Sunday, August 24, 2008
Petersburg, Alaska
We have been here for a few days now. A very friendly Norwegian City of 3500 people including a lot of fisherman. I think there are 5 processors of fish in town, good restaurants and cute shops in town. This will be where we leave the boat for the winter. We have met the 'boat sitter' and are pleased to learn we do not have to do much winterzing of the boat. There is good, consistent power and the little heaters we boat for the lower compartments should be all we need. Apparently, they do get a good bit of snow here but the temperatures do not stay below freezing for long periods of time.The city has 800 boat slips and is active all year. There are pleasure boats of all sizes up to 200 feet that stay here.We had dinner on a 62' steel boat 'Sonata' with an 18' beam. This boat had the very latest in marine technology and even had a piano and a pot belly stove in the main salon. The Sonata will stay here all winter.We are having some halibut processed that we caught on the way here and will leave tomorrow for more fishing. Jerry is out on the end of the dock catching bait. Yes, catching bait. Herring. They are about 9 inches long and the halibut love them. Hopefully, we will catch more fish to ship home. The weather seems to finally be clearing up today after nearly continuous rain for the last week. There is not much wind so even though the temperatures are in the mid 60s, it is not very cold. Out trip is coming to a close - we have reservations to leave on the 21st of Sept.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Still No Sunshine
August 13, 2008 - We got a message today that Mary Thompson and Tom Russell will be coming in on the ferry tomorrow. We have planned to get together for dinner.
August 14, 2008 – Well they got here and we in fact had drinks on the boat and then went to dinner. It was fun being with folks we knew. They are using the ferry system to get around to all the high spots in Alaska, staying in B & B’s. Renting cars when they need to – a very unique way to see the countryside.
August 19, 2008 We are here in Wrangell AK.: A small town of 1200 people and 4 hardware stores, all a ‘true value’. This is our second night here, tomorrow we move on the Petersburg.
August 14, 2008 – Well they got here and we in fact had drinks on the boat and then went to dinner. It was fun being with folks we knew. They are using the ferry system to get around to all the high spots in Alaska, staying in B & B’s. Renting cars when they need to – a very unique way to see the countryside.
August 19, 2008 We are here in Wrangell AK.: A small town of 1200 people and 4 hardware stores, all a ‘true value’. This is our second night here, tomorrow we move on the Petersburg.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Still Cruisin'
August 6, 2008 – Well we headed out for Ketchikan knowing that the weather was predicted to get nasty, but we stayed fairly close to land and had several anchorages available along the way.
We got as far as Foggy Bay and stayed for 3 days. The weather was cold, foggy, raining and high winds still out in the open waters. Jerry was getting a little ‘antsy’ so we left and headed across the Revillagigedo Channel. UGHLY! We needed to turn to the West to get on the other side of the Channel but the wind and waves were blowing from the South. We had to tack our way across and as soon as we got the protection of the high mountain things were a lot better.
We pulled into Ketchikan only to be surrounded by boaters who had been sitting out the weather for almost a week. The next day just on ‘cue’ the skies opened up and the sun came out. Jerry and I walked around the city and had a nice afternoon.
August 1, 2008 – Byron got into town and we had a nice dinner of Bouillabaisse and caught up on family gossip.
August 2, 2008 – Another beautiful day for the Blueberry Festival. We had a nice day together. Stocked up on ‘booze’ and will head out tomorrow.
August 3, 2008 – We have decided to circle around the Revillagigedo Island on the Behm Canal. We didn’t get very far today – after filling up the diesel tanks @$4.58 a gallon we spent several hours trolling with no luck. We spent the night at the Dogfish Bay on a Ranger Dock – Jerry and Byron went out in the dinghy and caught a mess of small rock fish.
August 4, 2008 – More trolling today – Byron caught a beautiful 8 pound Sockeye Salmon. We spent the night on another Forest Service Dock in Traitor’s Cove. The weather has continued to be sunny and in the low 80s. And this morning we walked up to the bear watching platform built over a waterfalls area where there are salmon ladders and lots of bear trying to catch them. After that little 3 mile hike we were all tired but ready to move on just a bit further up the Canal to Yes Bay. A truly striking area where the fish are plentiful and the waters protected. There is a Yes Bay Lodge where we stopped for bait and fishing info. This is the place you want to come to for that ‘male bonding’ www.yesbay.com.
August 5, 2008 – We continued along the Behm Canal through the Misty Fjords staying at Fitzgibbon, Walker and Punchbowl Coves, Each one more beautiful than the next. Finally we came back to Ketchikan for Byron to catch an early morning flight on Sunday. Unfortunately a weather low closed in and we are still here with rain, fog, rain, wind, and rain. The forecast has been and continues for 35 knot winds and 7 foot seas. We have kept ourselves busy with visits to the marine store and walking around Ketchikan. It is now Wednesday and the harbor here is full of boats like us waiting to get back on the water.
We got as far as Foggy Bay and stayed for 3 days. The weather was cold, foggy, raining and high winds still out in the open waters. Jerry was getting a little ‘antsy’ so we left and headed across the Revillagigedo Channel. UGHLY! We needed to turn to the West to get on the other side of the Channel but the wind and waves were blowing from the South. We had to tack our way across and as soon as we got the protection of the high mountain things were a lot better.
We pulled into Ketchikan only to be surrounded by boaters who had been sitting out the weather for almost a week. The next day just on ‘cue’ the skies opened up and the sun came out. Jerry and I walked around the city and had a nice afternoon.
August 1, 2008 – Byron got into town and we had a nice dinner of Bouillabaisse and caught up on family gossip.
August 2, 2008 – Another beautiful day for the Blueberry Festival. We had a nice day together. Stocked up on ‘booze’ and will head out tomorrow.
August 3, 2008 – We have decided to circle around the Revillagigedo Island on the Behm Canal. We didn’t get very far today – after filling up the diesel tanks @$4.58 a gallon we spent several hours trolling with no luck. We spent the night at the Dogfish Bay on a Ranger Dock – Jerry and Byron went out in the dinghy and caught a mess of small rock fish.
August 4, 2008 – More trolling today – Byron caught a beautiful 8 pound Sockeye Salmon. We spent the night on another Forest Service Dock in Traitor’s Cove. The weather has continued to be sunny and in the low 80s. And this morning we walked up to the bear watching platform built over a waterfalls area where there are salmon ladders and lots of bear trying to catch them. After that little 3 mile hike we were all tired but ready to move on just a bit further up the Canal to Yes Bay. A truly striking area where the fish are plentiful and the waters protected. There is a Yes Bay Lodge where we stopped for bait and fishing info. This is the place you want to come to for that ‘male bonding’ www.yesbay.com.
August 5, 2008 – We continued along the Behm Canal through the Misty Fjords staying at Fitzgibbon, Walker and Punchbowl Coves, Each one more beautiful than the next. Finally we came back to Ketchikan for Byron to catch an early morning flight on Sunday. Unfortunately a weather low closed in and we are still here with rain, fog, rain, wind, and rain. The forecast has been and continues for 35 knot winds and 7 foot seas. We have kept ourselves busy with visits to the marine store and walking around Ketchikan. It is now Wednesday and the harbor here is full of boats like us waiting to get back on the water.
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