Cruise in Alaska

[dhays]

Today I am sitting in Petersburg AK. My 84 year old mother and I are going to do a cruise with the company Un-Cruise, based out of Seattle. My Mom has done a bunch of cruises with them and this trip is a new for them.

The vessel is the Safari Quest, a 120’, 22 passenger, 10 crew vessel that I believe was one of Un-Cruise’s early vessels.

We will start here in Petersburg boarding the vessel tomorrow evening. From here we go to Kake on Kupreanof Island and then to the Kiku Islands for some kayaking. The next day it is the Tebenkof Bay Wilderness Area for more kayaking and hiking.

The next day will be in the South Baranof Wilderness Area for yet more kayaking and bushwhacking. After that, another day of kayaking in Chatham Strait/Frederick Sound.

Then next day will be interesting. We will be at Admiralty Island National Monument and will do a guided hike around this protected brown bear preserve. Not sure how I feel about this one as I admit to being nervous about getting too up-close and personal with brown bears.

If I don’t get eaten, the last place we visit will be Stikine-Leconte Wilderness Area to check out the Leconte glacier.

Then back to Petersburg and then a flight home.

I’m really looking forward to boating in these waters for the first time. One of these days I’d like to come to SE Alaska on my own bottom, but this will have to suffice for now. Amazingly, the weather forecast is really good. I was expecting rain and temps of 60 degrees. We might actually get sun and 70 degrees. It is really nice here in Petersburg today.

 

[Rebel112r]

Have a good time Dave! Way better than a huge cruise ship. Went by your stomping grounds yesterday, anchored behind Raft Is, last night, tight squeeze under
Fox Bridge with 23 foot antennas. Tonight Penrose on a buoy. Will be in area till 28th
Don’t eat too much on the trip. Rogue

 

[dhays]

Have a good time Dave! Way better than a huge cruise ship. Went by your stomping grounds yesterday, anchored behind Raft Is, last night, tight squeeze under
Fox Bridge with 23 foot antennas. Tonight Penrose on a buoy. Will be in area till 28th
Don’t eat too much on the trip. Rogue

If I wasn’t up here I’d take Kinship down and join you at Penrose. I like Penrose. I learned from another NP43 owner that you can squeeze in on the other side of that drying shoal to the SE of that line of buoys and there is nice anchoring there. Maybe not on a zero tide but a nice spot.

Enjoy the South Sound!

 

[Rebel112r]

Off to Allyn tomorrow

 

[Wxx3]

Have fun Dave, it sounds really great.

 

[dhmeissner]

Sounds great Dave. Suzie and I are considering a cruise with them, let us know how you like it please.

 

[MurrayM]

Hug a bear for me

Joking!

Well fed coastal grizzlies used to large groups of people hanging out in the same spot are fine...always hungry mountain grizzlies are another thing altogether.

Should be an amazing experience!!!

 

[Nomad Willy]

Murray,
I’ve heard a hungry black bear used to people is the most dangerous.
Think Yellowstone.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Have fun Dave. Petersburg weather is sometimes a lot different than Ketch. Slowboat has his group back in Leconte glacier and had some great pics. You will have a great time.

 

[dhays]

Sounds great Dave. Suzie and I are considering a cruise with them, let us know how you like it please.

Well, my Mom has done 4 with them already and keeps coming back for more. This is a new trip for them this year so we will see how it goes. Only 11 guests this trip.

 

[mattkab]

Off to Allyn tomorrow

Have fun in Allyn! We spent 6 nights aboard in Fair Harbor over the 4th of July weekend. Love that area.

 

[mattkab]

If I wasn’t up here I’d take Kinship down and join you at Penrose. I like Penrose. I learned from another NP43 owner that you can squeeze in on the other side of that drying shoal to the SE of that line of buoys and there is nice anchoring there. Maybe not on a zero tide but a nice spot.

Enjoy the South Sound!

I also love Penrose -- it's probably our second favorite destination besides Eagle Island. The south sound is fantabulous!



For those that aren't familiar with the area, this was us, on our Catalina 30 years ago, on the drying shoal dhays is referring to.

