Alaska-inside-2015
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colbysmith
Active member
I'd love to join you Brad....but earliest I could make the trip would be second week of June.... Right now, wife and I are planning Lake Powel later in June. But please keep posting your plans. While a trip like that probably isn't in the cards for me this coming year, you never know! Colby
We may also be interested. '08 22'
We are on Vancouver Island. Please keep us in the loop on this. Alternate email blake@ericksonroofing.com
We are on Vancouver Island. Please keep us in the loop on this. Alternate email blake@ericksonroofing.com
20dauntless
New member
I'll be Alaska bound from Anacortes May 31st and arriving in Ketchikan around June 19th.
It's a fantastic trip that I highly recommend. Six weeks is the minimum that I'd do it in, but 8 weeks is better and 12 weeks really allows you to see the sights. I don't think a trip to Alaska is complete without taking your boat to a tidewater glacier, and LeConte Glacier (near Petersburg) is the southernmost option. Figure a minimum of 4-5 days round trip from Ketchikan, but it's much better with twice that time.
As for fuel and time for the trip, here are the stats from my 2012 roundtrip from Anacortes to Glacier Bay.
Total Days: 102
Total Distance: 3,220.2 nm
Total Engine Hours: 480.0
Average Speed: 6.7 knots
Total Fuel Burned: 868.8 gallons
Average Fuel Consumption: 1.81 GPH (3.7 nm/gal)
Total Fuel Cost: $4,297.75
Average Fuel Cost: $4.95/gal
One other tip...don't depend on buying fuel at Hartley Bay. They ran out of fuel twice last summer and the nearest fuel stop is about 40nm away.
It's a fantastic trip that I highly recommend. Six weeks is the minimum that I'd do it in, but 8 weeks is better and 12 weeks really allows you to see the sights. I don't think a trip to Alaska is complete without taking your boat to a tidewater glacier, and LeConte Glacier (near Petersburg) is the southernmost option. Figure a minimum of 4-5 days round trip from Ketchikan, but it's much better with twice that time.
As for fuel and time for the trip, here are the stats from my 2012 roundtrip from Anacortes to Glacier Bay.
Total Days: 102
Total Distance: 3,220.2 nm
Total Engine Hours: 480.0
Average Speed: 6.7 knots
Total Fuel Burned: 868.8 gallons
Average Fuel Consumption: 1.81 GPH (3.7 nm/gal)
Total Fuel Cost: $4,297.75
Average Fuel Cost: $4.95/gal
One other tip...don't depend on buying fuel at Hartley Bay. They ran out of fuel twice last summer and the nearest fuel stop is about 40nm away.
Another option to keep in mind is trailering to Prince Rupert, and
launching/storing the truck trailer there. This gives you maximum time in Alaska, without the issues of getting across the longest stretch with few fuel stops, and several potential rough passages, which can delay the trip. You can always do the lower segments in stages, and trailer the boat to upper Vancouver Island.
We have made 4 trips up the inland passage in a larger diesel powered vessel at 6 knots--but had 6 months to do this trip in. For the C Dory we found the Prince Rupert way far better, with a separate trip to the Broughtons, to specifically give them the month they deserve.
If you do the Alaska part of the trip at 5 knots in the c Dory your fuel costs will be halved (or better).
launching/storing the truck trailer there. This gives you maximum time in Alaska, without the issues of getting across the longest stretch with few fuel stops, and several potential rough passages, which can delay the trip. You can always do the lower segments in stages, and trailer the boat to upper Vancouver Island.
We have made 4 trips up the inland passage in a larger diesel powered vessel at 6 knots--but had 6 months to do this trip in. For the C Dory we found the Prince Rupert way far better, with a separate trip to the Broughtons, to specifically give them the month they deserve.
If you do the Alaska part of the trip at 5 knots in the c Dory your fuel costs will be halved (or better).
