Wandering the Inside Passage to Alaska
- Thread starter Wanderer
- Start date
john schuler
New member
Love the "want to lease horse" picture. Those are the kind makes helping worthwhile to bad she isn't liveing in MT. You all be safe and keep the
pictures comming.
:smiled john schuler :smiled
pictures comming.
:smiled john schuler :smiled
Hey George and Penny!! Great stuff as usual. Hey, I was thinking about Penny when someone posted a link on our site called Hot Water I think was the name of it... 2.5 gallon and on a 22.... I never will forget how happy she got when she used my hot water on FreeByrd to wash her hair. Loved traveling with you two, and hopefully you can make the Gulf Coast Gathering 20-22Oct 06 in Apalachicola Bay/Eastpoint, FL area. Pretty sure I will cruise down the east side of AL/west side of GA down to FL on the river(s). Bill and El did this...and I think it is a nice 3 day cruise. Keep on posting.
Byrdman
Byrdman
Otter-BelleHavenMarina
Moderator
Wonderful pics, George and Penny! Thanks from all of us living vicariously through your adventures. Please give our regards to El & Bill and Casey as well.
Best wishes,
Best wishes,
Wanderer reached Petersburgh, Ak today - 15 June. Casey waited in Ketchikan for Sandy to arrive today. El and Bill were to meet family in Prince Rupert on 12 June. We hope to run into them again on this trip.
Met Tonie O in Prince Rupert and again yesterday in Wrangell. Expect them to be in Petersburgh tonight.
Hope to visit Le Conte Glacier tomorrow if conditions are right. Otherwise will try to update: [url]www.2Wander.com[/url].
Met Tonie O in Prince Rupert and again yesterday in Wrangell. Expect them to be in Petersburgh tonight.
Hope to visit Le Conte Glacier tomorrow if conditions are right. Otherwise will try to update: [url]www.2Wander.com[/url].
Not For Hire
New member
Love these vicarious thrills. George you should send a copy to the factory site, you could be photo of the month.
Grateful to all on this Alaska adventure for sharing.
Regards,
Grateful to all on this Alaska adventure for sharing.
Regards,
Dear George, Penny, and all the Alaska travelers,
We have been following your adventures and enjoying it all. I have to relate something my wife just said..."I have never been interested in a trip to Alaska, but after seeing those photos and reading the stories, it is something we should really consider. Especially now that we'll have a boat that can keep us toasty and out of the weather."
Thank you for showing us the endless possibilities of these wonderful boats. :thup
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan B.
We have been following your adventures and enjoying it all. I have to relate something my wife just said..."I have never been interested in a trip to Alaska, but after seeing those photos and reading the stories, it is something we should really consider. Especially now that we'll have a boat that can keep us toasty and out of the weather."
Thank you for showing us the endless possibilities of these wonderful boats. :thup
Best wishes,
Jim & Joan B.
Wanderer is in Echo Bay after a fast passage south from Wrangell. Halcyon, Rana Verde and Wanderer left Wrangell on July 5 and spent the night in Berg Bay. The next day we went up the Bradfield Canal scanning the deltas for bears. That night we dropped anchor in Vixen Harbor near the junction of Clarence and Ernest Straits.
Next morning, July 7, we pulled anchors at 04:30 and headed south. After a stop for fuel in Ketchikan we slogged our way in rising wind and waves to drop anchor at 11:00 in Foggy Bay. A gale was forecast for the evening. By 18:00, the wind is down and we decide to cross Dixon Strait and to get into Prince Rupert ahead of the gale. The wind did not begin to rise until we were about 5 miles from our destination. Four hours after leaving, we tied up at the Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club and checked through customs -128 nm.
Next morning the dock master told us to leave - they had no space available. Halcyon and Rana Verde pull their boats and leave by land. After failing to find a slip, we tie up to a fishing boat and wait for the gale to blow out.
July 9. It is not until 05:10 that there is enough light to see debris in the water. The wind is light in the marina. We start south. A stop in Hartley Bay for fuel at 09:50. Tie to dock in Shearwater at 16:30. A beautiful run of 181 nm.
July 10 – a day to remember. Down Fitz Hugh Sound, into Fury Cove, for flat water to pour fuel from jugs into tanks for preparation for rounding Cape Caution and crossing Charlotte Sound. Weather report from Egg Island is 14 knots from the NW with a 1.6 meter swell from the SE. Forecast is for NW 5 – 15 in the afternoon. Wanderer departs Fury Cove at 08:45.
Life aboard soon got interesting. My undivided attention is given to keeping the boat on course as we work south –one hand on the wheel to maintain course and one on the throttle to adjust speed for up wave and down wave. As is our practice when conditions warrant it, Penny continually looks for harbors of refuge, reports her findings and I inspect the chart for a vector to that destination. There is a stretch of about 20 miles as you pass Egg Island and Cape Caution where there are no harbors to seek refuge. To the west lies the Pacific Ocean, an unforgiving shore lies to the east. You either continue or turn back. We continued. We passed inside of Egg Island and gave Cape Caution a wide berth. Along this stretch, we saw one large fishing boat. When both of us were in a trough, at the same time, I could see only the top of her masts. Fortunately, there was only about a foot of white water on top of the swells.
