IN A 37FT MOTOR WESSEL TO GET TO ALASKA VIA THIS ROUTE.
THIS WILL BE A STORY OF THE TRIP, SO COME ALONG…
JUNE TO ? 2024
The Seymour Narrows on Discovery Passage
The Inside Passage
The Inside Passage is a coastal route along a network of fjords and islands on the
Pacific Northwest of North America.
This route offer a lot of Wildlife, Culture and Nature scenery, and challenged boating!
We hope to be able to photograph the Wildlife and Scenery which can be found along this stretch of passage including the Spirit Bear if we are lucky!
Below are among other things, a collection of wildlife, nature and culture we find on our trip.
Hover your mouse over the picture and press to get full size…
After filling up the fuel to full in Anacortes, our journey started here on June 24, 2024.
Below are the first day through Guemes Channel to Reid Harbour Anchoring on Stuart Island for our
very first night onboard! A very calm and nice spot…
A short trip on day 2, took us to Sidney via Forrest and Sidney Island, only 10Nm…
We had to clear customs in Sidney for Canada, to be allowed to continue.
Then we meet up with my very dear friends since long time back, Bob and John.
It was really great to see them again and we was invited for a lovely lunch together in Sidney.
Sidney beach walk with Mount Baker in the distance…
From Sidney on Day 3, we was running up Captain Passage and Trimcomali Channel in not that good weather as the previous days!
Then to Dodd Narrows, one of many narrows which has to be passed on a trip like this, a narrow where the tidal stream can reach two figures speed!
After we passed Dogg Narrows, we turned direct starboard in behind Mudge Island and to
Percy Anchoring for the night.
Day 4
We started 06.00 the next morning, to get going early… little gray day and some rain!
Absolute no wind to begin with on our way between Denman and Hornby Island and up Strait of Georgia to Cambel River, and there we went in behind Cowllan Island to anchor after 86 Nm this day.
Day 5
The day started with some electrical problems with the autopilot, soon fixed but it delayed us a little.
It was now time for Discovery Passage but first 6 Nm to Seymour Narrows which we have heard a lot of stories about. But even with some delay, we passes it a few minuters after slack in great conditions.
Got my first shot on both Bold Eagle and Humpback Whale!
Continued on Johnstone Strait and turned at Tuna Point into Blenkinsop Bay behind
Port Nevillie for anchoring the night.
Only 45 Nm this day!
Day 6
Left our anchor site at 10 am after a rainy night which continued most of the day!
We continued on Johnstone strait up to Alert Bay (beginning of Queen Charlotte Strait), to a small Indian village of the Namgis People.
The village got a large burial site with 17 totem poles and the U’mista Culture Centre which we visited
during our two nights in their marina, after that we moored into Port McNeil Marina instead.
Part from this, it was a boring place and a visit to Gordie’s Restaurant for a dinner was a real disappointment !
Gordie’s Restaurant, not to be recommended !
I’tustolagalis – Rising Up,
This has been raised outside the Cultural Centre to remember the demolition of St. Michael's Indian Residential School, 1929 to 1975 — at the time, one of five remaining residential schools in the province.
Children were taken away from their families, forbidden to speak their languages or practice their culture.
This vas a very cruel time for the native people…
Can be recommended to read about it !
Approaching Port McNeill marina and village.
Some wildlife shots in Port McNeill marina and the area…
Day 12
Getting up at 4 AM to get going as soon as it was some lights…
This was to catch the tidal stream and to manage to get round cape Caution before the wind was going to
pick up in the afternoon.
We had a grey morning but made good speed through Queen Charlotte Strait passing between Nigel and Staples Island in thick fog which lasted just before Cape Caution.
Some swell but apart from that, no problems at all…
Headed for Penrose Island and into Fury Cove to anchor for two nights.
Arrived around mid day after 68 Nm !
Port McNeill in the evening before we left…
Port Hardy in the distance…
Fog started to build up…
Close to Cape Caution, still fog, but it soon cleared…
Entering Fury Cove…
At Fury Cove we meet Drew who had been Kayaking from Nanaimo, 30 days…
and was on his way to Alaska!
One meet amazing people, that’s for sure…
The evening before leaving Fury Cove…
That was the first two weeks !
Day 14
Continue at around 8AM on Fitz Hugh Sound and turned Port into Lama Passage.
But before that turn, we stopped for some fishing and catched our first Salmon…
Then onto Hunter Channel passed Bella Bella Indian village and into Shearwater to anchor a night
Arrived in the afternoon after 51 Nm !
Day 15
After birthday celebration for Roland at Shearwater Lodge the evening before, and our interesting time with the Bald Eagle living just at our anchor site, we continue at around 9AM the following morning.
Onto Seaforth Channel, passed Lady Douglas Island on starboard and then Finlayson Channel.
Passed Klemtu and their Spirit Bear Lodge in Tolmie Channel and then Princess Royal Channel up to Griffin Point and into Khutze Inlet to anchor. This is a known place to see lots of wildlife!
For the passed days, the weather has been absolute wonderfull with blue skies, sunshine and warm… not the usual weather here, above all, this is rainforest area!
Arrived in late afternoon after 73 Nm !
Above, passing log in the water, a danger to lookout for all the time !
Day 17
Two nights in Khutzy Inlet with hopes of seeing some bears, but no luck!
But some other wildlife was photographed before we continued on Princess Royal Channel
for a short trip to Butedale, a historic site of cannery.
Here it is also a pontoon to land on.
