The Inside Passage to Alaska represents a unique and wild adventure, placing a wide range of demands on one's vessel and its crew. The abundant wildlife, diverse topography across vast distances, varied sea conditions, and range of experiences that await the intrepid cruiser are breathtakingly spectacular...
.…..Bookend pictures contrasting the northern and southern portions of the Inside Passage......
Picture highlights - the best images from a smorgasbord of over 26,000 pictures!
(aka, a "reader's digest" version of 64 days worth of blogs)...
Nicole gets her first-ever passport in anticipation of this journey. This young lady is GOIN' places, trading her wheelchair for a Ranger Tug for the summer...
Departure day: using the davit crane to lift Nicole aboard Seaquel for the trip of a lifetime...
1st anchorage together as a flotilla in Pirate's Cove on DeCourcy Island, Canadian Gulf Islands...
Group picture at the dock at Big Bay waiting for favorable currents to pass through Yaculta, Gillard Passage, Dent, and Greene Point rapids...
Nicole missed the group picture above, staying cozy in her cabin on a wet day. Moxie, of course, maneuvers into both pictures...
Alaska has so many visual treats. Among those we were not expecting were frequent surreal rainbows...
Big swells heading around Cape Caution seemingly swallowing up our Ranger Tugs...
Our Ranger Tugs were tested, and handled the rough open seas exceptionally well...
After a day of rough water on Cape Caution, the crushed seashell beaches of Fury Cove were a welcome reprieve. Below: view out the porthole from Seaquel's head...
Magical moments at Kakushdish Inlet...
A large Black Bear, one of three we found on the shores near our anchorage in Kakushdish…
Early morning stillness in Kakushdish is like a water color painting...
Violently crashing through rough seas in the open water crossing of Dixon Entrance is quite the contrast from early morning tranquility on anchor...
A short video as we begin our crossing of Dixon Entrance. This was when the sea was "relatively calm". As it got much more rough, the camera was stowed as two hands on the wheel were necessary to keep from being tossed about in the helm...
Crossing Dixon Entrance, from Canada into Alaska...
Welcome to Alaska, Nicole!!!
Arriving in Ketchikan is not exactly the Alaska that conjures up peaceful wilderness, wildlife, and snowcapped mountains. This is a bustling tourist town, with gigantic cruise ships jockeying for position along the extensive waterfront and chartered floatplanes buzzing the harbor against a typically gray and rainy backdrop...
One of hundreds of spectacular waterfalls cascading down from surrounding snowcapped mountains we would encounter along the Inside Passage to Alaska...
Homemade cinnamon rolls delivered to the dock by friendly locals at Meyer's Chuck, AK...
Pam stealthily approaches a pair of Great Blue Heron at Thom's Place in her kayak...
Our first (of many) catch of Dungeness Crab in Alaska at Thom's Place...
Dramatic mountain peaks provide a rugged backdrop for Petersburg, AK...
Crab feed on the dock at Wrangell, AK...
The crew of Seaquel, with Nicole in her customized jogger, take on Wrangell...
Next stop: Petersburg and the quaint Catholic Church where Fr. Steve Gallagher took great pleasure in telling jokes to elicit belly laughs from Nicole...
Calm waters and sunny skies greeted us at Chapin Bay...
Eating ice cream in the hot summer sun to cool down on our boat in Alaska. Never expected to write a sentence like that...
Rowing in the early morning fog of Chapin Bay before setting course for Red Bluff...
Crossing Chatham Strait with breathtaking backdrop of Baranof Island's rugged peaks...
Approaching Red Bluff, whose narrow entrance unveils one of the most scenic anchorages of all of SE Alaska with stunning waterfalls and towering peaks...
Sunny skies and calm water: check!
Snowcapped mountain backdrop: check!
Nearby waterfall providing relaxing background tranquility: check!
Crab pot down and ready to deliver a fresh Dungeness dinner: check!
Complete solitude and a good book to read: check & check!
Alaska, with the right conditions, can be a piece of heaven on earth!!!
"Shore Duty" via kayak or dinghy afforded Mark and Moxie with time to explore, with camera gear (and bear spray) always at the ready...
Northbound in Chatham Strait, where we saw the greatest concentration of both Orca and Humpback whales...
