history as well as a nice walk in the woods. Then back to Ketchikan were Steve and Becky caught flights out.

By Becky:

I needed to fly home for a week to take care of my daughter, Kassia, after surgery. It was great to hang out with her, Avi and Ben. It was a bit of culture shock being back in Oregon and driving on I5 compared to being in magical, breathtaking waterways with not another boat in site.

While I was home I got a Starlink kit because we rarely have access to cell towers or internet. Since we have several rapids and a large crossing before we get home we felt it was worth it so we can get the ever changing weather and tide information when we need it. No, we won’t be streaming any movies!!

Heading out of Prince Rupert down Greenville Channel – After hanging out in Prince Rupert for several days, I was able to re-provision, do laundry, and install the Starlink. Paul took care of some mail I brought him from home and visited a chiropractor for a stiff neck. We left late in the day on a rainy somewhat windy day so we could time the slack tide into Baker Inlet.

Baker Inlet – On Greenville Channel is entered at slack tide since we have to maneuver Watts Narrows which has blind tight curves. It is one of my favorite places because there are usually no other boats and feels like a hidden magic bay.

Bishop Bay – Monkey Beach Conservancy off Verney Passage is a nature conservancy in British Columbia, Canada. It is only accessible by floatplane or boat. It features a boat dock and tent platforms, as well as, a hotspring fed bath house. We had a great soak with a couple of other fishermen.

At Bishop Bay we ended up with our first critter on board…. a mouse I saw running on the helm seat in the middle of the night. We are hoping he went out the window but time will tell.

By Becky

I love our boat!  She is a cozy refuge from the colder, rough weather and a great friend to share the warmer weather and glassy seas.  She is steady and dependable as we rock and roll through unexpected 4-6 ft waves or rest for the night hanging out in a quiet, beautiful cove. We can sail through fog so thick you cant see anything or pouring rain or glorious sunny days where you can see for miles.  Sam Devlin built a sturdy, seaworthy boat and we have made it our home. You can tell how solid she is even as the anchor chain crashes in the chain locker when the worst of the waves hit us. You can feel how safe you are in our sturdy friend. I especially love the life Paul and I are sharing in our fantastic home aboard Ellie K!  We are truly blessed with the adventures and friends in this life we share together.

June 22

The last two days were spent in Glacier Bay.  We arrived on a beautiful sunny day with flat calm water.  I made black beans in the instant pot for Pauls cuban beans. We anchored in Bartlett Cove and had a great dinner and were gently rocked most of the night by the waves that had kicked up.  The next morning we got up at 5:30 to make sure we were on the dock and in line for a tour boat excursion through the bay.  It was sunny and calm but cold.  I had to climb out of the dingy on my knees onto the metal dock which I was able to do but it was painful.

The tour boat holds 150 customers but there were only 60 that day.  It was supposed to be 7:30 – 3:30. We got great seats on the second deck behind the helm.  It was a great tour as we were able to go 19 knots through the big channels and slowed down when wildlife was spotted. We were most impressed with Marble Islands because they were covered with sea lions and several different types of birds.  Some of the young sea lions swam in a group out toward the boat doing flips and dives that made us wonder if they get fed from boats sometimes.  It was sad to see how small and dirty the glaciers are these days.

On the way back most people crashed and took a nap. We were almost back when the crew started running back and forth between the helm and back of the boat.  We figured out that the port engine had died and they could not restart it.  We made it back to the cove but when the captain (Jason from Arizona) tried to dock the wind and current pushed the boat away.  He struggled trying to dock it for about 30 min on different areas of the dock and finally got a park service boat to side tie and push the ship into the dock.  By this time it was 4:30 or so and we had decided we didnt want to spend a rougher night in the cove. 

After talking to rangers and looking at the wind and waves we decided the best option was to head back into the park and anchor in Berg Bay.  Trying to get the dingy back on the boat in very rough water while being anchored was dangerous and wild.  The Ellie K was rocking wildly as Paul and I struggled to get the dingy on the boat while Trey tried to steer the boat into the waves while still anchored.  Finally we got the dingy secured and the anchor up.  The sea conditions kept getting worse as we struggled to get headed into the park.

Penny and I laid down in the forward cabin with our eyes closed to fight sea sickness.  After a couple of hours of wild cruising we finally got anchored in a calm protected spot in Berg Bay. As we came in, we saw several sea otters and one looked like it was yelling at us.  We made up  several phrases of what it was probably saying. We had dinner of cuban beans and cornbread then called it a day.  We all got a quick shower and went to bed.