We hit bottom on a falling tide, and had to wait almost 9 hours to float off again. No permanent damage to the boat, but lots to our psyche

 

[BandB]

Well, my Mom has done 4 with them already and keeps coming back for more. This is a new trip for them this year so we will see how it goes. Only 11 guests this trip.

You've mentioned her trips with them before and they always sound very interesting. A large cruise ship holds no appeal to me, but this would be great. 11 guests is a nice number.

 

[MurrayM]

Murray,
I’ve heard a hungry black bear used to people is the most dangerous.
Think Yellowstone.

Around here, any bear used to feeding on garbage or fallen fruit in peoples yards is called a spoiled bear....spoiled, not like pampered, but spoiled, as in rotten/bad.

Wild bears are 'generally' more predictable, as was the grizzly that went crunching through the bush about 100' feet from our tent at dusk on Monday. We had hiked 17Km (11 miles) from the highway into the Seven Sisters Range on the Skeena River.

Didn't sleep well that night...

 

[AlaskaProf]

I also love Penrose -- it's probably our second favorite destination besides Eagle Island. The south sound is fantabulous!



For those that aren't familiar with the area, this was us, on our Catalina 30 years ago, on the drying shoal dhays is referring to.

We hit bottom on a falling tide, and had to wait almost 9 hours to float off again. No permanent damage to the boat, but lots to our psyche

That shoal is a nasty surprise, assuming we are talking about the one parallel to the dock.

I found it many years ago in my Newport 27. Near the peak of a falling tide, I tried every trick, finally succeeded by dinghying a kedge out 90 degrees to the boat axis and leading it to the main halyard.

Got a standing ovation, although I suspect some of the watchers lost money!

 

[AlaskaProf]

Around here, any bear used to feeding on garbage or fallen fruit in peoples yards is called a spoiled bear....spoiled, not like pampered, but spoiled, as in rotten/bad.

Wild bears are 'generally' more predictable, as was the grizzly that went crunching through the bush about 100' feet from our tent at dusk on Monday. We had hiked 17Km (11 miles) from the highway into the Seven Sisters Range on the Skeena River.

Didn't sleep well that night...

The advice I got when I lived in Alaska was that if you encountered a brown bear, it was because one of you made a mistake; that is, he is as surprised and displeased as you. A black bear, onthe other hand, will regard you as potential food and stalk you if feels the need.

I encountered a substantial black bear last week at a range of twenty yards on Esther Island in Prince William Sound. Fortunately, we were both visiting the fish hatchery...

 

[AlaskaProf]

Today I am sitting in Petersburg AK. My 84 year old mother and I are going to do a cruise with the company Un-Cruise, based out of Seattle. My Mom has done a bunch of cruises with them and this trip is a new for them.

The vessel is the Safari Quest, a 120’, 22 passenger, 10 crew vessel that I believe was one of Un-Cruise’s early vessels.

We will start here in Petersburg boarding the vessel tomorrow evening. From here we go to Kake on Kupreanof Island and then to the Kiku Islands for some kayaking. The next day it is the Tebenkof Bay Wilderness Area for more kayaking and hiking.

The next day will be in the South Baranof Wilderness Area for yet more kayaking and bushwhacking. After that, another day of kayaking in Chatham Strait/Frederick Sound.

Then next day will be interesting. We will be at Admiralty Island National Monument and will do a guided hike around this protected brown bear preserve. Not sure how I feel about this one as I admit to being nervous about getting too up-close and personal with brown bears.
.

Dhays,

Are you still cruising? I think I saw your vessel here in Sitka yesterday.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

That shoal is a nasty surprise, assuming we are talking about the one parallel to the dock.

I found it many years ago in my Newport 27. Near the peak of a falling tide, I tried every trick, finally succeeded by dinghying a kedge out 90 degrees to the boat axis and leading it to the main halyard.

Got a standing ovation, although I suspect some of the watchers lost money!

Is this shoal on the charts?

 

[AlaskaProf]

Is this shoal on the charts?

Not really, the dock and the shoal are at lower left, just about where it says "2 fathoms".

