M/V Royal Sounder

Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #31 – at location 8/11/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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31 – Petersburg – Wrangell Narrows – Ratz – Ketchikan (August 11, 2011)

Surprise! I’m back one more time before leaving Ketchikan. I had a chance to a bit of computerizing (as Dave calls it) so I am happy to catch-up the emails to my actual time and place.

We will be leaving Ketchikan in about an hour. My next installment will tell about our Dixon Entrance crossing and our start south through British Columbia. I also intend to get my first pictures of the (fairly new) Customs dock in Prince Rupert. More to come as we cruise through B.C.

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We were once again leaving Petersburg. It was Dave’s turn to take the boat away from the dock. So I slipped his lines for him, then went off to get the skiff and drive it into the channel to meet up with the Royal Sounder. Coming in for the landing.

Our final farewell to Petersburg.

Wrangell Narrows was not going to be easy this time. Look at that fog bank waiting for us ahead.

We encountered the thickest fog of the entire trip in this upper stretch of Wrangell Narrows.

AIS and radar were in full use. This seiner overtook us, passing within 50 feet. I had been watching him on AIS getting closer and closer to our stern. Just to ease my mind, I called him on Ch 13 to ask what side he was going to use to pass. OK; starboard. Thanks. I’m holding course, but I just wanted to know.

Off he goes.

We got a bit of relief from the fog as we turned the bend. But there was another river of it out there, waiting for us.

Then we drove out of the fog again. Here comes Christmas Tree rock. It’s a narrow, busy spot in Wrangell Narrows that requires careful traffic monitoring.

Once you’re past that bend in the road, things are a bit more straight forward, but it’s still a channel with lots of curves and buoys to pass correctly.

You never know who you’ll meet along the way.

It’s a traffic jam.

They all huddled off to the side for this big guy.

And so did we.

Here’s another opportunity for me to sing the praises of an autopilot linked to electronic charting. – running in navigation mode. The autopilot had to head us on 175 degrees magnetic in order to make a COG (course over the ground) of 188 degrees magnetic. It’s Sumner Strait and we had a slightly sideways current running. As I say in the navigation course I teach: It doesn’t matter where the boat is pointing (heading); what really matters is where the boat is going.

It was another rare sunny day in this rainy summer. We needed to start watching for the gill netters. As usual, the small white floats marking the length of the net are really, really hard to see. They are coming of this boat’s stern.

You can’t see the white floats for this one at all from this vantage point, but the red ball signals the end of the net. So from his stern to that red ball: you don’t want to go there.

A classic gill netter.

We anchored in Ratz Harbor – in Clarence Strait — and watched the boats go by.

We had forgotten what a rolly anchorage this is because of the wakes. We were wishing we had snugged in a little further to get out of the path of the swells.

The next day we were off for Ketchikan. Pretty boat.

Dave is serious about listening to his Sirius radio. (Sorry about that; I couldn’t resist the pun.)

Tongass Narrows (Ketchikan) was its usual busy place. There were actually five seaplanes in the air when I took this picture.

Downtown Ketchikan.

The airport ferry.

This small dock area that is adjacent to the airport-side ferry dock can be used temporarily by cruisers for airport drop-off and pick-up.

It was my turn to dock the Royal Sounder, so here is Dave taking off to park the skiff and meet me at our assigned slip in the Bar Harbor marina.

He’s almost there.

The Green Devil is tied up at the end tie. Dave has called on the handheld to say he is ready at the slip.

OK. Time for me to make my way in. There’s that odd float sticking out with the red marker on it.

And here’s the green one that I’ll be keeping to port.

A look back at the entrance after I’m docked.

The same view, but with one of the many cruise ships passing by.

On one of our walks, we caught this uh-oh. (Hooray for cameras in phones! I caught these on my Droid.)

This landing craft had not positioned this small fork lift very well. He was having a hard time getting over this hump without tipping over.

But this was obviously not the first time the fork lift operator had been down this tipsy road. He got out, piled up a few pieces of lumber, and safely made his way off the uh-oh and onto the ramp.

I loved this. The Captain of the Georgia Lee, docked right next to us, took his buoys seriously. Here is his port side.