In the morning, it was calm with low hanging clouds.  As we headed out of the bay we were delighted to see sea otters floating around.  There were several with a babies on their chests.  As we got further into the bay, we realized that the ‘rocks’ we saw in the bay were actually a huge raft of sea otters all floating together.  There were over a hundred.  Some with smaller babies, some with a young otter trying to swim while being held by the scruff in their parent’s mouth and all different sizes. It was so much fun watching them with the binoculars. 

We headed back to Marble island and drifted around it for over an hour watching birds, sea lions and dozens of whales.  It was the most magical part of the trip so far.  Finally we decided we better get moving since we wanted to make it to Pelican, AK and the tide was against us.  Part of the way it was pretty rough as we were out in coastal waters. Again Penny and I talked and napped on the forward bed while the boat bounced.

Pelican is a small boardwalk town that is mostly fishing lodges and a seafood company, Yokabi seafood.  I was able to find someone to sell me some frozen halibut bits and prawns.  She threw in a halibut collar for us to try since I had never heard of it.  We tried to get dinner on shore but all of the prepared food is for the lodge customers.  We made Scampy pasta with the prawns and had blanched broccoli which was better than any food we would have gotten on shore.  

Barry, the store owner, showed us a picture of his 14 children and 12 grand children. 4 of the kids are still at home. he has a granddaughter older than his youngest daughter. One son was in the service and now is the bomb expert for this part of Alaska. Barry is trying to make the store a viable part of the town and buys a new freezer every time he goes to Juneau to visit his daughter and her family.  Groceries get bumped from the floating planes cargo when there are too many passengers coming to the lodge.  We were able to get a few items we needed and some ice cream.  He had lots of ice cream but only 3 sad limes that I took 2 of.

We left Pelican around 11:00 heading towards Elfin Cove and maybe Hoonah after breakfast at the local cafe. 

June 24

Elfin Cove was a cute small village where, like Pelican, a fishing lodge is the main occupant.  There are a few year round residents, a small store and a small bar/restaurant.  The structures are linked via boardwalks along the cliffs.  There is a local burn barrel for garbage that was smoking while we were there.  Trey and Penny got showers and we all got a t-shirt or sweatshirt then we headed out for an anchorage at Inan island.  

We saw lots of otters, birds, sea lions hanging out on a rock and several whales.  A little later, Paul saw an eagle swimming in the water.  He was pretty far from land and fighting against a strong current.  He was struggling and exhausted.  We ended up using the life sling and he gladly got up onto the swim step when we got him close.  He surprised us by hopping through the transom door and seemed to want to stay there while he dried and rested.  One wing looked like it was probably injured and he was shivering.  We moved the cooler so he could not come farther into the cockpit while we tried to figure out what to do with him.

Since there was no cell service anywhere near us so we decided to take him back to Elfin Cove where they could contact Sitka bird refuge who could tell us what to do with him.  He was content to ride in the boat for the trip back to Elfin Cove for about 2 hours.  We spent the night in Elfin Cove and left the eagle (who didn’t seem able to fly) in the care of Elfin Cove. One resident was excited at the thought of harvesting feathers and talons if he died and others were focused on saving him. We hope the best for him.  One thing for sure is that he would not have made it to shore on his own.

Next we spent a night at Hoonah where we got much needed water, got rid of garbage and did laundry. We ate a great lunch at a local spot then walked to the local trading post for a few groceries.  Paul and Trey went to a local bar for a beer while Penny and I relaxed in the cockpit breeze and had margaritas.  As Penny and Trey walked past a brewery, Penny said, “Oh, it’s closed”.  Trey responded, “It’s not closed, it just isn’t open yet”.  We got a laugh out of that male response.  He defended himself saying he thought she meant it was closed for good.

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we are now heading for Tennakee springs. We are having a great time laughing with and at each other.  We have the dance around each other figured out as we share the small space.

