Ketchikan to Petersburg

I'm starting this post sitting at the "Summer Dock" in Wrangell, perhaps the most authentic of the most often visited SE Alaska towns. We've travelled over 1000 nautical miles so far and the four of us are not only still speaking to one another, we're laughing constantly and continuously creating magic together. Glenda and I feel so lucky to have the kinds of friends and family who can live in close quarters for a week or four weeks and grow even closer as time goes on. We've discovered that spending extended time on a boat in the wilderness forges a special kind of bond with friends that doesn't have time to emerge out of the brief dinners and get togethers we have at home. It's living life large and concentrated, squeezing what seems like a year's worth of extraordinary experiences into a brief period. At this stage in our lives, making the most of each day matters more and more, and there is simply nothing more special than this kind of quality time with loved ones.

Michael and Jane in New York Hotel Cafe, Ketchikan

Yes - we're eating well! This one is eggs, quinoa, beans, corn, bacon, sour cream, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, avocado

After two windy and rainy days in Ketchikan getting laundry and shopping done, we departed on  a day with 30 knot winds predicted from the south. Se we headed north out of Ketchikan to keep the wind at our backs, bearing east to begin a clockwise circumnavigation of Revilligegedo Island (it took me almost a decade to be able to pronounce it). First stop Yes Bay, and then on to Walker Bay, perhaps the most breathtaking fjord I've ever visited.

Loon in Yes Bay

Still waters and totems

Subtle colors in the sky, Yes Bay

Lingering light in Yes Bay

On the way to Walker Bay we were boarded by the Coast Guard for a routine safety inspection (which we passed with flying colors). This was especially fun for Michael whose son is in the Coast Guard. Turns out it was a fortuitous boarding. A knowledgable State Trooper told us to skip famous Punchbowl with its endless stream of sight-seeing float planes, and go to Walker Bay instead. There is a single mooring buoy at the end of the six mile fjord and, if we were lucky, it would be available. They then rushed off (a 50mpg patrol boat that burns 100 gallons per hour). Later, we saw them coming out of Walker Bay at a clip and we wondered--was there someone already there? I considered calling them to find out, but didn't want to interrupt official business. As we rounded the last curve in Walker Bay, our hearts sunk for an instant. The buoy was occupied. But then the radio crackled with our name. The boat was Alpenglow, a slightly larger and sedan version of Seaducktress, a boat we knew. Curt and Marsha came on the radio. "The Coast Guard told us you were coming. We checked and they said no problem putting two of us on a single buoy. So we've been waiting for you."We had a lovely afternoon in the kayaks and watching bear drama on the beach.

River delta in Walker Bay

While at the buoy in Walker Bay, we witnessed some exciting bear drama. First we saw a mama brown bear and her young cub. But they seemed wary, and sure enough a while later, a large male brown bear appeared stage right. Soon, he was in full chase of mamma. We were concerned because males are known to kill young cubs in order to force females into heat, so we began hooting and shouting and whistling from the boats. And it worked! Mom and cub ran on while Papa stopped in his tracks and watched us, bewildered.

But the story didn't end there. About an hour later, mom and her cub were back on the beach. This time of year they subsist on grass and things they can dig up from the beach. They needed to keep eating to build weight after hibernation. But the cub suddenly spotted something in the distance, standing up on his hind legs to get a better look. It was the male bear.

We were all very worried, especially when mom turned and began walking towards the brute (as we thought of him.) And then, without warning, she began running, leaving the cub on the beach, and chased the big male right into the woods--and disappeared in there with him.

Late that night, mom and cub were back on the beach, alone.

But I must admit, I kind of wondered what mom and the "brute" did for all that time they were in the woods.

The third day we the Behm Canal circumnavigation, returning to Ketchikan, staying this time in Thomas Basin at the south end of town--the place where the Race to Alaska (R2K) finishes. We enjoyed dinner and fantastic music at the New York Hotel Cafe, our new favorite spot in Ketchikan.

Next stop, Meyer's Chuck, a tiny bay with population in mid summer of 20-25, where Cassie delivers the best cinnamon buns ever to the boat at 8am. We hiked out to a remote beach and watched a pod of orcas pass by.

View of the "Back Chuck" at Meyers Chuck

Homes carved on the rock shore

And then on to remote Berg Bay, on the back side of Wrangell Island. A group of Dahl's porpoises played on our bow before we entered the cove and anchored near a Forest Service cabin. The moment we anchored, I spotted a large hawk-like bird with a white breast that none of us could identify at first; but then, after poring through the bird book, we realized it was a relatively rare Osprey. This must be his home, because he spent the whole afternoon, evening and the next morning with us, flying from tree to tree, every once in a while splashing down into the water to catch a meal. Jane spent quite some time watching her through binoculars, and the next morning when we left, she had tears in her eyes, having to say goodbye to her new friend. Even the lone brown bear on the beach couldn't hold a candle to the Osprey. Perhaps Jane has discovered her totem animal.

Berg Bay with bear meadow behind us

Looking south out of Berg Bay

Our resident osprey

We pulled anchor at 6:20 and headed around the north end of Wrangell Island, pulling into the town itself by about 9, the proceeded to eat a gargantuan greasy spoon breakfast at the Diamond C in town. Michael and I climbed Mt Dewey behind town to work off the meal while the gals shopped.

And now, it's May 24th and we are sitting in Petersburg. Tomorrow Ron and Pam fly in and the six of will undertake our birthday cruise to Alaska, hopefully via the glacier at Tracy Arm.