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Alaskan Sea-Duction

Alaskan Sea-Duction

Guru
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
8,056
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Alaskan Sea-Duction
Vessel Make
1988 M/Y Camargue YachtFisher
Well we are back from the Astoria Crab and Wine Fest and have 5 days to finish getting packed up. Our schedule is short. We plan to start in Astoria to Neah Bay, then Port Angeles, San Juan Islands, then Sidney B.C. From here we will head north. No schedule, just some places to see. The plan right now is make the Broughtons, reevaluate our condition, if favorable further north to Skagway Alaska.

We have hired Omni Marine Weather (Omni Bob) Home - www.oceanmarinenav.com to help us on the first leg of the trip from Astoria to Neah Bay. This is more of a precaution and at the Admiral's insistence as it makes her feel safer. We will go on weather standby starting May 1st.

We have a SPOT and AIS, so my friends at TF can follow. I will post here when I can. Look in my signature for the ASD blog link. AIS is a little spotty on the north coast of Washington and even worse the further north we go. Most of you know how to view our SPOT and Live ship. If you don't know, then ask and someone on TF will explain.

SPOT:

SPOT Shared Page

Marine Traffic:

AIS Vessel Tracking - AIS Positions Maps | AIS Marine Traffic


For now we are looking at our preparations list and there is very little left to do. 5-days and counting. Took 3 years to get here and now I am all nervous.....and excited.
 
Yahoo for you guys! If you make it into Bellingham look us up. At least stay in touch and perhaps we can meet you out in the Islands.

Bob & Jill
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
Well we are back from the Astoria Crab and Wine Fest and have 5 days to finish getting packed up. Our schedule is short. We plan to start in Astoria to Neah Bay, then Port Angeles, San Juan Islands, then Sidney B.C. From here we will head north. No schedule, just some places to see. The plan right now is make the Broughtons, reevaluate our condition, if favorable further north to Skagway Alaska.

We have hired Omni Marine Weather (Omni Bob) Home - www.oceanmarinenav.com to help us on the first leg of the trip from Astoria to Neah Bay. This is more of a precaution and at the Admiral's insistence as it makes her feel safer. We will go on weather standby starting May 1st.

We have a SPOT and AIS, so my friends at TF can follow. I will post here when I can. Look in my signature for the ASD blog link. AIS is a little spotty on the north coast of Washington and even worse the further north we go. Most of you know how to view our SPOT and Live ship. If you don't know, then ask and someone on TF will explain.

SPOT:

SPOT Shared Page

Marine Traffic:

AIS Vessel Tracking - AIS Positions Maps | AIS Marine Traffic


For now we are looking at our preparations list and there is very little left to do. 5-days and counting. Took 3 years to get here and now I am all nervous.....and excited.
Click to expand...

Maybe we will cross paths. We are in Prince Rupert and plan to make Ketchikan tomorrow.
 
ASD, One question comes to mind--is this going to be a 1-way trip north or are you two heading back to our neck of the woods?


Whichever it turns out to be, I wish you fair skies, calm winds, flat seas and lots of Klondike Bars! (That's a joke only the insiders know!)
 
twistedtree said:
Maybe we will cross paths. We are in Prince Rupert and plan to make Ketchikan tomorrow.
Click to expand...


I know you are weather smart. I note Dixon Entrance East is with a gale warning and seas 2 to 3 meters tonight.
 
sunchaser said:
I know you are weather smart. I note Dixon Entrance East is with a gale warning and seas 2 to 3 meters tonight.
Click to expand...
It was about this time last year that I got the snot kicked out of me on Chatham Sound heading south into Prince Rupert. 50-56kt winds and 18' short period waves coming out of the south. I'd have happily taken a gale and 2-3 meter seas!

Richard
 
sunchaser said:
I know you are weather smart. I note Dixon Entrance East is with a gale warning and seas 2 to 3 meters tonight.
Click to expand...

Yes indeed. It's really interesting to look at windyty.com. It shows all the wind coming from the southeast up Hecaite Strait, and off shore, with pretty modest winds (15 kts or less) along the route from Rupert to Ketchikan. We are counting on these calmer conditions, plus the benefit of a tail wind, for a reasonable ride. But we will see. This will be the first time I am using the more detailed data from Windyty as opposed to the Environment Canada reports which are very generic, and seem to represent the worst case in the reporting region, but with no detail about where that worst spot is and how conditions are otherwise distributed across the region. So this will be a learning experience. Worst case we turn back and try again on Wednesday when it's supposed to be calm.

We came down Johnstone Strait in a gale about a week ago, but because the wind was behind us, it wasn't too bad. I wouldn't have wanted to go in the other direction, but down wind wasn't bad, and that should be the case tomorrow as well.

I'll let you know how it turns out. I've got my fingers crossed.
 
Below is a good Environment Canada link to see how weather systems approaching onto the BC coast are behaving...makes a good combo with the windyty site;

(Hit the 'play' button below the satellite image to see how the systems are moving)

- Environment Canada
 
Also Peter I note a 3 knot ebb in early AM. Lots of fun if wind swings to SW.
 
