A Quick Spin in SE Alaska

On our last day in Sitka the rain stopped and the sun almost came out.



We learned that Sitka security systems can be simple yet effective, but we wonder if this system might be more dangerous for the person that sets it nightly than for the thief.



As we left to make our way through the narrow passes and sounds of SE Alaska we confirmed that Alaska is the land of sport fishing boats, seaplanes and state ferries.





The coast guard is vigilant about keeping the navigation markers in working order.



Though sometimes foggy, when it cleared we were rewarded with beautiful vistas.





A much anticipated stop on our tour was the Baranof Warm Springs. A stop complete with a float for the boat to come alongside!



We tied up with a view of the falls. Any closer and maneuvering the boat would have been difficult with so much water coming down from the mountains.



We had to decide between the public bath house and the warm spring pools a short hike away - so we resolved to do both.



The scenery was beautiful, and neither the bathhouse nor the hot spring pools disappointed.





Refreshed from the soaking, we untied the lines and crossed Frederick Sound.



Frederick Sound is known as an area where hundreds of humpback whales congregate this time of year and our transit was in calm conditions perfect for seeing the them.





Though typically we would rather be sailing than motoring, it was a treat to have our day made more enjoyable by such great entertainment. We stopped the motor for almost an hour just to hear the whales blowing and communicating. This was the first time either of us had been around so many whales.



At the east end of the sound is a town called Petersburg. On our way in to town we saw the masts of a fishing boat sticking out of the water and the salvage boat just arriving.





In town we learned that the boat had struck a large chunk of ice in the middle of the night and had gone down within minutes. We had seen some small bergy bits in the channel and this boat reminded us why we are not traveling at night with ice and logs to avoid.



The town of Petersburg was fun to explore with old building and a Norwegian influence that reminded us of Ballard and Poulsbo, WA.





The town is a very active fishing town with several processing plants and even a large bunkhouse complex for workers.





We were told that sunny days in Petersburg are rare and the good motoring weather made it prudent for us to leave the comfortable dock in time to transit the Wrangle narrows after a quick one night stop.



The channel is marked by 60 navigation markers in the narrows. They were easy to follow and our timing of the tides on Marcy was done perfectly to avoid the potentially nasty area in the middle of the 20 mile long narrows where the current reverses. The markers come fast and furious around marker number 42 and look a bit intimidating upon approach but all in all it was an easy transit.



Our last stop in Alaska at an inhabited location was a small community, Meyers Chuck, where even the post office has a dinghy dock.



Upon arrival we were greeted by a couple, Carol and Dan, who have a home on the island and who keep a troller at the dock this time of year. Luckily for us Dan was able to do a quick brazing repair for us, saving us a run-around in Ketchican. We were very grateful for his help and enjoyed a nice afternoon with them.



After Meyers Chuck the weather began to deteriorate and our progress south was halted at Foggy Bay for a couple of days to wait for an early fall storm to blow through SE Alaska and northern BC. This storm was just a reminder that we need to keep moving south to avoid the fall storms that will probably arrive soon. The storm blew over and we were on our way to Canada just in time for labor day weekend.