Around the Island - continued - July 22, 23

July 22 we enjoyed some really beautiful clouds as we headed for Misty Fiords.

















That night we anchored at Win Stanley Island.




















Really interesting "totems" along the water line. One can certainly see the influence these formations had on the art of the American Indian and even the Aztecs.





One of our first breathtaking views of Misty Fiords Monument Park (2.2 million acres) was at Punch Bowl; quite aptly named, wouldn't you say.








One of the many spectacular waterfalls racing down the rock faces amidst the trees, which are hanging on for dear life. One wonders how these mighty firs can keep growing when there seems to be no dirt for their roots to dig into.




The captain enjoying one of our few summer sunny days of 2008.








Charter planes fly passengers though the majesty of the fiords. Their flight remind me of one of my favorite the butterflies-in-the-tummy sensations at Imac theater.













Crossing Behm Canal the evening of July 23 was rough as we headed into Manzaneta Cove. It was nice to get in and anchor for the night. We saw the diamond-shaped sign that indicates a buoy, but we couldn't find it. We think it had to have been removed for some reason.


Leaving the following morning.... Behm was much calmer.



We headed back to the Fiords and spent the day tied to a buoy at Walker Cove. And THAT's where we saw the bears!



Well, it's 10pm. It's been a long day..... "the teddy bears picnic" will come tomorrow....

luv/jo

(& the captain says hi)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Journey around the Island

We have just returned from our 268-mile "going-around Revillagegedo Island" exploration. We left Ketchikan July 21 mid day in beautiful blue sky and white fluffy clouds.


It was a great start to some nice weather which we had been hoping to get for viewing the Misty Fiords when it wouldn't be too misty for us to see what is there.




We spent our first night tied to the buoy at Carroll Point, a few miles out of Ketchikan.










More to come. It's breakfast time right now and then errands to do. I'll be back to the blog after lunch... with the bears..... so "....if you go out in the woods today....."

...the surprise is coming.

luv/jo

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The Paddle Wheeler Ride & Show

We were picked up early Saturday and headed to the River Boat Dock. The weather was so wicked they wouldn't take her out. Too much wind for the Queen.



The trip was halted until "maybe tomorrow."

Sure enough, the rain slowed down and the wind let up, and the steam engines were puffing when we arrived Sunday morning.





We paddled along the







waterfront of Ketchikan down to











Saxman Totem Park.








The show was entertaining and the narrative by Clare Bennett was most informative, right down to the name sake of the island on which Ketchikan is situated. It is a long Spanish name which includes all of his ancestral maiden names. His last name was Revillagigedo. The locals just say Revilla. Do you wonder why.










We were treated to a fun performance by Jack Shay and company. It was a small audience; us and a handful of passengers off a cruise ship visiting for the day.




We came back to our little Teal and spent a quiet day. Amidst raindrops we did computer work, laundry, and provisioning for our next trek.

We'll be heading out today (Monday July 21) for our circumnavigation of the Island of "Revilla". Should be back in a week or so.

See you then.
luv/jo

(The captain has been busy blogging - go check his blog)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Paddle Wheeler Today

We just got back into Ketchikan after a wonderful week of fishing, shrimping, and crabbing in Moira Sound. It would have been a good week to go to the Fjords after all... who knew? We didn't get a lot of sun, but we didn't have rain all week either. We awoke Friday morning to overcast. We got some errands done before the rain came.

Last night, at the KYC BBQ, we met Clare who manages the shows on the Alaska Queen, the paddle wheeler we see around the harbor. She invited us to come aboard today.

Turns out she wrote and directed some shows that our Klamath River neighbor Pete Haynes used to star in while he was living here. And Jack Shay, the former mayor of Ketchikan, is the MC. Haven't met him yet. It's gonna be a fun day in spite of the rain. I'll let you know how it goes.




luv/jo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

George Inlet and Carroll Inlet - early July

Check George's blog www.teallog.blogspot.com. He has all the details - with charts - of the trip from Wrangell to Ketchikan at the end of June.


Here we are July 11, tied up at the Ketchikan Yacht Club just in time for the Friday night BBQ. Always fun catching with the local folks. We have been out fishing and trapping in George and Carroll Inlets. We left Ketchikan last Sunday July 6 in the overcast and cold weather. We decided to visit Misty Fiords at a later time when it's not quite so "misty".



We chose to cruise these close-by inlets, where we had successful crab and shrimp catches earlier this spring.