Pat Anderson
New member
You CAN trailer to Prince Rupert, but the best part of this trip by me is the Northern BC part from Cape Caution to Prince Rupert! My one regret is that I had to do this part WAY too fast because Patty was going to fly into Ketchikan and I had to be there to meet her. But however you do it, do NOT short yourself on time! There is no "schedule," or alternatively, you can say "We are on schedule" wherever you are at any time! However you decide to do it, DO it!
thataway":1rsnc731 said:
I like this plan too.
We've done SE AK for 2-3 months starting from Prince Rupert 11 times, BC Coast for 1-3 months 6-7 times, and the whole deal from Everett to Glacier Bay and back once, taking 3.5 months. If I had only two months, I'd do BC or SE AK, but not both.
My preference most days is to travel only 30-40 nm (at 6 knots, even though we can cruise at 18 knots), leaving a lot of time for sightseeing, shore trips, fishing/crabbing/shrimping, etc etc. We do 50-60nm, or occasionally 80-90 or more, when it's helpful to get somewhere (like crossing the Dixon Entrance from Prince Rupert to Ketchikan) with a relatively short good weather window.
If seeing much of SE AK is your main objective, I'd start from Prince Rupert. Four Seasons storage in PR is a good place to stow your truck and trailer. Contact Les Palmer on (250) 600-6702.
FYI, here's some info that might be helpful:
I'd be happy to email copies of our anchorage lists to anyone who would like them. We've stayed in most, but not all, of these anchorages, and all the towns/marinas mentioned. Page numbers are from the Douglass Exploring series cruising guides.
When we started cruising the PNW we would study charts and cruising guides together, and write down anchorages we thought would be useful. With experience, we added brief comments on some, when we thought there was something worth remembering that was not necessarily in the cruising guide. Anchorages without comments may be ones we have not yet used, or ones where no additional comment seemed necessary.
They are listed roughly in the sequence you might come upon them as you travel. When we're deciding where to go next, we often look at the lists rather than hauling out the cruising guide. Makes it easy to select the day's destination, and to have in mind a few places along the way where we might bail out, if weather begins to be a problem.
A really handy overview map to have is:
http://www.greatpacificmaps.com/Great_P ... ssage.html
You could mark the fuel stops on this map. It shows all of SE AK on one side, and has a smaller rendition of the BC coast as well. Great for initial route planning, at least for SE AK. Also has street maps of every significant town from Prince Rupert north - very handy if you're trying to find your way to some store or repair shop.
Below are a couple of posts I put together on fuel stops. I've never found a publication that shows them comprehensively. Some of the cruising guides don't even mention fuel much. Maybe they're written by folks with boats that don't need to be refueled very often. I think gas and diesel are available at all these, and propane at most.
9/29/2011 – Fuel Stops on the Inside Passage
There are lots of fuel docks in the San Juans, Gulf Islands, and along the BC mainland on the east side of the Strait of Georgia. There's fuel at Campbell River and a few other places in the Desolation Sound area. North of there fuel docks are further apart.
There are fuel stops on the west side of Vancouver Island, but I'm not current on that area.
We've been cruising mostly SE Alaska the last few summers, so may not be current on BC fuel dock changes - I've heard that some have closed down rather than upgrade facilities as required. The Waggoner Guide may be a good source of more current BC info. But, here are some we know of:
Broughtons and Queen Charlotte Strait:
Pierre's at Echo Bay
Sullivan Bay
Lagoon Cove
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
Yes Bay in Behm Canal
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
Inside Passage – Distance between fuel stops 2/15/2010
Longest distances between fuel stops:
We've wandered pretty much all over the Inside Passage in BC and SE Alaska, in all sorts of different directions. Sitka, Elfin Cove, Glacier Bay, Juneau, Haines, Skagway, and most points south of there.
Distances are from tested routes in my chartplotter. They're in Nautical Miles. To convert NM to statute miles, multiply by 1.15.
You can get to most places you'd want to go in a small boat if you can COMFORTABLY (with a good reserve to handle weather changes etc) go 140 nautical miles on a tank. If you have 200-300 NM range you have a lot more flexibility in your routes, but I don't think there's anywhere much more than 140 NM from a fuel stop. Many are a lot closer together than that.
