Downeast in Southeast Alaska

Leave Tracy Arm Cove 7:50a
Arrive Taku Harbor 1:50p

58 4.1:-134 0.79

My eyes were burning this morning, but it appears that the NW wind is not carrying new smoke with it. Perhaps interior BC is still on fire. For us, visibility and breathability improved the farther north we went. We paid for clear air with speed. We had NW15 and the tide against, and if that wasn't enough dues, 3' and 4' seas stacked up. That caused a lot of spray and brought us to a crawl. We considered spinning around and going back to Tracy Arm. Instead, we decided to raise the stays'l. Taku was upwind, so we tacked while motor sailing. That evened out the ride and improved speed so that we got here an hour earlier than we would have without the sail, despite the extra miles.

With the improved visibility, I was shocked to discover that none of the mountains on Admiralty Island had retained their snow caps. Most of the peaks on the mainland were also seeing daylight for the first time in an epoch or two. It looks like home ... and it doesn't.

As soon as we landed at the dock, all the other boats there wanted a wind and sea state report. They had been waiting before making a break north for Juneau. It was pretty rough out there for the sport fishing boats. The harbor is protected from the wind, and it's hot, hot, hot out of the breeze.