And this is his starboard side.

We had a rare three days in a row of sunshine while in Ketchikan. It’s the longest stretch of sun we’ve had all summer long. This has been a very, very rainy trip. The sunshine conditions made for some nice sunsets, too.

We’re leaving Ketchikan this morning. We’ll fuel up first at Petro Marine, and then make our way down to Judd Harbor on Duke Island. That’s a nice leaping off place for crossing Dixon Entrance.

Tomorrow looks like it will be a good weather day for crossing back into British Columbia.

Goodbye Southeast Alaska.

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #30 – at location 8/5/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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30 – Portage Bay, Halibut, King Salmon, and a Brother’s Petersburg Farewell (August 5, 2011)

This is the final installment of our last two weeks with Dave’s brother, Rich, onboard. The guys made a fine fishing finale and Rich is calling this his Grand Slam vacation.

We leave Ketchikan tomorrow to get into position to cross Dixon Entrance on Friday and re-enter British Columbia waters. We’re pointing the Royal Sounder towards its home port in Anacortes, WA.

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After the whale-watching treat we had in Stephens Passage early in the day, we drove right into miles of dense fog (about 100 foot visibility). We were crossing Frederick Sound, headed for an anchorage in Portage Bay. It’s hard work to maintain the high level vigilance needed for monitoring the radar, the elctronic chart, and watching out the window. Richard’s third set of eyes was a welcome addition. Boaters absolutely must be radar skilled to cruise in these waters. We all had worked hard and were grateful for this gentle sunset in Portage Bay.

Dave found one of his favorite birds swimming nearby: a Loon.

We watched the kelp wrap itself entirely around the boat. We would have great fun in a few days pulling it all off the anchor chain and the shafts & props.

But the kelp would keep. For now the Parker brothers had other things on their mind: FISHING!!! The waters along this shoreline of Frederick Sound have a good reputation for halibut. So out they went in the skiff. They barely had their rods in action and Rich caught this very nice 15 lb. halibut right outside the bay.

Dave did the fish cleaning right in the skiff. He’s good at it.

He had taken the advice of some boater friends this year and purchased a Food Saver machine. This halibut is freezer bound.

But were they satisfied with this nice halibut? No… Out they went again. This time they came home with a real prize. Rich caught a 35 lb. King Salmon, right outside the bay. It was a real beauty. And was he ever proud. He didn’t stop grinning for hours. After this catch Rich started calling this his ‘Grand Slam’ vacation: glaciers hanging on the mountain sides, whales slapping their tails, bears cavorting on the beach, crab and shrimp climbing into our pots, the majesty of Fords Terror, the beauty of hot springs and waterfalls, and now a halibut and a King Salmon. The constant rain had not dampened his spirits at all. It was a Grand Slam.

He shared the credit for the catch with Dave, but I hear he landed the fish. Look at him having to prop up his arm to keep the fish in show position for this photo.

Dave went to work again in the skiff. Notice that this fish spans the entire width of the three-foot shelf in the skiff.

Gutting comes first.

Then they passed a line through the gills and swung the fish overboard to rinse things off.

Filet time.

That’s just one side. Now the other side.

Look at the thickness of these slabs.

Ready for the Food Saver treatment and a welcoming freezer.

The next morning the guys worked on salad fixings. Kelp, kelp everywhere and not a large enough salad bowl in sight.

We got our second Orca sighting of the summer as we made our way to Petersburg.

We’re back in Petersburg.

Rich found a new place to explore. I had not been down this boardwalk street along the creek.

The Green Devil is at home in any company.

We toured Petersburg together and found someone to take a picture of the three of us.

On his last morning, Rich had some serious packing to do. You WILL zip up. You will. You will.

Rich and Dave found more boats to look at during his last moments with us.

And then it was time for farewells and an end to The Grand Slam vacation. It was a real pleasure sharing this beautiful cruising ground with such a great guy. Bye Bro.’

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #29 – at location 8/8/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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29 – Windham Bay Kaleidoscope and Whale Dances: Five Tail Slaps (August 8, 2011)

This installment includes my best photos of humpback whales in action in the Stephens Passage / Frederick Sound area.

