WE MADE IT TO KETCHIKAN, ALASKA !

A Bald Eagle keeps a watchful eye from the mast of a fish boat as we enter.

We docked at Thomas Basin near downtown Ketchikan. 

He looks like he has lived here all of his life!

Hooray! We made it!!!!!

Infamous "Creek Street" in Ketchikan has a saying: "Where the fish and the fisherman go up the creek to spawn." This was the part of town where prominent business men would sneak through the back alleys while fishermen, trappers, miners and lonely men of all kinds would enter through the front doors of the houses of "ill repute". During Prohibition row boats delivered booze through trap doors. Prostitution was legal until 1954 in Ketchikan!

On the boat we have my homemade Italian sausage, pepperoni, anchovie with fresh basil pizza for lunch. Louie and Daniel love anchovies as you can see!

April 30th OUR VOYAGE SO FAR

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Above is an interactive map of our voyage so far. Click on map icons for details.

April 28th Prince Rupert to Foggy Bay

We contacted the United States Customs Office to ask permission to anchor in Foggy Bay since the distance to Ketchikan was too far for us to make in one day. Permission granted. We departed Prince Rupert and sailed across Dixon Entrance into the sun. It was a great weather window!

"POUTINE" A Canadian Delicacy!

After a recent tour of Canada, Michael Angelo's "David" indulged in the Canadian delicacy from Quebec called Poutine. It was difficult lifting him back on his pedestal in Florence, Italy. A Frenchman's revenge for all who might partake in extreme comfort food it's ingredients are :

Fresh Cut Potatoes (French Fried)
Rich Gravy
Cheese Curd
This dish does not only "Stick to your ribs" but everywhere else it can find a spot. Another delicious new way for Americans to gain weight. Mmmm Good!

EAGLES, EAGLES EVERYWHERE !!!!!!!!!

We have seen more Bald Eagles in one place here in Prince Rupert than ever before. At one point we observed 50 or more circling, diving and performing their tumbling acrobatic mating rituals in the sky. Daniel and I were in the dinghy attempting to photograph this wonder.

April 25th Prince Rupert

On our way to Rushbrook Harbor we pass the "Queen of Prince Rupert" the BC Ferry that replaced the sunken "Queen of the North".

Rushbrook Harbor is a public dock with mostly fish and prawn boats.

We pass the Prince Ruperts Memorial to "All Souls Lost at Sea".

We enjoyed visiting "Cow Bay" and the "Breakers Pub.

April 24 Grenville Channel

On Grenville Channel the weather can change in an instant! We were cruising along enjoying the sun when out of nowhere came a black cloud dumping a deluge of rain. The wind gusted to 60 knots and within 15 minutes the sun was shining again and the wind dropped to 8 knots. Just a reminder from Mother Nature not to become too complacent.

This is a perfect example of glacier carved valleys along Grenville Channel

April 24th Baker Inlet Via Watts Narrows

We navigate the narrows with caution relying on the information in Douglas Cruising Guide. Lou stands on the bow to call out to Daniel in case of any obstructions. The current swirls in whirlpools as we transverse the intimidating passage.

Beyond the narrow entrance the inlet opens up to a beautiful calm anchorage where we safely anchor for the night.

April 23 Khutze Inlet and Butedale

As we travel along the Inside Passage the beauty of the this raw wilderness is indescribable. Glacier gouged valleys, snow capped mountains, waterfalls, deep fiord's with treacherous currents abound. Remnants of man's attempts to capture the natural resources are visible with logging and the occasional abandonned fish cannery but nature wins out in the end. We see that the forest reclaims the feeble attempts of man as we pass by the crumbling remains of Butedale Fish Cannery circa 1900 to 1950's. The trees quickly fill in the scars of clear cutting and yet old growth still towers over their efforts in impossible heights and angles of steep precipices and canyons. We anchor in Khutze Inlet at the mouth of the Canoona River for the night.

We departed Shearwater and headed out to open ocean rather than navigate the narrow "rock pile" to Oliver Cove. The open ocean was amazingly calm and we did not feel the ocean swell as we rounded the lighthouse. We anchored in the cove and witnessed a wonderful sunset resembeling of all things a "mushroom cloud".

April 22nd Namu to Shearwater to Oliver Cove

We stop at Shearwater for fuel and lunch. This is a great stop to re-fuel the boat, the body and the soul (with some dark chocolate from the store) and a wonderful shower with unlimited hot water. While in the store I noticed the packaging on some "Steer Manure" that seemed to rub my 1960's feminist ideals negatively. What does the contents have to do with the picture?

