Month: July 2024

June 16, Tuesday

The weather in Southeast Alaska kept us in Juneau over the past week. We’ve ventured out at times, capturing a few pictures, but for most of those soggy escapades, the camera remained safely tucked away in my pocket.

The change in weather got us out of Juneau and on our way. Tonight we are at Taku Harbor hoping for a good weather again tomorrow.

Juneau Pictures

Fishermen processing last night’s catch. Lots of Halibut, it took them about 2 1/2 hours to complete the processing. They didn’t even seem to notice the rain.

Over the past week the water has turned from a beautiful green to muddy brown.

When we arrivvied there were no waterfalls in this area.

Juneau to Taku Pictures

June 11, 2024

Interesting Facts

Alaska is the largest state by area- Area: 665,400 mi².  The second largest is Texas-268,597 mi² (2.5 times larger than Texas).

The most populated city in Alaska is Anchorage – Population 291,247 – The most populated city in the lower 48 states is New York – Population  8,335,897. (28.6 times larger than Anchorage)

The capital of Alaska is Juneau, population 31,549.

Juneau, spanning just 48 miles from end to end, surprises with its extensive network of over 250 miles of hiking trails.

Southeast Alaska is home to more than 20,000 bald eagles.

The world’s largest concentration of brown bears lives on Admiralty Island, just 10 minutes from Juneau by floatplane.

Wildlife found in and around Juneau: 114 species of birds, all five species of salmon (Chum, Coho, Chinook, Sockeye and Pink salmon), brown and black bears and several species of whales.

Southeast Alaska is a strikingly beautiful region with forest, mountains, fjords, tidewater glaciers; more than seventy-five percent of the area is covered by the Tongass National Forest.

Goldbelt Tram on Mount Roberts is the only tram in Southeast Alaska

  Kootéeyaa Deiyí, or Totem Pole Trail in Juneau

Founded during Juneau’s mining era, the Saloon has been in operation for decades. For a time, “Ragtime Hattie” played the piano in white gloves and a silver dollar halter top. Later, in territorial days, the owners would often meet the tour boats at the docks with a mule that wore a sign saying, “follow my ass to the Red Dog Saloon.  The Red Dog has been recognized by the Alaska Legislature for its longevity as the oldest man-made tourist attraction in Juneau. Red Dog Saloon

Why are ravens so big in Alaska? The mystery revolves around a theory known to biologists as Bergmann’s Rule, which states that organisms at higher latitudes should be larger and thicker than those closer to the equator. The idea is that this increased size helps them conserve heat more effectively. Generally, this rule holds true—animals tend to get bigger the farther north they’re found. In the case of ravens, those in Alaska are noticeably larger than their counterparts in the Lower 48. On a warm day in Juneau, this particular raven didn’t seem too thrilled about conserving all that extra heat.

Gold Creek is known for the bright flakes of gold that can still be discovered.

Ah, the Jet Ski adventures continue! It’s like a delightful family reunion out here on the water. Today, the lead captain’s taking his mom and dad. When I gaze at this photo I can practically see Lucy and Skip on this adventure. Keep riding those waves, and creating those wonderful sea stories!

Mendenhall Glacier is a glacier about 13.6 miles long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of the U.S. state of Alaska.

The Whale Sculpture

Tahku, the Alaska Whale Sculpture, is a life-scale bronze whale sculpture of a breaching humpback rising amidst waterworks from an infinity pool located on the waterfront of Alaska’s capital city, Juneau – a destination for over 1 million visitors each year from around the world. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of Alaska Statehood, and serves as the northern anchor for the downtown Juneau waterfront.

Takhu the Whale was sculpted by former Juneau resident R.T. Wallen for the people of Alaska.

July 7, Sunday

There never seems to be a sunrise or sunset in Taku Harbor, not even a mute pink in the sky but it was always beautiful.

