Cruising 6/12/2015

2015 Boating Season

Cruising 6/12/2015

Ketchikan, Alaska

This is our 5^th Blog and we will have to break this down into three Blogs! It has been a month since we have had time to write. So hang on and enjoy the ride!!

My last letter had us entering Alaska from Canada on June 7th. We had to stay in Ketchikan for four days before the weather finally calmed down. We stayed in the marina closest to town and right by the cruise ships. Disney happened to be there. Ketchikan is Alaska's southernmost port of call and located within the Tongass National Forest. They have a traditional Native culture and heritage with great history. We rode the free bus around and did our shopping for supplies.

Once the weather let up, we started our cruise up Clarence Strait to Meyers Chuck. We saw three Whales and Dall Porpoise on the way. Meyers Chuck started as a small fishing village with weathered cabins, a dock, and much hasn't changed. Some residents stay year around here and have generators, solar power, and use rain water. They grow their own gardens and have chickens. This is a good place to stop in bad weather between Ketchikan and Wrangell. (And it was still a little nasty out.) With our rain pants and rain jackets on, we went for a hike and stopped at a locals gallery for a visit. There is a phone number on the dock for a lady who will make huge cinnamon rolls and bring them to your boat in the early mornings. We did get them two years ago when my mother came with us but passed it up this time.

Early morning., still misty but calm, we start cruising Ernest Sound, up Zimovia strait, Chichagof Pass, into Stikine Strait for an overnight anchor in Roosevelt Harbor. If you notice, most of the names are Russian. The Russians came over for fur and trading with the natives, bringing the Orthodox church with them. They gave Russian names to the islands and later sold Alaska to the United States. Of course, no one asked the natives what they thought!! They had lived here for hundreds of years.

Roosevelt Harbor

Though it was rainy and foggy, we saw deer, eagles, and a rainbow. The eagle in the picture was soaking wet and looked mad at the world.

Out of Roosevelt Harbor we cruised through Sumner Strait then north up the Wrangell Narrows to see our friend and a little island call Keene Island.  Part Tongass National Park and part Steve Sari's home away from home. Which you will hear about in the next blog.

Happy Cruising Everyone,

Russ and Toni on Traveler