Off to Alaska 2025

The beaconing call of Alaska and Glacier Bay National Park is powerful and irresistible. This will be our fourth trip north, visiting familiar places and creating new memories!

04 May 2009 | Nuku Hiva, Les Marquises
30 April 2009 | Daniel's Bay, Nuku Hiva, Les Marquises
26 April 2009 | Nuku Hiva, Les Marquises
21 April 2009 | Hiva Oa, Les Marquises
17 April 2009 | Fatu Hiva, Les Marquises
16 April 2009 | Fatu Hiva, Les Marquises
16 April 2009 | Tahuata, Marquesas
13 April 2009 | Tahuata, Marquesas
09 April 2009 | Hiva Oa, Marquesas
09 April 2009 | Hiva Oa, Marquesas
07 April 2009 | Hiva Oa, Marquesas
06 April 2009 | 09d03minS;138d06minW
05 April 2009 | 07d37minS;136d20minW
04 April 2009 | 05d52minS;134d24minW
04 April 2009 | 05d26minS;134d13minW
03 April 2009 | 03d51sSouth, 132d23.5dWest
01 April 2009 | 02d01.8S 130d16.4W
31 March 2009 | 00d23mS 129d03mW
30 March 2009 | 04d47mN/125d42mW
29 March 2009 | 04d47mN/125d42mW

Mother's Day in Port McNeill

11 May 2025 | Port McNeill, BC
George Stonecliffe | Sunny and windy!!
Cell coverage in Port McNeill made phone calls to son and daughter possible. Also we 'went out to eat', celebrating Mother's Day by watching National Hockey League Playoffs!
The weather has socked in with a low pressure cell that brings NW15-30 winds for the next 4 days preventing us from moving northward. So while at the dock at North Island Marina, we provision, shop, fuel, water, add a coat of varnish to the starboard cap rail, go ashore to birdwatch, and rest for the balance of our trip to Prince Rupert before May 28th.

Lagoon Cove Marina and Brown Bears

10 May 2025 | Lagoon Cove, BC
George Stonecliffe | Sunny
In Boughey Bay before mooring in Lagoon Cove we got a sighting of one of three brown bears. They were so healthy, and seen swimming between islands. Three showed up beside the owner's house in Lagoon Cove. They were eating grass salads, and foraging the beach at low tide looking for the usual suspects.

Leaving Campbell River through Seymour Narrows

09 May 2025 | Campbell River, BC
George Stonecliffe | Sunny, Light winds
After spending two nights at Discovery Marina in Campbell River, and provisioning, we are heading through Seymour Narrows on the slack before flooding (180*). We have a light wind weather report which if true would allow us to move forward to Lagoon Cove next.

On Our Way!

05 May 2025 | Nanaimo, BC
George Stonecliffe | Sunny, Light winds
After arriving at 'Julia Max' from the Anacortes ferry, we prepped the boat with three sails, diesel, water, and a few other preparations. Our two head toilets needed attention before leaving the dock. And we replaced our AM/FM radio which had died; an important entertainment center for music, and news.
We left the US on Saturday, May 3rd, for Canadian Customs in Bedwell Harbour, on South Pender Island. Then it was a half-day trip to Ganges Harbour where we provisioned for our trip north.
We are in contact with our friends on the Great Northern Boaters HAM Net each morning at 8am. We're quickly adjusting to boating life, and looking forward with anticipation to heading north to Alaska!

17 Hours from Ucluelet to Friday Harbor

26 June 2024 | Friday Harbor, WA
George Stonecliffe | Sunny, with building winds in the afternoon
We chose an excellent day of single-digit wind for our motoring. A sunny day for traveling the Straits of Juan de Fuca, we forecasted an ebb tide of 2 knots against us until 2pm. Then the incoming tide boosted our travel by 2 knots. Finally the wind picked up to 16 knots from behind us, allowing us to use our genoa in addition to our motoring and the incoming tide: 10+ knots speed over the ground. We pulled in to Griffin Bay by 10pm. And then in the morning, we were able to check into US Customs. This finished our circumnavigation around Vancouver Island for 2024!

Salmon Eye Charters in Ucluelet

25 June 2024 | Ucluelet, BC
George Stonecliffe | Sunny and calm wnds
Our son-in-law Steve flew from Seattle to Tofino, and taxied to Ucluelet, to be on board 'Julia Max' for a few days. The penultimate reason for his visit was going salmon fishing!! We enjoyed his company, his help in crabbing, and his anticipation towards charter fishing in the Broken Group Provincial Park a few miles away. We left the harbor at 2pm and fished until 7:30pm with calm winds and sunny skies. Our fishing guide, Tyler, successfully plied the familiar waters, and we came away with 4 Coho, 1 Ling Cod, and one King Salmon. All-in-all, we came away with a great time and wonderful memories.
Vessel Name: Julia Max
Vessel Make/Model: 45' Passport/Peterson Custom Ketch
Hailing Port: Portland, Oregon, USA
Crew: George and Sue Stonecliffe
About: The summer of 2024 will be spent heading north from Portland, OR to British Columbia, Canada; circumnavigating Vancouver Island, visiting Princess Louisa Inlet, and hopefully staying smoke free!
Julia Max's Photos - Main
Cruising through BC , Alaska, and home
18 Photos
Created 16 June 2022
2 Photos
Created 4 July 2017
8 Photos
Created 5 May 2011