The power station and old cannery.

We understand tours are conducted here routinely, proven by the Grey Hound bus we saw parked at the end of the road upon our return.


We also puzzled over this resort which was very low key...

We thought it was abandoned... no sign of life, no flags flying, no sign, I say NO SIGN telling the water traffic what it was. We found out tonight at the BBQ that they have great dinners here and the yacht club has had big Christmas parties here in the past. Funny. Guess they don't need drive by business.




And the day progressed into evening and remained dreary and cold even as we arrived at TSA Cove.









At the last BBQ Jack Hovden told us about the water bag trick for fending off no-seeums and flies. He said just hang a water bag over the entry way and the bugs won't fly in. So having been plagued by these little buggers thru oh so many bites, I decided to try this wacky idea. Well, whatever the reason, who knows. IT WORKS!

I got ONE bite over those three nights. Only one! You could see those persistent little gnats flitting around out there - in the rain even - but nary a one got in.

He also mentioned the dryer sheets. He sticks one in his pocket and swipes it on his face, neck, and ears when the no-seeums are swarming. He has also put the sheets under his hat and that keeps them away his face. They are really relentless while hanging over the bow anchoring. George tried that and it seemed to work. We are sleeping with dryer sheets now also. It's interesting, we have all those products which are supposed really work and they don't seem to have the success as these simple tactics.

We tied to the dock at Shelter Cove in Carroll Inlet for the night of July 7. Our daughter tells us this was a Big Foot siting area. We did not see him there ourselves on this night. But it looks like a good spot for him to hang out.

Logging and road building are going on here. The dock is around behind these trucks, and Big Foot must be back there somewhere also..... too foggy to see him.



While we were tied to the dock, we strung the dipole antenna George had put together while we were in Sitka.


We tried to listen into the Alaska net the following morning, lots of static, and we could hear them talking, but could not make out what they were saying.



Not sure what this means. Maybe we just need a tuner....












We had success with Dungeness on the morning of July 8 when we pulled our trap.












Also our neighbor at home Pete told us we hadn't gone far enough into Carroll Inlet the first time. He encouraged us to check out the power station docks at the end . So we did.

We were greeted warmly by a man who used to live in Chico, and came to Alaska to make his fortune as a young man and is here still. We enjoyed listening to the local lore.

Soooo we were sitting at the dock, plugged in for free, enjoying our dinner.... as I looked up - there was a plane coming at us.






We both realized-at the same time- it was the mail plane.

He kept coming slowly and glided in along side the airplane dock, opened his door, slid out the door as it opened, reached for the line lying on the dock and hooked it to his plane.


It was effortless, like a dance. Folks came out from the power house with a bag, we assume was mail. The pilot started tossing bags and boxes out the door onto the dock.



Two of the people who had come down turned out to be passengers; they boarded, the pilot boarded, and was detached from his tether.............




and off he went. It was soooo smooth.





It was a cold, wet, four days out there in "Southeast". Day time temps 51 and 52 degrees most of the time. Will summer never come?

We fished without success at Herring Bay Cove and Mountain Point on the way back to Ketchikan. We are still looking forward to eating our first halibut and salmon. You will have to see George's blog - upcoming - to see the shrimp we got in Carroll Inlet.

We headed back to Ketchikan to reconnoiter before our next outing to Moira... lots of quaint anchorages and good fishing holes.

It's getting late. I'm listening to Coast to Coast AM and the Captain snoring. Guess it's time for the First Mate to hit the sack.

More to come in a week or so after our next outing.... As we ask the gods for sun and warm days.

Take care.

luv/jo
(& the captain says hi)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

4th of July in Ketchikan

July 4 in Ketchikan followed true to form for this rainy part of southeast Alaska.
It rained off and on all day. However, when the parade passed by Thomas Basin, it was NOT raining....
Here are parts of the parade, not necessarily in the order it came down the street.

Note the tarped building in the background. That's the Federal Building being prepared for paint.


I showed it to you before as "the ugliest building in town".... pink... some call the color salmon.



Well it was in dire need of a facelift. The town was surveyed to see what color they thought would look good. Well either because of, or in spite of that survey, the color will be pink again.



Rubber Duck Race Float. We discovered later that evening, at the KYC BBQ, one of our members won the $2500 1st prize. It was raining pretty good at the time of the race and we chose not to attend. Wish we had known that this event was the highlight of the day... with free root beer floats, even.