We put into Miles Inlet for lunch and thought to wait for the wind to do some of its 5 knot duty. It didn’t. We left. Our goal was to be in the Broughtons when a SE gale was forecast for the next day. We sighted one ship and a 72 ft sailboat. No other pleasure craft or fishing boats were out. We continued to Wells Passage with the wind aft at about 12-15 knots. It heaped up in the entrance for about ¼ mile, then, the water flattened out as we got inside. In bright sunshine, we enjoyed the spectacular scenery. We took on gas at Sullivan Bay and motored in calm water to Echo Bay arriving at 18:00 – 139nm.
Today, July 11, we are tied to the small public dock, where a sign reads no boats larger than 23 feet. Small is sometime good! There is free Wifi, it is raining and we are enjoying our lay-day. Here it is calm. I wonder if that predicted gale is over Charlotte Sound? We expect to stop traveling and begin cruising again. Some of our favorite stops lay between here and the next open water - Johnstone Straits. We’re so relaxed I may not even listen to a weather report.
Next morning, July 7, we pulled anchors at 04:30 and headed south. After a stop for fuel in Ketchikan we slogged our way in rising wind and waves to drop anchor at 11:00 in Foggy Bay. A gale was forecast for the evening. By 18:00, the wind is down and we decide to cross Dixon Strait and to get into Prince Rupert ahead of the gale. The wind did not begin to rise until we were about 5 miles from our destination. Four hours after leaving, we tied up at the Prince Rupert Rowing and Yacht Club and checked through customs -128 nm.
Next morning the dock master told us to leave - they had no space available. Halcyon and Rana Verde pull their boats and leave by land. After failing to find a slip, we tie up to a fishing boat and wait for the gale to blow out.
July 9. It is not until 05:10 that there is enough light to see debris in the water. The wind is light in the marina. We start south. A stop in Hartley Bay for fuel at 09:50. Tie to dock in Shearwater at 16:30. A beautiful run of 181 nm.
July 10 – a day to remember. Down Fitz Hugh Sound, into Fury Cove, for flat water to pour fuel from jugs into tanks for preparation for rounding Cape Caution and crossing Charlotte Sound. Weather report from Egg Island is 14 knots from the NW with a 1.6 meter swell from the SE. Forecast is for NW 5 – 15 in the afternoon. Wanderer departs Fury Cove at 08:45.
Life aboard soon got interesting. My undivided attention is given to keeping the boat on course as we work south –one hand on the wheel to maintain course and one on the throttle to adjust speed for up wave and down wave. As is our practice when conditions warrant it, Penny continually looks for harbors of refuge, reports her findings and I inspect the chart for a vector to that destination. There is a stretch of about 20 miles as you pass Egg Island and Cape Caution where there are no harbors to seek refuge. To the west lies the Pacific Ocean, an unforgiving shore lies to the east. You either continue or turn back. We continued. We passed inside of Egg Island and gave Cape Caution a wide berth. Along this stretch, we saw one large fishing boat. When both of us were in a trough, at the same time, I could see only the top of her masts. Fortunately, there was only about a foot of white water on top of the swells.
We put into Miles Inlet for lunch and thought to wait for the wind to do some of its 5 knot duty. It didn’t. We left. Our goal was to be in the Broughtons when a SE gale was forecast for the next day. We sighted one ship and a 72 ft sailboat. No other pleasure craft or fishing boats were out. We continued to Wells Passage with the wind aft at about 12-15 knots. It heaped up in the entrance for about ¼ mile, then, the water flattened out as we got inside. In bright sunshine, we enjoyed the spectacular scenery. We took on gas at Sullivan Bay and motored in calm water to Echo Bay arriving at 18:00 – 139nm.
Today, July 11, we are tied to the small public dock, where a sign reads no boats larger than 23 feet. Small is sometime good! There is free Wifi, it is raining and we are enjoying our lay-day. Here it is calm. I wonder if that predicted gale is over Charlotte Sound? We expect to stop traveling and begin cruising again. Some of our favorite stops lay between here and the next open water - Johnstone Straits. We’re so relaxed I may not even listen to a weather report.
George and Penny,
During the good times shared at the Lake Powell Gathering I remember your determined search for information on the inland channel and the honest apprehension on your combined ability to safely make the voyage, due to your limited experience on power boats. What a great example you are to the rest of us of what can be achieved in a short period of time with a willingness to learn and adventures spirit. And now, so far from home, so long on the road and sea. The Wanderer is aptly named. We have followed your adventures with envy and admiration. You've been doing and continue to do what most others only talk about and dream. Thanks for letting us share from afar your wanderings. Like Brent and Dixie said, "keep sending the updates and pictures".
Hope to see you again at a future gathering and hear in detail your adventures.
