2016 Cruising Plans

G

Gene Morris

New member
What are your plans for the 2016 cruising season? Reef Madness is heading to SE Alaska via the Inside Passage. We plan to attend the Friday Harbor CBGT in May (if it's still on), then head north into Desolation Sound and the Broughtons for a couple weeks. We'll continue north to spend several weeks in Alaska, fishing and exploring around Elfin Cove, Pelican, Hoonah, Petersburg etc. Hope to have a few friends and family join us during our cruise.

In the fall, if we still like each other, we would like to trailer east and start the ICW. That is in the planning stage. We have started getting Reef Madness ready for the adventure. Installing a 2000w inverter today. We have a long "to do" list. Hope to cross wakes with a few of you brats. Can't wait!
 
Hope to see you two in Alaska. I'm planning on leaving Anacortes on May 15. Not sure what my itinerary is like for Alaska yet, but I'm sure I'll spend some time at the glaciers between Petersburg and Juneau and then I hope to do the outside of Chichagof and Baranof Islands. If the weather cooperates I may even visit Lituya Bay for a few days. Look for a white Nordic Tug 37 with a blue stripe named Safe Harbour.
 
My plan is to do some shakedown cruises on the West coast of Vancouver Island. I've cruised and fished Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds, but I've only been in Nootka, Kyuquot, and Quatsino Sounds by kayak. Never in anything as spacious and luxurious as a CD 16. After that, my plans are kind of vague other than going where people aren't.

It used to take me three days to cruise to Desolation Sound. Four days to Barkley Sound. Now, I can catch an 8:20 am ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria and then trailer to most launches on Vancouver Island the same day. It's even possible to cross from Port Angeles, drive from Victoria to Port Hardy that day, and catch the 6 pm BC mid-coast overnight ferry. Two days from my house to Bella Bella with my CD 16. I'm suffering from the kid in a candy store syndrome.

Mark
 
Sam, We followed your reports of the 2015 Flotilla to Alaska. We hope to see you on the water or at a sunny harbor or anchorage. As a result of tracking your flotilla, we linked to www.riveted-blog.com. We anxiously logged in each night to read the adventures of AIRSHIP. Any Brats that are interested in an outstanding cruising blog check it out. The quadcopter footage in Ford's Terror is incredible. Of course AIRSHIP is famous now, making the cover of the 2016 Wagoner Cruising Guide.

Jim, We are looking forward to traveling the PNW again. Are you still "Cptn. Whale watcher" in FH? If so, we'll see you there!

Mark, You will be so comfortable scooting around that big island in your 16. Hope you're taking a fishing rod or two. We will take our time heading north. We will be joined by a young family on at 24 Tom Cat. This will be their first cruise and they be with us in Desolation and The Broughton's. We are in no hurry...#retiring.

Margaret, Gene and Docker
 
In early May, if the weather cooperates , we are looking forward to another road trip north & to launch out of Skagway, Alaska. We hope to round both Chichagof & Baranof Islands with stops in the towns of Tenekee, Port Alexander, Sitka, Pelican, Elfin Cove & Hoonah in the order listed with also a possible stop at Auke Bay near Juneau too. With this being in May & early June, I doubt we'll see any others, like Sam & Gene in the area as much we would like to. By mid June we plan to be off the ocean & on the Yukon River. We are considering several different options on cruising the Yukon River with a run both ways between Eagle, Alaska & Whitehorse, a distance of 1240 miles not ruled out. Following the Yukon cruise, we plan on being back in Wyoming by mid summer to spend time with out grandchildren & their parents in Yellowstone & other places boating & camping out, followed by making it to our 8th gathering at Lake Powell.

Jay
 
I guess the summer starts with Friday Harbor in May, assuming it will happen. After that , I'll be looking northward. More time on the north half of Vancouver Island for sure.

A NOTE ABOUT TRAILERING ON VANCOUVER ISLAND.

The BC Ferry System has, for the last couple of years, offered a pretty decent discount of some sort, with the purpose of increasing tourism on Vancouver Island, to those who are "oversize" (read "pulling a trailer" or driving a motor home.) This last year it was dropping the charge from $6 to $2 per foot. My total cost for taking my 22 ft Cruiser from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo behind my Tundra was $105. The same trip on either the WA State ferry or BlackBall Coho would have been close to 3 times that. Check the BC Ferry website when you are looking at trailering to the island.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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New Moon will likely be launching in Prince Rupert, and spending some time in the area around Craig (best SE AK fishing we've found yet).

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This past summer we did more sightseeing and not so much fishing as in 2014. Seems like time to focus on fishing again for at least part of next summer.

