Days 31 and 32 Wrangell

 

June 19^{th  and 20th}               Wrangell

David, Bryan and Lewis chartered a fishing boat for today and were picked up at 7 am. We were all looking forward to some fresh halibut tonight! Jess, Ella and I had a girls day that began at the 

laundromat…Whooo Hooo!

We threw our two loads into the washers and started our walk exploring downtown.We asked our taxi driver for a lunch rcommendation and she suggested we try out the July 4th King and Queen fund raising food booths.  She asked us to support Robbie and we did. I ordered a flatbread taco which was delicious.

The ladies quite enjoyed our stroll through town poking around in the shops and, finding treasures. We, of course, thought of our menfolk and bought t-shirts and caps.

The men returned from their fishing trip around 3:30 without any fish (Whaaat??) They had a great time together and did go to four different locations getting only a couple of bites. I think I was more disappointed then they were!

Our outboard motor is toast. David left right away to see a man about a new motor.  The only shop in town is owned by the dad of the charter boat “captain”. The dad had already heard from his son that Dave and Bryan got “skunked” on the fishing trip. He asked, “Did Mike give you any halibut?” When they answered “No”, he said, “Well, we gotta get you some halibut.” He then jumped in his truck and drove to his house bringing back frozen halibut and deer meat. This was before David had committed to buying a new motor!

Boy did we enjoy our halibut that night cooked the Ron Francis way.

June 20^th Wrangell

It has been a heat wave here in Wrangell. So unexpected. Temperatures have reached 89 degrees and we were told this is a typical Wrangell summer. Surprising to us.

This is the last day we will have Bryan and family with us. We decided to take the kids for a walk to a playground along the shore. We walked through a wooded path past a cemetery with American flags adorning many of the grave sites. Lewis searched the beach for shells and Jessica built an Inuksuk out of rocks. It was such a relaxing way to spend their last morning with us.

David put out our crab pots over the side of the boat early this morning,,and we just brought up four for lunch. Didn't really have to work at it much.

Day 30 Thom"s Place to Wrangell

June 18^th  Thom’s Place to Wrangell

10:30 lift off      75 degrees

We again left at low tide and Bryan was sent out to the bow on rock watch.  Today’s travels took us through the challenging Zimovia Strait. Our route was through hundreds of floats zig-zagging our way between red and green markers through rocky shallow waters. It was like an obstacle course. David drove with skill and immense concentration.

                                                 Tricky section of Zimovia Strait

As we drew closer to Wrangell, the waters turned a sparkling glacier green.  The Belle was fighting tides all day, and we averaged about 5.4 kts.

I have been practicing my radio etiquette with calls to the harbormasters for a dock space. We were directed to Heritage Harbor and parallel parked between two sailboats. There was a tricky current and fortunately, a gentleman appeared to grab our bow line which got us tucked in nicely.

There are no buses or shuttles and we were concerned about how to get the kids to the airport in two days. Luckily, we discovered a phone number for a taxi service, and they have been our chauffeurs throughout town. Took a ride downtown to a restaurant where I had a pile of fresh greens.

They're keeping an eye on us!

                                                  

Day 29 Santa Anna to Thom's Place

June 17^th  Santa Anna to Thom’s Place

69 degrees   10 am  departure  sunny

Santa Anna was a lovely peaceful anchorage. We had a leisurely Father’s Day morning with David making johnny cakes for everyone. They paddled over to the crab pots and harvested one crab for tasting.

                                 Lewis and Ella presented Dad with a hand print apron.

                                                                   

We were going to stay here another day but David decided to go on a bear hunt. The largest population of bear in Alaska is on Anan Island so we thought we would head over to the bay.  There is a famous bear reserve on the island, but unfortunately for us, the reserve is not open until mid-July. We figured we might have a chance to spot a bear or two on the grassy shores of the island but had no luck.

We doubled-back to Thom's Place for the night. The dolphins at our bow made up for the disappointment of not seeing any bear. Our delicious steamed crab helped, as well.

                                                   Big Brother sharing a bedtime story

Day 28 Ketchikan to Santa Anna

                                                 Our young explorer on whale watch duty

June 16^th Ketchikan to

5 am departure  53 degrees  sunny

The family was still asleep in “the cave” as we headed out early this morning down Tongass Narrows paying close attention to any “floating icebergs” which I call the cruise ships. We were heading for Meyer’s Chuck but when we were setting ourselves up to head into the narrow opening of the bay, we gazed in surprise at a boat stuck up on the rocks at the entrance, a scenario we know too well. There were also two skiffs at the entrance near the damaged boat. We thought it best to just move on. We were disappointed but for safety sake, it was the best decision.

                                     Lewis talking to Nana on the walkie talkie

Our second choice was Santa Anna in Ernest Sound. It was another two hours of boating. They were calling for 15 mph winds today, but we didn’t experience them. The tide was against us for most of the trip which slowed us down to 6 kts. We had a balmy day of 70 degrees.

