Summer voyage to SE Alaska & return

[Jay N]

Hello all.


WESTERLY's 2019 summer voyage summary:


[FONT=&quot]WESTERLY: 37' Pacific Trawler, 34.4' LWL, single 210hp Cummins, cruise 7.3[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] kts at 1650 rpm.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]LEG 1 SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Everett to Juneau via Cordero Channel, Lama Passage, Grenville Channel, Wrangell Nrws, Stevens Psg, Icy Strait: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Everett, Laconner, Prevost Hbr, Nanaimo, Squirrel Cove, Forward Hbr, Mound I, Port McNeill, Skull Cove, Fury Cove, Boat Inlet, Khutze Inlet, Klewnugget Inlet, Pillsbury Cove, Brundige Inlet, Ketchikan, Vixen Hbr, Lake Bay, Petersburg, Thomas Bay, Farragut Bay, Windham Bay, Fords Terror, Wood Spit, Tracy Arm Cove, Juneau Harris Hbr, Couverden I Cove, Hoonah, Neka Bay, Barlow Cove, Juneau Auke Bay. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Apr 29 to Jun 3, 36 days, 1284.9 miles, 194.0 engine hours (6.62 kts).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]LEG 2 SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Juneau to Ketchikan via Stephens Psg, Rocky Pass, Summer Strait, Warren Ch, [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Bocas de Finas, & San Christoval Ch to Craig; then Tonewek Nrws, Tuxecan Ch and El Capitan to Wrangell; then Zimovia Str, Ernest Sound & Clarence Str: Juneau Auke Bay, Taku Hbr, Henry’s Arm (Pybus Bay), Kake, S Rocky Pass, Port Beauclerc, Craig, Dry Pass, St John Hbr, Wrangell, Canoe Psg, Ketchikan.Jun 4 to Jul 14. 41 days (includes 30 days moorage at Ketchikan – To Seattle to see the grandkids), 454.6 miles, 68.8 engine hours (6.61 kts).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]LEG 3 SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Ketchikan to Campbell River via Petrel Ch, Principe Ch, W of Aristazable I, Hakai Psg, Fitz Hugh Sd, Cordero Ch: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Ketchikan, Yes Bay, Walker Cove, Short Bay, Port Stewart, Vixen Hbr, Coffman Cove, Butterworth I, Petersburg, Wrangell, Coffman Cove, Thorne Bay, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, Anger I, Borrowman Bay, Lewall Inlet, Port Hardy, Mound I, Cordero Is, Gowland Hbr, Campbell River .[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Jul 15 to Aug 14, 31 days, 917.0 miles, 134.3 engine hours (6.84 kts).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]LEG 4 SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Campbell River to Everett including loop to Port McNeill via Discovery Psg, Chatham Ch and Broughtons; then south to Campbell River via Cordero Ch and Desolation Sd; then to Everett via W side of Georgia Str, Gulf Is & San Juan Is: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Campbell River, Small Inlet, Cordero Is, Potts Lagoon, Mound I, Port McNeill, Mound I, Cutter Cove, Cordero Is, Von Donop Inlet, Drew Hbr, Gowland Hbr, Campbell River, Tribune Bay, Nanaimo, Glenthorne Psg, Fisherman Bay, Anacortes, Roche Hbr, Laconner, Everett.[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Aug 15 to Sep 9, 26 days, 546.6 miles, 93.1 engine hours (5.87 kts – watching whales).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]TOTALS: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Apr 29 to Sep 9, 130 days, 3203.1 miles, 490.2 engine hours (6.53 kts).[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]FUEL SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Fuel Locations: Anacortes ($3.08/gal), Ketchikan ($3.47/gal), Petersburg ($3.54/gal), Juneau ($3.40/gal), Ketchikan ($3.58/gal, $3.43/gal), Campbell River ($3.34/gal), Anacortes ($2.84/gal). 2.70 gal/op hour, total 1322.7 gal consumed, average $3.32/gal, total $4,394.73, 2.42 miles/gal, $1.37 per mile, $8.97/op hour. (Includes incidental fuel use for Northern Lights gen set, Espar hot air furnace and Dickinson cabin heater)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]WEATHER SUMMARY: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]NO RAIN[/FONT][FONT=&quot] SOME RAIN MOSTLY RAIN[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] APR 2 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]MAY 23 5 3[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] JUNE (1-22) 10 8 4[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] JULY (15-31) 3 7 7[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] AUGUST 23 8 0[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] SEPTEMBER (1-9) 7 2 [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Total 2019: 68 (61%) 30 (27%) 14 (13%)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total 2018: (69%) (22%) (9%)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Total 2016: (58%) (36%) (6%)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Total 2014: (55%) (24%) (21%)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Cruising delay due to high winds/rough seas: 2 days.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]MECHANICAL ISSUES: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]None impacting operations.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Offshore ridge for first half of May produced northerlies that we had to buck for most of northbound transit. Spectacular weather while visiting Fords Terror and great glacier views at S Sawyer Glacier. Ketchikan Al bringing A/A to boat on arrival Ketchikan. Very dry until mid-July, then reverted to normal, August was very dry but most of this was S of Cape Caution. Arrival back at Everett Sep 9 and was greeted by record rainfall of 1.82” in 1 hour, slightly more than a docking shower for the PNW.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]Pics to follow.
[/FONT]

 

[Jay N]

Will be a while on the pics, as I need to edit all of them for posting.

 

[Ken E.]

Jay, Good to hear from you. We were thinking about where you might be during the summer. Great write-up of your trip. Question on Leg 2, Rocky Pass, Kuiu Strait. We went through there in July 2018 and south of the elbow it was so choked with kelp that it was nearly not navigable. How was It this year?

 

[Jay N]

Hi Ken - Good to hear from you.


There wasn't much kelp at Devils Elbow (Rocky Pass) this year in early June. There always seems to be more a little later in the summer.


Of course, there is always less kelp if there is any current laying it down.


We encountered a lot of kelp in Chatham Channel this year, northbound at LW slack with other traffic - We chomped some kelp there, but didn't slow down.

 

[MurrayM]

The whole trip sounds great, but leg 3 sounds particularly cool.

We haven't been "on the outside" yet, having only gone so far as McMicking Inlet on Campania Island. Think we've clawed our way far enough up the learning curve to head out there next year...as far as the Estavan group at least. Little margin for error in waters peppered with rocks!