As we arrived at the dock on Friday, we noticed the boats Sunshine and Icy Lady already secured in their moorings. The families aboard these vessels, seasoned locals with a wealth of experience, graciously imparted their insider wisdom to us. Today, Sunshine is embarking for a fresh anchorage, while Icy Lady sets sail homeward. As for us, we’re bound for Juneau.

During our 20-mile journey today, we observed approximately ten boats employing the purse seine method to catch salmon. A purse seine is a substantial net wall strategically placed around an entire fish school or area. The net features floats along the top line and a lead line threaded through rings along the bottom. When a school of fish is spotted, a skiff encircles them with the net. As the lead line is drawn in, the net cinches shut at the bottom, effectively preventing fish from escaping by swimming downward.

Waterfall on the way to east side of Stephen’s Passage

Juneau, a city of 32,000 residents, welcomes more than 1.6 million visitors annually, and on peak days, more than 21,000 tourists may visit by cruise ship.

We enjoyed the view of Juneau City Park as we cruised by on our way to our marina.

June 6, Saturday

In 1840, the Hudson’s Bay Company constructed Fort Durham in Taku Bay. However, as the company’s policies shifted, Fort Durham (also known as Fort Taku) was eventually abandoned. During the early 1900s, a salmon cannery and Alaska’s first-ever cold storage plant were established in the harbor.

In 1920, Tiger Olson arrived in Taku Harbor to work at the cannery. When the cannery closed, Tiger became the sole inhabitant of this remote harbor. For a delightful and authentic Alaska story, I recommend reading about Taku Harbor’s Legendary Man and Myth.

The peacefulness of a rainforest is a harmonious blend of natural elements that envelops you in tranquility. In this sanctuary of life, stress dissipates, and a sense of connection to nature prevails. It’s a place where worries fade, and the symphony of life reminds you of your small place in the grand tapestry of existence. A combination of the water and the rainforest, we are in our happy place.

July 5, Friday

 I emerged from my bed at 4:00 am. The fishermen were already hard at work, gathering their crabs, replenishing bait, and releasing the traps for the next harvest. It was no simple task—I counted 52 floats, though I’m not entirely certain I tallied them all.

As we departed Snug Cove, the overcast skies gradually transformed to bright blue, and an eagle gracefully trailed behind us.

After carefully navigating the rocky entrance of Gambier Bay, we found ourselves back in Stephens Passage. Just like the previous day, we were treated to an incredible show as the whales foraged for food.

Humpback whales can spout water, or create a cloud of air and condensed water vapor, up to 20 feet high and their spouts can be heard from up to 800 feet away . You can barly see this spout but if you can see it on the water you have a better change at getting a picture of the whale coming out of the water.

In this case, I saw the spout and still didn’t get the picture.

In this case I had to take the picture from inside.

As we continued our journey northward, we encountered our first iceberg—a pristine white mass with a captivating hint of blue.

Holkham Bay serves as the gateway to both Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm. These arms are characterized by turbulent waters, swiftly moving icebergs, and, at their terminus, stunning tidewater glaciers—namely, North Sawyer Glacier and Dawes Glaciers. Intrigued, we decided to explore the icebergs and the anchorage area frequented by cruise ships. Unfortunately, the anchorage was unavailable, prompting us to press onward.

We arrived at Taku Bay at 4:59 and moored at the public dock, happy to be in a safe, beautiful bay.

July 4, Thursday

• ROUTE: Portage Bay, Frederick Sound, Stephens Passage, Cleveland Passage, Port Houghton, Hobart Bay, Stephens Passage, Gambier Bay, Snug Cove
• ANCHORED GPS LOCATION: 57^o25.312′ N – 133^o58.146’ W
• ANCHORED IN: 35.5 feet

The day unfolded like a canvas painted by a master artist with the sun providing the perfect lighting for a little reflection photography. The calm seas and majestic mountains made it feel as though we were in an enchanted fairyland. But of course, I wanted more…where were all the whales that I heard so much about?

Little did we know that nature had something extraordinary in store for us. As we sailed across the 20-mile stretch from Port Houghton to Gambier Bay, the humpback whales emerged, their massive bodies breaching the surface with grace. One after another, they danced—their tails slapping the water, their spouts creating ethereal mist. We counted at least forty of these gentle giants, their presence both humbling and awe-inspiring.

