Heading to Alaska, part 2.

In the summer of 2014, I took 5 kids and 7 adults to Alaska. Now I’m doing it again. Minus kids and a few of the adults.

I started a thread about places to see and anchorages to stay at, lots of discussion on that topic. Slight thread hijack by BandB but that’s ok....

I had 9 days to get there and most commented on how 9 days were not enough. Well. We did it in 8 and saw a fair amount ( the days were long). However the wives and kids want to fly in now and not take the trip. Sadly we only saw some grey whales once, all the way to Ketchikan. Once we dropped them off at the airport, then we saw a bunch not 20m later....they felt they took the trip to Yellowstone, and flew home before we got there.


POW island were incredible. Whales were plentiful, fishing was incredible. Now this year I’m making a fast trip to Ketchikan and then leaving boat up there. Plan on flying up and going to Sitka, Juneau and other locations over the summer and back early September. Leaving June 20th.

Question. Any advice for moorage while up there? Any advice for 3-4 day trips around Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan?

Thanks!

Re Moorage, you may already know this, but the majority of moorage in AK is "hot berthing". In other words, you get placed in someone else slip while they are away, but you might get a call asking you to move to a different slip because the owner is coming back. This is a minor inconvenience that can be planned around if you are in the area, but is a big problem if you are going to leave the boat. So be sure to discuss with the harbor master to get in a location where the boat can sit for the duration.

As for side trips:

Ketchikan:

- Head over to Mysty Fiord, or perhaps circumnavigate Rev. Island

- Myers Chuck is a fun place.

Juneau:

- Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm

- Excellent whale watching is the pass that goes around to Awke Bay.

- Mendenhall Glacier (car)

Sitka:

- Must eat at Ludwigs Bistro

- Lots of interesting anchorages back up to and around Peril Strait

- On the way to Sitka, Red Bluff

Have a great trip. I'm envious.

Great pictures!

twistedtree said:

Re Moorage, you may already know this, but the majority of moorage in AK is "hot berthing". In other words, you get placed in someone else slip while they are away, but you might get a call asking you to move to a different slip because the owner is coming back. This is a minor inconvenience that can be planned around if you are in the area, but is a big problem if you are going to leave the boat. So be sure to discuss with the harbor master to get in a location where the boat can sit for the duration.

As for side trips:

Ketchikan:

- Head over to Mysty Fiord, or perhaps circumnavigate Rev. Island

- Myers Chuck is a fun place.

Juneau:

- Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm

- Excellent whale watching is the pass that goes around to Awke Bay.

- Mendenhall Glacier (car)

Sitka:

- Must eat at Ludwigs Bistro

- Lots of interesting anchorages back up to and around Peril Strait

- On the way to Sitka, Red Bluff

Have a great trip. I'm envious.

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I would add to Juneau. Park the boat for a few days and take the ferry to Skagway. Stay a few days at the only hotel in town and discover the town and ride the steam locomotive, then take the ferry back. Fun time...

An easy side trip from Ketchikan is to head up Tongass narrows and turn right at the top, into Clover Pass, a favorite of the locals for salmon fishing. If you continue up, you'll soon be in the Loring and Naha bay area, with several places to anchor and explore. You might even encounter Al, a TF member and great guy who lives in these parts.

I second Endicott & Tracy Arm from Juneau.
Also Ford's Terror while there--a little tricky entrance the first time or two but some guide books give the keys.

I also like the Hoonah-Excursion Inlet-Point Adolphus area for a trip out of Juneau.

Here are three unique spots, for us anyway.

We have enjoyed Pelican - good docks. Getting there takes you past Elfin Cove which even if you anchor somewhere is worth a dinghy trip. Tenakee Springs is another local haunt. All have a local flavor and are not overly touristy.

Glacier Bay is the pearl of SE Alaska and perhaps all of Alaska. A US Park Service permit is required for a boat to enter the bay. The bay has two major arms and is seventy miles long. It will take several days to see the bay. Another great way to see the bay in one day is to fly (float plane) into Bartlet Cove from Juneau or Hoonah and take a day trip in the bay on a high speed catamaran. We have done both over the years and choose to fly in if we have guest, just easier. If you are in the Hoonah area Pt Adulphus is world class whale watching. Hope you have a great summer.

Glacier Bay is the pearl of SE Alaska and perhaps all of Alaska. A US Park Service permit is required for a boat to enter the bay
Can you advise how to get the permit?
Is there any delay for a space or do you just pick up the permit and go?
We will be there in July when I assume it will be busy.

Go to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve web page, click on Private Boating in Glacier Bay. We have also call Barlet Cove ch 16, when near the bay to inquire about openings. They often have openings for a day or two due to cancellations, but don't count on it. Also, if you have a permit and wish an extra day or two call Barlet cove to see if they can grant an extended stay. Hope this helps.