I was pretty thrilled to see this. I hope you can get a feel for the experience through these photos.

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Windham Bay was a convenient anchorage on our way down Stephen’s Passage towards Frederick Sound. It’s quite open from the north, so we were glad to be there in settled weather.

FINALLY the rain had stopped for a day and I was able to get the perfect calm-water conditions needed for what I call my kaleidoscope pictures.

Further down in this installment are my best whale photos of the summer.

Turn these pictures sideways and perhaps you can imagine totem poles.

Dave’s boat breakfast.

It was a beautiful day to cruise down Stephens Passage.

Blessed, blessed sun. It has been a VERY rainy summer in Southeast Alaska.

However, there was a line of fog waiting for us. Later in the day we became socked in (100 foot visibility) for a long time once we got closer to Frederick Sound, making our way to Portage Bay. Radar to the rescue!

BUT. Before we entered the foggy area, we got a terrific humpback whale show. There they are—not too far away from the boat.

They were very active. Here’s a waving pectoral fin.

Oh good, closer now. They had come closer and were swimming right alongside us. The brown at the bottom of the picture is our boat’s railing.

Then came the real show. This whale began with a spectacular breach right in front of the boat (full-body leap out of the water). Of course, my camera wasn’t in the right position so I missed that shot. Arrrrgh.

However, I made it outside as the whale crossed our bow and started slamming its tail against the water. Not once. But five times in a row.

I have read that this tail slapping behavior is called lobtailing and some theorize it is a form of aggression. Was the whale trying to communicate with us? As in: why are you here in my kingdom?

Rich and I also heard a whistling, snorting sound that seemed to be coming through the blowhole. We swore it sounded, well, demanding is the best word I can come up with.

It was truly amazing. The same whale. Five tail slaps in a row.

And then he was gone. What a show. Even if he was being prickly, we counted the experience as a blessing.

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #28 – at location 7/31/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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28 – Fords Terror (July 31, 2011)

We are in Ketchikan so I will try to catch up on the remaining installments from the most recent leg of our Southeast Alaska cruise.

Anchoring in this glorious place is something I have long wanted to do.
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High on my Southeast Alaska boating bucket list has been the desire to be at anchor alone in the majesty of the inner basin at Fords Terror. We did it this year. Even the U.S. Coast Pilot uses the word ‘magnificent’ to describe Fords Terror and we don’t see them use that word very often.

The tidal narrows between the outer basin and the inner basin can run nine knots, with two to three foot overfalls. Not being sure how to time the entry for that tidal narrows and a poor, small-scale chart had kept us away from Fords Terror for years. Two years ago we got some local knowledge that made us willing to give it a try.

On that visit in 2009, we anchored in the outer basin and watched as the two long shoals that flank the path to the narrows bared themselves. The 1:80,000 chart shows those shoals as several isolated, single rocks. Not so; they are long cover-uncover shoals. So finding a safe path to the narrows was an issue, as well as trying to determine just when high-water slack occurs to assure enough depth in the channel at the narrows.

In 2009, using the newly acquired local knowledge, we left the Royal Sounder anchored in the outer basin and made our way in our skiff safely through the narrows at high-water slack without a hitch. And we scoped out a few spots that would work as (deep) anchorages for a future visit. This year we were ready to take the Royal Sounder in and put the anchor down.

I’ll share the local knowledge with you further down, but first, a few pictures from our trip up Stephens Passage from Cannery Cove to Endicott Arm.

We saw this bergy bit just before making the turn into Endicott Arm.

The bluer… the denser… the older.

The Sumdum hanging glacier came into view.

Bergy bits were everywhere in Endicott Arm (from the Dawes Glacier at its end), creating all kinds of free-form sculptures.

At first we thought this bergy was loaded with seals, but they turned out to be sea gulls.

This was my favorite ice sculpture.

We had carefully timed the day’s run from Cannery Cove to Fords Terror. We wanted to be at the outer basin with time to spare. This is our final turn into the outer basin at Fords Terror, with about 30 minutes to wait.

