Our last few days in Sitka, we cleaned the boat, did some projects - fabricated some auto-snubbers for the p-vane top-haul wires on which we've been using a cam-strap to retain when not deployed; the difference is that now one is not doing a trapeze act trying to snag the top-haul wires when finished with the stabilizer poles.. and replaced the non-skid mat on the engine room floor with a wonderfully soft (on my knees) neoprene mat that we got at Murray-Pacific in Sitka - and explored more of what Sitka has to offer. Thursday night we went to the Larkspur Café (where the local radio station KCAW is housed) and heard a singer / songwriter from Vancouver BC perform. He was quite good. We said good-bye to Shirley Thursday night; looking forward to seeing her back at Coho's Bar & Grill in Elfin Cove next year.

Friday 20 August we departed Sitka 1000 hrs northbound towards Sergius Narrows N57º24.29' W135º38.60'. Transiting Sergius requires timing with the tide, and we had time for a scenic detour via Nakwasina Sound / Passage (east around Halleck Island); which looks like a great place for a multi-day kayak trip. Through the narrows, out Peril Strait and down to Appleton Cove N57º28.88' W135º16.28' for the night. Bugs!

Saturday 21 August [Kurt 364] we proceeded down Chatham Strait on glass-flat waters reflecting the partly cloudy skies and snowy mountaintops - really spectacular! And although there wasn't a sign of civilization in sight, good cell phone connectivity allowed us to make some phone calls and check our emails. In the afternoon, we entered Warm Springs Bay N57º05.01' W134º46.54', which has a dramatic 100' waterfall at the head of it and a small public dock. As we came in at high tide, it turns out there's quite a current setting against the dock (from the flow of the waterfall) and we knew that in theory. In practice, we had a bit of slapstick getting docked in a space only 4' more than DavidEllis is long. We'll do better next time. I gave a couple of beers to some fellows on a very small sail/fish boat who we scared the bejeezus out of (one turned out of have lived in Guerneville for a time... small world).

Baronoff (Island) Warm Springs is famous for its mineral baths; both natural pools alongside the waterfall and tubs in a small bathhouse maintained by the lodge at the cove. The natural pools are very interesting, but not actually very relaxing between the proximity and roar of the water, the slimy algae in the pools and the bugs attacking any exposed flesh. The tubs are far more civilized and very welcome to a sore back.

We're headed down to Red Bluff (just another 3 hours south along Chatham) later today (Sunday, 22 Aug). We stopped there last year -- a narrow channel into a small bay, surrounded by small waterfalls.