Exploration Cruise in Southeast Alaska

[Panhandle Powerboats]

Greetings,

I have been tossing around the idea of sponsoring a C-Dory/C-Brats cruise through Juneau, Hoonah, Glacier Bay, Elfin Cove, Pelican, Sitka, and Tenakee. It would take about a week, probably starting July 3rd with the fireworks here in Juneau and then departing on the morning of the 4th. If there is any interest in this then please let me know so I can start finalizing some plans and get the word out in time for others to plan to join us.

Todd

[thataway]

How will you handle the permits for Glacier Bay for a group of boats?

We may be in that area at about that time if all of our plans go well. But if it is too cold--then further South...

[Panhandle Powerboats]

Once I find out how much interest there is I was planning on obtaining the permits for at least a few of the larger boats for the trip into Glacier Bay. I doubt that it would work for everyone to drive, but I am sure that there would be enough room for people to spend a day in the bay. If it is possible to get permits for all the boats then we could overnight in the park, but with the limited permits I doubt that would be possible. We would love to have you on the trip if it works out for you. I am hoping that the weather will be like it is today, just warmer. Today is about 25 degrees but clear skies and calm/calm.

[Hunkydory]

Great idea Todd and though we can't make it this year hope many others will. This could be turned into a wonderful annual event and one we would make every effort to attend when we are retired. We hope to spend most of the summer in this general area in 2011.

Though its certainly posssible to do this in a week I think with wheather considerations most should plan on having more time then that available. There shouldn't be any problem with some going into Glacier Bay and others maybe checking out the Chichagof Island outer coast and its beautiful bays very close to Pelican and Elfin Cove.

Again great idea for a group cruise,

Jay

[Panhandle Powerboats]

Jay,

I am thinking of doing something annually. I enjoyed meeting the C-Brats that attended the Factory open house and would like to see something happen for those who are up here, as well as those who would like to join us. Whenever you are in the area give me a call and I'd be happy to show you around...

Todd

[Doryman]

I am interested but don't know if the timing would work out. We have been on then off about Alaska this year. What's the cruise from Ketchikan to Juneau like? We would probably trailer to Prince Rupert and launch there.

Put us down for a definite maybe.

Warren

[B~C]

that sounds like a helluva opportunity for folks to do some quality exploring with the help of local knowledge. Someday, when I get done slaving away at the summer job, the spousal unit & I hope to come up & float around.

what's the going rate to ship a boat to Juneau? I think that might be a good way to go, fly up and jump in your boat & it may not cost much more than boating up.....I suppose another option would be to fly to Juneau and buy a boat

i would be cool to see a pod of C-Dorys pull into Elfin Cove

[Panhandle Powerboats]

We have several rental boats already up here that you could use and save a lot of money over shipping a boat both ways. We don't have a C-Dory yet, but I want to put one into the fleet. If there are enough people who would want to rent a C-Dory then I might be able to get one for this year. I just need to have something to take to the bank. So, if that interests you then let me know.

Todd

[Hunkydory]

[B~C]

I was just throwing some ideas out Todd, I've been sentenced to many summers of hard labor in Elfin Cove with no time for exploring...for now

[Panhandle Powerboats]

Warren,

The main issue with launching at Prince Rupert is crossing Dixon Entrance. It is open to the Gulf of Alaska and can be flat calm or really nasty. Once you are across Dixon it is a lot more protected.

From Ketchikan the transit up Clarence Strait is fairly good during the summer months. There can be a pretty good breeze and whitecaps in the afternoons though. If the weather kicks up there are several quaint towns along Clarence Strait: Thorne Bay, Meyers Chuck, Coffman Cove, and slightly off to the East is Wrangell. Each of them would be nice to pull into to avoid weather. At the North end of Clarence Strait around Zarembo Island it can kick up but you can always pass to the lee of Zarembo.

Wrangell narrows has pretty strong currents but is well marked and fairly straitforward to navigate. At the North end of Wrangell Narrows is the town of Petersburg which is a neat town to spend a night in.

The rest of the trip is about like Clarence Strait but there are no towns between Petersburg and Juneau. But, there are lots of coves to pull into if the weather kicks up. Watch out for higher winds coming out of bays and passes. It can really blow sometimes. Taku Inlet, just South of Juneau, is especially bad for winds blowing out of it.

It is about a hundred miles from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan,
A little over a hundred miles from Ketchikan to Petersburg,
And, about a hundred and twenty miles from Petersburg to Juneau.
(If my memory serves me well, please plot it out yourself before making the transit)

If you have any other questions or if there is any other way I can help let me know.

Todd

[Doryman]

Thanks, Todd. I had not considered the Skagway option that Jay mentions at all -- makes a lot of sense to me.

Warren

[thataway]

Having 3 round trips by boat to the Juneau area, and once to Skegway/Haynes--I would choose the boat. It is not the best road to be trailering a Tom Cat over--and I would put that on the low end of the possibilities.

Our trips by boat were a sailboat, and we never saw any weather in the 6 crossings of Dixon which would have been a problem for a Tom Cat or C Dory--but it is possible. There are anchorages to wait out weather between Rupert and the crossing--which is not far in itself. (About 12 miles if I recollect correctly) We had more of a problem with fog and gill netters than with wind and seas. From Ketchikan it is about 230 miles to Auke bay (Juneau small boat harbor)--but there are many great places to stop. Myers chuck is first, Thorne Bay, Anan creek bear observation, Wrangell, Wrangrell narrows (no problem, beautiful and follow the markers, watch the tide), Petersburg (stock up on herring, so you can fill up with Halibut at Pybus (Cannery Bay). Then up into Seymour, or Endocot or Tracy arm--perhaps to Ford's Terror, and finally up to Juneau--in other words, although you could do the trip in 3 days, there are lots of places to enjoy and two weeks might be better!

The reason I asked about boat permits, is that the year we went into Glacier bay (and spent 2 weeks there --were able to extend the permit--we had to apply for the permit in January and give the specific day we would arrive. We had to confirm this when we were at sea about 2 months before arriving, and then check in the night before we entered the bay--plus check in at the ranger station. I was under the impression that only 25 private boats were allowed in the bay, and that some of these were reserved to local residents. Is there just a "day" pass, vs the usual yacht pass?

[Pat Anderson]

Not this year...but another time! Patty's one big regret was that we only got to Ketchikan and did not get to Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier. Misty Fjords was awesome, but she LOVED the pix of boats right up against the glacier! I loved the whole trip, but regretted that I was on such a tight schedule. So, a few years down the pike, we are so there!

[Hunkydory]