Three Days Later

Hello from Wrangell! I am going to catch you up a little.

We had a great time in Ketchikan. The town is filled with history and all sorts of interesting people. The weather was a little unsettled when we slipped out under the bow of a huge cruise ship on the 15^th at the mouth to Thomas Basin where we were moored. We headed north to Helm Bay on Cleveland Peninsula. We thought that would be as far north to good moorage as we could go with the weather.

The route took us through an area where the U.S. Navy conducts testing and training on submarines in Behm Canal and is restricted during operational times, although it was open to transit for us.

Entering Helm Bay we set the shrimp trap in 300 feet and went to a state operated float near a USFS cabin. (N 55 degrees 37.823’ W 131 degrees 58.637’)We had the place to ourselves, or so we thought. Before late evening there were five other boats and a couple had to raft up. The other problem turns out, is that there was a minus tide coming and the opposite side of the float from us went dry. Alaska has very big tidal exchanges. You must know your tide tables and understand them. It also helps to have a boat that doesn’t mind being on the bottom.

We had to stay an extra day in Helm Bay due to the wind kicking up and beating us to death against the dock. At this float we met a couple from Montana now living in Ketchikan. They were big time Griz fans! It is really surprising how many people we have met are either from Montana or have some significant connection to Montana.

We kayaked a couple miles to an abandoned gold mine and explored the piles of machinery and all the other left behind accoutrements as well as the beautiful stream nearby.

We didn’t catch many shrimp but we did get eight box crabs and one little Opilio. We kept the four largest box crabs and the prawns. These crabs rival Dungeness for taste and are just a little sweeter.

Resuming the trip north on the 17^th we headed up Clarence Strait with forecasts of 20kt winds and 4’ seas. It was a little breezy but the seas were very tolerable. We decided to bypass Meyers Chuck in order to make up the day we had just lost. Turning from Clarence Strait into Earnest Sound the skies turned grey and fell onto the water so I had to remind myself about trusting your instruments. It was just a little bit creepy being in a huge body of water and not being able to see land. At this point I am content being a “coastal cruiser”.