A Humpback Whale checks out Beyond. These whales are enormous, larger than our boats, and like the icebergs we will encounter later in the trip, it has 90% of its mass underwater in this picture. That is, until a Humpback decides to breach which we will also encounter very soon...
Takatz Bay was another favorite anchorage, featuring waterfalls and rivers, towering snowcapped mountains, and all in a delightfully pristine location...
Moxie loves exploring bays and inlets from among our "beachable" fleet which includes the dinghy, kayak, and SUP board. This pretty much sums up how us two-legged folk feel about being here: happiness, elation, excitement, sheer joy...
Humpback whale putting on a private show for Seaquel...
Chatham Strait offered some of the best anchorages and whale experiences, but the price paid was very rough water with strong following seas making boat handling (and photography) very challenging...
Ho hum, another whale! One of numerous sightings of Humpback Whale on Chatham Strait this day. From here on, we would see Humpback Whale almost daily during the rest of our time in Alaska...
Celebrating another fresh catch with open-face Dungeness Crab Melt Sandwiches...
First sightings of Brown Bear (aka "Grizzly" Bear) on the way to Appleton Cove. The first of numerous occasions we will encounter a mama bear and her cub...
Saint Gregory Catholic Church in Sitka in what was once the former capital of Russian America before Alaska was sold to the United States...
Eagles are so prevalent that you see them perch atop sailboat masts and light posts as commonly as you would see seagulls in the lower 48...
Seaquel on the dock at Sitka, among the fishing fleet...
Snowcapped mountains provide the backdrop to the fishing fleet in Sitka...
Glen revels in the beauty and glassy waters of Nakwasina Sound aboard Journey...
Playful Sea Otter amused us throughout Alaskan waters...
Mosquitoes and "No See Ums" drove Mark to create fashionable/functional headgear while crabbing in Neka Bay...
Nicole gets to see how First Nations (aka Native Americans) design and carve totem poles and ceremonial canoes at the largely Tlingit community on Chichagof Island. The remote wilderness village of Hoonah was settled 22 years prior to Declaration of Independence...
Ollie ponders the latest Dungeness Crab catch from the flotilla that will have us stretching our imagination to create diverse dishes to utilize this tasty delicacy in our cruising menus...
So much crab and so little cooking space! Instead of steaming the crab whole, we now clean the live crab by breaking their spine in half on the outer swim-step railing (its a tad bit messy) and removing the gills and disposing of the shells, so more crab will fit in the pot...
Fresh steamed Dungeness Crab. Doesn't get any fresher than this...
Requisite tools for cleaning lots of crab: 1) Crab crackers (or pliers); 2) Picks (or sharp end of one crab leg); 3) Good music to break up the tedium of this task. We found that one of two playlists served this purpose well: Neil Young (acoustic collection) or some old Jim Croce...
Day trip with Nicole up Mt. Roberts Tram...
View from Mt. Roberts to Juneau (and city of Douglas across the bridge) 1,800 feet below. From this towering height even three massive cruise ships look like tiny toy boats...
WILD HUCKLEBERRY ICE CREAM CONES (as tasty as they are large)!!!
Hiking with Nicole to receding Mendenhall Glacier and spectacular Nugget Falls...
Day trip to National Shrine of St. Therese...
Fishing boats packed Amalga Harbor adjacent the site to the north open to Lynn Canal. On a down year for pink salmon, seiner boats and tender vessels lined up for hatchery chums, creating a unique spectacle amid the stunning Chilkat Mountain Range serving as a worthy backdrop...
Day trip to Glacier Bay - we left our boats in Juneau, opting to hop a charter plane over the mountains to Gustavus, the gateway to this immense National Park. A bus then brought us to a catamaran, where we departed for this unparalleled spectacle of wildlife and panoramic mountain and glacier vistas…
Glacier Bay is mountains, snow, ice, blue skies, and LOTS of wildlife.
Marjorie Glacier is the northern-most glacier at the far end of Glacier Bay. Surrealistic. Unworldly. Breathtaking...
The hanging glaciers were calving off huge chunks, giving birth to new icebergs with remarkable frequency...
Azure colored, glacier-fed waters in the far reaches of Glacier Bay are stunning...
