Downeast in Southeast Alaska

Leave Deception Pt. 2:40p
Arrive Petersburg 5:40p
56 48.78:-132 57.71

When we awoke this morning, the holed fishing vessel was gone. Those guys must have worked most of the night to patch the hole before the tide came up. Waiting on the tide. We need the last 1.5 hours of the flood to push us up through the Narrows. The aim is to arrive at the midpoint at slack, and then ride the ebb up the rest of the way. That's gonna mean strong currents while docking at Petersburg - oh, joy! Assuming that we can even find room at the dock after hours.

A pleasant morning in the sun while we wait. Spruced up the boat a bit; did some spit shining. Those tire marks on the hull from the fuel dock had to go. I even got a nap in. We picked up (rapidly, because of currents, freshening breeze, crab pots, and reef). We launched like a rocket as soon as we rounded Deception Pt. into the Narrows. There's a fish opening, so there was a steady parade of fishing boats and processors heading south from Petersburg. Harry had too work to keep our speed in check, so that we'd hit the midpoint at slack. Our timing was pretty good. I could take full advantage of the ebb on the northern half. The old girl gets a little squirrelly at 8 or 9 knots, but it sure is a fun ride!

I needn't have worried about room in the harbor. It's half empty what with the fish opening, and the number of Washington boats has dropped off. The tach and oil pressure gauge is twitchy at low RPM. Will need to chase that down (probably a loose wire on the engine block or a bad ground), a still need to do some laundry, and Farragut (next anchorage) is as far as I've gotten routing. Trying to decide whether to go up Chatham or Steven's. Chatham is longer, more scenic, and the anchorages are likely to be full of adventure charter boats still. On the other hand, we kind of feel like we've stretched our luck a bit. I'll have to tally up the miles, but I'm guessing we've travelled about 2,300 miles on the Magical Mystery Tour.

So, yeah. Might need another day in P'burg. Might go left. Or might go right. Meanwhile, it's a beautiful night, with gorgeous pastels in the sky, a sliver of a moon, and the sweetest old dog out on the dock. Nope, doesn't suck!