We left Scenery Cove around 6am for the 50nm cruise up to Pybus Bay. Water was flat calm and the scenery was majestic. Kevin put the 360 Cam down at the bow and got some killer footage of the porpoises…he wins: We spotted a handful of humpback spouts ahead between Pybus Bay and the Brothers Islands, and Carrie on IF got some nice shots of a mama and a … Read more
Success!! We layered up with warms and waterproofs and headed out in the dinghies toward the mudflats at the head of Thomas Bay with the hope of re-finding our way into the glacial lake in front of Baird Glacier. Baird is no longer a tidewater glacier…blocked off by a moraine of mudflats and rockpiles…but if you’re patient, and time your IN with some water under the keel and OUT before … Read more
We left Cannery Cove on Tuesday morning after pulling the crab pots (2 keepers) and headed out into Frederick Sound. Very little wind and quite nice besides the rain. As we neared Cape Fanshaw we noticed another boat that had been hanging out over there for an hour or so, and since it’s a popular spot with the whales, we adjusted course to veer a little closer, just in case. … Read more
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
We left Red Bluff Bay on Sunday morning and headed across Chatham Strait in beautiful calm conditions. Today’s destination: Pybus Bay on Admiralty Island. We stayed three nights in Pybus Bay (Cannery Cove), primarily to duck out of some weather, but we were also looking forward to relaxing at anchor in the same place for a few days. We spent a lot of time fishing, dinghy exploring, playing music, cooking…the … Read more
We awoke to patchy fog and low clouds in Thomas Bay and departed about 7:00 a.m. Even without yesterday’s sunshine, Thomas Bay is beautiful. We forgot to mention…yesterday evening in Thomas Bay, Julie and David from Dog Star were out in their dinghy watching the shoreline and came across a group of arctic terns. They shared some photos with us to share on the blog! Arctic Terns are known for … Read more
When I first came to Alaska, I was unprepared for the scale. Even Southeast—the relatively small portion of the state where I’ve cruised—is truly vast. Somewhere around 70,000 people inhabit an area that stretches more than 300 miles south to north and a hundred miles west to east. Even a few miles from the population centers, it’s easy to find solitude. By solitude, I don’t just mean a lack of … Read more