Pack Creek Bear Preserve - the next day, a chartered floatplane whisked us from Juneau to Admiralty Island, one of the largest islands in the world. Admiralty Island has the highest concentration of Brown Bear in North America, with a density of approximately one bear per square mile on this 35-mile-wide by 90-mile-long island. With an estimated 1,600 Brown Bear and only 650 residents living on this island, Brown Bear (aka "Grizzly" Bear) outnumber humans by around three to one...
Today is one of the primary reasons I have lugged a titanium tripod, heavy gimbal mount, and bulky telephoto lenses all around SE Alaska for the more than two months aboard Seaquel...
Pack Creek has three "viewing areas" that are open to where the Brown Bear commonly feed. Initially I set up my gear at the edge of this three-sided meadow that was confined by a creek on one side; the ocean on another; and thick woods across the meadow. For over an hour, we watched and waited, and nothing appeared other than one deer. Eventually the bear appeared, first a mama and her cub, then two more female adult bears. At one point, standing at this triangular viewpoint (below) we were surrounded with Brown Bear on all sides, each just a few hundred feet away...
A mama Brown Bear and her cub...
This 2-year old cub was preoccupied with the sudden appearance of another adult Brown Bear. Her sibling had been eaten by a male Brown Bear the year before, so she stayed very close to her mama while paying constant attention to this potential danger...
After a few hours of viewing the comings and goings of four or five Brown Bear around the meadow, we hiked back to the gravel spit where the floatplane beached earlier, allowing us to wade to shore upon arriving at Pack Creek. A large female, "Ruby" was walking up and down the low tide mark searching for food. We staked out a spot at the high tide mark, with this Brown (Grizzly) Bear walking back and forth past us just a couple of hundred feet away. I spent the next few hours shooting hundreds of pictures of "Ruby" as she lumbered past, dug for clams, and shooed away pesky crows. "Ruby" clearly was aware of our presence, but in the tradition of this unique National Park preserve, she was accustomed to the presence of humans as long as our actions remained consistent with long-established park rules that allow close proximity without any physical "controlled" barrier...
The three members of our flotilla group were later joined by another dozen or so visitors, most "loaded for bear" like myself with sophisticated camera gear...
We chose to arrive earlier and stay longer than the other groups to maximize the opportunity to spend time in such close proximity to these magnificent omnivores, and capture priceless pictures. Below, a group of visitors prepare to board a floatplane for departure...
"Close proximity": as I capture this picture, I am equidistant to "Ruby" on her right side as this couple are to her left side as she suddenly departed the beach to walk right past us and into the woods...
On to Tracy Arm Cove...
ICEBERGS!!!
On anchor at Tracy Arm Cove, where would return to on three different occasions to anchor after exploring the spectacular, far reaches of Tracy Arm and Fords Terror off Endicott Arm. These explorations far exceeded my greatest ambition for this journey to experience icebergs and hanging glaciers "up close"...
Exploring Tracy Arm in search of Sawyer Glaciers. Earlier in the season the straits can be choked with too much ice which prevents even small boats like Seaquel to access the far reaches to view the glaciers up close. Part of our route planning was to push this part of the adventure later into July (rather than June) so that we had a better chance for clear passage...
South Sawyer Glacier...
North Sawyer Glacier...
Prevalent icebergs prevented larger tour boats from reaching the head of the glacier, so they deployed runabouts for the tourists to get a closer look...
Back on anchor in Tracy Arm Cove after a full day of exploring and reaching both South and North Sawyer Glaciers...
Moxie likes beached icebergs! In the improbable warm weather, these stranded bergs are like big, refreshing snow cones...
Icebergs can be mesmerizing with their convoluted shapes, size, and seemingly tranquil setting...
But collapsing icebergs can shatter the peacefulness with alarming suddeness…
Seeking protection behind a large iceberg from the wake of an oncoming cruise ship...
Fords Terror - as shown below at high water slack, courtesy of Sam Landsman's aerial drone. Notice the narrow bend where we first encountered icebergs on the way out. The bend serves as a funnel during tidal changes, forcing through a vast volume of water from the surrounding larger channels. Standing waves can be large enough to surf, which pose significant risk to vessels making an error in their timing to transit these rapids.
For more spectacular photography from SlowBoat, check out their blog: www.Slowboat.com
Entering Fords Terror at high slack tide...
What Alaska journey would be complete without torrential downpours? For most of our 2.5 days in Fords Terror we got absolutely poured on...
