Knotty C's Alaskan Adventure

[Knotty C]

Vancouver WA to Prince Rupert BC

My vacation started on July 9, but we still had a lot to do. It felt like we would never be done. As luck would have it we had the hottest days of the year that week, so it made it very difficult to be loading everything into the boat and doing the other modifications and last minute things we had to do.

Dee

In preparation for the trip I made some modifications and added some “extra gear”

Modifications include:
shelf under galley
4 rod-holder inside on roof
tender kicker bracket
XM satellite radio
Microwave and shelf
Soft pocket pouch storage under dinette
Side window Plexiglas spray guards (BC style)
Cabin visor grab handles
Factory swim step
Marine clock mounted on teak
Factory teak plate and cup holder on galley door
Stainless grab handle in head
CO detector

Some of the extra gear we brought along:
165 quart cooler
2000 watt Honda generator and 1 gallon extra fuel
5 gallons extra water
4 fishing poles and related gear, downrigger, tackle box, etc
2 crab rings
2 folding bikes
2 folding chairs
1 folding table
spare anchor and rode
anchor for tender
flare gun
tender USCG kit, flares, horn, etc
added 2 Taylor Made round fenders
Tender-Zodiac Bombard 9ft 4in with 2.5hp Suzuki four stroke

Spares for 3 outboards, spark plugs, fuel filters, water pump kits, propellers
In addition to the Raymarine C 80 with radar, autopilot and chart chips we had 2 backup GPS. The main backup that was running at all times underway was a Garman 176 C with charts and a back-up handheld. We had approximately 30 paper charts from Prince Rupert to Skagway to Pelican. In addition we had a copy of the Coastal Pilot, Douglass Exploring Southeast Alaska, Marine Atlas and Charlie’s Charts.
2 VHF marine radios

Don

Finally, on Wednesday, July 11, we decided we were leaving and it didn’t matter what time of the day, we were leaving! We left at 9:30 p.m.

We pulled into Arlington at a rest area about 3 a.m. and crashed. I understand that the R-Matey crew saw us there the next morning from I-5. The next day we stopped for breakfast with my cousin Emily and got on the road about 11 a.m. We drove for about eleven hours. The terrain was quite desolate in places. The temperature registered as high as 106 degrees. I didn’t know it got that hot in British Columbia. About 9 p.m. we started looking for an acceptable RV park and we drove away from about three undesirable options before we found a beautiful, empty park at just after 10 p.m. There was only one other RV and us. It was quiet, clean and had very nice showers. We counted our blessings and slept with the v-berth hatch wide open so we could see all the stars. It was very nice.

Friday we left about 9 a.m. and set out on the second half of our road journey. We were determined to get to Prince Rupert by the end of the day. The trip was long, long, long. There were very few towns and most of them were very small. The coolest thing we saw on our way, however, was later in the evening. At three different times we saw little black bears on the side of the road eating berries. We got a couple pictures of them before they could scamper off into the brush. How exciting! The scenery was beautiful on this leg of the journey.

Don’t forget the “Loonies” for the showers in BC!!

Don

After eleven hours of driving, we arrived in Prince Rupert and camped in the only place we could park the truck and trailer (on the street) and slept overnight. We weren’t sure if we were supposed to do that, so we were very quiet and kept the lights off so we didn’t attract attention. I think I saw someone in another boat doing the same thing. We launched in the morning as soon as the tides allowed, about 11 a.m., and motored a short distance to the Prince Rupert Yacht Club where Don had secured us a slip after talking with a local who was leaving for a few days and didn’t mind us using his. After a few frustrations, we found a place to park the truck and trailer for the next four weeks behind a locked gate for $40 per week. (Thanks, Halcyon, for the tip!) Before setting off we spent a relaxing day just puttering on our boat and looking around the town. The weather was still unusually warm. It was a perfect day down on the dock and at one point we found ourselves sitting on the deck in our lawn chairs with our feet up on the cooler. It was so peaceful that I never wanted it to end.



During our stay at the Prince Rupert Yacht Club we met Don Douglass and Re’anne Hemingway-Douglass, the authors of Exploring Southeast Alaska, which was one of the guides we used to plan our trip. Of course we had them autograph our book and we exchanged email addresses so we can write to them about our trip. They are traveling in a 40 foot Nordhavan trawler, a beautiful boat named Baidarka. When we told them what we were going up in, they shared with us their favorite quote, “The enjoyment of cruising is in inverse proportion to the length of your boat.” Don Douglass. That must mean we’re in for a great time.

Dee
Here is a photo of Re'anne aboard the Baidarka:

[El and Bill]

We're enjoying your cruise, folks!! Thanks.

[Pat Anderson]

Don and Dee...great story! But, next time...consider the cruise from Blaine to Prince Rupert...this is some GREAT cruising territory, the B.C. coast is fantastic.

[Knotty C]

Hi Pat and Patty,

Our original plan was to launch at Cornet Bay and travel the Inside Passage through BC last summer. It looks fantastic and we plan to explore for 2-3 weeks at a time on the off years (like 2008) when we don’t do Alaska. We are talking about towing to Skagway in 2009 and concentrating on fishing and exploring in the north part of Southeastern Alaska.

Thanks,

Don and Dee

[Pat Anderson]

Hey, it's all good! We didn't get to see a glacier...Patty wants to go south to the sun before we go north again, so we'll see. But you are going to enjoy the cruise from Cornet Bay to Prince Rupert!

[hardee]

Don and Dee,

Thanks you for sharing your beautiful photos, your trip story and for sharing the heartache of your loss. We, too, know what it is like to tragically loose family and although it is never like before, the healing comes with time and learning to share in a safe and positive environment. We hope you will find strength to resume, write your trip, show your photos, and enjoy being on the water again. Looking forward to crossing wakes sometime soon.

Harvey
SleepyC