July 26th St. John's Harbor to Thorne Bay

                                    The view from our bow in St. John's Harbor...not bad, eh?

July 26^th St. John’s Harbor to Thorne Bay

7:30 departure  55 degrees  sunny and breezy

David woke me up from a sound sleep at 7 am. I was dreaming that I was at a big rollicking party with friends. I was having such a wonderful time before that rude interruption!

Right off the bat, we had several whale sightings. Always a thrill. David timed our departure in order to cruise through Snow Passage at the optimum time. It is another narrow passage with many rocks and Islets. Today, whirlpools were added just for fun. The Belle was being pulled to and fro and David was kept busy at the wheel. Once through, David uttered, “Phew, now that was a challenge!” When I took the helm during an engine check soon after, we were still being “whirled” about a bit.

                                                                  Thar she blows!

We decided not to stop in Coffman Cove for the night.  Clarence Strait was so calm that we wanted to keep on going and get as far as we could that day.  The Strait can be rocky so having the sublimely calm conditions was something to take advantage of for as long as we could. It didn’t get choppy until about two hours out of Thorne Harbor on Prince of Wales Island.  The winds kicking up and the strong currents made docking more than a challenge.

David made two attempts to dock but could not swing the stern over close enough for me to step off.  We saw people at the end of the dock at the fish station, and I was tempted to yell out to them to help. On the third try the harbormaster and a gentleman from our neighboring boat arrived like the cavalry, and we gave them a good work out. It took at least 15 minutes to get her secured and in the spot the harbormaster needed us to be. Not sure we would have made it in without their help.

                                                       Tied down and ready for those winds

We were planning to stay no more than two nights but both gentleman warned us of the winds picking up on the strait during the next two days. They suggested that we stay put and so we will. This is our first weather delay on our trip which is pretty remarkable.

Our neighbor was looking for a rental car so that he and his wife could explore the island. He found a local Inn that would rent one to him for two days, and we decided to rent it on Sunday so that we can explore a bit. 

Thorne Bay used to have the largest logging camp in the United States. The industry has since switched to tourism mainly fishing lodges (we were told the fishing hasn't been so great lately). The logging industry created miles of paved roads throughout the island which link Thorne Bay to the many other island communities. We will be driving that Scenic By-way on Sunday. According to the travel brochure, Prince of Wales Island has 4,000 people in 12 unique towns with 990 miles of Pacific Ocean shoreline, and we will be experiencing as much as we can.

                                                    Seaplanes come and go all day long

                                     

David decided the engine’s oil pressure was running too high so decided to drain the 40W oil and replace it with 30W. He is hoping this will help with the pressure and slow down the oil leaks. David looks at these “lay-overs” as an opportunity to get jobs done on the boat. He plans to finish the deck painting while we are here. He does like the Belle looking her best.

In fact, as we were leaving the boat this afternoon, a gentleman brought his dinghy up just behind us and called out to us. He said he very much admired our boat and wanted to talk to us about it. Said it would be the ideal boat for his son who is in the Coast Guard.  He and his wife are involved with youth groups and thought it would be a great boat to take them on excursions.  We gave him our card after answering several of his questions. He parted with, "You never know. Miracles do happen."

  

                                     Washing the muddy mess from the anchor and chain

July 25th Petersburg to St John's Harbor

                                                               A last look at Petersburg

July 25^th  Petersburg to St. John’s Harbor

Our departure was not until 12:30 today.  We waited for high slack tide in Wrangel Narrows.  It was a warm 68 degrees when we started weaving through green and red markers along the dredged narrows. It was so pleasant that I sat out on the bow for a good chunk of the trip.

                                                       One of many homes along the way

                                                 keeping a close eye on those markers

Passing several homes along the coast, we made good time with a push from the tide.  At 1,000 rpms we topped at 9 knots per hour!  After 3 ½ hours, we anchored in lovely St. John’s Harbor off Sumner Strait. Country ribs had been roasting in the oven, and we had been smelling their goodness along the way. They were delicious!

That evening, I tried my hand at fishing again. Got one tug but whatever it was managed to get away. I really have to work on my technique!  Before heading to bed, we did Facetime with the grand-kids who were all at  the pool on our new property. Temperatures at home have been in the triple digits. We complain when it reaches into the 80’s here in Alaska. Of course, the Alaskans aren’t complaining at all!

When I took the helm during an engine check soon after, we were still being “whirled” about a bit.

We decided not to stop in Coffman Cove for the night.  Clarence Strait was so calm that we wanted to keep on going and get as far as we could that day.  The Strait can be rocky so having the sublimely calm 

July 22 Portage Bay to Petersburg

                                                                      Petersburg
 

July 22

As the boat was turned by the currents last night, we listened to the anchor chain as it was being dragged along the rocky bottom, It sounded to me like a great sea monster groaning from the depths below.

We had a quiet restful morning while waiting for high tide to allow us to exit the shallow waters. The large sailboat which had arrived around 9 pm last night, left early this morning with what seems to be a lack of concern for navigating out of here. This is where "local knowledge" comes into play, I am sure, but we were going to stick to our plan and have every advantage a high tide can give us.

                                                   Narrow and shallow

I so enjoyed sitting outside last night before going to bed. I am awestruck over the beauty of Alaska and grateful for the smooth waters it has provided us. The calm that overwhelmed me was the perfect sedative for a good night's sleep.

