June 21, 2018 - Day 20: Takatz Bay to Appleton Cove

Distance covered: 35 nautical miles, 5 hours of cruising time
Highlights: wow, where to start...our first "sleep in" morning (well, for those taking a dog to shore).  More exploring by kayak and finding a most beautiful river and 2nd falls feeding magical Takatz Bay, a spectacular show from Humpback Whales, some of the roughest water we've endured yet, and then a challenging anchorage to end the day...




Moxie and Mark begin the day with our normal "foggy" excursion when the water is as smooth as glass and the fog is shifting and moving among the craggy mountainsides.

Moxie's fascination with Jelly Fish continues...

Glen joins us on our morning escapade...

Beyond playing "peek-a-boo" with the rock islets...

As the fog lifts, more breathtaking views are revealed...

With our scheduled Noon departure, Moxie and Mark have time for another kayak excursion.  Glen suggests checking out the river and waterfall at the head of the bay.  Turns out to be a good call...

Paddling up the inlet toward the falls, we come across this sight a couple feet below the surface.  This is the 2nd time on the trip I've found that someone was left "up a creek without a paddle"!

Moxie loves exploring bays and inlets from among our "beachable" fleet which includes the dinghy, kayak, and SUP board. You've seen Moxie's forlorn look when I leave her behind to take the dinghy to pick up the crab pot.  Well, here's Moxie showing the opposite range of emotions, and pretty much sums up how us two-legged folk feel about being here: happiness, elation, excitement, sheer joy...

Pure joy...

The azure color of the river reveals its roots from glacial run-off.  Gorgeous!  And the contrasting colors of the azure river, dark green trees, light green scrub grass, whitewater rapids, and blue sky combine for a visual smorgasbord!

Still awestruck by the stunning visuals of the morning shore excursions, and satisfied with an exquisite homemade French Toast brunch aboard Seaquel, our flotilla heads back out to find other adventures as the day beckons.  Aaah, but what a morning to savor...

Humpback!  One wave of the pectoral fin means: "Hey, over here, come take some pictures!"

Two waves of the pectoral fins means: "The show begins now!!!"

Oh...and what a show!!!

The size of these great mammals is astonishing: this species of baleen whale range in length of 36-48 feet - for comparison, Seaquel's LOA (Length Over All) is 30 feet.  Humpbacks weigh 25-30 metric tons - Seaquel's "dry" weight is just under 7,000 pounds (3.5 tons), and fully loaded with fuel, water, supplies, and crew we are around 10,000 lbs. (5 tons).  And these incredible creatures have the strength and skill to HURL themselves nearly clear of the sea!  Whoa!

With the Humpback show over, but our adrenalin pumping, it is time to make headway for our late journey to Appleton Cove.  Rough afternoon seas fueled by rising winds is why we generally prefer earlier passages, and the water did get wild, especially with difficult following seas.

Beyond bobbing like a rudder-less cork in the uncomfortable following seas of Chatham Strait:

Journey experiencing the same discomfort in the heavy swells and following seas:

Finally, after a few hours, calmer waters (and calmer nerves)…

A NOAA research vessel passes us along the way.

The day's excitement and entertainment is not over.  More Humpback Whale!

With clearing vision, more spectacular horizons are revealed.  Wow!

As if we needed a reminder of the dangers inherit in this inhospitable climate, yet another shipwreck dots the coastline:

Between the heavy seas and enormous sea creatures, I'm reminded again of the placard at Seaquel's helm which takes on more tangible significance:

"O God, the sea is so vast

And my boat is so small"

But we steer into Appleton Cove, littered by so many crab pots as to make anchoring difficult, but a mere annoyance on an otherwise unbelievably amazing day.  Taking Moxie to shore as the sun sets, I reflect on the blessings of the day and how fortunate we have been to see these sights, experience these events, and enjoy safe anchorage at the end of the day. 

Thanks for sharing our journey today.  It has been amazing, and once again we go to bed in the lingering daylight (even past midnight in these northern latitudes) so enriched by the day's experiences and wondering what Alaska will show us next!

~Mark