Haven't yet figured where else we'll be poking around. Hope to see some C-Brats up there again!
 
If on the route east in the fall you plan to come anywhere near Denver, drop an email and let us know. We would love to visit and share your photos and adventure from your trip north, and we have a spare bedroom for you. Might want to hang out in Colorado for a few days (or just an evening if time is critical for your drive east to the ICW).

El and Bill
 
For those of us who trailer into Canada, do you get a Canada Customs Clearance number from the boarder, or get a Passport stamp? Crossing on the water, we get a clearance number to post in the window and in the log book, for verification to the Canadian Coast Guard if asked. My first trip across with the boat on the trailer I didn't have that. Fortunately that was not an issue on that trip. I didn't think about it until I was talking with another USA boater who had crossed on the water and had been stopped by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Richard,
We will be stopping at Prince of Wales on the way south. Not sure if we will make it to Craig on the west side or just stop off at Whale Pass and Thorne Bay on the east. Last visit, we were able to find a truck to rent (had to knock on doors) and make a land trip from Thorne Bay to Whale Pass and stopped in Craig. Would really like to fish some of the streams on POW in August.
 
El & Bill, Thanks for the kind invite. It would be wonderful to visit and share your stories. Gene wanted me to say we want to start the Great Loop heading down the Mississippi. Guess I was skipping on to the coast. I have been rereading Halcyon Days on my Kindle. Makes the planning that much more exciting!
 
Hi Everybody,
We just bought a C Dory 22 Classic and are looking forward to more exploring on the water. I grew up in California and moved to Port Alexander in 1978. I commercial fished for 28 years and have taken boats from Seattle to Alaska, as far as Seward many times. We sold our 62' Sylvia, built in Seattle in 1927 and have been running our little lodge for 16 years now. We've been zipping around south Baranof in welded aluminum skiffs and I have almost 5,000 hours flying our Cessna 185 around this beautiful southeast Alaska. We are so looking forward to taking our new, 1983 C Dory out for some over nighters. I have enjoyed your pictures and look forward to meeting you. If you ever get to Port Alexander, look us up. I know this area like the back of my hand. Give us a heads up as we might be busy with guests.
Safe travels,
Kevin and Karen Mulligan
 
Hi Kevin & Karen,

Congratulations on the new for you C-Dory boat. If plans work out we hope to meet you in Port Alexander about mid May or a little later. When we were there during 2010 & 2012 we saw what I think was a Cessna 185 come & go several times while there & folks we met said it was owned by a couple who had been there for quite a while, so I imagine it was you. We were there several days in 2010 waiting for good enough seas to come around Cape Ommaney to go up the out side to Sitka in our CD22 & the hospitality shown by your neighbors we met was fantastic. Of all the small towns in Southeast Alaska we've been to Port Alexander is our favorite.

Jay & JoLee
 
Kevin & Karen, Just checked out your website at www.fishermensinn.com. Looks like a little piece of heaven. Checking out the maps of SE. Could possibly head to PA then across to POW. So many options! If we make it near your place we will certainly hail you. Enjoy your new boat!

Margaret, Gene & Docker
 
Hardee, when I towed across into Canada this past summer they just stamped our passports. However, at one of the marina's, some customs guys walking around, gave us a certificate to put in our boat window. Colby
 
First weekend of March, I plan to attend the gathering at St. Johns River. September we have signed up for an Alaskan Cruise. (Maybe we'll see some C-Dory's on the inland passage! ;-) Otherwise, hope to spend a week up in the Apostle Islands in June (20-24th?), and several trips up to Door County throughout the rest of summer. I'm interested in coming out west again in October if there are any gatherings at Yellowstone or Lake Powell then. Colby
 
colbysmith":vde23aeb said:
Hardee, when I towed across into Canada this past summer they just stamped our passports. However, at one of the marina's, some customs guys walking around, gave us a certificate to put in our boat window. Colby
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When I have driven across with the truck and trailer, (since that first time), I have asked to have the passport stamped, which has been done, and that takes care of the issue. No certificate, but the stamped passport supersedes the window certificate.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Hi Jay and JoLee,
We looked at your photos and recognized so many places. One was one of my favorite fishing spots. I hope you were fishing. Your photos stopped with whales around Port Armstrong and I was wondering if you ever made it to P.A. We love it down here and there is a lot of big water by that Cape O. We had forecast seas of 36' a couple days ago. You can wait for a while to get around sometimes. We are going to leave our dory in Juneau until May and bring her over with our truck, on the ferry to Sitka. We'll run down from Sitka on the outside if the weather is good. Hopefully we'll see you in P.A
Kevin and Karen
 
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