The trip to Tennakee springs was very rough.  The predicted 2 ft waves turned into 4-6 ft with a strong opposing wind for a couple of days. We got up around 5:30 each morning in an attempt to cover a few miles in the morning calm before the wild waters hit us. Trey and Paul braced themselves to keep from being thrown off their seats as Penny and I shared the forward bed as the anchor chain crashed in the anchor locker. We talked ourselves through relaxation meditation to keep sea sickness at bay and it worked.  It was pretty funny when we saw the video Paul made of me and Penny rocking and bouncing in sync together on the bed as the Ellie K tossed and rolled. We visited the hot spring bath house which is a large crack in a rock with a bath house built around it.  It was a half mile walk in a light rain to get there but worth it. 

Takatz Bay was a beautiful and calm shelter from the wild ride there.  A peaceful waterfall and grass where several of our friends had seen bears.  Only one appeared before the fog rolled in.  Trey and I put out a crab pot while Paul took a much needed rest but we caught nothing,  Paul asked some people who where out to pick up their pots to bring ours to us.  They actually did it!

Portage Bay was our last bay before getting to Petersburg where we will drop off Penny and Trey, who we will surely miss, and pick up my brother-in-law, Steve.  It felt open to the weather but was actually pretty protected.  We saw a guy and his daughter out pulling crab pots (45 of them) so Paul called him over and we were able to buy 5 crab from them.

Well, we have been onboard and cruising for almost five weeks. We have traveled 1,189 miles since leaving Olympia. Things are just fantastic but why are the refrigerator and freezer still full???? Our flotilla completed its mission to Juneau. We will miss the fantastic people we have been traveling with but know we have made some new lifelong friends. The final night we were together, we all piled onto Somewhere In Time and celebrated Jani’s birthday with song, laughter, joyful tears and great treats. I can’ really express how much we have enjoyed the last month.

We departed Juneau with Tim and Sue of the Justine Marie. There were several exciting whale sightings and great cruising conditions. We both have new guest onboard and have been enjoying great meals and fun games together. We stopped in Haines and while visiting the Haines Visitor Center we met a woman with an inside connection to the White Pass Railroad.

White Pass was a route to the Yukon during the 1898 Gold Rush. Trey’s father had made the trip in 1939 and floated solo 500 miles down the Yukon River. Trey and his brother had repeated the trip in a canoe in 1994, and had spread his father’s ashes. Yesterday was Treys Birthday and getting tickets for the railroad was very fortuitous. Unfortunately, we had to make a snap decision that caused a commitment to a 0500 departure from Haines. Becky jumped out of bed to help Paul with fenders and lines while in her pajamas, with wild hair and barefoot but we made it the 16 miles to Skagway for the 0900 check in.

We had a beautiful Day, the weather was terrific, our emotions were filled with gratitude and we enjoyed the story of the Sourdoughs trekking over the chilkoot trail up to the Yukon. 100,000 people started the trek in the three years of the Gold Rush, only a few thousand ever found any gold and only around 300 found enough to be considered rich.

We returned to our boat around 1800, in time for a wonderful chicken cachatory dinner onboard Justine Marie, along with a game of Farkle Dice and Birthday Cake. It was a great day yesterday and Trey was really happy that we were able to do the train trip. This morning with a soft rain coming down, a warm bed and fresh coffee; as I write this; I am very grateful and happy. It’s nice to have a day off, as we await the weather and wind in Lynn Cannel to abate. So back into Skagway today for shopping, laundry and sightseeing.

Friday Morning at 0430……. Yep an early start for an attempt at Dixon Entrance. We had a wonderful time in Prince Rupert, I helped two Boats with Electrical Issues and was able to find what we needed at the awesome Marine Chanderley Store in Prince Rupert. We maneuvered thru Venn Channel somehow ended up in the lead of the eleven boats. Everyone was in such a good mood. hailing me to warn of the close approaches of the fishing charters that were buzzing by, so we could brace ourselves and grab our coffee cups. We poked our heads into Chahtam Sound and found that once again the Canadian Marine weather service was overly pessimistic in there predictions. With just the faintest of wind ripple and a one foot swell it was clear the the contingency plans were no longer needed and we were spending the day on a 81 mile journey to Ketchikan. The wind stayed slack for most of the morning but picked up as we entered Alaska. It remained light with just maybe a meter of swell to deal with. Not enough to upset the M.C. Esher puzzle that my sister was able to start. We made it into Ketchikan around 1400, cleared Customs using the Mobil CBP app on our Phone and then getting a phone call from an agent.

