Heading to Alaska - summer 2015

[BRAZO]

We'd thought that we'd start a post to share our travel plans this summer to Alaska. It is so nice to have many c-brats already completing this trip to give us threads to search - we'd like to think this might help someone else in the future.

we'll also share via facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/meyermeyertravels

Here are our overall plans to date :

We currently have our Winnebago View motorhome in Phoenix where we have flown back and forth from Wisconsin to get out of the cold and our CD22 is stored in Blaine, WA for the last couple of years. The plan now is for us to keep the motorhome in Phoenix until June. Then I'll fly into Phoenix and drive the motorhome to Blaine, WA. It'll take me a few days to prep the boat for the trip and I'll launch the boat in Blaine.

I'll then take the boat on its own bottom to Vancouver, BC. Gaye has a flight from Madison to Vancouver where she'll meet me. (Our 17yr old son always goes, but he'll be in Germany for a month and didn't want to be away from his friends all summer). The next day (if the weather is good), we'll head toward Alaska.

We'll take 16 days to make our way to Ketchikan Alaska. Gaye will fly home on Sunday and then fly back on Friday evening (expensive working days - 3 days work will not pay for the flights). Then we'll spend 16 more days on our boat exploring SE Alaska.

We'll then store our boat in Ketchikan and Gaye will fly home and I'll fly into Seattle and take the bus back to Blaine. From there I'll drive the motorhome and boat trailer home.

The next year (or another year) we'll just fly to Ketchikan and explore from there. Plans are always subject to change, but we plan to keep the boat up in Alaska for a number of years ( we changed the boat registration to Alaska ).

Crazy excited to do this trip!!

[BRAZO]

Planning our path including fuel stops on the inside passage and SE Alaska.

In 2010, NewMoon posted these fuel stops - does anyone have additions/subtractions from this list (Thank You):


Broughtons and Queen Charlotte Strait:

Lagoon Cove
Pierre's at Echo Bay
Port McNeill
Sullivan Bay
Port Hardy

BC North Coast:

Duncanby Landing
Dawson's Landing
Bella Bella
Shearwater
Bella Coola
Klemtu
Hartley Bay
Kitimat
Prince Rupert

SE Alaska:

Ketchikan
Thorne Bay
Wrangell
Petersburg
Kake
Point Baker
Angoon (M-F, I think)
Tenakee Springs
Sitka
Craig
Juneau
Hoonah
Bartlett Cove (Glacier Bay)
Elfin Cove
Pelican
Haines
Skagway

[20dauntless]

That list still is pretty accurate...nothing jumps out at me as being wrong.

Hartley Bay runs out of fuel periodically—at least twice last summer—and it's hard to get anyone there on the phone in advance to see if they have fuel. I'd plan on buying fuel at Shearwater and Klemtu and travel slowly enough so that you don't need fuel at Hartley Bay.

16 days is a fairly quick trip up to Ketchikan, especially if you have to wait for weather for a few days along the way. It's a wonderful trip, though...so much to see.

When are you leaving Blaine?

[BRAZO]

[Casey]

Your Adventure sounds fine, but like Dauntless, it's pretty ambitious. Be sure to factor-in some weather days.

Since you're planning to spend a few (several?) summers exploring Southeast, I would urge you to have a good/stout cover for your boat. Depending on where you store it, the chances are that it will be outside. having a cover will be very useful.

You might want to look a Wrangell, AK as a place to store the boat. It's about 150sm north of Ketchikan, a smaller town, and they're actively building their storage capacity. Call the Wrangell Harbormaster and they'll steer you in the right direction for details. Wrangell also has Alaska Ferry Service and daily jet service from Alaska Airlines.

Regardless of where you store the boat, you might want to look at plans for a decent storage cradle that you can build on site from local materials. A storage site with electricity (for a small heater/dryer) would be a definite Plus.

If you don't already have auto-pilot on your boat, I would recommend installing it before you depart.

You're going to have a Ball!!!!

Best,
Casey&Mary

[BRAZO]

Thanks Casey - appreciate the info.

Yes, we do have a cover for the boat - we've used in Blaine, WA the last two years and it has worked well. It is actually for our Winnebago View, but fits the CD22 perfectly.

With all the rain in Ketchikan, I'm very happy I completed the Epoxy seal project on all the cored holes - should be well protected from any water leaks in the cover.

Yes, we do have auto-pilot - which we love (we have no choice as we cruise trawler speeds).

The nice thing with our timeline is it is pretty solid as far as needing to be in Ketchikan for my wife to fly home for a few days. But in reality, it is not a hard date - she could/will just call into work stating we are "stuck" on our way to Ketchikan. Preferably we make it to Ketchikan in 16 days but we never have a schedule. We've made a number of Lake Michigan crossings, and know to carefully watch those weather windows.

We checked into Wrangell but did not have any luck getting our calls returned (outside of the Harbor Master which informed us that they will not be taking any boats under 40ft next year). Flights from Ketchikan are pretty reasonable considering where it is.

Thanks again and any information/thoughts is very helpful.

