After spending a handful of days in Juneau, we left and headed for Sitka, where we docked Airship for two whole weeks! Kevin had a work thing going on that we needed reliable internet for (and an airport for a trip to San Jose) and we’d already been in Juneau for a handful of days, so a change of scenery would be nice. We spent some more time wandering around … Read more
Southeast Alaska is among the finest cruising grounds in the world. Stretching more than 300nm from north to south and more than 100nm west to east, it’s a huge and diverse area. Most of it is protected, too, with calm water, relatively easy access to services, and no overnight cruising required. I’ve spent most summers for the last decade exploring SE Alaska and I haven’t seen it all, but Prince … Read more
A few hours after we got to Auke Bay, two more friends arrived: Erika, who we went to college with, and Josh, her partner. The next day, with six of us aboard Akeeva, we headed to Endicott Arm, Dawes Glacier, and Ford’s Terror. Even after 15-plus visits, this little section of Alaska delights. The combination of moderate travel distances, protected water, magnificent fjord scenery, wildlife, solitude, and a tidewater glacier … Read more
The flotilla might be over, but our cruising isn’t. The day after the flotilla concluded, friends arrived in Juneau, and the next day we set off for Skagway. Skagway is the first destination of what we hope will be a year of adventure on Akeeva. The plan is to explore Alaska this summer, including (hopefully) Prince William Sound, then work our way south along the Pacific Coast in the fall. … Read more
We had the anchors up by 5:45a.m. this morning to make our way to the rapids for high slack, which we thought would be around 6:30a.m. The rapids cooperated nicely and we had an easy transit. Exiting Ford’s Terror and motoring out of Endicott Arm always feels a little deflating. On the way in, the views get progressively more impressive. On the way out, the sheer cliffs turn into steep, … Read more
The weather during this flotilla hasn’t all been great, but when it has counted the most (in the most beautiful spots), the weather weather has cooperated unusually well. Few experiences during a summer cruise in Alaska rival visiting a tidewater glacier, and being able to do it on a sunny day is a huge bonus. Somehow, we lucked into wonderful weather for our trip up Endicott Arm and into Ford’s … Read more
We had a short cruise today, just 25nm from Taku Harbor to Tracy Arm Cove. The morning dawned foggy, but with very low tides predicted later in the morning, we had to vacate the dock or risk sitting in the mud. Thankfully, radar, chart plotters, and AIS make navigating in the fog relatively easy, especially when there’s as little traffic as there is here. We only deviated from our course … Read more
Although the wind wasn’t quite as gusty as yesterday, we awoke to breezy conditions. The forecast called for 15-20 knot southerlies, and as soon as we left Couverden Island Cove we felt the wind and waves. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. Thankfully, within just a few miles, we crossed a tide line and the conditions improved dramatically! Today’s cruise was uneventful and a bit of a blur. … Read more