Ketchikan has lived up to its reputation and has provided us with a large fresh water wash down from the sky. So we were in foul weather gear as we toured the shops downtown. Ketchikan is an interesting spot that supports year round fishermen and survives by catering to several cruise ships each day. There is a lot of history rubbing elbows with current day tourist shops. The highlight for me was meeting Ray Troll, the artist of classic Alaskan Tee Shirts; at his shop on Creek Street. Coho Soho, a former brothel of the historic Creek Street Red Light District.

We have moved on a day ahead of the rest of the group, leaving Ketchikan and cruising to Thorn Bay. It is a small community of several floating homes scattered around the bay. We have had a fantastic evening of placing crab pots with the stinkiest of bait, sharing happy hour with our friends on another boat who joined us and were invited to spend some time with a delightful couple from Portland, OR on a beautiful vintage boat, the FranSus. The rain has stopped for a bit and we were treated to a glorious sunny evening. We are so blessed!

We continue to move farther North each day. Every night our group leader, Mark Bunzel, editor of the Waggoners Cruising Guide give us an itinerary of our next days cruise. We then try to find the destination on the chart plotter and plot out our Route. It has been frustrating learning a new navigation system, but is getting easier each day.

Wind, weather and tide occasionally have an impact on our daily destinations; but there have been no large rapids the last few days. The scenery gets more and more dramatic as we head towards Prince Rupert. We have been anchoring in tucked away bays with beautiful waterfalls, have seen several whales, which really means seeing a far off spout and then a glimpse of a tail and then they are gone. We have also seen a bear, dolphins, sea otters and had a crow land on our rail while we were under way. It would not leave until we gave it a couple of crackers.

One day we pulled away from the group, which means letting them leave ahead and then never catching up. It was fun being on our own so to speak. However it was nice to be together last night when we were gifted 4 large dungeness crabs. Becky mixed up some cinnamon rolls and we had a treat the next morning.

The scenery is dramatic and the rain showers make it even more so with breaks of sunshine with the mist still on the mountains, There is still snow and with the spring thaw the waterfalls are numerous and flowing strong. I love this area north of Cape Caution, it isn’t very crowded and the anchorages are not crowded.

Sunday May 28th, Day 14, 470 miles north of Anacortes. Today we are anchored in Rescue Bay, a cove off of the main channel of Mathieson Inlet. it is low tide and we have been watching for bears, but none so far. The flotilla life is going smoothly and I am enjoying having destinations decided for me, arriving into them early enough to do some exploring, visiting with the great folks that are on this trip with us and doing boat projects. We have been side tying with the wonderful people who have the largest boat in the flotilla when we anchor.  It is pretty funny to see the two boats side by side.

We crossed Queen Charlotte Strait and Cape Caution on Thursday and the wait for calm winds and seas was worth it. Becky was dreading another rough crossing. We did 81 miles that day and ended in Purth Bay, where there is an Oceanographic Institute and a trail to a beach on the Pacific that we walked. 

We saw Humpback whales coming and going from Hecate Island and in Fitzhugh Sound. It is always exciting when there is a whale directly under the boat and you have to quickly take the engine out of gear. One actually blew 25 yards off of my STBD Beam and then again 45 seconds later off of the Port. 

The Ghost Town of Ocean Falls was our next destination, the site of a former pulp mill that has been idle since the 1980’s. We had a great potluck and encountered our first insects, so I spent the afternoon installing a magnetic closing insect screen on our door. One of our mates set out a crab pot and I broke out our steamer pot and the Butane Stove, so in return they set our pot out for us and brought back one keeper, but we cooked five for the potluck and I had my fill of those. 

Last night we stopped in Shearwater and were surprised by the quality of the food at the Pub. Great Chowder and Fish and Chips. Another great evening with folks for a meal. It is a great group we are traveling with and I am adjusting to shorter trips most days.

The boat continues to run well, we are happy onboard and I am enjoying my sister working on the fourth 1000 piece puzzle. Though I have to admit that I was run off of the last one. I was working on it late at night before Becky told me to turn off the lights and come to bed. Cell service and internet are spotty but our new friends are allowing us to use their starlink for this posting.

It’s been a great week and things are going very well. The boat has travelled 362 miles this week, since Olympia; we have met some really great, interesting people and it has been a pleasurable time being part of a flotilla.

About an hour after we cleared customs via cell phone we looked up to see a boat with a flashing blue light barreling up on our port side. We pulled over and 2 Canadian Mounties boarded our boat to verify our documentation. It was a bit startling since we have never been stopped in Canada before. They were very friendly which helped our fast beating hearts to calm down.

