Go north young man! (Heading to Alaska)

Like Kevin, we hope you come and back and explore some more. What I keyed on was that some people believed the debris and murky color is man caused. The Stikine drains basically an unpopulated area of Canada. We all have our Alaska tourist stories, my favorite was someone asking how they get the barrels into the pipeline, that result in popular misconceptions about Alaska and development. One woman was visiting the old Kennicott Mine in the Wrangell St Elias National Park, and complained about the mine tailings out in front of the lodge where she was staying. I don't know if she ever learned that she was looking at the moraine left by the Kennicott Glacier but you can bet if she wasn't corrected, she went south complaining about mining ruining Alaska.

When you get back to southeast Alaska, I would like to show you some of the history that's hidden just behind the beach or up the creek a mile or so. Anything from small canneries, logging operations, fish traps, and gold mines to old military radio navigation sites from WWII. We'll stay away from "Alaska Bush People". They are an embarrassment.

Tom

tpbrady said:

Like Kevin, we hope you come and back and explore some more. What I keyed on was that some people believed the debris and murky color is man caused. The Stikine drains basically an unpopulated area of Canada. We all have our Alaska tourist stories, my favorite was someone asking how they get the barrels into the pipeline, that result in popular misconceptions about Alaska and development. One woman was visiting the old Kennicott Mine in the Wrangell St Elias National Park, and complained about the mine tailings out in front of the lodge where she was staying. I don't know if she ever learned that she was looking at the moraine left by the Kennicott Glacier but you can bet if she wasn't corrected, she went south complaining about mining ruining Alaska.

When you get back to southeast Alaska, I would like to show you some of the history that's hidden just behind the beach or up the creek a mile or so. Anything from small canneries, logging operations, fish traps, and gold mines to old military radio navigation sites from WWII. We'll stay away from "Alaska Bush People". They are an embarrassment.

Tom

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We did try to get in as much local history as we could but obviously you could go for years. As it's about 8,000 nm for us to get there from home probably won't get back soon. I will say this. Seeing it on television doesn't excite us. You just don't get it until you're there in person. We've watched many episodes of "Buying Alaska" but much more appealing in person.

I compare it a bit to us just passing through the Panama Canal. Now that's one day versus two months. But the similarity is that when you complete it, then it really hits you how unique and special it was. Every port you visit while cruising has it's uniqueness and special qualities and every lock is unique. But if most of them are perhaps 25% different than you're use to, then Alaska and the Panama Canal are 100% different and unique. We did things like going to canneries that you do just because you've never been to any, but you're glad to get the new experience and understand what they do and how.

You want some interesting moments in Alaska, take a very aristocrat native Spaniard who lived for years in NYC and has just moved to West Palm. She's cruised Europe as a guest to many others with 200' probably the smallest yacht she's been on. 100' is a little tiny boat. Like those who have only flown large commercial planes getting on a Cessna. She loved it. She was like a child as she experienced nature up close. She's been to Iceland and other places near and seen glaciers from a distance, but it was never as personal and intimate. And no place is as special until you've actually been among a few of those who have always lived there.

In wintertime, particularly after heave rains, trees, poles, planks, and similar floating objects become a hazard here in the SF estuary. Always a need to keep a keen eye in daylight and a strong hull, protected running gear, and slow speed at night.

You are not going to have enough time to smell the roses. What is the reason for the insane schedule? British Columbia has so much to offer. Your time line does not allow for weather days, for which there will be. We took 15 years to check out BC before going to Alaska.

hehe

I once had a collage gal upon seeing my Alaska plates state: I didn't know you could drive to Alaska! I stated, you can't! You must board a ferry and travel around the world to Nova Scotia where you hook up with another ferry to take you to the Northwest Passage to Alaska!

She looked at me and said that must be very expensive! It can be as I have to put my igloo somewhere!!

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

hehe

I once had a collage gal upon seeing my Alaska plates state: I didn't know you could drive to Alaska! I stated, you can't! You must board a ferry and travel around the world to Nova Scotia where you hook up with another ferry to take you to the Northwest Passage to Alaska!

She looked at me and said that must be very expensive! It can be as I have to put my igloo somewhere!!

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Growing up we form such pictures of other places. I knew the east coast, all of it. But what was beyond the Mississippi River I had no real idea. You can read all you want, but you still don't really understand places. Until last year, we'd never been to Alaska or Washington. The extent otherwise on the west coast was I'd spent a week working in Portland and I'd passed through the LA airport. Until the past six weeks, I'd never been to Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala or El Salvador. I knew you could drive to Alaska but really only because I worked with an older man who was there while in the military and he always talked about driving to Seattle during the winter and the conditions they faced. When I was young, there were no television shows filmed in Alaska. Now there must be four or five.

Wifey B: You don't need to answer this but something just makes me wonder if you took advantage of that not quite so smart and quite naive young college girl. Just the way my mind works.....

BandB said:

Wifey B: You don't need to answer this but something just makes me wonder if you took advantage of that not quite so smart and quite naive young college girl. Just the way my mind works.....

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Well I did have fun with it......

I just read about Smuggler's cove BC. Can't wait till I get up there...

a few pics from the trip.

Thanks for sharing!!

Couple more.

Last one, and favorite picture, as it truly shows the scale of Alaska.

That is my '68 foot boat in the bottom left.

Where was that pic taken?

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Where was that pic taken?

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Actually, i should give our northern brethren a bit of credit here. It was in BC, not Alaska. If i remember right it it was an arm mid way up east of Nootka Island. SouthEast of Hecate Strait.

One thing that was pretty neat about that cove, is we picked up a 50lb Halibut in about 20 feet of water on our way out, what a fight it was. I picked it up on the fish finder and we spent 15 minutes chasing it and 30-40 minutes fighting it, since we were using 30b mono line. This is my son and I. The Octopus came from there too, along with some tasty prawns.

nautibeaver said:

Last one, and favorite picture, as it truly shows the scale of Alaska.

That is my '68 foot boat in the bottom left.

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Stunning!

By the way, can you explain how you came up with "nautibeaver"?

They say a picture is worth 1000 words. Go Oregon State beavers


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nautibeaver said:

They say a picture is worth 1000 words. Go Oregon State beavers

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler Forum

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Got it! Thanks for clearing that up.