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.
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.
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.
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".
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.
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!
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