8-5-15 continued. We were amazed to have three orcas rise up near us just as we reached the Dundas River Inlet to Dundas Bay. They along with hundreds of shore birds, Eagles, fish jumping & being chased by a sea lion, was quite the primary to my taking the Mokai up the river. Taking the Mokai up this river has been on my bucket list, since first seeing it's beautiful setting in 2007. We made it to it's mouth again in April of 2012, but there was still deep snow there then, so didn't make the attempt. I feel great about finally doing it, but I'm finding these glacier fed rivers just a little to exciting, so as fun as this one was to navigate, it will probably be my last & perhaps, I saved the best for last. The wind picked up from the south, about the time, I returned to the Hunkydory, so instead of anchoring there, we headed up & slow cruised beautiful Dundas Inlet. At its very head, near the river coming off the Brady Glacier, we saw our first moose ever in Southeast Alaska, which sure made us think of our daughter in law, Rebecca, who loves seeing them & will go to extremes to do so. Thinking fog might move into North Inian Passage by morning, we decided to make its crossing late this evening, even with the 5 mph ebb tide. The water was a bit rough, but not dangerously so. Tonight we are anchored in the Inian Islands Hobbit Hole, a place not mentioned in the cruising books, but one my friend Les, told me about from his cruise here with his wife Sandy, this spring. It is just as unique as they told me it would be. A storm could be raging in Cross Sound & waters here would still be mirror smooth. 75 miles today & 1308 total. On the water--- day 58
8-6-15. Out of the Hobbit Hole at 6AM to catch the higher end of the tide for its entrance & before high flow started through South Inian Passage. During the high tides of last week the current was running between 11 & 12 mph on the ebb. We had planned on stopping at Elfin Cove, but the early weather check showed the outside forecast for 5 feet & calm winds till afternoon, when they would pick up to 15 knots, so we decided to make the outside run around Yakobi Island, which is the only one of the Brown Bear islands we have not been all the way around. The swells were far spaced & smooth until we got about half way, then first, the points started roughening up & by Deer Harbor it was enough to get both our attention. Shortly after making our way off the open Gulf into Lisianski Strait we passed a 27 feet Almar Sounder with a couple fishing. Later here at our old waiting spot at the Bohemia Shelter & dock, we talked to them & they told us their plans this morning had been to fish the outside, but just as they left Pelican, the latest weather report, which we had missed, had the wind coming early & at 25 knots, so they were very surprised to see our little C-Dory coming through from the outside into Lisianski Strait & now, we know why the 15 knot conditions felt so rough out there.
This evening the wind has calmed though there is still a steady rain falling, so good to be tied to the dock in this special to us spot & feeling safe & secure. 48 miles today & 1356 total. On the water---day 59
8-7-15. Rained most of the night & then most welcome blue sky. This is the day we should have done the loop around Yakobi Island. Jolee said lets do it again today as we'll now be able to see the mountains. I think she has recovered from the beating we took yesterday.
I'm writing this from the library in Pelican just after we had coffee & the big cookies at the Lisianski Inlet Cafe it was a nice addition to the halibut breakfast at the Bohemia Dick early this morning.