We experienced our wettest weather of the entire adventure in Fords Terror, but even the damp conditions could not deter us from exploring and taking in the stunning scenery...
Shifting fog meant constantly changing views...
Vast tidal changes in Fords Terror: these rocks largely are covered at high tide...
Departing Fords Terror: on our 3rd day of exploring these stunning fjords, Glen steers Journey back into the narrow entry we had transited without trouble just three days prior. But today, we encounter the sudden presence of icebergs. If we wait past slack tide, the icebergs will begin to move like torpedoes...
Seaquel follows, figuring better to keep the flotilla together than risk being separated in dangerous conditions. Besides, once past the tight bend it is bound to be more open water, right?
Um...Houston we have a problem! There are icebergs EVERYWHERE, as far as the eye can see...
Relief as we finally made it past all of the ice...
And the clouds parted and sun shone brilliantly...
Seaquel back to the safety of a secure anchor in Tracy Arm Cove after a harrowing day...
Our last morning in Tracy Arm Cove: anchors up and ready to head south...
More remnants of all the glacial calving that the recent rainfall had brought...
Nice sunny skies lasted only a short time before yielding to heavy fog...
Back out of the fog...
Sunset in Sanborn Canal...
A pod of three Orca visit the flotilla in narrow Sanborn Canal after dusk...
Shipwrecked fishing vessels were a reminder of how wild and remote the Alaskan waters can be...
Our flotilla gives a wide berth in Wrangell Narrows encountering a tug with a massive barge...
Borrowing a resident's dock to do emergency work on Beyond...
Wrangell marina at low tide...
Sunset at Santa Ana Cove...
Approaching Ketchikan and the chaos of cruise ships and tens of thousands of tourists...
Sunset and one last night at Ketchikan...
A surprise discovery at Crab Bay: spectacular beaches and some of the best kayaking of the entire adventure in the ebb and flow of meandering tidal rivers…
This landscape would be transformed between low tide and high tide as the tidal rivers would dry out and then fill up and begin to run...
Behm Canal and Misty Fjords - one last destination before we leave Alaska behind as we proceed south...
Shoalwater Passage would be our "base camp" from which to explore amazing Misty Fjords and return to anchor on two successive nights...
New Eddystone Rock is a 237-foot tall mass of basalt, a remnant of a volcanic lava plug that is a an unmistakable landmark heading into Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness...
The flotilla raft together in spectacular Punchbowl Cove. From here we row ashore and ascend a steep, muddy, slippery, treacherous trail to access one of the most beautiful and scenic mountain lakes imaginable. Wouldn't it be a dream if some benevolent Park Service employees would leave us a rowboat and canoe to be able to explore astonishing Punchbowl Lake???
The hike in to Punchbowl Lake: steep and challenging, but worth the effort...
Launching the rowboat after finessing a makeshift plug into a drain hole...
Glen and Pam rowing the leaky rowboat...
Peggy and Moxie paddling the canoe. That's right, Peggy: you paddle, I'll take pictures. Such a deal!
John Muir compared Misty Fjords to Yosemite Valley for its similar geology and glacial morphology, as the 50 to 70 million years old light colored granite has been sculpted into dramatic smooth-sided canyon walls that can rise near-vertical 2,000 to 3,000 feet...
We were incredibly fortunate to visit the rainforest-like climate of Punchbowl Lake on a sunny day...
Leaving Punchbowl Cove to explore the Upper Arm of Rudyerd Bay...
We came across more seaplanes than boats at the far reaches of Rudyerd Bay's Upper Arm...
Journey passes New Eddystone Rock for one last time...
Heading south to get close for our crossing of Dixon Entrance, we encounter an increasing number of fishing vessels...
Foggy Bay will be our last anchorage in Alaska before crossing Dixon Entrance into Canada...
Crossing of Dixon Entrance: be careful what you wish for! We got calm winds, but with it pea-soup heavy fog. We spent the long, slow, tedious hours crossing Dixon Entrance dodging fishing vessels (and Humpback Whales)…
We relied heavily on our electronics for navigation in such foul weather and poor visibility. Below: running Seaquel on the Garmin's GPS with radar overlay; and on the iPad is Navionics software as our back-up chartplotter. Having navigation redundancy is critically important in the remote vastness of Alaska...
Nicole passed the long day of crossing Dixon Entrance watching DVDs. There wasn't much else to see in the thick fog...