There was a bergy bit grounded on one of the shoals in the outer basin.

While we were making our way down Endicott Arm, I had noticed another boat on AIS, hovering near the entrance to Fords Terror outer basin. He kept meandering back and forth across Endicott Arm, so my bet was that he was waiting for the same high-water slack we were aiming for. After turning in here, we called him and confirmed that that was exactly what he was doing. We let him know we would be going through the narrows right after him.

M/V Sojourn has started for the narrows. He wasn’t the only boat in the basin. This National Geographic boat, Sea Lion, was anchored in the observation spot for watching the current when it is thundering hard through here. They weren’t going for the narrows; just watching.

We were looking for a particular waterfall in the outer basin - on our starboard side. Is this it?

Ahh yes. This is the big multiple waterfall we were looking for.

Here’s the local knowledge I promised to share:

Find the big, multiple-stream waterfall on the starboard side of the outer basin as you enter.
Position yourself right in front of it. Turn to port and steer a course of 290 degrees magnetic. That will take you on a direct path to the narrows, avoiding the shoals on either side of the path.

When? At high water slack, says Douglass in “Exploring Southeast Alaska” (http://www.fineedge.com). Yes, but when is that? There are no current tables for Fords Terror. So you have to approximate from a nearby tide station. Here’s the local knowledge: high-water slack at Fords Terror is approximately 40 minutes after the Woodspit Station high water. (Woodspit Station is just outside Tracy Arm.)

My log for both our entrance and our exit the next day validated this timing advice as right on the mark. And it was a really short slack; about five minutes. I transited one spot in the narrows that was only 12 feet deep, so I would not want to try this on anything but a high-water slack (slack turning to an ebb), not a low water slack.

Here is an electronic charting screenshot of the outer basin area; sorry it’s a bit busy. The green boat is Royal Sounder starting its turn to the 290 degrees magnetic heading just at the waterfall (my purple mark). The red and black triangles are the AIS signals for the Sea Lion and for Sojourn, which is just making its start through the narrows The red-net area is something I drew in a few years ago to approximate the starboard-side shoal. It’s actually closer to the 290 degrees magnetic path than this indicates. And there is definitely a shoal on the port side of the path too; I just didn’t draw it in. The waterfall on this screenshot is also an approximation. The planned course line shows 284 degrees magnetic until I corrected it to 290 degrees magnetic.

But let’s get on with the real thing. I have just made the turn to port and am proceeding on 290 degrees magnetic from the waterfall. M/V Sojourn is just at the narrows.

Isn’t that nice, smooth water?

A quick look back to make sure I’m in line with the waterfall. Almost like using a range marker.

There goes Sojourn. He’s through the narrows and almost around the corner.

Just a few gentle boilings.

Look at this place!

Since Dave’s brother, Rich, was onboard with us, we got to have a photo of us together in this glorious spot!

We were transiting up the long leg of the T towards the inner basin. Sojourn is at the very top of the T in this picture.

Here’s a screenshot of the chart, showing the three-mile long leg of the T and Royal Sounder turning to port to find a spot to anchor, about a quarter mile further on.

Just to spook you out entirely, below is a screen shot of our anchorage in the inner basin when I tried to zoom in. No, it’s not a mistake. There is no zooming in on the 1:80,000 chart. We very carefully scouted the area and anchored in about 60 feet of water at the mouth of a hard-running creek– not far from M/V Sojourn.

It truly is a magnificent spot. Majestic is also a good word for it.

We weren’t alone. See the kayak from M/V Sojourn?

Well, weren’t alone when we went to bed that is. But we were alone in the anchorage when we woke up. M/V Sojourn had made its exit in the middle of the night when the next high-water slack occurred. They had professional crew who clearly knew what they were doing.

So my wish had been granted after all. We were alone at anchor inside Fords Terror.

When the next (daylight!) high water slack occurred, we were poised at the narrows for our exit. I called a Securité to announce our exit and was glad I had. Another boat was just about to start up the entry path and it was best we didn’t meet right at the blind corner of the narrows.

They were kind enough to wait until we had completed our exit.

Looking out as we rounded the corner we could see the bergy bit still holding station on the shoal.