Lewis was on whale watch. Instead of a “big guy” sighting, he was thrilled with the playful dolphins that join us at our bow. I loved hearing his squeals of delight.

Santa Anna was the perfect refuge. Dropping crab pots was in order and off Lewis went with Pop and Pop and Dad. I noticed that the motor was sending off smoke signals…definitely distress signals, and once the first pot was dropped, Dave and Bryan began paddling. Oh, dear, not good. Once they got back to the boat, they checked the outboard motor. More oil was added and the motor was allowed to cool down before trying it again. Houston, we have a problem. Looks like Wrangell will be the place for repairs or the purchase of a new motor. There’s always something.

                                                    Mama, Why are they paddling?

While sitting in the wheelhouse reading, I looked behind me and saw the head of a man looking over our bow and then the head floated alongside our boat. Bryan was on the boat deck talking with “the head”. I couldn’t figure out how he was able to see over our bow, and giggled when I realized that the man was standing up on a paddleboard!

                                                          Just fishin'

                                                              It's been a long day   

Days 25,26,and 27 Ketchikan

                                                          Our Ketchikan dock spot

June 12^th

Woke up in Alaska’s first city to the roaring sounds of the float planes flying over us. They started at 5:45 this morning. They are one right after the other all-day long. Our dock is about a mile and a half from the historic section of town. There is a bus stop right at the harbormaster’s office, which we took full advantage of quite frequently during our stay. It is $2 every time you get on, no transfers. The fares were posted at the bus stop and David read that seniors were 50 cents. He was set straight rather strongly by the driver when he slipped his dollar into the cash box. Another 3 dollars were quickly produced. They really need to update their fare postings.

Today was errand day. Repairs and replacement parts are all a big part of boating. Our bull work door got caught on the bull rail of the dock and the hinge needed to be repaired. We needed to find a welder which David did. He called ahead and was told to bring it on in. These welders were big time welders working on boats and machinery. The fellow took the hinge from David and in no time at all, returned it fixed and ready to go. He did not ask for any payment saying that it wasn’t worth the paperwork but said, “When you get something bigger, come back.” 

A pig tail connector hose needed to be found for our propane tank. After checking every hardware store and even Walmart, we were directed to a propane shop. Lots of propane but no parts. The young man there called a propane supplier which was way out of town. We spotted a Walmart shuttle at a nearby gas station and took that to Walmart and then a taxi from there. The driver was kind enough to turn off the meter while David went into the propane office to see about the hose. We had come to the right place. They made up a duplicate hose in no time for us.

Filters for the water-maker were also found after multiple rides today on buses, free shuttles, and a taxi. Ketchikan makes it pretty easy to get around town if you don’t have a car, and downtown Ketchikan is compact and comfortable to walk. It did seem strange to see so many cars and traffic after only seeing boats for so long.

David had to have a document notarized for the office. Jessica forwarded a contact that Carol had found and a gentleman came down to the boat to help us out. He did not ask for any payment for his services, but David insisted he take something for his time. There are plenty of kind and friendly people here in Ketchikan, indeed.

                                                                  Our marina neighbors

The family arrived around 4:00 on the 14^th.  We took it easy that first evening having dinner on the boat and getting them all settled into their 5 star accommodations.

The next day was "let's play tourist' time with a trip to the Saxman Village and a walk among the totem poles, carving shop and meeting house. The kids brought California sunshine with them. It was the only day with no rain since we arrived. Ella fell asleep on mom’s back while strolling Creek Street and downtown. Jessica found a great hole-in-the-wall fish and chowder place, Avala’s, and we enjoyed some of the best fish and chips we have ever had. When the kids got droopy, we hopped on the bus and did some sightseeing of the area. When we were all worn out, we headed back to the boat. It was a full day.

                                                           Family totem poles

                                                            Yummy fish 'n chips

                                         
Our bow is at the fairway of the marina so the Duck Boat tours float right in front of us. Ella and I became part of the tour waving and shouting “Hi” to the tourists aboard. Many were taking photos of us as the guides urged them to yell out, “Quack quack!” Ella giggled with delight.

                                                       Guide at Saxman Village
               

Day 24 Ketchikan

June 11^th -June 14^th  Ketchikan

7:15 departure  50 degrees  mill pond

Forgot that once in Alaska we needed to set our clocks one hour back. We calculated the tides by Canada time and couldn’t figure out why the depths were shallower than expected. As we motored out, I stood on “rock watch” at the bow through the shallowest area just to be on the safe side.

We had brought up our stabilizers so we wouldn’t have to mess with them just outside of Ketchikan. It got mighty rocky the first 5 nautical miles, and we were regretting that decision, but it soon smoothed out.  Had both a sea lion and whale sighting along the way.

