Southeast Alaska 2012 with Jay, Jo-Lee & the Hunkydory

[Casey]

To create a ventilation space beneath the V-berths, could you use the "Dri-Dek squares that are sometimes used on the cockpit deck?

It would be fairly costly to do the whole area, but might be something to think about.

Best,
Casey

[Chris]

I use HyperVent under my berth...works great...light weight...not too costly. Fisheries Supply has it.

[ghone]

Hi Casey and Chris. I looked at dri deck for this and thought the channels in it's construction might not give good unobstructed airflow. A bit heavy and pricey but may work. The hypervent is not easy to locate in BC. A product that is really similar to it is sold in building supply places for rain screen under siding for homes. Would work like hypervent only issue is 50 ft roll. Only a bit over a hundred bucks though so a few boats sharing would be cheap. I will go this route if my soffit fails. Sorry to swipe your thread Jay, but a dry boat is a noble quest. Have a great explore. Keep us posted. George

[Hunkydory]

7-2-12

The further we came the more blue in the sky & with these blue sky days so rare just had to keep moving.  From Sitka north it's through several narrow channels to Salisbury Sound & that starts the open ocean section of about 16 miles to Piehle Passage to Khaz Bay where the protected waters start & run about 30 miles south to north with many bays & intricate channels leading off along the way.   Today after entering Khaz Bay from Piehle Passage turned back south & made the 20 mile run  down & back on Slocum Arm followed by going north to Elbow Passage & Klag Bay where we are anchored for the night at the head by the ruins of the old Chichagof gold mine.  JoLee told me tonight this place is spooky & she doesn't like it.  I suggested to her that it might even be more spooky to move to a another anchorage now that it's dark.

This morning about  20 miles north of Sitka in the Whitestone Narrows of Neva Strait met a tug towing a barge & the high speed large Alaskan Cat Ferry "Fairweather" right on its stern, having had to slow up very quickly with no room to pass.   The tide waters were running fast in the narrow twisting channel & I was hugging the outside just as far as I could, which was barely out of the.    Pretty interesting & intense situation with Jolee repeating to me they are heading right at us!! When are they going to turn!!  & me beginning to wonder the same.   

Outside sea conditions were even better than expected with 3 feet of gentle swell with a foot of chop on top.  Only ran both motors for about 5 miles the whole day.

Didn't see any bears & only one whale.  Blue sky & warm is great for scenery viewing, but not so much for seeing bears.

74 miles today & 1850 total

7-3-12

Bears should be back out today.  The weather forecast of continuing with the sunshine & blue sky's turned into more wishful thinking then reality.  Woke up today to fog & more rain.

Went to shore this morning & checked out the old mine site.  What I thought was still standing buildings way back in the trees turned out to be big old rusted water or fuel tanks.  All the home buildings were in piles.  Could tell they once were nice & wired for electricity.  Lots of old jars.  One small one still held jam. Don't know how it escaped the bears because the bear trails were all over.  

After pulling anchor & going about two miles met a 24 foot Seasport loaded with what appeared to be mining equipment headed toward the mine.  He was probably working on the old tailings.   I have thought about giving that a try too, but being this is a Wilderness Area now think more trouble than gold was to be gained.

Slow cruised up the narrow channels in the rain & fog to Black Bay where we saw three bears.  Rain to heavy to enjoy being in the Mokai, so decided to head back out into the open ocean & make for Mirror Harbor again.  fortunately the fog broke as we left the island area through Imperial Passage to the outside.  Seas were a rough 4 to 5 feet & could only make about 9 knots without banging.  That was the sweet spot because going any slower make for an uncompfortable  rocking motion.   With thoroughly checking the narrow dogleg entryway for best boat placement when we were here 6 weeks ago we were able to come directly into the east arm even though it was at the halfway point of an ebb tide.  Here to greet us & already at anchor on the San Simone a 37 foot trawler, was Brain & Brandy a couple we had heard calling Richard on the New Moon in 2010 in this area & later met in Sitka.  Hope to chat some more with them tomorrow.  

It's late in the evening & the rain has stopped, making the view here in Mirror Harbor  just beautiful with the beauty surrounding the water being reflected just as named.  When we were here over 6 weeks ago the sedge grass was just starting to grow & now it & all the seasonal vegetation is full out & lush.  Being able to see the changes was one of the reasons we came so early this year.

32 miles today & 1882 total

7-4-12

Happy Birthday US of A!!  Your  getting some wrinkles & showing some wear & tear, but I'm still thinking there's  more good years to come.