Yet, amidst this spectacle, I grappled with my camera. The sun, relentless in its brilliance, challenged my focus. Each click felt like a battle—a struggle to capture the whales’ essence, frozen in time. But the lens betrayed me; the pictures remained elusive, slipping through my grasp like water.

I abandoned the struggle and embraced the present., I lowered the camera, allowing my eyes to feast upon the grandeur. Binoculars in hand, I followed their movements—their rhythmic dives, their playful breaches. The world narrowed to that intimate view, where the whales became constellations against the vast expanse.

“Beauty lies not in the captured image, but in the unfiltered gaze of wonder.” —Unknown

But, since we do have some land pictures I hope you enjoy them.

July 3, Wednesday

• ROUTE: Wrangell Narrows, Fredrick Sound, Portage Bay
• ANCHORED GPS LOCATION: 56^o59.220′ N – 133^o18.889’W
• ANCHORED IN: 47 feet

Cruise Ship American Constellation

While capturing an image of the barge, I suddenly noticed that the majestic Patterson Glacier served as a stunning backdrop.

June 30 -July 2

Petersburg is known for its mix of Norwegian and Tlingit heritage and for harboring one of Alaska’s most prosperous fishing fleets.

Sea Anemones: Attached to the underside of our dock.

We enjoyed a delightful afternoon strolling through town and exploring the scenic Mountain View Manor Boardwalk Trail. Enjoy the pictures.

StarFlower’s journey began tragically. A bear attack left her without sight. Thanks to her owner Matt, she has become a local celebrity in Petersburg. You can hear her story on the local library podcast EPISODE 66.

Sons of Norway Hall: Bojer Wikan Fisherman’s Memorial Park

• ROUTE: Wrangell Narrows to North Harbor Marina, Petersburg
• MOORAGE: North Harbor Marina – Slip 114

In order to catch the flood tide on our way north we needed to leave our cozy little cove by 7:15 this morning. If we would have left from Wrangell we would have needed to leave before daybreak.

Following are just a few of the charts we will be using to navigate the Wrangell Narrows. The narrows are sometimes call Christmas Tree Lane. If you imagine over 60 red and green navigational lights shining for 21 nautical miles in the dark then you’ll understand why.

A small cruise ship glides across the entrance to Deception Pass Cove. Undoubtedly, it will reach Petersburg before we do. While small cruise ships can dock there, larger ones typically avoid it due to the harbor’s shallow depth.

Seagulls often enjoy hitching rides on floating logs. However, this particular log must be a letdown—it’s anchored to the cove’s bottom and serves as a mooring point for tugs and their barges. They will not be going far.

Eagles love the navigational markers.

The clouds are low today leaving us little opportunity to see how tall the mountains are.

We were surprised by the extent of development along the Wrangell Narrows. While most of it consists of private homes, at one bend in the narrows, we spotted two fishing lodges on the west side and another on the east side. Clearly, this area is a fishing mecca.

The clouds are lifting.

We had experienced a tranquil day on the narrows, with only small fishing boats in motion. As we continued toward Petersburg, we noticed a barge and tow about two miles behind us.. When it approached within a quarter of a mile, we slowed down further. We wanted it to pass before we entered a much narrower body of water. This turned out not to be necessary. As the barge passed, it turned sharply in front of us to enter a loading/unloading dock that we did not realize was there. We continued at our lower speed, observing the activity at the loading docks. We found it to be absolutely fascinating.

Wrangell Narrows was subdued today. Small fishing vessels and the barge and tugboat were the only vessels that passed us today.

Range markers consist of pairs of navigation marks, often with non-blinking lights. When you’re in the middle of a channel, these two markers (or lights) align vertically. They guide vessels on a recommended safe course. These are especially important for larger vessels.

By 2:00 pm we were safely tied to slip 114 in the North Harbor Marina.