 

[AlaskaProf]

Is this shoal on the charts?

Here's what it really looks like:

 

[jimisbell]

What would it cost to get my MS-34 from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific?

 

[Miz Trom]

Are you thinking over land or through the Panama Canal?

 

[jimisbell]

Are you thinking over land or through the Panama Canal?

Least expensive. There once was a railroad across Mexico for just that but I think its gone now.

Probably highway I10. Wife wants to cruise Alaska

 

[BandB]

Least expensive. There once was a railroad across Mexico for just that but I think its gone now.

Probably highway I10. Wife wants to cruise Alaska

Estimate by land, $14000.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

What would it cost to get my MS-34 from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific?

Thread hijack?

 

[jimisbell]

Thread hijack?

Dont think so since the title is Cruise in Alaska and the only way I can do that is to get my boat to the Pacific. I am serious about getting the boat to Alaska to cruise. And in these few comments, we forgot the North West Passage.....LOL

 

[ktdtx]

Sounds like a great week in front of you.
You don't really want it to get into the 70's as it feels too HOT when it does.

 

[DDW]

<hijack>
Just brought a 34' trawler from Tennessee to Washington. $19K. The issue will be the height, we could not get under 15' 6", which means a lead car the entire distance and in many states a trail car as well. In some states a route survey in which the lead car drives the whole route through the state before the boat moves. If you can get it down under about 14' 6" (on the trailer, which adds 12 - 18") then it can be somewhat less as only one escort car is needed, and none in some states. A few years back I brought the sailboat from Florida to Washington, it was 14' 5", and the bill was $15.5K. The return trip east can be substantially cheaper as it is a backhaul for many drivers, but the escort fees are unchanged. </hijack>

 

[Rebel112r]

Dave. Where is the report on your trip? No WiFi on that boat!

 

[dhays]

Dave. Where is the report on your trip? No WiFi on that boat!

Yes. No Wifi and very limited cell service. I got back home last night. A few thoughts....

The weather was downright strange. When I go to a coastal rainforest, silly me expects to find rain. Go figure. Not a drop of rain and only a rare cloud the entire week. It was downright HOT.

No bears. The salmon are late this year and so the bears are still hiding in the woods eating grass and berries. We only saw one black bear from a distance.

Whales. I expected to see some humpbacks and hopefully some Orca. I’ve seen both from my own boat so didn’t expect it to be a huge deal. I was wrong. One day, we saw some humpbacks in our path. The Captain stopped to see what they would do. Turns out they were feeding. Over the next couple hours, witness 5 bubble net feedings. It is hard to explain how awesome that is to seem. What is more, while we were drifting this was taking place less than 100 years away. After the feeding, the whales decided to do a lot of tail and fluke slapping and breaching. They stayed around the boat (all around, the Captain was trying to get a proper distance from then but they kept following and surrounding the boat). It was incredible.

Orcas. The next day, a pod of orcas decided to get in on the act. They surrounded the boat and were spy-hopping and tail slapping. This happened again two days later when a pod was fishing. They had a baby that was playing around the boat on the surface when the adult dove to hunt. The youngster was practicing breaching, spy-hopping, tail slapping next to the boat. When the adults came up, they would then move the youngster away from the boat, but when they dove to hunt again, the youngster would sneak back to us and continue to play. Finally as we we passed into the channel to Petersburg we saw a pod of Orca right behind us try to attack some sea lions that were lounging on a Chanel buoy. It got pretty hectic and at one point a large adult Orca breached completely out of the water. I think they got one of the sea lions but it was hard to tell.

Un-Cruise. This outfit was great. The schedule was flexible based on weather and wildlife. The focus was on kayaking, hiking and exploring via RIB. Delightful crew, great food and drink, relaxed and casual atmosphere, comfortable cabins... I now know why my Mom has done 4 of these with Un-Cruise and has signed up for another for next year. If you have the money to spend, I would highly recommend it. Again, there were a dozen guests matched with a Captain, mate, and deckhand, three steward staff, chef, pastry chef, and an engineer.

BTW, I got a great tour of the ER by the engineer. I’m really jealous of his work space.