[thataway]

I am going to agree wiht those who thinnk that the 16 days to get to AK are way optimistic--and too fast to really enjoy the trip. We took 4 trips in the Cal 46, where the speeds were 6 to 7 knots (traawler speeds)--never had any fuel issues, since our range under power was abut 2000 miles. This was also a boat where 8 to 10 foot seas would not stop us if we had to travel--although we prefered no more than 2 to 3 footers.

The difference between the "Trawler" speeds and C Dory 17 to 20 knot speeds, is that with the 17 to 20 knots you can make a number of the passes and straits, where the current/tide is critical each day. With the trawler speeds, You have to time your passages precisely for high slack water, and generally not do more than one a day.

Second--taking 16 days, will not allow you the time to really enjoy the sights and coves along the way. No detours.

For us, trailering the boat the Prince Rupert area makes a lot of sense. It is only about 50 miles to Alaska. This leaves a month or more for you to enjoy Alaska. The cost of fuel is less for the RV towing it, than running on its own bottom.

Later when you are both retired then take a month or so to do BC, and enjoy the trip.

[BRAZO]

Thanks Dr Bob.

Not a question of should we do it - already booked. We are travelers (rarely stay 2 nights anywhere on our motorhome or CD22 - and have travelled 70k+ miles on the motorhome in the last 2.5yrs), so we've heard the not enough time to enjoy argument before. But we have been to 49 states and pretty much all of Canada - and soon we'll be touring Europe in our View. And after that we have a huge list of places in the world to visit - no time to worry about lack of time in northern BC.

But certainly understand how that might apply to other folks - not us.

Thanks for your thoughts and enjoy your evening.

[Larry H]

THE most dangerous thing boating the coast from Seattle to Glacier bay is a SCHEDULE!

Be prepared to have to wait: To cross Georgia Strait, To transit the Johnstone strait, To cross the Queen Charlotte Sound, To cross the Dixon Entrance.

The end of June is the prime time for The Westerly Wind to set in over the waterways inside Vancouver Island. It can blow 20-25-30-35 knots for 3 to 5 days. This is normal. That wind will be following the channels setting up large wind waves. The combination of wind, wind wave, and current can prevent travel by small boat.

I have done many transits of the coast and have had to wait to cross all of the above, sometimes as long as 8 days. To think you can maintain a schedule from Blaine to Ketchikan is dangerous. It is possible to get good weather and just go. It is just as likely to get really snarky weather and be waiting, or try to meet THE SCHEDULE and go out in bad weather and get in big trouble.

While the Canada Coast Guard has excellent VHF coverage on the coast, there are very few rescue bases up north, and Canada Coast Guard will not tow a broken down boat.

I have been cruising on this coast since 1987, and I have been to SE Alaska twice by 22 C-Dory and three times by 37Ft Trawler.

My best advice for a 16 day trip is to trailer the boat to Prince Rupert, launch there, and make Ketchikan in one day on the water. It is 95 miles from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan, my 6-7knot trawler takes two days.

Good luck.

[BRAZO]

Thanks for the info.

[Byrdman]

How many nautical miles is the trip from Vancouver BC to Ketchican, AK?

[thataway]

A rough number would be 600 nautical miles. There are several alternative routes--depend on weather, the speed of the boat (for co-ordinationg passage thru the various narrows and straits), what detours you made for sheltered anchorages (may not be in the direct shortest distance). There are a number of side trips which are well worth making. We never took the same route twice--and only hit the major cities each time for re-supply or the obligatory Prince Rupert for checking into Canada.

[hardee]

Bob and Larry H both have good experience on this route and good logic. Driving to PR and launching there would allow more time for the SE Alaska experience, but most of all, allow for timing to meet your schedule, and not have the weather concerns.

Weather concerns (except for fog) are not things you can overcome with radar.

I think of Roger (Dreamer's) tag line, "The most dangerous thing on a cruising boat is a schedule."

Of course, you know your abilities and your limitations, and you make your plans.

Safe travels.

Harvey
SleepyC

[Casey]

Your comment: "We checked into Wrangell but did not have any luck getting our calls returned (outside of the Harbor Master which informed us that they will not be taking any boats under 40ft next year)."

I certainly hope the comment was directed at storage "on-the-hard," and not transient slippage for cruisers. We've found that occasional marina's that have a minimum 30-foot rate (we have NOT found that to be the case in AK), but a minimum of 40-foot would really be pushing things.

[20dauntless]

Casey, the 40-foot minimum in Wrangell is for on-the-hard offseason storage. No issue getting transient space for smaller boats.

16 days for the trip is up to Ketchikan is certainly on the fast side but in no way impossible. I had 14 days for the trip in 2012 and we made it in 11...including waiting 2 or 3 days for weather around Cape Caution. We cruised much of the way at 16 knots and had several long days—I think three days were 120-150 nautical miles each. The Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait and Dixon Entrance were all a bit bumpy, somewhat uncomfortable but not unsafe. As long as you go into the trip expecting long, maybe uncomfortable days underway, you'll be fine. Just don't push the weather too much, especially around Cape Caution and across Dixon Entrance.

I'll be heading up a month or so before you. Shoot me an email or PM right before you leave and I'll let you know if I find any changes along the way that you should know about.