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.