Alaska update 6-29-2013

Toni here:

                                                          

What a nice cruise we had from Icy Strait to Chatham Strait. The fog softly drifts down from the mountain tops and lightly lays on the water. We were told to stop off in Tenakee Inlet and go to Tenakee Springs. The book says, “ A popular getaway for Juneau residents, a quaint village best known for its hot springs.” We got a little excited at the description. Our walk through the village was a small trail between houses and not very friendly residents. I have a feeling a lot of them just didn't want to look at someone carrying a camera. Wonder why? Derelict boats and crab nets, garbage is burned on the beaches, even some old boats were burned on the beach! They let the tides clean it up. No roads, only 4 wheelers and bicycles. Oh yea, I almost forgot to mention the outhouses. They sit up on stilts and hang over the beach. The best thing about Tenakee was free ice cream! A resident makes ice cream along the trail and it's free. We met a wonderful couple on a unique boat, 65 foot, 1980 Willard called 'Irish Mist', Pat and Teri. They live in Tucson, Arizona, Mexico, and have a log home in Tenakee. Pat had caught crab that morning and gave us some for our dinner. Alaska crab, so good!! Oh, the hot springs were open for men from 10am to 2pm and women from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm, all nude. We decide to pass on that.

                                                       Tenakee Hot Springs

Alaska Crab

The next day we anchored in Crab Bay and I caught three fish and Russ caught one. Of course his was the biggest. I was so excited to catch my first fish in Alaska! We ate some great rock fish for dinner and froze the yellow eye. I know it looks orange but they do have yellow eyes. While in this cove we watched migratory birds and a nursery of baby seals. In the evening a mommy brown bear and baby cub came out but not close enough for a picture. In the evenings large horse flys come out and bite with a sting like a bee. We stay inside the boat and play cribbage, which by the way I am winning. Later they leave and the no see-ums come out. I don't know how people live here. If there is a breeze, they all seem to stay away but you can not go outside or you are covered.

Yellow Eye

We watch as logs are being lifted by a huge helicopter and moved from the side of the mountain to the loading areas by the water. It is fascinating how close they come to the trees. They were bringing one log every two minutes down the mountain. That takes skill.

As we cruise along, we are both watching for all kinds of wildlife. In one day we saw eagles, a brown bear, a Sitka deer with a fawn, a whale and dall porpoise. We have seen all kinds of ducks, crows and ravens. Sometimes I am looking so hard to find them, I picture them all jumping out from behind the trees and waving, after we go by.

Traveler

We anchored in Appleton Cove off of Peril Strait. We went for a hike and had a very nice evening. There were several boats anchored. This is a good place to wait for the slack tide before entering Sergius Narrows heading for Sitka, Alaska. The tides are very important in Alaska for cruising and anchoring. You don't want to enter a narrows when the tides are running fast and you don't want to anchor and end up on the beach during low tide. So I have learned to ask, several times a day, what are the tides and are we anchored deep enough. We have several charts and look at all of them before heading to a new location. Russ is a very good Captain. Of course, I am the Admiral.

We are up by 5:30 am to head for Sergius Narrows. Ahead of us is a large sailboat. What a wonderful morning it turns out to be. We are there at the perfect time for the tides and on to Sitka. 

We are excited and will update you on our stay there. Thank you for following us on our journey.