Well C-Brats, it's time for another grand adventure of "Oh the places we go..." featuring Hunky Dory and Discovery on their excursions in south east Alaska-Summer 2015. We'll try to give you the all important statistical data that fellow boaters need, some interesting facts about the places we visit, pointers for those of you that are contemplating this same adventure, and a few behind the scenes stories about the crew--which may or may not be totally true, but hopefully entertaining.
This trip has been done several times by Jay and Jolee on Hunky Dory but this year Jay graciously agreed to be the tour director and let Discovery and crew tag along. Planning began last year with both crews working toward an early summer departure from Skagway. Precipitation amounts and temperatures are projected to be best in June, July, and August for this area of Alaska. Preparations included thorough going over of the boats to deal with any questionable equipment and replacing where necessary. Also the high humidity and rainy cool weather makes condensation in the boats a constant issue. Both boats were fitted with hypervent under the mattresses and Hunky Dory used closed cell foam and flooring to make the cabin floor warmer and drier. Both boats have camper backs and this is almost a necessity with this climate. Living on a boat and traveling in remote areas require that the boat and motors are in good condition. It's not like you can call Boat US SeaTow with any issue. Both boats carry extra propellers, heavy duty anchors with sufficient rode and chain, and all safety gear. This trip was also a 2551 mile road trip each way which requires that the tow vehicle and boat trailer are up to the trip. Discovery had a little issue with this because even after we bought new tires, repacked the wheel bearings, had everything ready to go--we made it 40 miles before the first break down. That is a real "Oh Crap!!!!" moment. One of the Kodiak brakes on the boat trailer started to drag and the wheel got hot. We made it to a tire shop and after 2 hours of fiddling around, the guys there determined they couldn't get parts to fix it for at least 10 days. Not in the plan. After careful consideration we decided that 3 out of 4 was good enough. The tire guy removed the caliper and capped the brake line and off we went--watching the other wheel temperatures carefully.
An extremely important part of planning this type of boat camping trip is deciding what to take along. Water, fuel and wine are heavy and non-negotiable. Everything else requires a conscious decision. This part of Alaska has minimal places for provisioning and things are pricey. Boat camping doesn't mean staying in a marina every night--most nights are on the hook and that is the best part of it. If you have to shower daily, you can't wear the same clothes for two days in a row, and you run to the grocery store every day, this type of trip is probably not for you. There are lots of foods available that are light weight and easy to prepare. Just think about the amount of storage you have, the weight your boat can carry without sinking, and what you really need--not lots of room for frills.
Coming to Alaska requires that you travel through Canada to get here. It's really not a big deal but requires a passport and a few permits. Canada has regulations about what you can bring to the country, even though you are just passing through. Some people try to bring things that are not exactly within Canadian limits and if you do, you have a chance of getting caught and getting in trouble and I don't know exactly what would happen but it must be bad. Those people might act nervous and guilty. However our tour guide(Jay) does not bring anything that is not legal--he is the most honest person I know. But something bad must have happened to him because he gets really nervous. When the border patrol guy ask him where he was from (Cokeville, Wyoming) he couldn't remember. Jolee didn't know if it would be worse or better if she answered for him, or told Jay the answer. Anyway they still let him in and we all figured it must be Jay's age that made him forget lol.
We got to Skagway yesterday and have taken transient slips in the harbor (40 cents per foot for moorage, $10 per night for power, $10 launching fee, trailer storage $50 per month with free truck parking and pay showers) We are waiting on the weather so we can leave and head south on the Taiya inlet to Haines and then down the Lynn Canal.
One last observation for this first post--my old eyes are loving this country. It is more beautiful than I remember. We have already seen buffalo, fox, moose, beaver, otter, deer, antelope, and bear. It is an incredible place. Jolee told me a quote that was written on her granddaughters graduation program held the day before they left. It went something like this "Boats are the safest when they are tied to the dock, but that's not what a boat is for..." This is going to be an incredible journey--hope you enjoy reading about it.
This trip has been done several times by Jay and Jolee on Hunky Dory but this year Jay graciously agreed to be the tour director and let Discovery and crew tag along. Planning began last year with both crews working toward an early summer departure from Skagway. Precipitation amounts and temperatures are projected to be best in June, July, and August for this area of Alaska. Preparations included thorough going over of the boats to deal with any questionable equipment and replacing where necessary. Also the high humidity and rainy cool weather makes condensation in the boats a constant issue. Both boats were fitted with hypervent under the mattresses and Hunky Dory used closed cell foam and flooring to make the cabin floor warmer and drier. Both boats have camper backs and this is almost a necessity with this climate. Living on a boat and traveling in remote areas require that the boat and motors are in good condition. It's not like you can call Boat US SeaTow with any issue. Both boats carry extra propellers, heavy duty anchors with sufficient rode and chain, and all safety gear. This trip was also a 2551 mile road trip each way which requires that the tow vehicle and boat trailer are up to the trip. Discovery had a little issue with this because even after we bought new tires, repacked the wheel bearings, had everything ready to go--we made it 40 miles before the first break down. That is a real "Oh Crap!!!!" moment. One of the Kodiak brakes on the boat trailer started to drag and the wheel got hot. We made it to a tire shop and after 2 hours of fiddling around, the guys there determined they couldn't get parts to fix it for at least 10 days. Not in the plan. After careful consideration we decided that 3 out of 4 was good enough. The tire guy removed the caliper and capped the brake line and off we went--watching the other wheel temperatures carefully.
An extremely important part of planning this type of boat camping trip is deciding what to take along. Water, fuel and wine are heavy and non-negotiable. Everything else requires a conscious decision. This part of Alaska has minimal places for provisioning and things are pricey. Boat camping doesn't mean staying in a marina every night--most nights are on the hook and that is the best part of it. If you have to shower daily, you can't wear the same clothes for two days in a row, and you run to the grocery store every day, this type of trip is probably not for you. There are lots of foods available that are light weight and easy to prepare. Just think about the amount of storage you have, the weight your boat can carry without sinking, and what you really need--not lots of room for frills.
Coming to Alaska requires that you travel through Canada to get here. It's really not a big deal but requires a passport and a few permits. Canada has regulations about what you can bring to the country, even though you are just passing through. Some people try to bring things that are not exactly within Canadian limits and if you do, you have a chance of getting caught and getting in trouble and I don't know exactly what would happen but it must be bad. Those people might act nervous and guilty. However our tour guide(Jay) does not bring anything that is not legal--he is the most honest person I know. But something bad must have happened to him because he gets really nervous. When the border patrol guy ask him where he was from (Cokeville, Wyoming) he couldn't remember. Jolee didn't know if it would be worse or better if she answered for him, or told Jay the answer. Anyway they still let him in and we all figured it must be Jay's age that made him forget lol.
We got to Skagway yesterday and have taken transient slips in the harbor (40 cents per foot for moorage, $10 per night for power, $10 launching fee, trailer storage $50 per month with free truck parking and pay showers) We are waiting on the weather so we can leave and head south on the Taiya inlet to Haines and then down the Lynn Canal.
One last observation for this first post--my old eyes are loving this country. It is more beautiful than I remember. We have already seen buffalo, fox, moose, beaver, otter, deer, antelope, and bear. It is an incredible place. Jolee told me a quote that was written on her granddaughters graduation program held the day before they left. It went something like this "Boats are the safest when they are tied to the dock, but that's not what a boat is for..." This is going to be an incredible journey--hope you enjoy reading about it.