April 21st Around Cape Caution onto Namu

It is a perfect voyage around Cape Caution and the weather is so calm we head for our destination of Namu. There is nothing as wonderful as true and real hospitality. Usually reserved for "family" the feeling of being welcomed into someone's home to share friendship, stories, food and a sense of "togetherness" is a rare and beautiful experience! This is our visit to Namu! Our precious friends welcomed us as we pulled into this remote abandoned cannery where they care-take this place of important history of the British Columbia coast. We are invited to a feast of fresh Dungeness Crab and clams that have been prepared in an unbelievable tasty "secret" way. We have been craving them for 2 years since we last had them. We watch the sun set through the silhouette of Seventh Heaven and after dinner spend a restful night. In the morning we will depart for Shearwater and then on to Oliver Cove.

Daniel devours the wonderful clams as we enjoy dinner with our friends. We introduce "Taquito's" to our friends and we feasted on fresh crab and salad.

April 20th Port McNeill to Allison Cove

OUR WEATHER WINDOW OPENS! Across Queen Charlotte Strait blowing 15 to 20 knots. The weather is so perfect we bypass our first option of Blunden Harbor and sail onto Allison Cove. As we turn in we can see Cape Caution in the distance. We enter through a narrow channel and turn into the protected arms of Allison Cove. In the morning we pull anchor in the perfectly calm mirror-like water and depart to sail around Cape Caution.

April 13th to April 19th Port McNeil

Daniel arrived in all of his glory! Now we must wait out a 3 day gale blowing 35 to 40 knots with 6 to 10 ft. seas

April 14th Port McNeill Waiting for Daniel's Arrival

No, this is not and optical illusion! this little tug is pulling this great big barge into harbor at Port McNeill. We have re-provisioned and are anxiously awaiting Daniel's arrival.

April 13th Port Harvey to Port McNeill

We passed the ancient pictographs dipicting trade between the natives and English ships.

It had been a long day and we looked forward to the protection of Port Harvey for the night.

In the morning we awoke to the glass like reflections of the snow capped mountains. Lou changed our weathered "Courtesy Flags" that had seen one year of cruising this incredible place. We had breakfast and pulled anchor to continue the last leg of our journey to Port McNeill.

April 12th Johnstone Strait

Sometimes things all come together in a glorious chain of events. We departed Campbell River, fueled up at $1.20 Canadian per litre (3.7 litres per US gallon Ouch!) and made our way to the infamous Seymour Narrows exactly at slack. Not a single boat was to be seen. The ebb tide and southerly wind gave us a fantastic 8 hour ride averaging 9 knots all the way. Since conditions were so wonderful we passed possible anchorages of Thurston Bay and Port Neville pulling in at Port Harvey for the night. It was without a doubt the best voyage on Johnstone that we have experienced in the past! Snow capped mountains lined the inside passage. Black fins of the porpoises would occasionally break the surface as they fed at the many inlet entrances that we passed.

April 12 Campbell River to Port Harvey

First and most importantly: "Happy 41st Birthday to our son Daniel!" While in Campbell River we docked at Fisherman's Wharf which is half the price of Discovery Marina and Coast Hotel Marina. It was great seeing the familiar faces of the Harbor Mistress, tug boat captains and live aboards. We did some necessary repairs including having our refrigerator re-charged and it is now maintaining a steady 34 degrees. Campbell River is a great town for marine repairs with many choices and expert repairman. Saturday morning is our day to navigate Seymour Narrows at a slack ebb tide.

April 9th Depart Comox for Campbell River

For the next two days we rested our weary bones and enjoyed conversing with the local characters on the dock. After hearing our story, one fellow said: "If you need anything just take my truck to town." We thanked him for his offer but chose to walk to town to buy a new shackle for the dinghy. Along the way we saw a quaint Italian Ristorante called "Toscanos". In need of some comfort food we enjoyed the best Paninis we have ever eaten. We returned the next day also.
We departed Wednesday morning at 7:30 AM at high tide to transit the Comox Bar. It had snowed lightly the night before and the dock was covered in a sugary white ice. Lou had to use great caution as he untied the frozen dock lines. In the distance the mountains were covered with newly fallen snow. We vigently followed the "Red" markers on the sand bar and make the turn at Cape Lazo. We are on the way to Campbell River in a light wind and a smooth sea.

Lou unties the frozen lines on the icy dock.

The colorful boats of Comox Harbor.