SV Panta Rhei Retirement Trip
| Vessel Name: | Panta Rhei |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Able Apogee 50 |
| Hailing Port: | Seattle |
| Crew: | Larry and Karen |
| Social: |
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18 September 2017 | Seattle
We are back in Seattle
It feels like home. Of course we are not in Silshole. Maybe we will be, someday, but there is a list and we are on it. In the meantime we are at Bainbridge Island Marina.
23 August 2017 | Prince Rupert
The dinghy holds air again
It wasn't very nice of the bear to tear the fabric across a seam. We were worried that we couldn't patch it but tried anyway. The glue had a job to do and it did it!
15 August 2017 | Anan Bear Observatory
A Grizzly Bear damaged our dinghy
We were visiting the Anan Bear Observatory south of Wrangell. It is one of the best places to visit in all of SE Alaska BECAUSE it has bears. But (as we learned) there is a dark side to this bear concentration. And of course, there is a story to tell.
19 July 2017 | Petersburg, AK
Moving On
"No matter where you go, there you are" (unknown reference). By now we have been there and done that. Most recently that included Cannery Cove on Admiralty Island. The photo shows the quiet grandeur of the setting with Ron and Suzie's boat SV Tango in the foreground. It has been like that for the last [...]
17 June 2017 | Hoonah, AK
We are in Hoonah, SE Alaska now
We got something resembling a high pressure ridge so we moved expeditously across the Gulf of Alaska. The crossing took three days and weather stayed as forecast. That was a very good thing. The weather changes in the far north far more rapidly and dramatically than we ever experienced in the more southern [...]
03 June 2017 | Seward AK
Crossing the Gulf of Alaska
We are still in Seward, AK. Now that spring has come, why not start south?
Exploring the Millenium Cave
This hike is about 4 hours long, unless you are Larry! We all enjoyed it. The village that owns the region organizes guides and preprepares the hiking with ladders, footholds chipped into rocks, ropes, chains, and bridges. We needed them. For a while, I wondered if I might need a helicopter, too. The day was good (i.e. dry Rain can flood the cave and canyon), and the hiking group was strong.
It all began as we entered the cave, which is long and pitch black. I got about 100 yards before my flashlight went dead. Fortunately, our guides had another for me. We are hiking through a very very tall (40 meters in places) cave filled with bats and swallows. Our trail is a river with rocks that are hard to see. WAter depth varies from ankle deep to chest deep. The cave turns, so even in a group, you feel pretty alone. We go half of forever before exiting onto a sand bar where we eat our lunch and rest. Rest, ..., that's the best part! Then we hike down a canyon, climbing over giant boulders with difficult "bridges", improvised handholds, and plenty of foot holds chipped into the bolders. Its not so easy, but it is beautiful and varied. Eventually we get down to the river where we swim for quite a ways. Easier than hiking. The water is 80F and fresh. OHHHhhh. It feels so good. Its a narrow canyon and deep and GREEN as only jungles are green.
The hike begins and ends in the village that created this tourist attraction. It may be the best tourist attraction in Vanuatu. The picture shows Jeff and Brenda getting out of the river after part of the swim.