Had a fantastic day in the Mokai.  With JoLee not feeling well & wanting to just rest in the boat, I with  the high tide explored all the miles of sloughs.  Found  creeks & waterfalls, hidden glades, white sand bars, the remains of old rock fish traps from who knows how long ago & open valleys of grass much of which is tidal.  Then for a challenge & a little excitement went out Mirror Harbor to the open ocean & around the point to enter Bertha Bay & make for the White Sulfur Hot Springs.  Seas were calm so the challenge was more avoiding all the Kelp, so It wouldn't plug the jet intake.  Even in the fairly calm water wouldn't want to keep the Mokai off the rocks with just a paddle.  At the Hot Springs there was a crew living in the cabin & setting up to do replacement & repair work.  This was the first time I've seen a carpenter wearing a .50 caliber magnum pistol,  while working for bear protection.   He said a couple in on a sailboat from the South Pacific had been bluff charged by a bear just a couple days ago while walking the trail from Mirror Harbor.  There are difinately lots of bears in the area but we didn't see any.  The sedge grass is getting older now, so they'r not hanging by the water as much.  We hit it wrong here this year going both ways.  When here in mid May the grass was just starting to sprout & didn't see any bears then either.  In 2007 in early June,  I saw many of them while exploring the sloughs.

Upon me returning to the boat from a wonderful soak in the hot water we checked the weather & found unlike earlier forecast, the outside water, seas are supposed to roughen back up for awhile, so with JoLee not feeling up to par & thinking it could be her old inner ear trouble returning decided to make for Pelican late in the afternoon & arrived here where we are now just before dark.  Did see a bear coming up Lisianski Strait. 

25 miles today & 1907 total

[Hunkydory]

Jody, we will most likely be pulling out of Skagway between the 15 & 21st of July & may be in Yellowstone when you are there, but no guarantees.  With Jolee's possible return of vertigo it could be sooner or later or even not at all. Would be great to see you again before Powell.

All, lots of good ideas shared on condensation.  We sure won't have that problem at Lake Powell, but it will make for a good campfire discussion subject while there.

6-5-12

With only a little rain, light wind & gentle seas slow cruised out Lisianski  Inlet & up Cross Sound to Elfin Cove where we are now tied up to a inner dock.  Forecast is for rain & generally east winds for the next few days, so we may be here untill they lighten back up or change more to the west.  Don't want to be  pounding into them now.  Saw several whales on the way & once again enjoyed the rugged beauty of Cross Sound. 

23 miles today & 1930 total

[BaseCampAnne]

Jay, your descriptions of the weather, scenery, bears and whales continue to captivate and are wonderful to read. Your decision-making is fascinating as you consider forecasts and potential landslides, tides and traffic.

Thanks for taking the time to recount each day, and with wonderful detail. I never would have guessed the timing of the grass would be so significant for finding the bears. Berries I understand, but the tender grass is new information.

The crowded encounter with the other boats in the narrow and winding passage felt quite stressful even as I relax in the v berth. Whew, good it was you at the wheel!

Please tell JoLee I hope she feels better very soon. It has to be very tough to struggle with inner ear issues while on your expedition, and the challenging weather certainly could not help. I am confident we are all rooting for her to beat it!

I look forward to meeting you both and hearing more in person about your experiences and challenges, how you manage to resupply and keep food and other items dry in such wet weather, and keep equipment working over so many miles and many wet days and weeks.

In the meantime, here's hoping JoLee feels better!

[doc]

Hey Jay and Jolee, Been following your adventures and thought you might be headed toward Elfin Cove soon. I tried hailing you a couple times over the last few days and shortly after my hail this afternoon, I heard another boat calling the Hunky Dory and figured they were further out toward you than I was so I hailed them. Turns out they were hailing another CD22 named Hunky Dory. Anyway, I kept hoping that we would be able to meet up with you somewhere but the summer has been getting eaten up with work. We have a five day stretch of time off starting the fourteenth and planning a cruise to somewhere undecided as yet. Sounds like you pretty much wore out the outer coast and spared me having to do the same since I can do so vicariously now. I am hoping that we are about done with this crappy weather. I have talked to several life long Juneauites at my office recently who said this was the all time keeper for crappy spring and summer. What did we have? One and a half days of sun? At that, the one real sunny day was too hot here. Yesterday and today were not half bad by comparison to the last 90 or so days. Not quite as low clouds and less rain than the recent norm. When I got back to Auke Bay last night, the harbor was full, two and three deep. Ended up having to bunk up to a friends boat since it was dark and I didn't feel like going over to the cove and mooring up then rowing in and heading back down to pick up Colleen's car. I hope you will drop by on your way back in this direction. Tell Jolee that I should have the hot tub up and running. Orders from the boss, "make it so". All else is well and fine here. Let me know when you are getting close, via the normal channels. You can take the truck again while I am working if you want or just kick back and watch the world go by for a while.