Even though we have traveled each day, there has been time enough to take hikes, explore the places that we have visited, do boat keeping, relax and visit with the folks on the flotilla. We are one of the smallest boats, therefore the slowest, except a smaller sailboat and a smaller but fast 30 foot Cutwater, planing hull boat. We are the first to leave and the last to arrive. But it is alright, Ellie K is one of the simplest and easiest to operate.

We were able to buy fresh prawns off the boats as they came in for the day. I sautéed them with a recipe from one of the other boats and we wished we had bought more. The next morning as we were preparing to leave, our boat neighbor handed us freshly baked cinnamon buns. They were even better then ones from a local bakery.

We spent a night in Prideaux Haven which is usually bumper to bumper boats anchored there. There was only one other boat when we arrived and a few showed up that evening. It was great to be able to spend a night there without a huge crowd.

Last night we had a fabulous dinner at Blind Channel Marina. I had only stopped there for a short visit to the store and I had dropped of Becky there to catch a water Taxi to Campbell River in 2010.

Today we are in Lagoon Cove in The Broughton Archipelago. It is fun revisiting places that we have been before, now under new owners and rebounding after Covid. We are some of the first of the season and definitely the first large group, so the marinas are practicing on us.

The weather has been outstanding! Warm and blue skies with a bit of breeze. Tomorrow looks like it may change a bit and get cooler. We are eating well and taking turns with chores. Having my sister, Sue on board has been great. She is the first person to put together a puzzle while underway.

We look forward to new amazing views and adventures as we continue to move North.

We apologize if the pictures take a while to publish. Becky is still figuring out the postings.

Both Paul and Becky are now retired and ready to head north again.

NOTE: View the Ellie K’s present position via Garmin tracker:

https://share.garmin.com/F2XD2

Some folks think that owning a boat is a liability. Yes it is; but it also gives me a focus a challenge and lets me practice boat yoga and stretch myself physically and mentally. 
Today, seeing the boat on the trailer and having the culmination of my labor end with the boat being back in Olympia was really special. Touching base with the folks that brought it together was a big deal for me. So many memories and now Becky and I return to The Puget Sound, British Columbia and Alaska without the time pressure of returning to work. 

So glad to have the work behind us and looking forward to just having planning routes to our next destination and cooking great meals as a work punch list. 

The next few days will be touching up paint and packing up the last of our supplies and then we will be heading north. 

Unlike last years when I solo boated. This time we joined a flotilla of ten other boats. The great part is all the decisions from watching weather and tides to deciding where to spend the night are made for you and I just have to drive. 

Becky and I are looking forward to our new adventures together!

Wednesday July 16^th @0530, the coffee is on and poured, I have started the fire in the stove to take off the morning chill. It looks like a clear day starting, I’m guessing, there is morning fog…. It isn’t raining at least and the fog is high on the hills so I’m thinking it will burn off fast.  We are at anchor near our northern terminus of the trip and today starts another phase of the voyage; Ben and Kassia come. Ellie is excited, in spite of being displaced out of her cabin.

We parted with Scott, Katherine and Revel 5 days ago in Lagoon Cove. It was great traveling with them, getting them through the Rapids during slack tide, and showing them a few of the favorite spots. Ellie had fun with Katherine for a few movie nights with her. We miss seeing Scott with his baby seat in the bow of the dingy, with Revel signaling the way as he tries to ride him around to get him to sleep. We were with them since the San Juan’s where I brought Scott a starter from Anacortes. In Anacortes our trip started with a three day visit with Claudia and Lyshira where we visited Friday Harbor, to drop off a starter, Stuart Island and Garrison Bay, which I call English Bay, because it is where the English had an occupation during the 1860’s when the Canadian Border was in dispute.

It has been a great two and a half weeks, it seems longer, and I pinch myself whenever I look over and see Becky smiling and working away and when I see Ellie lying on the Settee reading what must be her fifth book. We have had some great evening dingy cruises when we set the crab pots and she has been a lot of fun and is enjoying herself.

For her Birthday the three of us went on a Guided visit and a Jet Boat to Glendale Cove to see the Grizzlies, it was a beautiful Day.