One place which would take significantly longer range to get to is the fancy glaciers up at the end of the Tracy Arm, the entrance of which (assume at Tracy Arm Cove, the anchorage just inside Holkham Bay) is about 55 NM south from downtown Juneau, or 70 NM from Auke Bay. The run up to the glaciers from Tracy Arm Cove is 26 NM each way. So you'd need about 160-190 NM range, depending on where you start and end up.
Some of the other longest runs between fuel stops:
Petersburg-Juneau (downtown): 136 NM
Petersburg-Sitka: 153 NM, but you could stop for fuel at Angoon (some days) or Tenakee Springs (by going out of your way)
Auke Bay-Sitka (via Peril Strait): 131 NM
Hoonah-Sitka (via Peril Strait): 126NM
Glacier Bay, Bartlett Cove-Margerie Glacier and back: minimum about 130 NM, depending on where you anchor overnight. Doing it all in one day is tough unless the weather is exceptionally nice, and won't leave you enough time at the glacier.
Shearwater-Prince Rupert: 170-180 NM, but you could stop for fuel at Klemtu or Hartley Bay.
I'd be happy to email copies of our anchorage lists to anyone who would like them. We've stayed in most, but not all, of these anchorages, and all the towns/marinas mentioned. Page numbers are from the Douglass Exploring series cruising guides.
When we started cruising the PNW we would study charts and cruising guides together, and write down anchorages we thought would be useful. With experience, we added brief comments on some, when we thought there was something worth remembering that was not necessarily in the cruising guide. Anchorages without comments may be ones we have not yet used, or ones where no additional comment seemed necessary.
They are listed roughly in the sequence you might come upon them as you travel. When we're deciding where to go next, we often look at the lists rather than hauling out the cruising guide. Makes it easy to select the day's destination, and to have in mind a few places along the way where we might bail out, if weather begins to be a problem.
A really handy overview map to have is:
http://www.greatpacificmaps.com/Great_P ... ssage.html
You could mark the fuel stops on this map. It shows all of SE AK on one side, and has a smaller rendition of the BC coast as well. Great for initial route planning, at least for SE AK. Also has street maps of every significant town from Prince Rupert north - very handy if you're trying to find your way to some store or repair shop.
Below are a couple of posts I put together on fuel stops. I've never found a publication that shows them comprehensively. Some of the cruising guides don't even mention fuel much. Maybe they're written by folks with boats that don't need to be refueled very often. I think gas and diesel are available at all these, and propane at most.
9/29/2011 – Fuel Stops on the Inside Passage
There are lots of fuel docks in the San Juans, Gulf Islands, and along the BC mainland on the east side of the Strait of Georgia. There's fuel at Campbell River and a few other places in the Desolation Sound area. North of there fuel docks are further apart.
There are fuel stops on the west side of Vancouver Island, but I'm not current on that area.
We've been cruising mostly SE Alaska the last few summers, so may not be current on BC fuel dock changes - I've heard that some have closed down rather than upgrade facilities as required. The Waggoner Guide may be a good source of more current BC info. But, here are some we know of:
Broughtons and Queen Charlotte Strait:
Pierre's at Echo Bay
Sullivan Bay
Lagoon Cove
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
Yes Bay in Behm Canal
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
Inside Passage – Distance between fuel stops 2/15/2010
Longest distances between fuel stops:
We've wandered pretty much all over the Inside Passage in BC and SE Alaska, in all sorts of different directions. Sitka, Elfin Cove, Glacier Bay, Juneau, Haines, Skagway, and most points south of there.
Distances are from tested routes in my chartplotter. They're in Nautical Miles. To convert NM to statute miles, multiply by 1.15.
You can get to most places you'd want to go in a small boat if you can COMFORTABLY (with a good reserve to handle weather changes etc) go 140 nautical miles on a tank. If you have 200-300 NM range you have a lot more flexibility in your routes, but I don't think there's anywhere much more than 140 NM from a fuel stop. Many are a lot closer together than that.
