Ketchikan to Petersburg

On July 15th Robin Craft, our long-time friend from Mill Creek, WA arrived in Ketchikan to join us for a week. A Water Taxi delivered her to our door.

Our initial plan was to get as far as Tracy Arm before having to turn around to get Robin back to Ketchikan....we had a week. We left early the next morning and cruised to Santa Ana Inlet on Cleveland Peninsula. We were able to set out a shrimp pot in the deep water (around 250 feet) and a crab pot in more shallow water (40 feet). The next morning we took off for Berg Bay and on our way out we picked up 15 shrimp and 1 crab.

We traveled up beautiful Blake Channel, arriving in Berg Bay early afternoon. We set out our pots once again. The bay proved to be the best crabbing we have ever experienced. Not so for shrimp. No-see-ums were plentiful (tiny black biting bugs that you "no can see"). Rain was also plentiful this day…..

Wrangell Narrows........

The next morning we left early and arrived at Deception Pt. Clove between Woewodski and Mitkof Islands. The skies opened up for the first time in days and we were able to sit outside on the fly-bridge for the afternoon and enjoy the sun. The next morning a massive amount of kelp drifted in with the tide. Winding our way up the Wrangell Narrows we started with a flood tide and midway up the channel it changed to an ebb tide and we were able to keep “going with the flow”. Our southeast Alaska guide book describes the narrows as a “Piloting” challenge. The 21 mile stretch of water is well marked throughout, with over 60 numbered navigational aids, including 5 sets of range markers. Deep draft vessels have little or no maneuvering in the dredged 300- foot wide channel.

Petersburg - "Little Norway"

Just past the Wrangell Narrows, we arrived in beautiful Petersburg, known as the halibut capital of Alaska. Its economy depends on its fishing fleet and seafood processing plants. It is known for its Norwegian heritage and Main Street is just off the marina where several stores reflect Norwegian Culture. The locals are extremely friendly and helpful. We had a great visit with the owner of a quilting shop. The Sons of Norway Hall with the Viking Memorial is the host of the Little Norway Festival each May. The region turned into a year-round community around the late 1890’s. A Norwegian, Peter Bushmann decided that, since there was glacier ice available nearby, the area would be ideal for a cannery. Icy Straits Packing Co. was formed and also built a sawmill to cut lumber for the building of the cannery.

This old moss-covered boat sits in the marina and is owned by the long-retired harbormaster.

Le Conte Glacier…….Breathtaking

Robin and I signed up for a guided boat tour of Le Conte Glacier with Captain Ron from the Whale Song Tours. The glacier is the southernmost active tidewater glacier on the North American continent often sending icebergs into Frederick Sound and onto beaches around Petersburg. Once we entered the Le Conte Bay, our boat slowly worked its way through floating ice five miles up to the glacier. Much of the ice was a beautiful blue color, some clear, some with unusual shapes and some looking like blue cotton candy. Harbor seals reside at the terminus of the glacier. We had a fabulous day but wished

John stayed on the boat repairing the refrigerator...... Crew has all the fun!!.

The next morning we hiked on a trail to view scenic Fredericks Sound and took a route behind the town through a small rain forest and an open area with wild flowers, shrubs and deer. We then left for Wrangell, staying one night and cruised to Anita Bay. It is said that the view in the anchorage is quite scenic. There is a sharp 3800 foot snow-covered Virginia Peak. It was so rainy and foggy that we couldn’t see it.

Zimovia Strait

We left Anita Bay early to position ourselves in such a way that we could smoothly go through the narrows in Zimovia Strait, which divides Wrangell and Etolin Islands. The 25 mile long strait, varying in width from about 0.4 to 2.5 miles is marked by bouys, day-beacons and lights. The flood current enters the strait from both the north and south ends and meets near Village Islands, a once flourishing tribal village. The channel is narrow and intricate with irregular depths. John navigated without any problem. We anchored at Meyer's Chuck, a protected cove off of Clarence Strait.

We saw these 2 deer swimming across the strait, which was 3 to 4 miles wide! Relocation is rough in this part of the world.

Meyers Chuck

We stayed the next night in a small but well protected bay...Meyers Chuck. There are only 10 full-time residents now. The state managed dock was full so we anchored. Must have rained a 1/2 inch that night!!

Back in Ketchikan

Robin and I have friends from high school who run a commercial tender out of Ketchikan every summer. Gary and Evie's boat is 104 feet long and is named the Polar Lady. Luckily, they were delivering fish to the cannery when we were in port, so they offered to take all of us on a tour of Ketchikan. We went to two awesome Totem Pole parks, some beautiful lakes and places to see bears (we saw one from a distance). We then visited their boat and went to dinner. What a fun time we had with them. The next day they brought us king salmon and halibut for our freezer. What a treat!

These pups hang out their main street window every day with their sunglasses on.

soooo, Robin and I decided to do the same...........

Although we were unable to scare up a bear for Robin to photograph, we made sure she did not want for fresh Alaska salmon!!

Robin flew back home after spending ten days with us. What a special time we had. John cooked up a storm and Robin & I especially enjoyed his crab/myzithra cheese pasta dish. And then of course, the king salmon, etc...........

We begin to head south early tomorrow and will be back in Washington to have some boat work done before we head to Mexico. Until next time.......