A long way home

Old Salt,

It was nice to hear hour by hour how we passed. Why do you keep mentioning Port Edwards .. it's only an industrial port .. isn't it ? No place to tie up or do anything else in a yacht .. is there ? On our previous trip north we came south the same way via Perincipe Channel and anchored in Princess Diana Inlet. We didn't have a chart plotter on that boat and I didn't want to deal with all the rocks around Anger Island and Ire Inlet. Princess Diana is kind of a small Bottle Neck Inlet. Perfect anchorage but when we were there there was a run of Jelly fish. With a bucket you could dip 6 or 7 every time. You went close to Larsen Harbour .. the prefered starting point for an east/west passage across Hecate Stait to the Queen Charolette Islands at Queen Charolette City. On the 03 trip we left our boat in Prince Rupert and took the ferry to QC City and rented a car. Had a wonderful time.

Eric Henning

Eric:

We have, prior to this summer, always stayed at the Prince Rupert Yacht Club or at Rushbrook when in Rupert.* As a Canadian boat, I always stop at Rupert to call ahead to US Customs in Ketchikan to let 'em know we're coming and to request permission to anchor out in Alaskan waters on the way.* In 2007, when I traveled the Mainland Coast of B.C. I stayed in Rupert on 3 different occasions.* The new Canadian Commercial fishing regs make it real tough on the pleasure boater in Rupert when the fleet is in town, waiting for an opening.* The place was a zoo.* Too many boats chose Rupert as their designated territory, and the harbour was jammed.* At Rushbrook, they were rafted 4 and 5 deep.* I had to come in for repairs, and the boat took a beating while I was there.

This year, I stopped at Tsum Tsadai on the way up and looked into Port Edward to check it out, and find my pal, the former HM at Rushbrook, in charge at Port Edward.* He showed me the ropes -*Best parking spots, where the best water was, how to get into town by bus, etc.* I had to be in Rupert July 31 to meet my wife at the airport, and he arranged for shuttles and rides for us from Port Edward, so I came back there after doing POWI.* I handled all the Canadian Customs requirements by phone from the yellow float in Fairview, and anchored out in Russell Arm when I had to be in Rupert, for an oil change or fuel.**

The combination of staying at the Port Edward Public Floats (they are up at the North end of Porpopise Harbour, near the Railway bridge) and riding the bus into Rupert (only 15-20 min.) and anchoring out*along the North shore*in Rupert Harbour will probably be the way I go from now on.

OS**

Old Salt,

Here is what the back channel at Port Protection looks like from the other end at low tide.

Eric Henning

That's it!* I passed by on my way along the shoreline from Point Baker to Wooden Wheel Cove and the settlement at Port Protection.* Port Protection is and ideal overnight for anyone headed down the West side of POWI.* I chose the spot South of the Narrows down at the South end, East of the two islands with the 100' and 200' contours shown.* Not much traffic down there, only a couple of kayakers.*

Chart17378 shows Port Protection* and the route from Wooden Wheel Cove up through this passage to Point Baker.

OS

-- Edited by Old_Salt at 09:08, 2008-12-18

Eric---

Since you can now apparently attach photos to your posts, do you have any nice shots that you took along your trip back north that you'd be willing to put up here for the rest of us to see.* I've flown the Inside Passage many times in a Beaver but other than my first exposure to the Passage in 1977 on the "Queen of Prince Rupert" ferry (the trip that convinced me to move from Hawaii to the PNW in 1979) I've not seen it from water level.* If you have a selection of shots of what you saw on your way north I'm sure a lot of us would enjoy seeing them.

South Thorne Bay

Hi Yall,

Marin thanks for your input. It helped. The dumb dial up just won't load em up .. and then only a small picture. I'll have Hughs Net 2 - 3 weeks..
The 1st pic is off Wallace Group .. East side of Jhonstone Strait. The second is at the crowded public floats at Prince Rupert.

Eric Henning

Great shots Eric. We've been in the Wallace Group in our Arima when we've gone halibut fishing out of Telegraph Cove.* Your shot does a great job of capturing the mood of the area.

I hadn't realized you have a dial-up connection, and you're right, that will make it very time-consuming to post photos. But any you are willing to post will be appreciated. It's beautiful country between here and SE Alaska, and in our experience in the plane, our halibut fishing trips, and on our Desolation Sound cruise a few months go, it just gets better and better the farther up you go.