And the waterfall we would aim for to stay on the safe path.

It was time to say goodbye to this magical spot. ---end---

Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #27 – at location 7/29/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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27 – Red Bluff Bay and Cannery Cove (July 29, 2011)

The red bluffs of Red Bluff Bay are unique in Southeast Alaska.

The bay has one of the more dramatic waterfalls of the area.

Observers come in all forms of transportation. See the people standing on top of the plane? They’re looking at the waterfall.

But they didn’t stay long.

We spotted some Mergansers along the shore near the boat.

Duo grooming.

The sun seemed to be trying to peek through.

Mike’s Mountain (That’s our nickname for it.)

And then the sun did peek through.

The next day we were in Frederick Sound making our way towards Cannery Cove in Pybus Bay. This is looking back at the east side of Baranof Island.

Rivers of fog.

We saw a few whales in Frederick Sound, but not the usual bonanza we expect in that location.

Cannery Cove held us captive for several days. The fishing was so – so. The beach combing was better.

Dave and Rich are getting ready to deploy the bungie anchor to avoid being left high and dry on this falling tide. But first Rich had to get the tangles out of the bow painter.

On their walk along the creek they found salmon spawning.

Later in the day there were playful bears on the shore to watch from the boat.

We saw a group of six people leave their dinghy to go for a walk. They were clearly newbies, as they had not accounted for the large drop in the tide along this very flat area. We watched and muttered to ourselves as the dinghy became more and more stranded.

When they finally returned to their dinghy it was impossible to carry it down to the water – even for six people. They waded into the water and waved their arms towards the Royal Sounder. However, by that time Dave and Rich had gone off in the skiff and I could not offer them any immediate help. They apparently had no portable VHF radio with them. Their ‘leader’ had failed miserably in the planning department. I was just about to radio the nearby fishing lodge for help when a local boater came by to pick up his crab pots. He saw the group onshore and took all six of them aboard and back to the lodge.

The dinghy had to sit there all night through two tide changes before someone from the lodge came out early the next morning and waited around until he could reach it and tow it back to the lodge. You can just make out the Royal Sounder at anchor. The lodge is in the center of the picture on the point. Can you believe how far from the water the dinghy is?! Also note the great tie-down job. They just threw their little red anchor out on the ground and walked off. Amazing.

Cannery Cove is one of Dave’s favorite places, so Rich and I threw him a surprise (mini) birthday party the evening before his birthday. Things can get desperate on a boat; I ended up using a Three Musketeers candy bar as a candle holder. Note that the gifts are wrapped in napkins.

He threatened to eat the candle, but didn’t.

It was good to have brother Rich onboard to share the festivities.

Tomorrow we’ll cruise up Stephens Passage heading for slack water at the narrows of Fords Terror and anchorage in the Inner Basin.
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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #26 – at location 7/27/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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26 – Baranof Warm Springs (July 27, 2011)

Baranof Warm Springs is one of those must-see places in Southeast Alaska.

There is a charted rock (outcropping) to watch for when mooring along the shore-side of the dock. At about half tide you can just see it peeking out from the shore at the left.

On a minus tide it’s a bit more prominent.

There are three small bath stalls right at the head of the dock.

The tub in this stall is the best one.

They used to have old metal cattle troughs in the other two, but those have been replaced with fiberglass tubs.

The view from all three stalls is fabulous. You sit in the tub and this is what you see!

The tubs are nice, but nothing surpasses the ‘natural’ pools that offer hot springs bathing right at the edge of a foaming waterfall.

But first you have to get there. The trek starts out nicely on a boardwalk. Don’t forget to clap to ward off bears.

If you turn too soon, here is your trail. Well, that’s pretty.

But this wasn’t too much fun.

Nor was this. It seems I had led my brother-in-law down the wrong trail and it was really mucky.

OK. Time to turn back and find the right trail. Now I remember. It’s the one with the narrow planks. Sorry Rich.

But even that trail requires boots and a willingness to scramble.

The pools are worth the walk.

They have been enhanced and cared for by local folks and we all get to enjoy them.

The way back was just as challenging.