While in the Revillagigedo Channel, I was watching our AIS screen closely on the look out for any cruise ships. Ketchikan is a popular destination for those 14+ story vessels.

For the most part, cruising the inside passage is like taking a peaceful stroll through the woods, but    entering Ketchikan is like stepping on a hornet’s nest! It is quite the culture shock of activity. We needed to take on fuel and headed for Petro Fuel. Once we found it, we also found a huge yacht at the dock leaving no room for anyone else. Called to see when we could dock and were told that the yacht would be there about an hour and a half! So off we went in search for Crowley Fuel. Luckily, we tied right up and with the help of a very personable young man, We took on hundreds of gallons at $3.36 a gallon. Gulp.

We contacted US Customs while at the fuel dock and an agent met us while we were taking on fuel. He looked at our documents but did not board the boat. That was the first time a US agent didn’t board. We have never been boarded by Canada Custom agents. Everything is handled over the phone.

All the marinas are “hot berths” meaning that you are assigned a slip vacated by its owner which often is a fishing boat that has gone out. If that boat returns, you will be moved to a different spot. No reservations are taken. The radio was buzzing with boaters contacting harbormasters for moorage. We felt a bit anxious about finding a spot with so many boats arriving at the same time.

The city docks are where the cruise ships attach themselves so we motored on down to Bar Harbor on the north side of town across from the airport. We were lucky to be given an outside dock and were allowed to remain there our entire visit. The drawbacks were that we were not protected from the wakes of fishing boats coming and going, we were without wind protection, and we had no dock power. Thank goodness our generator was working.

The Belle felt quite at home here with all the serious fishing boats most of them quite active, but there was the odd boat in need of major repair and a little TLC. I learned about “the grid” where boats can tie up. When the tide recedes, they are on a dry dock and can work on their boats until the tide flows back in. I thought that was quite clever.

After getting ourselves organized, we took a walk down to a place called The Landing where we found a pub overlooking the ferry dock. That Alaskan Amber hit the spot. We watched as the Norwegian Bliss cruise ship headed out of Ketchikan. It is the biggest boat that comes to Alaska with 4,800 passengers! The local paper lists the boats that are due in each day and the number of passengers. Today the town was invaded by over 11,000 tourists.

                                                            The Norwegian Bliss

                                     

Arrived in Ketchikan two days early taking advantage of favorable boating weather. Worked out well for us since we had some repairs to deal with and needed to get the “suite” ready for Bryan, Jessica, Lewis and Ella who would arrive on the 14^th.

                                                              A bumper sticker

Day 23 Port Simpson to Foggy Bay

June 10^th  4:30 departure   50 degrees

PORT SIMPSON TO FOGGY BAY

I must confess that I have not yet witnessed a sunset. It has continued to remain light until around 10:00 (so I am told) and that’s just too late for me. We are both having difficulty sleeping and it may just be that our inner clocks are in shock. Our circadian rhythms have been disrupted…switched from a soothing waltz to a pounding heavy metal beat. Hoping it will not take us long to adjust.

However, I have seen plenty of sunrises. My husband is a morning person and winds and waves are usually more calm in the early mornings, so we have had several back to back early wake up  calls. We were both awake at 1:15 this morning, and David suggested a 3:00 am departure. I just groaned and rolled over. David was up and dressed at 3:15, and his first mate reluctantly reported for duty around 4:00.

We left the stabilizers down the entire journey, and we are convinced that they greatly contributed to our comfortable crossing even though they did slow us down a bit. Open ocean greeted us once again in the Dixon Pass but we sailed through nicely.

I have been observing two transient spiders who have set up residence just outside our wheelhouse windows. How these intrepid stowaways and their webs survive the wind gusts and downpours, I haven’t a clue.

                                                                 Spiders love our boat!

We are now anchored in Foggy Bay, a cozy jumping off point for Ketchikan in the morning. We called US Customs last night and asked permission to anchor here since we are now in the U.S.  At first the agent thought we were calling from Ketchikan and said, “This must be your first time doing this.”  She laughed when David said, "How can you tell?"  When he informed her that we were in Port Simpson not Ketchikan and that we would be in Foggy Bay entering the USA tomorrow night, all was well. We think she was prepared to "scold " us for not following the rules but we surprised her.

The customs agent took all our information over the phone and instructed us to call again when we were at the fuel dock in Ketchikan. The book says that we will be boarded by US Customs, but several people have told us they have just called in their docking location and that was it. We will soon find out.

We finally had strong cell coverage yesterday, I turned on my phone and found a message stating that someone in Riverside California was attempting to access my iPhone account. It suggested I change my password. I thought I had accomplished that when first notified of the unauthorized New Brunswick attempt to use my account. I have actually changed my password four times while on this trip. At least  I thought I had. Frustrating. Hoping that once we are in Ketchikan, I will be able to straighten all of this out. Technology…ain’t it fun.