We decided to wait it out a day. It's been blowing 15-20 all night in our anchorage, and will only be worse outside. And after all, it's called "pleasure" boating. Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty calm, so we will go then.
 
twistedtree said:
We decided to wait it out a day.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good choice.
I'm anxiously awaiting further updates about your and Alaskan Sea-Duction adventures.
Though Otter has been where both of you are going more than a few times, it will be a while before her new crew is up to the task.
 
Britannia said:
It was about this time last year that I got the snot kicked out of me on Chatham Sound heading south into Prince Rupert. 50-56kt winds and 18' short period waves coming out of the south. I'd have happily taken a gale and 2-3 meter seas!

Richard
Click to expand...

Should'a stopped at Brundige Inlet. The bugs would have been blown out w the wind.

Twistedtree wrote;
"We decided to wait it out a day. It's been blowing 15-20 all night in our anchorage, and will only be worse outside. And after all, it's called "pleasure" boating. Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty calm, so we will go then."
Frequently it blows more in the harbor in PR than outside in Chatham Sound ... but not in my experience in Dixon Entrance.
 
Last edited:
manyboats said:
Should'a stopped at Brundige Inlet. The bugs would have been blown out w the wind.
Click to expand...
I was coming from Foggy Bay and was already well into Chatham Sound heading south by the time the conditions worsened. Too late to turn around.

Richard
 
Chatham can generate its own weather patterns, often defying predictions. Strong veering winds are then exacerbated by shallow water and lots of shoaling. Or so say the commercial guys I've talked with in Prince Rupert. We noted this same nasty pattern variation last year, but not short period 18' waves :eek:
 
You are in for a great adventure. Enjoy, be safe.
Alaskan Sea-Duction; said:
AIS is a little spotty on the north coast of Washington and even worse the further north we go.
Click to expand...
Marine Traffic isn't all that bad on the BC coast. I just followed Tanglewood up to Chatham Sound. Stalled off Port Neville for a few hours but otherwise was pretty good. I think.

Sorry for stalking you, Peter.
:angel:
 
GFC said:
ASD, One question comes to mind--is this going to be a 1-way trip north or are you two heading back to our neck of the woods?


Whichever it turns out to be, I wish you fair skies, calm winds, flat seas and lots of Klondike Bars! (That's a joke only the insiders know!)
Click to expand...

We are now officially "snow birds!" We will be returning back to the Columbia River for the winter. 100% on the bars!:thumb:
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
We are now officially "snow birds!" We will be returning back to the Columbia River for the winter. 100% on the bars!:thumb:
Click to expand...

Fair winds and following seas Tom, enjoy the trip and ping us when you come back through the San Juans.

Marty.....................
 
Enjoy every day out there!
 
Chapter One-Home Dock to Neah Bay

Well the adventure starts today! In a few hours we will be heading to Astoria OR, staging a Columbia River Bar crossing early tomorrow morning. Leave the bar at a NNW heading until we are 35 miles off shore, the a N heading most of the day. Lastly we will turn NNE for the entrance to Juan De Fuca Strait and Neah Bay, WA.:thumb:

The dream is coming true!:)
 
Looking forward to your reports and wish you a fun, safe trip. I will be in Sitka mid July if you end up in that area. My best to you !

G
 
ASD


Strong to gale force westerlies on west entrance of Juan de Fuca forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. Fog banks forming Monday. Combined with a strong ebb those conditions could prove challenging. Thursday looks much better.
 
Last edited:
sunchaser said:
ASD


Strong to gale force westerlies on west entrance of Juan de Fuca forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday. Fog banks forming Monday. Combined with a strong ebb those conditions could prove challenging. Thursday looks much better.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the concern. We will be crossing the Bar early tomorrow, turning on the Cats at 2100rpm and 14kts + and should be in Neah Bay late tomorrow afternoon.
 
Leg 1

Leg 1 completed. Left the home dock at noon and made Astoria around 5 PM. Weather was fantastic, sunny 85f and the water was a lake. Weather reports for the "run" to Neah Bay WA look good. Should cross the Columbia River Bar around 0500-0530. An easterly breeze tomorrow and sunny weather promised. May get to practice my skill in fog navigation tomorrow.


How do you add captions to the pics?
 

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sunchaser said:
I know you are weather smart. I note Dixon Entrance East is with a gale warning and seas 2 to 3 meters tonight.
Click to expand...

And another damn good reason to have: https://www.windyty.com/?55.615,-131.585,1 on your book marks.
It has proven quite actuate. That in conjunction with the Canadian West Coast weather will cover your weather bases.

Tanglewood, I plan on hitting Clarence Straits Wed. Morning around 5 AM for a full day run to Wrangell. Be there for a few days golfing and such. Will keep an eye out just in case.

Al-Ketchikan 27'Marben Pocket Cruiser
 
14 hours running time Astoria to Neah Bay, hope you had a great trip. Looking forward to the updates and photos. Welcome to the PNW!
 
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