Finally we arrive in Prince Rupert for Canadian Customs, and all the trappings of a major seaport, including monstrous freighters...
Heading to Lowe Inlet for yet another remarkable day of exploration...
Salmon were a jumpin' at spectacular Verney Falls in Lowe Inlet...
It proved difficult for Moxie to remain on the SUP board with tempting salmon jumping all around...
Finally, Moxie could not resist taking the plunge and chasing after the salmon...
Getting wet: Moxie shakes dry - and showers Mark with the cool waters of Verney Falls...
Glen rows against the strong current of Verney Falls at the head of Lowe Inlet...
Peggy kayaks across the powerful currents of Verney Falls...
Mark climbed Verney Falls to catch a view to tranquil Kumowdah River (bottom, right) which feeds the falls...
The flotilla exploring Lowe Inlet near Verney Falls...
Continuing down Grenville Channel, heading to Princess Royal Channel...
The fog is gone: welcome back beautiful and warm sunshine!!!
We arrive at the ghost town of Butedale in Princess Royal Channel, recently purchased and under renovation to become a destination resort...
Seaquel on the "rustic" moorage of rotting, temporary docks of Butedale...
It does not take a lot of imagination to see why this location could become a destination...
So many routes and passages to choose among! From Princess Royal Channel we set our course further inland for Sheep Passage; then to Mathieson Channel leading to remote Kynoch Inlet...
On a long day of cruising, Nicole listens to "Chronicles of Narnia" on her iPod...
Anchoring in Kynoch Inlet proves challenging and requires multiple attempts. Not all of our neighbors found success in how they anchored...
Peggy creates another delicacy in Seaquel's galley, but dinner is about to be interrupted...
Glen and Mark participate in the rescue of the Mystic Sea in Kynoch Inlet...
A job well done: Mystic Sea is righted, winched forward of the gravel bed she was tilting upon. The incoming tide will do the rest of the work - time to finish dinner and re-check Seaquel's anchor...
Picturesque Kynoch Falls: even after passing hundreds of waterfalls on our adventure, it is always worth lingering and taking in the majesty of these falls...
Mark & Peggy on Seaquel's bow in the mist of these grand falls...
Beyond takes a closer look at Kynoch Falls...
A 2nd dose of "Kodachrome" magic from Kakushdish Inlet on our return south...
The narrow waterways of Miles Inlet provide refuge from the exposed waters of Queen Charlotte Sound...
Osprey nest inside Miles Inlet...
Seaquel on anchor in one of the "intersections" of waterways that comprise fascinating Miles Inlet...
Back to open water: today we will cross Queen Charlotte Strait to access the Broughton Islands...
Relaxing on anchor at Lagoon Cove...
Movie night...
Departing Lagoon Cove on what would be our last day to cruise together as a flotilla...
Hugs and tears as the flotilla bids farewell! We have been a very efficient, supportive group with complimentary skills, but we each made different plans for going home and it is time to go our separate ways...
On our own, and about to celebrate our 37th wedding anniversary...
Our course is set for Desolation Sound where we will unwind for a couple of days before our final push for home. It is a nice change to no longer be following other boats and having clean water ahead...
Desolation Sound and time to relax after running Seaquel long and hard for the past week. The nearly 80 degree warm waters of Laura Cove never felt so good...
Relaxing in Seaquel's cockpit in warm sun - and no bugs to spoil the bliss!
Evening kayaking trek to see all the boats in adjacent Prideaux Haven and Melanie Cove...
A hard-earned relaxing morning and late brunch on our layover day at Laura Cove in Desolation Sound...
With warm weather, no bugs, and a layover day to relax, Nicole enjoys the fresh air outside while taking in all the activity of Laura Cove...
Nowhere to go: just hanging out and relaxing is on tap for today...
By mid-day the sun is so intense that we needed shade from the hot sun...
Early morning calm of Laura Cove before heading out to the open water of the Strait of Georgia...
Heading out across the Strait of Georgia...
We find calm and tranquility in Deep Bay at Jedediah Island...
Another layover day to enjoy the abundant hiking trails on Jedediah Island...
A hike across Jedediah Island affords lovely views to quaint bays indenting all sides of the island...
Catching up on some reading with this hard-earned layover day while we wait for an improved wind forecast to complete our crossing of the Strait of Georgia...
