Vessel Name: | Schooner Windjammer |
Vessel Make/Model: | Pete Culler - Integrity Schooner |
Hailing Port: | Airlie Beach, Queensland, Australia |
Crew: | Ashley & Cathie Kerr |
About: | We set off in December 2010 to continue our cruising adventures around the world after 25 years owning and operating a yacht charter company in the Whitsunday Islands - Australia |
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We are on our way south down the west coast. Currently just off the coast of Prince of Wales Island. Have seen whales, whales and more whales, otters sealions and had a close encounter with some grizzly bears. Caught lots of salmon and halibut. Weather is warming, snow capped mountains becoming less frequent. We will sail down through BC and westside of Vancouver Island to Victoria
Sitting in a bay on east Baranoff Island and it is raining (again). But then it almost always rains in Alaska. As they say, "if its raining you can't see the top of the mountains and if you can see the top of the mountains it is about to rain". There is lots of snow on the mountains all around us, even down on water level. Reading books, watching movies and cooking up a storm.
Anchored at the end of Tracy Arm about 35 miles south of Juneau. Saw our first grizzlies up close. Have seen many black bears but first grizzlies. A male and female foraging on the shore. Were very close in the dinghy. Big strong creatures! Went up to Sawyer and South Sawyer Glacier with another Australian boat who was anchored in the bay. Iceflow and bergs everywhere. Amazing "Bombay Sapphire Gin" coloured ice. Saw the glaciers calving, seals on the ice flows, humpback whales. Awesome day
Fantastic anchorage. Climbed on our first glacier, took the dinghy up the stream flowing beside the glacier. Surreal. Did a 10 km up through the forest. A rather grueling hike that took a lot longer than expected due to terrain. Hiked up to a lake where the snow level was. A very energetic afternoon!
Well after a vow 25 years ago to come back to Alaska, he we are in Ketchikan. Celebrated with a bottle of Moet. Had a really great sail up from Prince Rupert BC. Weather was cold and wet but sailed nearly all of the way across the border. Haven't had a lot of opportunity for sailing over the past couple of month as wind is all over the place amongst the islands,or either blowing a gale or nothing at all. Weather was fine and sunny when we arrived in Ketchikan however, which I believe is a rare thing. Really looking forward to the next couple of months exploring Alaska.