Yesterday we left wonderful and surprising Sointula. Sointula is on Malcolm Island and where the Ellie K was left for a month 5 years ago. I had originally gone there just to have lunch at the Burger Shack for Fish and Chips, but when we got there “Puget Lady” and Tom whom we met in Lagoon Cove was there and we decided to stay because it was laundry day and the moorage was cheap. The marina had bicycles to lend so after lunch the three of us took off on them. This turned out to be a 15-kilometer marathon and in spite of Malcolm Island being flat, we found a large hill that the single speed bikes, and us couldn’t handle. It was an ordeal. After diner I called Tim Motchman, who watched the boat 5 years ago and reconnected with him and his wife. Ellie and I had a great visit and they came down to the boat in the morning to look at our Kayaks. Tim is a renowned wood carver and Shelia is a wonderful Water Color Artist and their home and Garden are a wonderful retreat. The three of us went back after breakfast, so Becky could see their work. The visit with them was a marvelous surprise and I am grateful for their hospitality. The next surprise at Sointula came at the Marine Hardware Store. The three of us drove up on our purple and pink bicycles, with a mission of replacing the prawn trap I lost in Lagoon Cove. The super moons this month, have caused some large tides and it got swept away. Anyway, Andy Anderson was there having some coffee, and when I asked for some leaded line, which they didn’t have, he said he had some over in his shop across the street. Andy is the grandson of an original Finnish Founder of the Island and owns the Marine Railway and Boat works his Grandfather built boats in. It is a Marine Museum of sorts and he showed me the original toolbox his Grandfather brought over from Finland. We had a great talk and when I was leaving he wanted to show me the Railway. There was a boat on it, which I had my eyes fixed on. When I was about to leave I asked to take his picture and then I noticed a nameplate off of the Island Maid II. This was a friend of mines boat, in Portland, and then I remembered that he had bought the boat in Sointula. Sure enough, the same Andy Anderson, small world, then a whole batch of stories started, my patient wife and daughter, I thank you. On to Port McNeil to re-provision and then a slog across the Queen Charlotte Straight with a small taste of an ocean swell and fog for an hour and a half, where I had to dodge a Cruise Ship returning from Alaska; then an afternoon clearing of fog for a view of the Mountains of the Broughtons.

Internet access is very limited and very slow so we haven’t had a chance to post until now.

We are currently cruising surrounded by incredible mountain ranges, some with snow some with just beautiful trees.  I don’t think I can imagine any place better then this.  While we had rain and stormy weather the first two days that I was able to join the crew, this morning the sun came out and this is what summer is all about.   Scott and Katherine and their 6 week baby, Revel are great cruising companions.  Scott has a 32ft Nordic tug with a huge salon that is great for gathering for happy hour.  Ellie is learning to drive the dingy by herself but had to be rescued by Scott in his dingy since ours had died while she was out exploring on her own.

Paul is being very patient with me as I continually pepper him with questions regarding boat maintenance and navigation protocols.  The rainy weather also brought some water that had us rolling a bit and it caused a full socket set to break loose and dump all over the engine room.  It is a good thing we all like a good puzzle since putting all the sockets back in the correct order took about an hour.  The other several hours yesterday was spent cracking crab we caught the night before.

We caught some shrimp but they seem to be more scarce this year.  Scott and Katherine will leave us tomorrow as they head back south.  We will really miss them as they are such good company.  In a few days my daughter and her fiancé will join us on our boat so it will be quite cozy with 5 of us on board.  We are looking forward to more fun with them.

By Becky

This year our adventure started with a complete overhaul of the Ellie K. We pulled her our of the water to scrape, sand and repaint the bottom. I am glad we dont have to do that every year! We also decided to change out batteries, mattresses, bedding, interior decor and upgrade to led light bulbs. Then, while Paul was cleaning the BBQ, we discovered we needed to replace it also. It has been a very busy month and Paul was afraid we would sink the boat with all of the stuff we were loading onto her but we got all tasks done, things stowed causing the usual port list and we are ready for our new adventure! Paul and Ellie headed out together and I will join them soon.

I am so ready to be back on the boat. The Ellie K really is my primary home and I cant wait to get there. I have a peace flow over me just thinking about it.

July 30, 2012 – By Becky
This has been a trip that began with learning as I flew into Juneau by myself to provision the boat before Paul and Ellie joined me. The first day I learned that the stove and the cabin heater run off of the engine batteries. I learned that when you turn the house batteries off and then back on an alarm is likely to sound if someone has not disengaged the throttle when they stopped the engine. I learned where the key to the padlock we put on the aft cabin is. I learned how to find the correct bus for the Juneau Costco, Fred Meyer and Mendenhall Glacier. I also was reminded that even though Paul and I both might get frustrated when faced with a difficult situation we are still full of love and respect for each other and can work together to solve a problem when we are many, many miles apart.