We decided to leave a bit early at 9:00 in order to take advantage of the favorable tides in Petersburg. Cautiously, we made our way through the Bay's entrance  retracing our route yesterday. The depth this time reached  a low of 12 feet. Once we were out in Frederick Sound, David let out a huge sigh of relief. I wonder what his pulse rate was.

                                                               Cruising in the haze   



It is hazy today again but the waters remain calm. Our Belle is a bit prouder and shinier now that David has finished his staining. It's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge, you get to the end and you have to start all over again...never ending.

We were creeping along against the tide for most of our trip today going about 5 to 6 knots. Slow boatin'  I watched two bald eagles fishing. After three attempts, one eagle flew away with a fish dinner.

No trouble finding a docking spot in Petersburg. The fishing fleet was out so there were dozens of empty slips. The following day, however, found us dwarfed and surrounded by massive working   boats. Thought I would share some pictures and information about the fishing boats we have seen along the way and their distinct  methods of fishing.

                                                        The Belle was once a purse seiner

Our stay in Petersburg this time was both pleasant and productive. I managed to catch up on my blog posts at the Glacier Express Cafe. I ordered plenty of coffees to earn my keep after 7 hours of occupying space. I was pretty wired when I left! David found more than enough to keep him busy with boat maintenance. His task today was taking apart the generator and cleaning it. He has all the fun.

                                              Lots of empty slips on the first day

We were kept awake last night by the steady humming of our neighbor's generator. With all these boats returning, the smell of fish permeates the air. I decided against hanging a blanket out on the stern clothes line to "air out". 

                                                             The "fleet" has returned!

Finally made it to the Book and Gift Shop near the harbor. I missed it my first visit. Found some treasures to bring home.  That evening we ordered a pizza from Papa Bear's Pizza in town and were told that if we wanted a beer with it, we needed to take it across the street to the Harbor Bar. There was no problem bringing in food. Must happen all the time. That Alaskan Amber was the perfect pairing for our pizza.

                                    A barge with a VW bus as the wheel house.

                                               These decorative trash bins are all through town

                   Most docks in Alaska and BC have life jackets for children "Kids Don't Float"

                                                              Definitely low tide



Enjoyed Facetime with Ella and Jessica. Our granddaughter is now 19 months old and really becoming a talker. We were thrilled that she still recognized us!  Her kisses planted on the screen were so sweet. That little girl never stopped moving the entire time. Mom has her work cut out for her!

July 21st Fanshaw Bay to Portage Bay

 

July 21

Departed 5:40 am   54 degrees  hazy and calm

Yesterday while David was staining Belle's wood sides, he called me outside because he had heard a loud breath from what he determined to be a large animal. I stood watch for a time thinking that it just might be a whale visitor. Instead, two seals revealed themselves letting out a ferocious breath as they surfaced. Not exactly the visitor we were looking for but fun none the less.

We experienced a smooth 3 hour cruise. It was so lovely, that I spent time sitting up on the dodger where the views can be spectacular and you get just a touch of breeze to freshen things up.

At the entrance to Portage Bay we glided over depths as low as 10 feet which was just a bit disconcerting. We had timed it for high tide and knew of the shallow entrance but we still held our breath.

Decided to try my hand at fishing. While patiently waiting for a tug, I saw a big salmon swim by the boat close to the surface. He didn't make it on the end of my line, but I managed to bring up a great looking rock covered in barnacles.

We were the only ones in the bay that night. It was so peaceful and the sun was still so intense at 10 that night.

July 20th Fanshaw Bay

         

July 20^th  Fanshaw Bay

61 degrees  a little breeze  sunny

First thing this morning we headed out in the dinghy to collect our catch but only found large snails and sea urchins. I was amazed at how much chicken bait these little critters consumed…much more than any crabs we have trapped. Disappointed, we determined that our traps needed to be moved and headed closer to shore.

We were both distracted when we suddenly heard a loud bump and scrapes along our hull. We were in a sea of rocks!  David quickly lifted the motor, and I kept eyes on the rocks below trying to determine which way to direct David out of this mess.

One of the first mechanical things to go wrong on this trip was our depth sounder on the dinghy. We definitely could have used it this morning. We wanted to replace it in Wrangle when we bought a new outboard motor but there were none to be had.

 

                                                Low tide revealed our problem

We managed to safely make our way from the rocks without further collisions, but when we were tying up to the side of the boat, we noticed the level of water in the boat was rising. We feared the worst. When we lifted the boat off the water, David noticed that the plug was dangling. We are guessing that the plug had been yanked out when it’s string caught on a rock. Once the plug was replaced, the water pump in the boat did its job, and we were flood free. Hours later at low tide, we saw the long, narrow string of rocks we tangled with and were lucky enough to escape with just a few hull scratches.  Time for a drink.

 

                                                      View from the dodger

Tried my hand at fishing but it is too shallow right now. Will try again at high tide. A harbor seal popped his head out while I attempted to rob him of some fish. Would really like to be able to tell Mike that I caught a big one! I should have scooped up the huge dead halibut I saw floating by our boat yesterday!

Our traps yielded 4 extra-large crabs in all. Two of our traps were empty. It was no surprise to hear David claim, “Now this is why we needed four traps, Pat.”