The next day we were ready to get back on the water and make our way towards Red Bluff Bay.

We found Purse Seiners hard at work right at the mouth of the bay.

The rain and haze has been a pretty constant companion this summer.

Five year old Rissa left behind a message that says it all.

Some summers that’s just the way it is up here.

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #25 – at location July 25

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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25 – Auke Bay – Tenakee Springs – Kasnyku Falls (July 25, 2011)

Here is a start on the next leg of our Southeast Alaska journey. Dave’s brother, Rich Parker, is onboard for this two-week leg and we have lots of adventures to share with you. If you can wait until the Petersburg installment you’ll see my prize whale pictures of the summer!
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We left Juneau’s Auke Bay for a final time this summer with Dave’s brother, Rich onboard. The hazy conditions still allowed us to admire this beautiful ketch just outside the harbor. We’re on our way to Tenakee Springs.

The whale watcher excursion boats were already underway.

And there were lots of other interesting boats to look at.

This is an odd little stone formation right at the intersection of Lynn Canal, Icy Strait, and Chatham Strait. It looked like a hitch-hiker’s thumb from a distance.

From a distance, the dock at Tenakee Springs looks a bit like a jigsaw puzzle.

There is actually a long float that acts as a breakwater. Once you get close enough you can easily see your way into the moorage area.

Tenakee is one of those places where you can call and try to reach the harbormaster, but if there is no answer on the VHF you just pick a spot and dock. Then you move if you’re asked to.

We were happy to get off the boat and walk the half mile into the little town of Tenakee Springs. The guys got a head start so I went looking for them. I had a good hunch where I would find them.

This is my favorite door. Those are individual wood blocks. Notice also the door knocker and the hose hanger.

The “Party Time Bakery.” David had a birthday celebration in here one year.

The Parker brothers were sure to be in here. Yes, I found them - working on some tasty pastries.

This is a place with attitude.

Here are Dave and Rich – with post-bakery satisfied smiles. Or are they just in a glucose stupor?

The town library.

Tenakee Springs bath house. I have never found this place very inviting. But some people like it.

Imaginative covering on a big electrical box. The red octopus tentacles are a good touch.

Here’s a view of the harbor as we were returning from our walk.

I kept occupied watching boat happenings in the harbor while the guys went in search of crab.

They’re on their way home after hauling in the crab pots.

They had a good haul – about 14 crabs. Big ones.

These fabled ‘Tenakee Hubcaps’ were caught in Kadashan Bay, just across from Tenakee Springs.

That was an awkward grip. Here’s a better one.

How about this view of the Tenakee Hubcap?

Dave liked being able to clean them on the dock.

Then he decided to move to a fish-cleaning table and liked that even better.

Rich is standing by with moral support.

Did I mention they went shrimping also? This was the total catch. Well, you can’t have everything.

Nothing from the sea comes without a lot of work. They picked crab for a loooong time.

Here’s the prettiest waterfall in Southeast Alaska – in my opinion. It’s located just north of Baranof Warm Springs and is about 300-400 feet high: Kasnyku Falls. The photo doesn’t do it justice. We felt privileged to be there to see the real thing.

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #24 – at location July 20

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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24 – Auke Bay and A Tourist’s View of Juneau (July 20, 2011)

Next I’ll start trying to catch up with our most recent pictures and adventures. We have been in places that don’t provide the opportunity to spend lots of time on the computer and upload emails like this. Dave’s brother, Richard, boarded in Juneau and has spent two weeks with us seeing Tenakee Springs, Baranof Warm Springs, Red Bluff Bay, Cannery Cove, Fords Terror, Portage Bay – successful fishing! - then flying out of Petersburg. Lots of pictures coming soon.

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We’re back in Juneau with a day to spare before our granddaughters fly back to the Midwest. Auke Bay has become very familiar to us on this trip.

As usual, there was a lot to look at. One dinghy hot-rodder managed to get himself and a buddy into trouble right in the harbor. He made a very fast, very sharp turn and they ended up in the very cold water.

Good Samaritans were quick to respond.

There was a lot of hooting and hollering from boats around them. We even joined in.

