The Case for Alaska

“Can I call you right back? A couple orcas just surfaced right in front of the boat and I don’t want to hit them,” I frantically told the U.S. Customs officer as I eased the throttle back. “No problem, that’ll happen,” the officer responded. Welcome to Alaska. We were motoring north in Tongass Narrows, on our way into Ketchikan after a three-week transit through British Columbia. Anchored in Foggy Bay … Read more

Ford’s Terror

Ford’s Terror  might just be the most beautiful place on the planet. Cliffs—absolutely humongous granite walls, really—rise from water’s edge to snowcapped bowls and peaks 5000 feet above. Countless waterfalls, some trickles, others torrents, plunge from these peaks. Bears forage ashore. Dolphins frolic around anchored boats. The scale of Ford’s Terror is difficult to comprehend and impossible to convey. It’s like Yosemite, but with water in the valleys, no crowds, … Read more

Safe Harbour to Alaska | Day 8 | Pierre’s Echo Bay to Fury Cove

Rounding Cape Caution can be a challenge. Queen Charlotte Sound is one of the few places where the Inside Passage goes outside. Normally we go to Port McNeill before rounding Cape Caution. This gives everyone a chance to resupply (there’s a supermarket!), fill boats with fuel, and catch up on chores. Last year we got stuck in Port McNeill for several days waiting for strong winds to die down. Read … Read more

Safe Harbour to Alaska | Day 4 | Pender Harbour to Squirrel Cove

Hello from Desolation Sound! Today we had an easy cruise from Pender Harbour up to Squirrel Cove. Overcast skies, a bit of chop leaving Pender Harbour, but overall a very easy day. In years past, we’ve stopped in Prideaux Haven on the flotilla. Prideaux Haven is beautiful—the quintessential Desolation Sound anchorage, really, but it’s a little off our route. Because of the time of slack at the rapids tomorrow (we’re … Read more

How to Replace a Mooring Ball

This morning as we were working and having coffee in Active Cove at Patos Island, I noticed out the back window what looked like a pretty big boat heading toward the cove. This is a pretty small cove (only two mooring balls), and this boat seemed, um, large. It showed up on AIS as a vessel called Thunderbird, and it was designated a pleasure craft. (I don’t think so.) Pretty … Read more