-- Edited by Marin at 19:40, 2008-12-31

Eric:

You keep posting neat pics of some of our favorite spots.* Don't over do it or you'll be inundated w/ boaters from CA plus those of us from the PNW.* Hope your not too frozen in this winter.* Thanks for the tip about Prince Rupert, we'll check it out on the way up this summer.*

You probably have mentioned who the manufacturer of "Nomadwilly" (do I have the name right?) is but I would like to know - sort of looks like a Willard to me.

Tom

A few pics to remind us why we love the PNW & SE AK.

Hi Tom,

**** It takes about 20 days to get here in a proper trawler. Lots of fuel and time. Then one wants to go cruising and then it's 20 days back. Most never get past Desolation Sound but some get to the Broughtons and most of them won't go past Queen Charolette Sound. That leaves* .. in a word*.. few. A proper SE Alaska cruise takes two months and about 2000 miles underway with all the fuel and maintance involved. But you know that Tom.
The boat is indeed a Willard. During shopping days we called her Willy .. short for Willard .. and it stuck. Previous names were Grey Whale Pendragon and some other lovely name. The guy we bought her from didn't name her. So she's or he's Willy now. There were 5 different 30' Willard models ... ours was the Nomad.
Pics are* 1.* View from the New York Hotel .. our favorite in Ketchikan
*************2.* Sakar River .. short .. mostly tideal between Sakar Lake and Sakar Cove.

Eric Henning

superdiver,
I was wondering about you*** ...who you were and where you are.
I lived in Arlington Wa for over 20 years, kept my boats frequently in Everett. We bought the Willard in Edmonds and refit her over 2 summers*** ...1st in LaConner and then in Everett. We moved to Thorne Bay in 06 and felt we needed the refit for Alaskan waters. Plan on spending some time in northern SE next summer*** most all of it. Is that your boat in the avitar?

Eric:

Nice to see this thread kicked up to the top.

I have blocked out April to September 2011 (Old_Timer's edit)*for another run to SEA.* There are some places I haven't seen yet, and a few spots I would like to see again.

I laughed (or grinned loudly)*at your suggestion to the readers to take their time on a trip from the Lower 48 to SEA, recommending 20 days for the Seattle-Ketchikan*run.* I have allowed 6 weeks in each direction, but then I don't have a Willard, and I'm stuck with my 30 knot Commander.
*
I hope to see you in Thorne Bay this summer if it's convenient for you.* I will likely make several passes between Ketchikan and Petersburg, northbound, and Kake, Port Protection, or Craig, southbound.

Hope to see you then.

OS

-- Edited by Old_Salt on Thursday 28th of October 2010 02:16:31 PM

"There are some places I haven't seen yet,"
NO....I'd a never thunk.
Well I'm glad you've not been everywhere as that may be motivation to come back.
"I have blocked out April to September 2010 for another run to SEA."
I see your post is from 2 hrs ago so I'm confused. Sounds like your'e coming back next year. I may come down and do some boat shoping before that.
As always I'm really glad to hear from you.

Eric:

""I have blocked out April to September 2010 for another run to SEA."
I see your post is from 2 hrs ago so I'm confused. Sounds like your'e coming back next year"

Yeah, well, I got the month's right!* Waddya' expect from somebody my age?

I will be going solo next year, so there will be no outside controls on how much Scotch and Beer we consume when we meet up to tell the lies about what great skippies we are.

I don't expect your trip down here will include a visit to Canader, eh?

Old_Senility closing in quicker than I want.

Superdiver:

you said, "I am in Kethcikan, and keep my boat at Air Marine.*"

You would be in Refuge Cove, a little north of town, IIRC.* I met a nice couple in "Formula Won", at Nagasay Cove in the Maurelles, NW of Craig, when I was in Southeast a couple of years ago.* They kept their boat at Air Marine, I believe.

Do you know Jim and Ethel Connors, and/or "Formula One", and do you know if they are still in Refuge Cove?

OS

Eric,

Following your last PM I have actually read carefully the first "A long Way Home", where your memories are put together to make a fun story to read, of a great journey in a peaceful place (even if sea and wind were not always peaceful).

In France we have a nice saying :"Adventure is a great communicator, it all began with the vision of one man". You are living proof of that idea. Many thanks for sharing this, for the opportunity to discover and to dream.

Pilou