To the west of Glacier Bay is Dundas Bay. Dundas is breathtaking and remote. It offers a great view of glaciers and big mountains without having to do the permit dance.

Agree, Dundas Bay is nice. It is also part of Glacier Bay National Park, but not nearly as spectacular as Glacier Bay.

Another Great Spot

We would recommend Anan Bear Observatory.

If you want to get up close with feeding black and brown bears, I would not miss Anan Bear Observatory. It's in the Wrangell area and does take some effort, since a hard to get permit is required, but it's well worth the effort.

You can get more information regarding the observatory at:

http://www.wrangell.com/visitorservices/anan-bear-and-wildlife-observatory

We will be spending the summer in Southeast Alaska as well, starting off with a Seattle to Sitka non-stop 5 day run offshore. Maybe we will have the chance to cross paths.

Wishing you, "No wind and flat seas".

Jim and Rosy
MV Sea Venture
https://www.youtube.com/cruisingseaventure
cruisingseaventure@gmail.com

Barnof warm springs has a free state dock. You can hike to a hot springs or sit in a several bath tubs in which you can regulate the temperature of the water. If you continue past the hot springs there is a lake with excellent fishing exist. Can be pretty busy at times. Beautiful falls, salmon berries, and blueberries everywhere.

Thanks everyone! Sea Venture, we are dock mates (I’m A3). I think you in my old slip on B dock.

Cruising Sea Venture said:

We would recommend Anan Bear Observatory.

We will be spending the summer in Southeast Alaska as well, starting off with a Seattle to Sitka non-stop 5 day run offshore. Maybe we will have the chance to cross paths.

Wishing you, "No wind and flat seas".

Jim and Rosy
MV Sea Venture
https://www.youtube.com/cruisingseaventure
cruisingseaventure@gmail.com

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Pack Creek on Admiralty Is offers great bear watching too. Jim, I'm impressed with your offshore jaunt. We'll keep an eye out for you.

To the west of Glacier Bay is Dundas Bay. Dundas is breathtaking and remote.

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We called it "Sea Otter World".

Probably be the only boat in there.

To tell the truth, I wasn't that impressed with Glacier Bay. There are other glacial fields in Alaska that are not so restricted.....

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

To tell the truth, I wasn't that impressed with Glacier Bay. There are other glacial fields in Alaska that are not so restricted.....

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Which do you prefer?

NautiBeaver, there is a Nordlund of about your size that we see in BC and AK about every year, named Huntress. I believe the owners are from Yakima. Curious if you've crossed paths with Huntress.
_____________________
Ken HattTrick

Ken E. said:

NautiBeaver, there is a Nordlund of about your size that we see in BC and AK about every year, named Huntress. I believe the owners are from Yakima. Curious if you've crossed paths with Huntress.
_____________________
Ken HattTrick

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Have not, but last tip up there, we pretty much just stuck around POW and fished.

twistedtree said:

Which do you prefer?

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I don't know about "preferred", but College Fjord is plenty spectacular.

AlaskaProf said:

I don't know about "preferred", but College Fjord is plenty spectacular.

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Ok, agreed. I was thinking SE where the OP will be. Not as many Glaciers down there.

twistedtree said:

Which do you prefer?

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I believe PWS has better tide water glaciers, with no restrictions.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

I believe PWS has better tide water glaciers, with no restrictions.

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True. And keep in mind that before June 1 no permit is required in Glacier Bay, and you can stay as long as you want. We spend 10 days. It opens again in the fall, but I'm not sure when.

We enjoy shore time, but GB is in bear country. Even at the lodge where we encountered a moma brown and her 3 cubs. Very protective. We've been run out moose there too on the Park hiking trails.

Anchoring in front of Reid Glacier is fun and a good test of your vessel's heating system. Then there are the cruise ships, which in foggy weather always seem to appear for us.

These things said, a few days in GB is enough for us now, rather than burning up fuel running from one arm to another just to kill time. There are so many great places in SE Alaska, our GB desires are largely sated.

We've always liked Glacier Bay. We find that it's almost always workable to call Bartlett Cove when we're somewhere near and the weather forecast is decent. I'd say 3/4 of the time we get a 3-5 day permit.

Quite fond of the anchorage at Reid Glacier, where you can go ashore and walk right up to the face.







Johns Hopkins and Margerie glaciers.










For sheer glacier magnificence, and a truly beautiful fjord, the Tracy Arm along Stephens Passage south of Juneau is hard to beat.





Another of our favorite spots is Hoonah Sound, a detour off Peril Strait. Great shrimp and crab, lovely anchorage at Half Tide Neck, and a gorgeous falls near Nelson Island.

Incredible! We are lucky people.