Finally, perfectly calm waters and clear skies to complete our crossing of the Strait of Georgia...
We transit Dodd Narrows at slack tide, and enter into the "Pond Water" of the protected Gulf Islands...
Back in the U.S. and our own San Juan Islands, and the familiar sight of Turn Point Lighthouse on Stuart Island...
So close to home, but we will make our final crossing of Rosario Strait the next morning to avoid building late afternoon winds...
Lopez Tombolo is one of our favorite, close-to-home anchorages. What a great little spot to celebrate the end of an amazing journey and spend our last night on anchor...
Enjoying late sun on our last evening of this 9-week journey...
We awake to heavy fog on our last morning! Our final crossing to home, just 7 miles away, will have to wait a few more hours...
No better way to kill a few hours than scrambling around the bluff trails overlooking this gem of an anchorage...
We push through the persistent fog, and brilliant sunshine welcomes us back to Cornet Bay at Deception Pass, marking the completion of a trip of a lifetime!!! The crew of Seaquel is ALL SMILES...
Nicole DID IT!!!
INSIDE PASSAGE TO ALASKA - TRIP SUMMARY
By-The-Numbers (statistically speaking):
- Nautical miles traveled: 2,438 (does not include: additional miles traveled to Glacier Bay via floatplane and charter vessel; Pack Creek via floatplane)
- Engine Hours: 368 total hours
- Start: 320 hours
- End: 688 hours
- Perspective: purchased Seaquel as 2-year old boat in 2015 with 50 hours. First three years ran for 270 hours; on one trip to Alaska more than doubled first five years of use!
- Diesel fuel consumption:
- 827 gallons
- $3,458.42
- Average: 3 miles/gallon; 2.4 gallons/hour
- Nights on anchor: 42 total (12 using stern-tie)
- Nights on a dock: 20 total (includes both city docks and a few smaller remote docks)
- Photography by the numbers:
- Total pictures: 26,034 (!!!)
- Avg. pictures/day: 407
- Avg. pictures/mile: 10.7
- Most pictures in one day: 1,906 (Pack Creek Bear Preserve)
- Most pictures in four-day span: 6,233 (avg. 1,558/day: Glacier Bay, Pack Creek, Tracy Arm Icebergs & Glaciers)
- Fewest pictures in one day: 64
We appreciate the many comments and emails of encouragement we received over the past few months. We have been asked lots of questions, so below are answers that reflect our personal take, which may also help those considering a similar voyage up the Inside Passage to Alaska...
What makes Alaska unique?
What makes Alaska unique?
- In one word: "Vastness"
- Also:
- Great distances between points
- Abundant wildlife
- Icebergs and glaciers
- Spectacular snowcapped mountains
- Inclement, rainy, windy weather (yes, for most summers too)
- Lots of space, very few boats (away from the towns)
- Water is not just expansive, it is deep, representing challenging anchoring
- Tidal changes are remarkable (up to 25 foot changes twice/day)
Would we do the trip to Alaska again?
- We always viewed the trip as "once in a lifetime", but appreciate that many boaters repeat, because the "bar has been raised" (best scenery and wildlife).
- Although Alaska exceeded our expectations, for us we would not likely repeat because we sacrifice:
- Shorter, easier, more relaxed cruising, and better weather, no bugs, more hiking, etc., of the San Juan's and Gulf Islands which we appreciate even more now.
- Opportunity cost of giving up a relaxing summer on Campbell Lake rowing and sailing.
- Time away from kids and grandkids.
- A lot of work (as expected): Alaska is more "adventure" than "vacation". Not sure the sacrifices would be worth a 2nd trip given alternatives. Averaging 6.5 hours/day running time over two months leaves little time for exploration and relaxing. For some who rarely leave their boat and focus is on food preparation, this is not a major sacrifice. But for those who want to explore by foot, by kayak, or by dinghy, the long distance cruising leaves less time than we prefer.
- Would not do Alaska without a flotilla, but prefer total freedom of boating on own without compromising routing, destinations, speed, timing, etc.
- Weather: we were blessed with abundant great weather. Any subsequent journey to Alaska almost certainly would yield less views and adventure with likelihood of more inclement weather, and therefore likely a let-down by comparison.
