Flotilla to Alaska 2023

Days 32 – 34 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | A Few Days in Sitka

by

We spent the past few days exploring Sitka, doing boat projects/maintenance/chores, shopping, letting others cook for us, and walking walking walking! The list of places we all visited is long and varied: attractions included the Raptor Center, Fortress of the Bear, the Sitka National Historic Park, the Sheldon Jackson Museum, the Sitka Science Center, St. Michael’s Cathedral, and the Russian Bishop’s House. Restaurants included the Channel Club, Beak, Ludvig’s Bistro, … Read more

Day 31 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Deep Bay to Sitka

by and

This morning’s alarm was set for 4am (!!!) and we all left Deep Bay in time to catch slack at Sergius Narrows (4:50am, about 30 minutes from Deep Bay). Conditions were calm, gray, and rainy today, so not many photos were taken along the route. Along the way, Two’s Out had a mechanical problem. A new sound had appeared – vaguely like a pump. But, the sound only happened when … Read more

Day 30 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Takatz Bay to Deep Bay

by

This was actually last night in Takatz Bay (Free Solo and Seabear). By the time we got up just before 6am this morning, everyone was gone but us! We cruised out into Chatham Strait and headed north, and conditions were blue-gray, slightly cloudy, and calm calm calm! We turned west into Peril Strait, which pretty much looked like this the entire way to Deep Bay (it was a long, boringly … Read more

Day 29 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Red Bluff Bay to Takatz Bay

by and

Another beautiful morning (before the “mostly cloudy” sets in)! We stopped to pick up our prawn traps on the way out of Red Bluff Bay and had 55 more spot prawns. Yum! Nice and calm in Chatham Strait today for our run up to Takatz Bay. There were no other boats anchored in Takatz Bay when we arrived, which is quite rare! We got out to do some dinghy exploring … Read more

Day 28 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Explorer Basin to Red Bluff Bay

by and

We awoke to a gorgeous morning in Explorer Basin! The group left the anchorage in shifts. First out was Seabear, who reported back they were again seeing humpbacks bubble-net feeding outside the entrance. Our route in and out of this place is definitely on the herring trail because the waters around here are just bubbling with ’em! Some swell and some chop (and some fog) out in Chatham, but not … Read more

Day 27 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Pybus Bay to Explorer Basin

by

Another long day underway today, so we all left the anchorage before 6am. Once out in Frederick Sound we had some low clouds and a little chop, but eventually the chop evened out and the sky started to clear. There were quite a few other vessels showing up on AIS that we couldn’t see visually…a tug towing a barge, a couple cruise ships, fishing boats, a pleasure boat or two….lots … Read more

Days 25 – 26 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Thomas Bay to Pybus Bay

by and

Day 25 – The group left the Thomas Bay anchorage early this morning and headed north in Frederick Sound toward Pybus Bay at the south end of Admiralty Island. As we neared the Brothers Islands, the wildlife sightings began! Over at West Brother Island — a colony of sea lions (over 100 as reported by Free Solo and Seabear) as well as some orcas. The orcas came to visit Airship … Read more

Day 24 | 2023 Flotilla to Alaska | Petersburg to Thomas Bay

by and

Today was an epic day!! First of all, we woke in Petersburg to some sun, which was very welcome. As we left the dock and headed for Frederick Sound, conditions looked very promising. Frederick Sound was downright glassy, and you could even see the mountains! We got a peek in the evening yesterday, but today was even clearer! The cruise down to Thomas Bay was fantastic–calm and wonderfully scenic! Once … Read more