8 days in Alaska

[Don and Brenda]

I just returned from an 8 day Alaska adventure on a 64' chartered yacht.

Planning began after a friend of mine had a major back injury and I was recovering from open heart surgery. He asked my wife and I to join them for an adventure. We started pouring over websites, reviews ect. and landed on a yacht that fit our needs. These being only the 4 of us and the skipper and his wife you was also the chef.

Day 1 we flew from Seattle to Sitka where the skipper met us at the airport, and after a quick stop at the liquor store we arrived at the dock. We settles in and cast off heading north. We were about an hour into the journey when the word came down "bear on the beach" He motored in slowly and watched a very large grizzly with 3 cubs play on the beach.
We headed out and finally made it to our first moorage in Fish Bay. Wow it sure takes a long time to go the 25 miles in an 8 knot boat! Dinner was served and after pulling all the shades down we turned in for the night.

Day 2 Both our wifes made it through the night without a hitch, as both get very motion sick. By the time we made it to the main cabin our coffee and tea were in our hands, the skipper and his wife treated everyone like royalty. All meals were made to our preferences as pre arranged including the types of sodas ect. Pulled anchor and turned into Peril Strait to Chatam Strait for a bit of whale watching and eventually working our way to Baranof warm springs. After dipping in the hot springs we headed back to the dock to see the haul of Halibut from an adjacent boat, a 90 and 75#.

Day 3 Chatam was 2-3 foot seas, however on a 64' boat it certainly was not like being on our C-Dory. My frined and I want to do the inside passage and cruise these same water in my 22, so this was a way to get the wifes excited about the journey, however they both want a bigger boat now, one with a head and shower, hum maybe this was not working the way we anticipated. We anchored in Portage Bay for the night, we lowered the 14' skiff and he dropped us off on shore for some beach combing. The rain was coming down and fortunately a forest service cabin was empty so we took cover there until the storm passed. Back on the boat for dinner when the fish and game cruised by a few times and then hooked up to the mooring bouy until 7 the next morning.

Day 4 Portage Bay to Peterburg for a day in town exploring. Sure were a lot of Seasports in the harbor, not to mention a few C-Dory's.

[hardee]

Thanks for sharing. Shared time with good friends, on the water, in beautiful places. Hard to beat.

Harvey
SleepyC

[Don and Brenda]

I will finish the last 4 days and add pics tonight, sure beats a cruise ship with service and the time tables they run, we wanted to stay far away from cruise ships.

[Don and Brenda]

Day 4 in Petersburg, a small fishing town of 3500 that is off the path of the cruise ships. We walked the town, had pizza for lunch while the boat was re-plenished with water ect. it holds 900 gallons so no need for short showers ect. Was interesting watching the fishing fleet prep their boats and load pots for the upcoming dungy season.

Day 5 We pulled out of Petersburg at 7am, the water was glass for the 6 hour journey. Passing by 5 fingers lighthouse which is being converted to a B and B humpback whale sighting abound. Everywhere we looked were spouts. The skipper shut down the engines and we drifted with the whale coming up within a few feet of the boat. Dead silence except for the sounds of the whales. We went a few miles and porpoises were shooting our bow wake, there were 4 of them just having a great time. Eventually we turned toward Endicott and pulled into our nights anchor at SumDum island. We lowered the skiff for some beach exploration and to check out the ruins of the old mining site and old cabin foundation well into the brush. The skipper headed off to chop off a section of a drifting iceberg for our evening drinks. Amazing how many cruise ships were coming out of Tracy Arm, thank goodness we were not going that direction.