[doc]

Oh yeah. If Jolee's vertigo acts up too much, you can always put her on a float plane to Juneau and I can pick her up. Less than an hour in the air might not be so bad if she's having a really tough time on the water. Just putting it out there as an option so you know you have one.

[Hunkydory]

Steve, thanks for the continued offers of hospitality.   As we make it further your way we will let you know our plans.  From Hoonah if the Lynn Canal is smooth may make strait for Skagway depending on how JoLee is feeling.  Know for sure I don't want to bounce her around in rough water.  Sure would have been good if you & Colleen would have had time off before July 15th, by then we have to be thinking Skagway with the ever present possibility of delays for the Lynn Canal.

Anne, thanks for the thoughtful appreciative comments.  With a day moving around on shore at Pelican & another here in Elfin Cove JoLee is doing much better.  It's hard to fathom just how important the function of the inner ear is until it goes out of whack.   Then it's nausea & trying to tell up from down like being on the bottom side of a perpetual drunk.  She has had to deal with this condition off & on since 2001 with one period straight for 9 months.  This makes it even more amazing that she goes on these adventures with me.  She is by far the strongest minded & most able person to endure discomfort with a smile in order to enjoy the parts of an adventure she can of person I've ever met.

6-6-12

Had a good chat this morning & afternoon with C-Brat Ken who Captains one of the Eagle Charter boats out of Eagle Cove.  He had a down day & was doing boat maintenance on things that needed the time to do, but know for sure he would rather have been out with a group fishing.

Was a little disappointed with the inside harbor of Elfin Cove this time.  It's starting to remind me of some of the down side of  Pelican.  Boats half sunk & trash around the water line, docks neglected & badly in need of repair or replacement,  many derelict boats taking up dock space & last but not least dog crap every where there's a walkway.  Then Jolee & I took a walk for the first time on the walkway & trail to the very inner bay & various lodges & homes  around it & found where the Elves would I think gladly call home.  What a enchanted place.  Brooks tumbling down by homes that perfectly match the steep rainforest setting above the quiet inner bay with a beautiful view of the little Elfin Cove town center with the eye sores to small to see.  At the very head of the inner bay saw in the water then crawl up on a old dock the most land otters we've ever seen in one playful group.  Eight otters make for a  never ending bouncing, splashing tumbling body of fur.  Had left the cameras behind & sure regretted it.  While on the walk also noticed the salmon berries are now ripening, so another reason for lack of seeing bears along the shore.  Don't think they'll be out in numbers now until the fish runs.

My disappointment with a few things about Elfin Cove in no way overshadow it's unique setting & magical beauty or in anyway stop me from recommending it highly as one of the must see places in Southeast Alaska.

Have iPad AT&T Internet here but very spotty & comes then goes, so anything done can evolve hours of trying.

[Hunkydory]

7-6-12

With a 10 knot southeast wind forecast for morning then changing to light for afternoon decided to make for Hoonah with help from an incoming tide.  That moved us right along through South Inian Passage at 9 knots on one motor at a rpm that normally pushed us at 5 tops.  The winds instead of dropping off increased from Point Adophus to Hoonah & going directly into the 3 foot chop was exactly what we had wanted to avoid for JoLee.  

We docked at Hoonah directly across from the same beautiful schooner the Windjammer from Brisbane, Australia  that we had at Warm Springs Bay.  Two other sailboats nearby had musicians aboard & they held a session of early American folk music on the Windjammer.  We were invited too, but JoLee not feeling up to it.    I did & the boats being so close we both really enjoyed the experience.  One of the musicians a Dr from Haines, Alaska who Jolee had read about in a book we picked up in the library there in April made the experience all the more enjoyable. 

Chatted with a couple of brothers from the Alaska exterior who with no prior boating experience had bought a 34 foot trawler.  They had picked it up in Portland, Oregon with a destination of Holmer, Alaska.  Today they leave for Elfin Cove & then a weather window for the runs to  Yakutat, Cordova, & Holmer.  A very gutsy pair who were learning on the go.  I wish them  well & lots of good luck.  They'r going to need it.  