One place which would take significantly longer range to get to is the fancy glaciers up at the end of the Tracy Arm, the entrance of which (assume at Tracy Arm Cove, the anchorage just inside Holkham Bay) is about 55 NM south from downtown Juneau, or 70 NM from Auke Bay. The run up to the glaciers from Tracy Arm Cove is 26 NM each way. So you'd need about 160-190 NM range, depending on where you start and end up.
Some of the other longest runs between fuel stops:
Petersburg-Juneau (downtown): 136 NM
Petersburg-Sitka: 153 NM, but you could stop for fuel at Angoon (some days) or Tenakee Springs (by going out of your way)
Auke Bay-Sitka (via Peril Strait): 131 NM
Hoonah-Sitka (via Peril Strait): 126NM
Glacier Bay, Bartlett Cove-Margerie Glacier and back: minimum about 130 NM, depending on where you anchor overnight. Doing it all in one day is tough unless the weather is exceptionally nice, and won't leave you enough time at the glacier.
Shearwater-Prince Rupert: 170-180 NM, but you could stop for fuel at Klemtu or Hartley Bay.
Again to those that have responded a heart felt thank you. Pat your "DO IT" comment says it all. Richard, the wealth of info again is priceless, thank you so very much. Still hope over the next number of months to find another boat or two that have the the same desires and objectives if not , as Pat said "DO IT. And I will. Again thanks so much to all.
riversun45
New member
I guess I have learned to pay attention to who is on this message. I read this yesterday but did not realize who was on line. Hi Sam Hi Bob Hi Brad. Thanks for calling this morning Brad. Yes lets go to PR and launch your boat as mine is on the hard in Wrangell AK. I need about a week to get Gypsy River sea worthy again. Mainly getting a new hydraulic steering system installed by Bay Co there in Wrangell. I will start a new thread on that problem later. I did not go past Petersburg last summer because there was so much to see and do between Ketchikan and Petersburg I decided to wait till this coming summer to go further north. It would be great to have another C-Dory along next summer. If you will be around SandPoint in April, I may come over with the RV and trailer to hang out a while and maybe we can go to PR (1100 miles) in early May. I will keep in touch.
Jon
Jon
Jon, great talking with you this A.M. I hope to be back in Standpoint early April and could be ready with C-Mist within a couple of weeks to head north to PR. Looking forward to putting the plan together with you. Two boats is better for me and three maybe better than two. Through comments on this site , I realize experience, $, and time require me to do this in segments. Three to four months 2015 in the SE then 2016?? And so on. The "DO IT" really spoke to me. Again to all those that commented and shared thoughts and info, thanks so much. I will be back in touch with some of you through the winter months ref: gas stops ,so on. Best regards to all and safe travels. Looks as if launching out of PR and spending the summer in SE is the right plan . Thanks
Gene Morris
New member
Jay & jolee on Hunky Dory have mentioned a gathering in Pelican Ak 2015. You couldn't find a better guide if you can hook up with them. Like Richard on New Moon, they have extensive experience cruising SE Alaska. Watch their videos. Fantastic!
We'er one of those who decided to just DO IT. That was back in 2003 & we've kept that attitude up in the years since. I've written up these Southeast Alaska trips & they'er posted in the Grand Adventure Forum, under my user & boat name Hunkydory. You may find them interesting & possibly helpful in your planning. I know if I could have had access to similar, starting back in 2003 it might of saved us a mishap or two.
This year, Brent & Dixie of Discovery, Dave & Ginger of Will-C & us are in the planning stages of trailering to Skagway, Alaska & starting a cruise from there. We will be looking forward to crossing wakes with you & all others who will be cruising in Southeast Alaska next summer.
The Pelican Gathering Gene mentioned doesn't have a date set yet, but for best bear viewing it needs to be in early to mid June.
Jay
This year, Brent & Dixie of Discovery, Dave & Ginger of Will-C & us are in the planning stages of trailering to Skagway, Alaska & starting a cruise from there. We will be looking forward to crossing wakes with you & all others who will be cruising in Southeast Alaska next summer.
The Pelican Gathering Gene mentioned doesn't have a date set yet, but for best bear viewing it needs to be in early to mid June.
Jay