- Fords Terror (and navigating pack ice)
- Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glaciers/icebergs
- Misty Fjord National Monument (Rudyerd Arm-hike to Punchbowl Lake)
- Pack Creek Bear preserve
- Glacier Bay National Park
- Red Bluff Bay
- Takatz Bay
- National Shrine of St. Therese (Juneau)
- Lowe Inlet
- Hike to Mendenhall Glacier
- Exiting Fords Terror into another world of pack ice
- Humpback Whale giving extended show of breaching in Chatham Strait
- Walking among Brown Bear at Pack Creek
- Black Bear tracking from dinghy @ Kakushdish
- Entering into Red Bluff with towering waterfalls all around
- Crossing Dixon Entrance into Alaska in heavy seas
- Iceberg collapse in background while taking picture of Peggy in foreground in dinghy
- Eagle landing on towering iceberg @ Tracy Arm
- Boating to end of Tracy Arm up to Sawyer Glaciers
- Humpback whale breaching alongside Journey
- Exploring river inlet at end of Takatz Bay
- Hiking into Punchbowl Lake & exploring by canoe
- Rescue effort to save Mystic Sea in Kynoch Inlet
- Watching Marjorie Glacier calve in Glacier Bay
- Watching salmon jump in front of Verney Falls at Lowe Inlet
- Scrambling up the waterfall at Butedale
- Boating/rowing/paddling up to the base of numerous spectacular waterfalls
- Flying very low in chartered prop airplane over rugged mountains
- Cruising glassy water between Chapin Bay & Red Bluff with snowcapped mountains & blue sky background
- Peacefulness at Shrine of St. Therese juxtaposed to fishing activity off shore
- Early morning tranquility like a watercolor at Kakushdish
- Rainbow on the way to Joe Cove
- Dolphin riding Seaquel's bow wake
- Observing wildlife in Glacier Bay National Park, including Brown Bear, Mountain Goats, Sea Lions, and more (just not quite the same on a tour boat vs. one's own personal vessel)
- Any morning rowing to shore at first light and watching the sun brighten the landscape
Inside Passage towns ranked:
- Juneau, AK
- Petersberg, AK
- Meyer's Chuck,AK
- Tanakee Springs, AK
- Hoonah, AK
- Sitka, AK
- Wrangell, AK
- Hartley Bay, B.C.
- Ketchikan, AK
- Prince Rupert, B.C.
What destinations we missed that I regret?
- West Coast of Chichagof Island north of Sitka
- Baranof Hot Springs
- Staying a 2nd layover day at Fords Terror (for one sunny day, but would have "missed" ice pack day)
Destinations we would skip if doing again?
- Neka Bay - crabbing overly commercialized; worst mosquitoes
- Cannery Cove - over-rated with homes nearby, unprotected (this side trip cost us time to explore Sanborn Canal which may have afforded more opportunity for viewing wildlife)
What we brought that we did not need:
- Too many clothes
- Too much food
- Too many books
- Extra gas tank (for dinghy)
- Water filter pump (and 2nd water filter)
- Extra water
What we did not bring that was missed:
- Two more diesel jugs (brought two; purchased two more in Ketchikan)
- Outboard motor? For most, this is a must. But for us, since we cannot bring Nicole in the dinghy, our use is limited and exercise from rowing is preferred.
- Walker Bay sailing dinghy? Did not motor very often, and the Walker Bay (straked hull, real wood oars) not only rows better than the rigid inflatable (RIB) but with more time it would have been amazing to sail at some of the anchorages.
Most valuable items to pack when boating to Alaska:
- Sturdy, tall rubber boots
- Multiple 12V inverters for charging cell phone, iPad, etc.
- inReach portable satellite communications
Service/repairs/mechanical issues (Seaquel):
- Inverter failure (used 12V portable inverters instead to charge devices)
- Yamaha outboard water in fuel, carburetor service
- Mast light/Anchor Light wiring fixed
- Battery Charger failure (only missed during extended layover @ Juneau)
- Galley and Head faucet clogs (cleared)
- Oil/Filter/Transmission Fluid change
- Water in oil alarm (once)
- Low Coolant alarm (twice)
- Webasto diesel heater failure (could not remedy)
- Mechanical breakdowns: Seaquel and Journey did not suffer any mechanical breakdowns, only occasional servicing and peripheral failures as noted below. The closest our flotilla came to a true breakdown was the episode when Beyond overheated due to clogged raw water intake requiring purging of the strainer and replacement of the impeller. We were all surprised this did not happen more, given the total miles covered and amount of raw sea water pumped through the cooling systems of our three engines and a combined 7,500 nautical miles.