46 miles today 1976 total

[20dauntless]

Missed you by a few hours in Hoonah it sounds like. Spent all day Saturday heading right into 3-4 foot head seas in Chatham Strait...a good reminder that C-Dorys don't like head seas!

The other Hunky Dory was near Hoonah and called me on the 5th asking if I knew where you were. They were heading towards Skagway to finish off their trip, so you two may meet up somewhere along the way.

Safe travels back home!

[doc]

I tried to hail you again yesterday and got answered but it was the other Hunky Dory. Man, is it ever raining in Juneau right now. Hope you are staying dry. Cruised around some today on mostly calm water but lots of fog and dense low clouds. Really looking forward to a sunny day.

[Hunkydory]

7-8-12

With JoLee still not up to par,  we were looking for weather windows on the Lynn Canal a stretch of water that is notorious for wind & somewhat lacking in  shelter to escape to if caught.  But first Icy stray had to be crossed & the forecast there was for 15 knots out of the east & that meant to much pounding, so this  morning with  a gale coming in tomarrow  night thought we would be in the Hoonah area for a while.   The Hoonah Harber master again wants a extra $10 for the hip tied Mokai for a night at the dock when the C-Dory is only $11, so was thinking about staying up at one of the forest service docks & on the way check  out the Neka River where in April I was up the river with 5 to 10 feet of snow on the banks.  Put 18 miles on the Mokai in the sloughs & river & finally back to the boat after a mishap that could have been grave.  After passing down trees on both sides of the river hit a gravel bar in the middle of the river just above them.  The Mokai stalled out & was starting to drift back where I could have got sucked under.  I made a quick exit of the Mokai & was just barely able to hold onto it & keep my footing.  Was difficult getting back in launched & back down & around the trees.  If the Mokai had got away from me it would have made for trying times getting to shore & back to the boat at least 7 miles away.  I'm thinking I've run enough of these rivers with with all the trees jammed in them.

Checked the weather at 8PM & Icy strait was looking good to cross tonight & maybe the Lynn Canal tomarrow  if we leave Couverden Bay at the junction of Icy Strait  & the Lynn Canal at 3:30 in the morning.  Made the crossing on smooth water & into Couverden Bay just before dark.  In the twilight checked out the passage between Swanson Harbor & The Couverden anchorage where we made a somewhat harrowing crossing in 2010.  With the Mokai,  I was able to see at a low tide the tricky part & was glad to see the way we choose to do it in that very early morning in 2010 was correct with very little room for error.  

Early in the day when leaving Hoonah for the Necka River saw the humpback whales bubble feeding for the first time this year & it brought back very pleasant memories of the first we saw them do this in 2003 near Juneau on our first cruise out of Skagway in the Hunkydory.

43 miles today & 2019 total

7-9-12

Up at 3:30AM & smooth water all the the way to Skagway, though there was fog & rain a good part of the way.  We got ahead of the rain the last couple of hours, but it caught back up with us here at Skagway & has poured since.  Kinda strange it was sunny & 52 degrees when we arrived here April 17th & today it's pouring rain & a high of 55.  At least we beat the gale & even if cleaning & boat loading was done in the rain, there wasn't wind.

The Harbor Master said  Dick from Pennsylvania  & his Hunkydory left here just two hours before we arrived.  Seemed like we just missed each other quite a few times.  We were really hoping to meet him.

It's been a great trip so far & we'er both  sad to come off the water.  Only real down side has been JoLees Vertigo acting up, the Wallas replacement & as we docked noticed the starboard motor lacking in pee stream & either vapor or white smoke from the exhaust. 

93 miles today & total for the 84 days on the water 2112

[Hunkydory]

Sam, think your experience with Hoonah Harbor staff about the same as mine. There's lots of room for improvement.

Anymore we do our best to avoid going directly into the short spaced nasty chop, but sometimes you just have to take your lumps.

Sounds like when we were leaving Port Fredrick you were at the Hoonah harbor & just missed you. It would have been fun to share experiences again. Will be looking fotward to reading the rest of your adventure on your blog. Keep Safe.

Doc Steve, sure wished it would have worked out to stop by your place again before heading back to Skagway. Was good to catch up on the phone. Hope you & Colleen have a wonderful time on your upcoming cruise over to the Port Fredrick area.

Jay

[rogerbum]

Jay, thanks again for sharing your trip with all of us. It's been one of the first things I read each day (at least each day that there's a new post). Like the morning paper and NPR at drive time, it's been a good companion over the past 2-3 months. Now that you're off the water, what will us adventured deprived people do? I guess we're lucky that the Olympics will soon be on TV.