Yesterday underway to Explorer Basin while reviewing the weather for the week, we noticed that conditions looked potentially favorable for a run down to Egg Harbor on Coronation Island. We’ve taken our group down here a couple times, and we’ve had it on the itinerary for a few years…but since getting to the island is very dependent on weather, we’ve had to scrap those plans several years in a row. … Read more
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
If there are two highlights on this leg of the trip, Coronation Island is one of them (the other is Endicott Arm/Ford’s Terror). Coronation Island sits just south of Chatham Strait, out in the ocean. It’s a big island—about 30nm around—with a dramatic, bold coastline and bare peaks. Because it’s in the ocean, it’s “off the beaten path” and seldom visited. Thankfully, the weather for our visit cooperated perfectly. We … Read more
We left Explorer Basin on Kuiu Island early this morning…7:00a.m. It was foggy as we pulled anchor, but as we got out into Chatham Strait, it cleared up and turned into a beautiful day. Why the early departure? Currents run strongly in Chatham Strait. Having adverse current for a short time isn’t a big deal, but losing three knots of speed for 30 miles is a frustrating waste of time … Read more