Final day with Sail Alaska - we return to Ketchikan today and the group formally disbands. What a great way to spend the summer! We have created many new friendships with a bunch of great folks. We will now be off on our own to bring Adoncia back to Gig Harbor. We will likely spend some very lazy days as we sail more deeply into the Broughtons and then hope to also spend some time in Desolation, one of our favorite spots prior to experiencing Alaska. We need to lower our expectations for the southern BC and Puget Sound waters so we don't feel disappointed. Alaska is amazing - we will be back for sure.

We left at 8AM for Anan Bay. Apparently, 60 permits are issued each day to see the bears. Sail Alaska was not able to secure permits prior to the trip, so our only hope was getting a cancellation. We were fortunate that we were out of the anchorage first and first to call for permits. There was quite a wait list but when we arrived, they had just received notice that 8 permits had been freed up, which apparently is very rare. So, lucky us, we barely put down the anchor and were notified that we were up for entry. With a short briefing (absolutely no food allowed, no screaming - yeah, right - would that be possible with Deb???), we hiked up the river to a set of waterfalls where salmon were returning to spawn. What a sight - black crowded masses of salmon trying so hard to make it up the waterfall! As we rounded the corner just up from the falls, there were 2 black bear (apparently, these get as big as grizzlies) eating salmon at the edge of the creek. Then, off to our left a bit, there were 2 brown bear running through the shallow water trying to grab fish. One of them was so cute - he just laid down on his back in the river and thrashed about with nothing - he looked like he was playing but we realize that we don't know what exactly "playing" looks like for these animals. It was hard to tear ourselves away from this spectacular sight but we were lucky we did. When we returned to the anchorage, the winds had kicked up to 15-20 knots and the boats did not appear solidly anchored. Quite a dinghy ride from shore out to the boats in 3 and 4 foot chop! After dropping Hal and Ellen off at their boat, we had to attach our dingy to the davits, remove the motor, raise the dingy on the davits prior to pulling anchor and getting out of there before some disaster occurred with all those boats anchored in such close proximity in all that wind. Anyway, it all worked out fine and we set off for Santa Anna Inlet. It was only about 18 miles and the bay was beautiful, a very pleasant setting on a nice, sunny afternoon. This was one of the rare times when Adoncia was 1st to arrive at a new anchorage and so we had the pick of the litter for a place to make our home for the night. A fellow stopped by from a beautiful, 80's style 47' sailboat - they apparently have lived aboard for over 20 years and a few years back had completed a 9 year circumnavigation. They were lucky to have hit the Mediterranean prior to the pirate problem so cruised through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Very interesting folks - they invited us aboard for happy hour - a lovely boat, indeed. We will look them up on our trip to California this fall.

This morning we checked the shrimp pot and were disappointed to find nothing. Not to be discouraged we set a crab pot and used the cockle clams from St John's Bay smashed together to break the shells for bait. This proved to be very effective as we got 2 perfect dungeness crabs on the first pull and 6 beauties on the second pull. Needless to say we ate a lot of crab while in Berg Bay. The other activity of note that day was an awesome group kayak trip up a long estuary into a river valley (much like the Nisqually Flats back home but on a much larger scale). This was amazingly picturesque and serene and once again the weather was perfect. We expected to see bear but never saw any though the eagles and other birds were out in force. We took the dingies along with us and this allowed us to tow the kayaks back after we had gone up the river far enough since the trip back would have been a difficult and very long paddle. We took lots of pictures and had many stops along the way for goofing off. That night we ate crab and salad and settled in early as we were off at 8am the next morning for the next chapter - Anan Creek and the bear observatory, one of the anticipated top highlights of the entire SE Alaska trip.

We pulled anchor at St John's Bay and headed off to Berg Bay. Just before pulling anchor we clammed on the beach as it was low tide. We were able to get about 30 clams bury they were all cockle clams which are very tough and not very good eating. But alas, they can be used as crab bait! After getting underway we fished over some rocks for the elusive halibut but only had strikes from rock fish. Deb caught one virtually every time she put her Ugly Stick in the water. We ended up with 2 nice rock cod, having thrown back at least 6 others. We filleted the fish while on route to Berg Bay and then had some favorable winds off the stern and put up the main for a broad reach. As we approached Berg Bay and furled the sail, we were able to use the rock fish carcasses as bait for the shrimp pot which we dropped at the entrance. We had to set anchor with a stern tie since there was not enough room for all 8 boats to free swing. We then pan fried the cod in pancko and it was a delicious dinner. It was another busy day in Alaska with clamming, fishing, sailing, shrimping, anchoring with a stern tie - who needs the Y when you stay as active as we have been everyday!

After spending the first several hours of the day purchasing all the items needed for dinner for 22 people later that night, Deb was exhausted. She picked up all the stuff at the Petersburg grocery strode and brought it back to the marina. The items were then all distributed to various boats for the food preparation. She is a saint that woman! We casted off from Petersburg later in the afternoon and headed down Wrangle Narrows with the current in our favor. We were actually not sorry to leave Petersburg with its lack of any real charm, its restaurant selection and our bizarre, unpredictable dock mate. The weather once again turned in our favor as we ventured down the Narrows and the trip on to St John's Bay was great. The anchorage was beautiful as we and Happy Dance had rafted alongside Jak. Here we set up for the big Bday party on our 3 rafted boats. The party was primarily for Captain Jim's Bday but also for Deb (however, I still owe her...big time...). We barbecued flank steak and had many side dishes topped off with Bday cake made by Anne - apple cake (from scratch and it just about did her in!). It was all great - the setting was picture perfect with the setting sun in a very cozy little harbor, a beautiful evening and a very calm anchorage. We all sat, ate, gave each other shit and laughed while watching the setting sun. Rafting with Jak is always a blast as KO (and his side kick Allen, aka Gilligan) is such a great guy and so full of humor not to mention the fact that he has what we consider to be the coolest boat in the fleet.

DEB'S BIRTHDAY. Since Deb was unable to have the type of fine dining she had hoped for the night before and because Molly was flying out of Petersburg later in the afternoon, the decision was made to all go out to breakfast this morning - which we did. The spot chosen by Captain Jim (who knew Petersburg) was a fish packing plant with a retail store and attached deli where they just happen to serve excellent breakfast and home made cinnamon rolls. So we all ate together and Deb had happy birthday sang to her. This was cute and fun but somehow I think I still owe Deb a birthday celebration including a fine dining experience! The rest of the day was spent provisioning, doing an insane amount of laundry, and getting used to much more typical SE Alaska weather - overcast and rain. That night Marty, Sue, Mike and Anne and the two of us got together for a long awaited cribbage tournament. We ate Inga's take out for Deb's birthday dinner (see, I still owe her). During this event, the ladies organized and planned Jim's birthday dinner which was to be held the following day while anchored at St John's Bay.