May 31 to June 3

As we motored up the east side of Clarence Strait, DX and Mercy were coming up the west side to all meet in Burnett Inlet. We anchored up, rafted onto Mercy, in the little bay behind Cannery Pt. As in the rest of Alaska and BC the canneries just show up as ruins; testiment to the early days of bountiful fish. We needed to wait for high tide to enter the head of the Inlet. The narrows is just that and has thin water, too (reported to be just 1 and a half feet at low tide. We found 10 feet as we crossed the lowest point. Interestingly we also found 10 feet when we took the dinghy through at low tide. How did that happen?
We again rafted onto Mercy and spent two days in the very pleasant bay. The nice weather prompted us to get to shore for some needed exercise. We all took a long walk on a gravel road that connects to Anita Bay; except we went left instead of right. We found many bones along the way and scat that had deer hair in it. We found out later that this was a sign of wolves.
Ernie, Bob and I took his whaler down to the fish hatchery for a very interesting visit. We were impressed by the very complicated operation and surprised to hear that it is a fisherman's co-op. They tax themselves 3% of their catch to support the hatchery which raises and releases coho and sockeye salmon. The fish must be fed every half hour all day and all conditions carefully monitored. Before they are released, 10% of the coho become pinheads. They are put through a machine, by hand, that inserts an identification pin in their head. The sockeye are marked by changing the water temperature in their tanks alternately between warm and cold. This puts marks on their otolith (ear bones) that identify where they were hatched and when. FASCINATING!
We all moved to the dock at the hatchery on 6-2, and even had electricity provided. Their hydro plant produced plenty. We had the two young men, who were working at the hatchery, onboard Mercy for a dinner that we all contributed to. I think they were really happy to get the good food as well as the company and conversation.
6-3 Ever restless Ernie was up early and away from the dock, headed to Point Baker. We had been listening to wind warnings for several days, but this day seemed to be the best for travel in Clarence Strait. Before long Ernie was calling back to tell us he had wind (one 42 kt gust) and rough water, and that we should stay tied to the dock. After clearing the dock for an incoming supply plane, we suggested that Mercy move off the net pen and onto the dock proper. We then rafted onto them and then spent several hour bouncing up and down as the south wind picked up and brought swells and whitecaps into the Inlet.
More later......I need to catch up.

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Meyers Chuck

After leaving Ketchikan with a good share of our money,for the stay at the dock and the generator parts and repair, we headed up Clarence Strait to Meyers Chuck. We left in light rain; Ketchikan is going to have to do better than that to get their totals up to average this year(12 feet). Clarence was behaving very nicely, but it was a slow trip due to running against the current. We have been spoiled with good, pushing currents for sometime.
Arriving at Meyers Chuck we found the floats full with the only option to anchor out or raft onto another boat. We rafted onto the fish buying tender "Savage". A 90 footer that we learned was owned and operated by a very petite little woman who has had the boat for 16 years. She looks like a kid, but it seems that she does very well with that big, old boat.
This morning there was a general boat shuffling and we took the dock space that Mary Grace left. The Provider moved to the inside of the dock and the boat that was anchored out, Huntress, rafted onto Savage. We had a rain shower in the early morning, but then the sun came out and it has been a beautiful day. We thought DX was coming in today, but he is across the channel from us and we'll probably meet up tomorrow. It's been fun visiting with the folks on the dock here; local residents as well as visiting boaters. And the best thing is that these state docks are FREE in Alaska.
My tomato plants (from the seeds I found in a Geocache in Idaho) is blooming up a storm and has set on at least 3 tomatoes so far. Life is good. Except Bob has not caught a fish yet...it's still early.
More later...