The NW Explorations charter fleet was in port. An all Grand Banks group, they made their exit in a nice, orderly fashion.

Melissa and Cassie and I decided to do some touring in the downtown area. The bus system in Juneau is terrific; we always use it when we’re in town. So off we went. It’s fun to see the cruise ships up close after watching them so much from the water.

The line-handlers asked us to step aside during this docking maneuver. A deck hand on the boat threw the ‘messenger line’ to the man on the dock. (It’s attached to the orange ball at the far right.) They use that light line to drag the heavy line out and secure the ship to the dock.

The passengers were clearly ready to leave their ship.

Patsy Ann has been greeting people here for years.

I think the highlight of the day was the Tramway ride. We had quite a view.

Looking northward you can see the passage called the Mendenhall Bar that goes all the way up to Auke Bay.

Calling it a passage, however, is a misnomer. It really is not deep enough for cruising boats to be able to transit. Most of it is colored green on the chart, which means that when the tide is high (as in this picture) you think there is a passage. But when the tide is low, you’re walking on it! The U.S. Coast Pilot refers to this entire stretch as “…a drying mud flat.”

That shallowness means about a 30-mile long trip all the way around Douglas Island (on the left) to get between the downtown Juneau harbors and the moorage at Auke Bay.

The downtown harbors are Harris (in the foreground) and Aurora (to the right). They both require negotiating the Douglas Bridge (minimum height of 50 feet), so sailboats need to know their mast height and the stage of the tide.

Sailors often moor at Douglas Harbor (below). As you are coming up Gastineau Channel it is located on your port side, just before the bridge.

Cruisers are always interested in local knowledge about fuel prices. We were told the lowest prices are at the Taku Oil fuel dock. It’s a bit hard to find as you’re coming up Gastineau Channel – because the cruise ships have it pretty well hidden.

It’s the small dock in front of the little green building.

You don’t often get a birds-eye view of a cruise ship. But the Tramway makes that possible.

I was curious about the workings of the tramway. This is the top-side gear.

There was something else quite interesting to see at the top of the Tramway. There is a rescued eagle called Lady Baltimore on display. She had been shot in the left eye and had a broken wing. This is her good side.

Looking southward on the trip down the Tramway, this is the Gastineau Channel.

We were to say goodbye to Melissa and Cassie the next morning. So this picture seems to be a fitting end to the portion of our cruising summer that we have spent with these delightful young ladies. They will soon be pointed towards the destination on the sign that says: “Chicago – 2297 miles.”

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #23-at location 7/17/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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23 – Elfin Cove & Angry Sea Lions in Middle Inian Pass (July 17, 2011)

Elfin Cove is a very special spot in Southeast Alaska. It’s a small community with a unique charm. An all-boardwalk village, it has an outer and an inner cove. Cruising boats dock at the state float in the outer cove. Rafting up is common here because the dock is not very large and there is no good nearby anchorage.

Folks are very accommodating here. After a short wait, someone opened this gift shop for us.

On our walk we found all kinds of interesting things. These dogs are collectively named: “Knuckleheads.”

In the inner cove, there is a tidal grid and a fun foot.

Although the inner cove looks inviting, it’s not an option for most recreational cruising boats. Besides a rather shallow entrance to the cove, the passage is a tough one when the current is running hard

The boardwalk provides a welcome chance to stretch our legs.

Melissa and Cassie even found a few trees to climb around on.

Now, what about those angry sea lions? Dave decided to take the girls out for more whale watching – close up. They didn’t find the whales, but they did find more than they bargained for: angry sea lions. The current was flowing hard and the sea lions had abandoned their shore-side lounging and were out in the Inian Islands’ Middle Pass. They were in a frenzy of feeding.

They are big, aggressive animals. And they seemed to want to know what The Green Devil was doing in their territory.

They kept busy fishing while watching. This one bit the head off the fish in the center of the picture and threw it aside. Two smaller animals (females?) just beyond him immediately went after the remains.

Here’s another easy catch.

They continued to keep an eye on The Green Devil in the midst of their feeding frenzy.

A close eye.

With teeth bared.