Note the guy with the eagle. When I first looked up, the eagle had his wings stretched. He is one big bird.

Couldn't get another shot of that.



....even tho I tried. That eagle was on good behavior til he was out of sight.... at least.













the class of 2009....












The parade ended in a puff of smoke. A tribute the local fire department, I THINK. Hard to figure it out with all that smoke.




All the town's people - as well as us visitors - seemed to really enjoy this festive day in Ketchikan.

We did Friday Night BBQ at the Yacht Club. We weren't sure how many would show up since there was so much going on here in town on this big weekend. We must have had close to 30 people. Good turnout after all.

We visited with Evie and David from Zambeze, a 32' Grand Banks. They live in Richmond, California, and have spent summers in the Sacramento Delta on their Nordic Folkboat. Ahh the Delta - simmering, sweltering heat.... our old stomping grounds in days of yore. The Delta's only similarity to our current cruising is the "stingers/biters" (here they have skeeters AND no-seeums, AND little black flies they call "white socks" due to the little white patches on their back legs).... but I digress. These folks know Sven of Svenson's, George's favorite marine store in Alameda... so it was old home week. We compared stories and routes of the surrounding area here in Southeast as the locals call this part of Alaska. They're heading north, we heading to Fjords. We will more than likely meet up here again later in the summer.

The fireworks started at 11pm. We stayed awake for them. 15 minutes worth. Just about right for a small town. Not pretentious.... a pleasing concept in these times.

luv/jo
(check out the captain's blog.... he's ripping right along)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Baranof Warm Spring Visit - June 20

See teallog.blogspot.com June 18 forward - filling in the gaps with "the real stuff"

.... leaving Sitka headed for Petersburg - recapping June 20 - 22.....

We left Ell Cove and that beautiful Kasnyku waterfall and headed for Baranof Warm Spring. When we arrived at the bay, we were greeted by Bob, the resident whale.

No room at the dock for us and nobody was eager to raft us to them.... so we headed off to the cove and spent the night amidst the snow covered hill side.






It's June and the snow is not only on the peaks, but down to the water level. It was really pretty in here and the weather nice enough that I actually pulled out some spring clothes, my tank top and T-shirt.... I think I spent a couple hours mid-day with no, I say NO, polar fleece. Very nice afternoon.









The following morning we pulled our crab trap... and we got Sea Stars (aka Star Fish). THEY actually have crab for dinner, so when we see Stars, we know we have no Crabs. They are beautiful and large, but a REAL pain to get out of the trap, not to mention how hard it is to pull up all that weight. You can see these are many-pointed, and more than likely Sunflower Stars.


We ran out of our water in the big tanks. So we ventured over to the Baranof dock and the hose. The S/V Dream Merchant offered to raft us up to them. We filled up and they offered to have us stay... we did until another boat left and we slid off them and tied to the dock for the day and the night.

We got our hot tub soak in that same wooden tub we used in May when we were here on the way to Sitka. This time we were able to walk to the falls. It was nice and still no mosquitoes or no-see-ums. We saw spruce trees along the path.

Folks pick the little brown buds at the end of the branches to make Spruce Tip Jelly. They are so tiny - these tips - that it takes painstaking dedication to pick enough to make even small jars. But it is mighty tasty.









The trail to the Spring was a little sketchy at times, but aglow with spring flowers starting to bloom.










May 20, we met Ted who had just started working on steps to the top of the hill and the cabin he is building. He got those stairs done by June 1 according to Mary who lives at the top of the hill where the steps seems to lead directly to her house, not Ted's.

He has yet to install a tram, but has the set up for it. I didn't count the steps, but there are at least 200. This project was funded by the city of Sitka, which is a day away by boat - fast boat that is, but only an hour by plane, directly over the top of Baranof Mountain Range..... something fishy about this, but I can't put my finger on it.






The S/V Dream Merchant is also a fishing boat, manned by Val and Ken who just got their license last year. They are from New Zealand and are really enjoying this new venture. They are saving for a trip back home to see their kids.

They were headed for Petersburg to get some work done on their boat, before they head out for the Wild Salmon Opening. Up until now the commercial fishermen have only been allowed to take hatchery fish.

We look forward to seeing them when we get there. June 22, we set out in warm sunshine to cross Chatham Strait into Fredrick Sound.











Our KYC burgee (the rainbird) flopping lazily in the breeze.

luv/jo (and the captain says "hi and check out my blog www.teallog.blogspot.com") >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>