We left Petersburg yesterday morning around 8am. A beautiful, mostly clear, sunny day! We transited Wrangell Narrows riding the current in and then also out…it’s fun when the timing works and you get a current boost the whole way through! We stopped and anchored on the east side of Sokolof Bay, a spot we were in once before (over July 4 in 2018). We dropped the anchor in about 30 … Read more
We are very much looking forward to some sun, whenever that might happen. We’ll be ready!! We left the dock in Wrangell around 6am and headed for Wrangell Narrows. We had a nice push of current with us most of the day today…assuming it would switch direction somewhere in Wrangell Narrows past Papke’s Landing since we were so early, but I don’t think I ever saw any current against us…just … Read more
The shortest navigable route from Wrangell to Petersburg is through Wrangell Narrows, a narrow, winding, rock-laden 22 nautical mile passageway with swift current and lots of traffic. In order to minimize opposing current, we typically time our departure from Wrangell so that we arrive at Papke’s Landing, where the flooding from the north and south meets, at high tide. That way we ride the dying flood into Wrangell Narrows, and … Read more
The group left Wrangell by around 10:00 a.m. this morning and headed for Wrangell Narrows. Petersburg is only 40nm from Wrangell, but the short distance belies the complexity of the route. About half that distance is transiting Wrangell Narrows, a winding, shallow, rock-lined, and busy waterway. Alaska State Ferries, fish boats, tugs and barges, sport fishing boats, and cruising boats all transit Wrangell Narrows routinely. About the only boats that … Read more
From Petersburg I had two goals: see as many new anchorages as possible, and make it to Ketchikan (only about 110 nautical miles) before a flight out of town in a week. Easy! After a morning of chores in Petersburg, I rode the flood south, to arrive at Papke’s Landing (roughly the mid-point, where the flood current from each side meets) at high water. The timing worked out nicely, but … Read more
We didn’t plan to leave Wrangell until 11:30 a.m. or so to get the timing right for Wrangell Narrows, so we took advantage of the late departure time and dinghied back into town for some breakfast and grocery shopping. We grabbed breakfast at J&W’s Fast Food (now serving breakfast) and it was really good — breakfast burritos, french toast, captain’s platter with eggs, potatoes, and sausage or bacon, hot coffee. … Read more