Bay of Pillars

Day 20 | Flotilla to Alaska | Bay of Pillars to Egg Harbor

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Coronation Island is beautiful in an entirely different way than Pybus Bay or Thomas Bay. Those places have towering mountains, snowfields, and waterfalls. Coronation Island, situated out in the ocean, just south of Chatham Strait, has a rugged, swell-carved coastline dotted with sea caves, arches, and occasional sandy beaches. Getting to Coronation Island requires favorable weather. Even when the wind isn’t blowing, strong currents and ocean swells can make conditions … Read more

Day 19 | Flotilla to Alaska | Pybus Bay to Bay of Pillars

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This morning we woke to bits of blue sky and nice calm waters. We departed Pybus Bay and headed for Bay of Pillars on Kuiu Island. We spotted several humpbacks spouting in the distance in Frederick Sound, but nothing very close. Soon after we turned into Chatham Strait, however, we were treated to a group of humpbacks lunge feeding on herring balls. After watching the whales for a bit, we … Read more

Day 8 | Alaska Flotilla Leg 3 | Kake to Bay of Pillars

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We left Kake early hoping to beat the forecast 15 knot southerlies on Chatham Strait. As we motored out of Frederick Sound, the wind picked up and the seas built for a few minutes, then died entirely. Perfect! We anchored partway into Bay of Pillars, relaxed aboard for awhile (a few people went fishing), then explored by dinghy. A narrow, shallow channel leads back to the inner part of the … Read more

Kuiu Island

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Kake to Halleck Harbor We left Kake mid-day, since Halleck Harbor (in Saginaw Bay) was just 15 miles or so around the corner and we had to wait for the fuel dock…or, the fuel truck. Kake used to have a small fuel dock, but last winter the dock blew away during a storm that brought 80-knot winds for several days, then 70-knot winds from the opposite direction. For now, they’re … Read more