This one got particularly aggressive. He started circling the skiff.

Then he came up to the bow of the Devil and rammed into it, prompting Melissa to move to the center of the boat.

She was not too happy about being in the middle of these shenanigans, but she kept up a brave face. Cassie teased her, but…

…when the sea lion dove under the skiff and came up on the side and slapped at the fender, that changed Cassie’s attitude.

This sea lion was no longer being watchful, he was on the offensive. His moves finally made the point for everyone in the skiff. It was time to leave.

Back at the dock there was lots to watch. This is rush hour in Elfin Cove: three planes in the space of ten minutes!

Cassie found something else interesting on the boardwalk. As did I. Yes, I take pictures of bizarre things. But when have YOU seen something like this?

Oh no. We ran out of hot chocolate. Dave was kind enough to make an easy stroll to the little store.

We had pizza at the Coho Bar and Grill. Here are a few photos that will give you the flavor of the place.

The next morning it was time for pancakes & bacon and a bit of reading. See? They don’t text ALL the time. (Although you can see that all their tech items are within easy reach.)

We ended the day with a game of dominoes. It’s a good boat game.

The next morning it was time to make the transit back towards Juneau where we’ll dock in Auke Bay and tour the downtown Juneau sights.

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Posted

Cruising to Southeast Alaska #21-at location 7/15/2011

Capt. Linda Lewis - www.privateboatinginstruction.com and Capt. David Parker
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21 – Glacier-Bay Glaciers: Margerie, Johns Hopkins, and Lamplugh (July 15, 2011-actual date at location)

Please note that the dates on some of the coming installments look like I’m duplicating myself. Not so. I realized that previous installments carried the date that I sent the emails, not the dates we were actually in those places. So I’m trying to correct myself.

We’re on our way again towards the three most beautiful glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park: Margerie, Lamplugh, and Johns Hopkins.

[Photographer credit: A number of the pictures in this installment were taken by Cassie Richards.]

When we were in Glacier Bay about two weeks ago, the Johns Hopkins Inlet was closed to boat traffic because the seal pups had not been weaned yet. Although I didn’t need to go to the ranger’s boater orientation again at Bartlett Cove, I did ask about the Hopkins Inlet when we announced our presence at the park border. It was a disappointment to learn that it was still closed.

However! When we were close by Hopkins I noticed a charter vessel go part of the way into the inlet so I decided to do the same. I had already drawn in the boundary line beyond which we could not go so I knew exactly where we needed to stop. I’m so glad we went that far. We didn’t see any seals; not even any on the bergy bits that were floating by. However, to my surprise, we could see the entire inlet from that stopping point.

I have finally seen the Johns Hopkins Glacier. It was spectacular.

But first, some of the beauty on our way there.

We were noticing a lot more ice in the water on this trip up to the end of Glacier Bay. It is a Spring Tide (high tides are higher; low tides are lower), so we figured a lot of glacier ice had been picked up on the high tide and was now being washed down-bay with the ebbing current.

We have learned that wearing polarized sunglasses makes it easier to see the bergy bits (even when it’s not sunny). They are especially helpful for seeing those small, clear pieces. We got that tip from a sidebar in the Douglass “Exploring Southeast Alaska” book. The sidebar is titled: ‘Glacier Ice Cruising – Keeping it Safe and Enjoyable,” written by Capt. Richard Friedman.

Cassie and Melissa were getting excited as the beautiful Margerie Glacier came into view.

The bergy bits also seemed to be less of a problem as we got closer.

Cameras in hand, they’re ready! I’m pretty happy watching their faces.

The face of the Grand Pacific glacier is dark because it is picking up rocks and dirt as it recedes.

But the river of ice behind it is still pretty magical.

We left the Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers behind as we made our way towards the Lamplugh Glacier.

Taking a cue from one of the charter boats, we decided to first go down the Johns Hopkins Inlet as far as the boundary line. We wondered what we would see.

This glorious sight of the Johns Hopkins Inlet came into view.

Getting to see this inlet was a first for me. Even though we could only see it from a distance, it was a great view. The zoom lens helps a lot in my effort to share this special place with you.