During the good times shared at the Lake Powell Gathering I remember your determined search for information on the inland channel and the honest apprehension on your combined ability to safely make the voyage, due to your limited experience on power boats. What a great example you are to the rest of us of what can be achieved in a short period of time with a willingness to learn and adventures spirit. And now, so far from home, so long on the road and sea. The Wanderer is aptly named. We have followed your adventures with envy and admiration. You've been doing and continue to do what most others only talk about and dream. Thanks for letting us share from afar your wanderings. Like Brent and Dixie said, "keep sending the updates and pictures".
Hope to see you again at a future gathering and hear in detail your adventures.
Fun Patrol
New member
Don't run us down on your way back home! E-Ticket, Tosoro and Fun Patrol are northbound out of Pender Harbor, via Princess Louisa then north for another month or so. It's still too hot to return to Southern CA......eh?
Roy, Fun Patrol
Roy, Fun Patrol
Thanks for the kind remarks.
As soon as we catch up, after being home only 10 days in the last eight months, I'll try to bring our web site up to date.
Yes, we made a fast trip from Wrangell to Anacortes. I make a distinction between cruising and travelling. We spent our cruising time at a slow pace except when we had to get across a potentially nasty body of water. On the way back we travelled. However, I'd never run over a C-Dory. It would have been nice to visit with the ones we missed.
As soon as we catch up, after being home only 10 days in the last eight months, I'll try to bring our web site up to date.
Yes, we made a fast trip from Wrangell to Anacortes. I make a distinction between cruising and travelling. We spent our cruising time at a slow pace except when we had to get across a potentially nasty body of water. On the way back we travelled. However, I'd never run over a C-Dory. It would have been nice to visit with the ones we missed.
It was still raining the morning of July 12th. Visibility was poor, very poor. We had planned to visit Pierre’s and Kwatsi; but, decided that dock activity would not be enjoyable in the rain. Wanderer moved on and two hours later we topped up the tanks in Lagoon Cove and headed out into Johnstone Strait. We passed about 10 Grand Bank trawlers, also headed south, as we rounded the Broken Islands into the strait. The rain had eased and visibility had improved as we thumped our way south in moderate chop. At Sunderland Channel, we turned to port, hit Green Point Rapids at high slack water and went into Blind Channel Resort for lunch. After lunch, we stopped in Shoal Bay to await slack water at Dent and Yuculta Rapids. Our timing was good and the transit smooth. We motored on into a beautiful evening in protected waters. The final stretch was not so peaceful. Once through Whale Passage into Sutil Channel the full force of the wind blowing SE in the Strait of Georgia made for a lumpy ride into Gorge Harbor. We tied up at the marina at 20:15 – completing 116 nm.
July 13th and 14th
Except for a narrow entrance, Gorge Harbor is a small landlocked body of water. With whitecaps in the harbor, from wind blowing against our course toward the other side of the Strait of Georgia, we waited in pleasant surroundings and sampled lunch and dinner at the restaurant.
July 15th
The wind had gone north and was down to about 13 knots as we emerged into Sutil Channel for our transit of the Strait of Georgia. We laid a course to pass through Malaspina Strait leaving Texada Island close to starboard. From the tip of Texada we made for Gabriola Passage by passing Nanaimo and Dodd Passage. Gabriola presented no problem with a favorable maximum current of 7 knots. In smooth water and greatly increased boat traffic we motored on toward Anacortes stopping along the way to pour the last 15 gallons of fuel from jugs into our tanks.
We tied up in Anacortes at 15:45 completing 147 nm for the day and 2840 for the Inside Passage.
El and Bill from Halcyon called and alerted us to a gathering near Seattle. Sorry to say, we didn’t have the energy to make the gathering.
Sandy and Casey from Naknek met us at the dock. Casey went with me to get our trailer. We pulled the boat the next morning, rigged for towing and readied for the 3000 mile tow home. After lunch, with Naknek’s crew, we headed south.
We pulled into our driveway in Annapolis, MD in the late afternoon on July 21st.
July 13th and 14th
Except for a narrow entrance, Gorge Harbor is a small landlocked body of water. With whitecaps in the harbor, from wind blowing against our course toward the other side of the Strait of Georgia, we waited in pleasant surroundings and sampled lunch and dinner at the restaurant.
July 15th
The wind had gone north and was down to about 13 knots as we emerged into Sutil Channel for our transit of the Strait of Georgia. We laid a course to pass through Malaspina Strait leaving Texada Island close to starboard. From the tip of Texada we made for Gabriola Passage by passing Nanaimo and Dodd Passage. Gabriola presented no problem with a favorable maximum current of 7 knots. In smooth water and greatly increased boat traffic we motored on toward Anacortes stopping along the way to pour the last 15 gallons of fuel from jugs into our tanks.
We tied up in Anacortes at 15:45 completing 147 nm for the day and 2840 for the Inside Passage.
El and Bill from Halcyon called and alerted us to a gathering near Seattle. Sorry to say, we didn’t have the energy to make the gathering.
Sandy and Casey from Naknek met us at the dock. Casey went with me to get our trailer. We pulled the boat the next morning, rigged for towing and readied for the 3000 mile tow home. After lunch, with Naknek’s crew, we headed south.
We pulled into our driveway in Annapolis, MD in the late afternoon on July 21st.