Sat Nov 19 13:46:09 EST 2011, Tenakee Springs, Alaska
Issuma at the end of the dock.
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Comments [0]
Fri Nov 18 11:58:07 EST 2011, Tenakee Springs, Alaska
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Saw a boat once with name MV Heisenberg...
I like your observations about places and the people and Alaska is full of them. Tell us about your perils of Peril Str. on the way to Sitka, looks you both survived cheerfully.
Thu Nov 17 18:01:00 EST 2011, Tenakee Springs, Alaska
The Snyder Mercantile Shop has been serving basics in Tenakee since 1899, when Ed Snyder rowed over from Juneau with a boat full of groceries and set up business. The building and fixtures inside date back over a century. The old heavy wood display cases offer fresh groceries and modern pharmacy items, with lingering old time wares in their original packaging displayed like a museum on the highest shelves.
The hospitality matches the charm. When another customer discovered IÂ'm from New York City, she called over the young shop clerk to introduce us, who lives in New York City too when sheÂ's not staying with her uncle in Tenakee. Part time in New York and part time in Alaska, sounds great to me!
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In the meantime, I'll follow your encouragement and blog a little more from the good ship Issuma. Thanks!
Wed Nov 16 18:01:00 EST 2011, Tenakee Springs, Alaska
The Blue Moon Cafe is the only restaurant in Tenakee, and proprietor Rosie only cooks when she wants to. Rosie's actually happy to entertain visitors, it's just that her old cook stove takes a long time and a lot of effort to start up, so she usually just serves drinks in the off season, along with local legends and gossip.
Rosie talked of the times when bears have followed the hunters back home to town, even breaking in to porches. "One of the bears was not too big", she says holding her hand 4 feet off the ground, "and the other was old and thin with no teeth, but they shot them anyway."
Interested in the old stove, I asked about her appliances, and heard a little about daily life. Just a few of the newer Tenakee homes have clothes washer/dryers, and those people host others' washing. Rosie wonders why people need the machine and the expense, don't they know how to wash clothes? You "pack in water" (carry buckets from a stream), wash the clothes in the same tub after you wash yourself, and hang dry. Sunday is ironing day, but we both admitted to skipping ironing most of the time.
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Wed Nov 16 18:00:00 EST 2011, Tenakee Springs, Alaska
We awaited our next weather window spending about a week in Tenakee Inlet at anchor and at the Tenakee Springs town dock. As this is my first time visiting Alaska, I didn't mind the chance to see more of the local area.
Naturally, Tenakee Springs has a natural hot mineral spring pool, which since the early 1900's has been enclosed in a bathhouse to protect bathers from harsh weather. This also serves to protect modesty, since to keep the pool pure only nude bathing is allowed, with separate hours scheduled for women and men. Leave the dressing room and step down onto the stone deck in the steamy warm air. The 104F/35C mineral water bubbles out of 8 foot deep fissure and fills the small rock pool. Rinse off before settling in on the stone cut step, and warming up from a day of work on the boat. The mineral water and the heat together are so relaxing and rejuvenating! Thanks very much to the local Tenakee Bathhouse Committee for maintaining the spring and facilities.
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Mon Nov 14 18:00:00 EST 2011, Chatham Strait, Alaska
Nice tailwind pushing us down Chatham Strait.
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Were reminiscing about you at the Club with
Martin. Have still good, warm sailing days at Lk. Ontario. Heavy frost is coming to NW.
It could be quite a while before I have pics without snow :).
Joe & Wendy here, aboard the M V Surveyor, currently waiting to be icebound on Pigeon Lake.
Awesome journey, thank you for sharing. I much enjoy keeping track of yous and happy to see you all safe and realizing your dream. Almost makes me want to return to BC one day following in your wake. See, you made it so confusing now; Mexico or Iceland.
You know I always go for the heat.....
BTW, I see the Lofoten worked out good!
Fair winds for now,
Joe
www.cruisingdog.com
Thanks very much, nice to hear from you.
The Lofoten heater has worked out well. I've used it a few times now under sail, when broad reaching or running (when not needing to use the mainsail).
Richard
Sun Nov 13 18:36:17 EST 2011, Icy Strait, Southeast Alaska
Moon over the mountains, early in the morning in Icy Strait.
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Thanks in advance for your reply.
Doug
Fri Nov 11 15:11:50 EST 2011, Hoonah, Alaska
Eagles are plentiful in Southeast Alaska. Here an eagle keeps watch over the fuel dock at Hoonah.
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Thu Nov 10 19:38:33 EST 2011, Inian Cove, Cross Sound, Alaska
Early in the morning at the entrance to Inian Cove, where we anchored.
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God Speed,
Doug
Tue Nov 8 15:49:03 EST 2011, Cape Spencer, Southeast Alaska
The gales and storms continued as one low pressure system after another reached Alaska. Unexpectedly, one day we suddenly had a forecast of relatively light (25-30 knots) and often favorable winds for several days.
For the fourth time, we left Yakutat.
We motored (and added sails when the wind was favorable) as quickly as we could, not sure that we really could trust being so lucky as to have several days of light and often favorable winds. The current was at first strong against us, then lessened as we made our way down the coast.
Late the next day, we approached Cape Spencer (picture) in good conditions, with a tailwind, intermittent rain and hail from a mild frontal passage, and 5m/16' following seas.
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NOAA is reporting winds to 90 mph on the Bering Sea Coast today!
Here's to winter in Vancouver!
I am also relieved to hear that you may be safer from what the headlines here are proclaiming to be an unusually significant approaching Alaskan storm. When they're making a big deal in the press in NY about a storm in the Bering Sea, you know that there's a truly big blow afoot. Take care, and smooth sailing in all things large and small.
George, thanks, if I go to Puget Sound I will look up your friend.
I am really glad to not be anywhere near that unusually strong storm in the Bering Sea! I saw it forecast on the weatherfax the other day as 941mb and 70 knot (64 and above is hurricane force) winds--way more than I'd want to be out in.