- Not boat related:
- Canon 28-250mm lens broken (fell from helm/passing wake from cruise ship)
- Canon Rebel T6S DSLR Camera failure (too much moisture/heavy rain at Fords Terror)
Miscellaneous:
Modifications - a year's worth of prep paid off, especially in creating Nicole's heated mid-berth bunk, as well as the added storage capacity created with the hard-top. These two mods made all the difference for us. We considered not bringing Nicole with us, but bringing Nicole was one of the best decisions. Nicole did GREAT! In fact, she thrived in terms of comfort level and being relaxed relative to her high muscle tone state that is her constant challenge. Another pay off is the benefit these modifications now bring to future years of boating aboard Seaquel.
Flotilla - would never do this trip alone; three boats is just right. Critical to find partners who enjoy similar style of cruising, including cruising speed, risk tolerance, activities, personalities, and even whether early risers vs. late sleepers. Complimentary skills are a big plus! We were blessed to find most of this with Glen, Ollie, and Pam with whom we shared this amazing experience.
Seaquel and all three Ranger Tugs performed superbly throughout this extended journey to Alaska. We encountered all sorts of sea conditions and we always felt these vessels could take more, probably more than their crews would be willing to handle, as has often been stated. That said, we paid a healthy respect to what the ocean can dish out, and we helped to mitigate much harsher conditions by doing our best to travel earlier in the day when possible. Seaquel did need a bath & a shave - her "beard" grew faster than Mark's; along with thousands of tiny barnacles (Seaquel, not Mark, per pictures below!). Top speed was reduced from 20K to around 15K, about a 25% loss, due to this added friction and loss of efficiency.
As a "bucket list" item, my dream to cruise the Inside Passage to Alaska was not just to "get there". I'd already been to Alaska a number of times on business trips, by commercial aircraft to both Juneau and Anchorage. I even had a customer provide a charter fishing experience via large, luxurious private vessel. And it would be immensely easier (and cheaper) to book passage on a cruise ship. My dream was that our modest boat, Seaquel, could TRANSPORT us literally from our driveway at our home in Anacortes all the way to where we would boat among icebergs and hanging glaciers; and amidst Humpback Whale and Brown Bear. In other words, we could navigate such great distances, successfully negotiate innumerable "gates" and hazards, withstand weather and mechanical issues, to be delivered by our own efforts and self sufficiency to what seemed like another world. In every sense, this dream was fulfilled...
Peggy surprised me with the answer to a friend who asked: "What was your favorite day of the trip"? She said the day we came out of Fords Terror and slowly made our way through miles of ice pack. It was the most fatiguing day of the journey, and posed the highest risk. Alluding to having Seaquel blessed by our pastor, Fr. Straz, as well as knowing that the nuns from the Sisters of Mercy (and others) continued to have us in their prayers, Peggy added: "Even during the most turbulent crossings with wind and waves and ice, I always felt calm and relaxed. This adventure was a gift."
We missed our kids and grandchildren. We knew our grandchildren would miss us. But to our surprise, we were profoundly touched that our (grown) kids missed us too! They not only worried for our safety (expected); but actually missed having us around. We are truly blessed!
Post Mortem...
Seaquel needs a cleaning! We've never had the boat in the water this long before, no wonder it felt a bit slower toward the end of the journey (aside from carrying so much extra weight)…
Time for babies...
When we left on our adventure 64 days prior, our daughters Emily and Sarah were both pregnant. Emily, our youngest, was expecting her first-born in September. Sarah, our eldest daughter, was expecting her fourth (first boy) in late June....
Regrettably, we would miss the birth of precious James Augustine Steinbrecher on June 27. We were in Tenakee Springs, AK on our way to Hoonah that day...
Sweet Nora Nicole Persha was born a tad late, on Sept 20th, so it turned out we arrived with plenty of time to spare. Below, she meets her "big" cousin James for the first time. Nora is granddaughter #6; James is grandson #2. We are so blessed with 8 grandchildren among our 5 children...
And Nicole just loves being an Aunt...
Thanks for the memories.
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