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On to Alaska (cont)

Our plan was to anchor in Coghlan anchorage the next day, but that is not a very secure spot and gale winds were predicted overnight. We ended up running 75.6 miles to Lowe Inlet, a more secure spot but very deep. We dropped the anchor in 100 feet and then kept an eye on the depth sounder as we alternately went from 60 feet to 19 feet over the shoal. We kept the anchor alarms set to alert us to movement of over 150 feet.
After the long run, we decided to make a few easy ones. Klewnugget was our next stop. We put our prawn traps down on the way in and pulled up 130 prawns as we left the next morning.
With lots of storm warnings, even hurricane force winds predicted, we decided to stay put till conditions eased. We stayed in Kumealon for 4 nights with Destiny. The storm didn't materialize in our area, but we were faced with Dixon Entrance next, and we would rather have good conditions out there.
On May 22 we awoke to fog in the bay, so we delayed our departure for a bit. Even with a late start, we left the constables on the police boat that had shared an overnight anchorage with us still snoozing. They missed their chance to check our entrance number into Canadian waters. We thought we'd go as far as Dundas Island, Brundige Inlet, but we found conditions so smooth that we decided to go on to Foggy Bay, Alaska. We crossed into Alaskan waters at 3:04 on May 22 and arrived in Foggy Bay at 5:45. By that time Mac was showing yellow eyeballs, so the first order of business was to get the dinghy down and get him to shore. Well, we did take time to get an anchor down and set. We fell into bed not too long after that after a 83.2 mile, 11 hour day. We shared the quiet, peaceful anchorage with Destiny and Inspiration.
Even though it was a 5 hour run into Ketchikan, it seemed like a short day. We had the roughest water we've seen yet; 3 foot following seas, but we still haven't put any salt on the boat.
We have been in Ketchikan since the 23rd waiting for generator parts. They finally arrived today, Saturday the 28th, and we are ready to depart tomorrow.
The weather has been beautiful during our stay, and it has been fun watching all the hustle and bustle of this busy little town. Some days there are 6 cruise ships visiting adding about 10,000 people to the streets and shops. Bob was shocked one day to see someone he knew among the many cruise ship tourists, Keith and Bonnie Morris. Bob and Keith coached football in Warden and Bob had coached Keith in track in Grandvieew in 1964. They were equally surprised to see him.
More later...depending on phone service.

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Crossing

After getting our expensive cat back Saturday afternoon, we watched him carefully and determined that his plumbing was working quite well. At 0:dark30 on Sunday morning we were the second boat away from the dock, and headed out around Malcolm Island and on across Queen Charlotte Strait. This was a new stretch of water for us, but we were pleasantly surprised by the strong current that pushed us at an average of 8 knots all the way to Miles Inlet. In our 6.5 knot boat burning expensive diesel, that kind of an assist is always welcome. The water was smooth all the way with only slight ocean swells rocking us gently as we approached Miles Inlet. It is only 10 miles south of Cape Caution, so we thought we'd spend the night there and go around the Cape in the early morning. After getting anchored up, getting down the dinghy and transporting the dog to shore, we listened to the weather. We spend a lot of time listening to the forecasts and current sea conditions. When we heard tha!
t the wind was calm and the seas smooth at Egg Island, just above the Cape, we looked at each other and decided to pick up and go for it. It meant another 4.5 hours added to an already long day, but getting around the Cape would be worth it. By 4:30 in the afternoon we were rafted alongside DX in one of the prettiest anchorages in BC, Fury Cove. When he left the next morning we dropped our anchor and spent another day of rest there. We spent part of the day exploring the nearby islands by kayak.
On up Fitz Hugh Sound and into Codville Lagoon where we trapped 115 prawns overnight. We also had to put up with a growly anchor as the chain drug across the rocky bottom.
Today it was on to Shearwater where we were pleasantly surprised by all the improvements including a new store, post office and laundromat. We were unpleasantly surprised by the amount charged for the stay. We stayed in Port McNeill for almost 3 nights for the price of 1 night here.
The weather has changed, we couldn't expect to have that great weather forever. It's cloudy and cooler and winds are predicted. Our little heater is keeping us nice and warm. We're glad to have it.
Weather permitting, we plan to get on up the way in the morning.

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