Kate’s visit was way too short, but we’re glad we were able to get her out on the water around Sitka.

Anne and Craig have arrived and it’s a comfortable reunion. They are virtually DE “plank-owners” (meaning first crew, along with Erne B) having joined us aboard in the boatyard 2006, before we actually took delivery and again in Subic shortly after our arrival there in 2007. They crewed with Kwakatu (DD 462-04) from Subic down along Palawan to Kota Kinabalu on Borneo and across to Singapore. And Craig made the whole voyage from Hong Kong to Seattle 2009, with Anne joining in Juneau for the trip down the Inside Passage.

After a couple of days to see the sights in Sitka, 1 August, we got underway north-bound up Olga and Neva Straits, back into the Pacific at Salisbury Sound – 10-15 knots wind out of the SW which put it and the 4-5’ seas, on our port beam as the coast goes up to the NW. Weather-side p-vane fish into the water to steady things up a bit and we took advantage of Klokachef Is, Ogden Passage, Herbert Graves Is, Portlock Harbor and Imperial Passage to make most of our outside passage, actually protected and “inside”. We over-nighted in Didrickson Bay (found that our paper chart, e-chart and cruising guide all had it wrong about the bottom profile at the head of the bay – came oh-so-close to scratching up that new bottom job, if not actually going aground.

That unsettling moment aside, the protected areas along the coast between Salisbury Sound and Lisianski Strait are a virtually endless playground of coves, beaches and meadows just waiting to be explored by skiff, kayak or dive gear; plenty of wildlife as well – sea otters everywhere, and on shore bear and deer. This is an area to which we’ll have to return, with the time to really get into it.

2 August back out into the Pacific for the short run up to Lisianski Strait (possibly the location where the second ship in Danish explorer Vitus Bering’s 1741 Russia-commissioned expedition to Alaska, put it’s boats ashore, one after the other, never to be seen again). The opening is marked with a buoy, and requires attention coming in amongst the submerged rocks, wash rocks and shoals, but really no different than many of the coastal approaches along the north Sonoma Coast we’ve done so often in the past – anti-climactic when done properly (a real mess if done poorly).

Running up Lisianski Strait seems more like motoring up a river than an extension of the ocean – although a glance at the depth sounder showing 700 feet of water underneath the keel, makes it clear this is no river I’ve ever heard of. Then a right turn at the intersection with Lisianski Inlet and a short run down and across to the boardwalk town of Pelican. We were alone on the transient dock, and went into town to give the dogs a walk, and lunch for ourselves at the little café there. While it had been overcast and raining on and off all day, the skies cleared just enough to shine down on the bluff on the opposite side of the channel from Pelican, truly a spectacular piece of scenery! Dinner, a movie and an uneventful overnight at the dock.

3 August we made the short trip up Lisianski Inlet and into Cross Sound (our west coast arrival point, just over two years ago, at the end of our North Pacific crossing), and thence to Elfin Cove. Couldn’t help but notice the many caves on the bluffs to the right just outside Lisianski Inlet, and again on the north shore of Three Hill Is, all of which look like great places to explore… so many adventures; so little time.

We found a place to raft up amongst the fish boats on the float at Elfin. The vessel Abyssinia was there; who we’ve frequently seen in Southeast, heard on the Great Northern Boaters Net and conversed with on the VHF. Erik and Kim winter the boat at Shilshole, just down the hill from the condo, so it’s likely we’ll get a chance to know them better this winter. The float was busier than I’ve ever seen it – 18 boats (mostly local fishboats) stacked up against it overnight. Dot made fantastic crab sandwiches for a late lunch (along with Alaskan Amber beer, of course). Later on soup and salad for dinner, and dessert at Shirley’s Coho Bar & Grill, and a movie to finish the evening.

I enjoy seeing Dorothy re-connect with Shirley, with whom she shared grammar school, campfire girls and high school.

4 August we slept late, had a great pancake and sausage breakfast and a long hot shower ashore. I couldn’t stand it anymore and changed out the main engine coolant (which includes plumbing loops into the water heater, and “Red Dot” heaters both aft and forward) messing up half the boat in the process. Dorothy especially loves this. Other than that, a slow easy day, overcast and cool, with occasional moments of sunshine.

This coming Sunday we’re booked to take the ferry from Juneau up to Skagway (rather than take DE up). Skagway is the top end of the Inside Passage; historic start of the Chilkoot Trail up to the Yukon / Klondike gold rush of 1898. It should be faster and less hassle than cruising up in DE, as the 2-day run up (or down) Lynn Canal is likely to be windy and bouncy. We have some recommendations for housing the dogs in Juneau during the 4-day side-trip – hopefully it’ll be OK with the boys (or, they may never forgive us).

5 August while we waited for the change of tide to head inwards from Elfin Cove, we talked with Shirley and her future son-in-law Jordon about old mines and such on Chigacoff Is, where we might do some exploring in the future. Jordan grew up in Pelican (high school graduating class of 3) and works with his father and brothers aboard their long-liner (fishing boat) Pacific Dawn.

Once the flood started, we headed eastbound in South Inian, past Glacier Bay and Hoonah, towards Juneau, overnighting at Swanson Harbor. This time we tied up to the state float instead of anchoring – easier to make an 0500 getaway in the morning for the last bit into Juneau.

6 August, noon, into Douglas Harbor across the Gastineau Channel from Juneau proper. The folks from Juneau Harbors are more than helpful, made room especially for us in Douglas. We rented a car, did laundry, took Rusty to the vet for a ‘kennel cough’ vaccination update required for his and Rascal’s stay at the pet boarder tomorrow and had a great dinner at the Island Pub.