Ellie, Paul and I all started the trip feeling a bit worn down. The first day out of Juneau was the first day I wasn’t able to see the tops of the mountains due to low cloud. We sailed out from Juneau just as three huge cruise ships sailed in. Great timing!

God was good to me and gave us amazingly smooth seas. It usually takes me a couple of days to find my sea legs…..and stomach… but today was easy. We had very interesting looking waters and skies and our imaginations had lots of fun describing what we were seeing. Although the first whale we spotted didn’t take any imagination. It was beautiful!

We made it all the way to Hoonah even though we didn’t leave Juneau until at least noon. 67 miles. Tomorrow we head to Glacier Bay where we have a reservation of several days. It is hard having to be on a tight timeline since there are so many little places to stop and explore. It seems a shame to have to hurry by them without at least slowing down but we are so thankful we get to be here!

31-July- 2012 B

Paul
Started the day buying Crabs at The Office Bar in Hoonah, talking with the local Tlinget Ladies and stepping behind a cruise ship tour of some native carvers who are building a 16’ x 32’ Cedar House Panel for the cedar house being built for the NPS in Bartlett Cove. Pressed for time having a slow boat and wanting to cover large distances, we left Honanah at 10:00. Ellie was waiting for Becky and I when we got back to the boat, she is enjoying her aft cabin solitude and sleeping well and late. Disappointed by the rain, made some last minute cell phone calls as I set a course for Point Gustaveous; settled into the southerly swell and watching a few whale spouts in the distance. As we approached Point Aldolphous we saw a number of whales flapping their tails, on their sides and breaching, we had to stop for a few minutes and observe, wonderful. As I lie here tonight in a great secure anchorage, North Sandy Cove, I am amazed at the life we witnessed today. Everywhere today there life we saw Murrelettes, Kittywinks, Gullitmonts, Terns and Gulls. After we made our way into the Park and had our orientation we continued on, with a few more whale sightings and soon we saw our first of a dozen sea otters. The last highlight was South Marble Island which is a Bird Rookery and Stellar Sea Lion Haul Out, we must have see a couple hundred animals as well as about ten Puffins swimming around the boat. That was a nice end to a great day even if it rained most of it still we had sightings of the Mountains shrouded in wisps of clouds with some moments of showing their peaks.

3-August-2012
An early start, trying to make up for the tide fighting rough going of yesterday, we went 55 miles in 10 hours. In Glacier Bay you have to adhere to a mid-channel course in order not to disturb the Humpback Whale near shore feeding. The result of this and our timing had us fighting the peak flood tide and at one time we were down to 0,4 knots over ground. The benefit of this was some great bird watching and the occasional Sea Otter. I was trying to identify a sandpiper,ish, type of bird; so when I called the ranger to check out of the park I asked for their help. It turned out to n=be a Red Necked Phalarope; a new on for me. The bird life in the Park was wonderful and everywhere. We saw large floats of Sea Scooters, Marbled Murrelle, the rare Kittlitzs Murrelet. Our departure was highlighted by a visit from a Crested Puffin. Indeed the trip to Glacier Bay was well worth it; one of those special places with natural wonders and a biological richness that draws a lot of wildlife. Today it is evident, as we slog into 15knot winds and 3’ swells, gone are all the sea birds and the concentration of whales we saw off of Point Aldolphos. None the less we are doing good and I’m pleased to see the 6.7 knots on the read out, even thought the way point 32 miles away started out being 4.5 hours away.

8-August-2012
Oh look it is raining again, Things couldn’t be better however, we are in Petersburg awaiting the tide and will be heading to Anan Creek Bear Observatory. The last few days have been action filled, with 80 mile days and stops in Sitka for two Nights, Baranoff Hot springs and Thomas Bay.
Walking in the rain to the Tottem Park and tales of the Russian Orthadox Settlers and Tlinget Natives. Lots a miles and Fredrick Sound filled wilth Whales. WE got passes to get into Annan Creek Bear Observatory and had to keep Ellie for another day to do it. She is such a pleasure to be with and the three of us are having a blast.