Arrived early morning after only 13 Nm !
Day 18
After a visit to the old Cannery and the suranding village, we continued on Princess Royal Channel to the north point of Princess Royal Island, Kingcome point. Turned port onto McKay Reach and Wright Sound and then 14,5 Nm on Grenville Channel to Lowe Inlet.
We anchored all the way in, in Nettle Basin at Verney Falls, known for Bears fishing Salmon there!
Arrived in the afternoon after 43,5 Nm !
Above, passing Kingcome Point at the north point of Princess Royal Island.
Can you see the Humpback Whale coming up at the same time !
Below, checking on our fishing licencess…
Salmon jumping at the Verney Falls, Nettle Basin…
Day 19
Lowe Inlet was great with the waterfall and jumping salmons!
But on the early morning after, we continue Grenwill Channel, passed Gibson and Kennedy Island to
Prince Rupert
59,2 Nm
Day 20 - ALASKA
Leaving Prince Rupert for Alaska today!
First through narrow Wenn Passage and then out on Chatham Sound to Dixon Entrance for US and Alaska.
This meant to go on open sea for a while, lot of swell made it quite uncomftable!
Then Revillagigedo Channel to Annette Island and Crab Bay to anchor.
64,4 Nm
Alaska in the distance - great to be there!
Day 21
Continued late morning the day after on Revillagigedo Channel to Ketchikan for a refuel stop, then out on Clearance Strait to a small village called Meyers Chuck Harbor where they have a dock to moore at for free!
Nice and warm day…
54,1 Nm
Sunrise at Crab Bay before departure - great place!
A fishingboat has his net tide up to shore to catch the fish without trawling…
The little city of Ketchikan with cruise ships and floatplanes taking off…
Meyers Chuck Harbor…
We spent a day in Meyers Chuck exploring the area,
we even found the VIP lounge for travelers…
This is where the Post office at Meyers Chuck can be found !
Day 23
After exploring Mayers Chuck a day, we continued on the next morning up Ernest Sound on a very short
and rainy trip to Vixen Inlet were apparently bears are often viewed….
12,0 Nm
Day 24
No bears turned up… Little disappointing!
So we changed inlet to Santa Anna instead to see if we have better luck there…
A short trip in rain and grey weather.
16,3 Nm
Day 25
No luck with the bears, so we continued the next morning to Wrangell in really heavy rain via the partly narrow Zimovia Strait.
35,8 Nm
Close to Wrangell…
Day 26
After our visit to the only Alaska town which has been ruled by four nations,
Tlingit, Russia, United Kingdom and United States, Wrangell.
It was time to depart the morning after again!
The day and trip started up with some really thick fog down Sumner Strait and then up Wrangell Narrows to the Norwegian town of Petersburg!
39,5 Nm
Day 27
We got going early afternoon this day, down Frederick Sound to Admiralty Island and anchored for
the night in Cannery Cove. Calm ride in quite nice weather.
53,3 Nm
Day 28
Still no luck of bear sitings! So we left Cannery Cove early morning after to continue on a very calm
Stephens Passage to Winfall Harbor.
We got a few shots of Bald Eagles on the way out from Cannery Cove and also a number of Humpback Whales on the way, something we had wished for to see.
51,4 Nm
The entrance to Windfall Harbor…
Day 29
Today we visited Pack Creek, great place with two very friendly a nice Rangers who guided us to see
Brown Bears!
Not one, we saw a total of six different Bears!
This was an enjoyable day for us and the weather was with us as well…
This is Mocka, a 29 years old Brown Bear mum with her one and a half year old cub daughter at Pack Creek…
Day 30
A rainy, wet and windy day!
Not to be out doing any boating today, so we stayed the day in Cannery Cove, only relaxing and going through all bear photos from yesterday…
The first month of our journey on The Inside Passage to Alaska to an end!
Day 31
Down Saymour Canal again, back to Stephans Passage, and then over to Holkham Bay to anchor in
Tracy Arm Cove.
A very calm day, no wind at all… got good sitings of several Humpback Whales down Saymour Canal.
And before entering Trace Arm Cove we had the first ice to watch out for!
43,7 Nm
Two Humpback Whales very close to the boat on the way down Saymour Canal…
Holkam Bay with some ice from the glacier…
Day 32
Today it was finally time to see a glacier!
We went up Tracy Arm to Sawyer Glacier in calm wind but very cold!
Tracy Arm is a fjord in Alaska located about 45 miles south of Juneau.
Which is named after the Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Franklin.
We had to go slowly around all ice in the water, but it was all worth it… very impressive to see.
50,4 Nm return back to the same anchoring in Tracy Arm Cove
When getting closer to the glacier, the ice started to be more and more…
And finally the Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm…
A Harbor Seal resting beneath the glacier…
Day 33
Today, it was time to get up Endicott Arm for the inlet of Ford’s Terror!
Ford’s Terror is one of the most beautiful place on the earth!
Enormous granite walls which rise to snowcapped peaks at 5000 feet.
Many waterfalls, no crowds and bears Bears who comes down to search for food.
Everywhere you look the view is magnificent.
But at the same time a hazard place which is nearly uncharted, has dangerous tidal rapids, no phone works.
It is real wilderness cruising.
But we came up to the entrance just before high water slack, waited for the right time to cross so no problems, and as soon as you are inside one has to wait for another high water slack to get out again!
26 Nm
Lots of tidal streams coming out of Tracy Arm Cove…
This is the entrance of Fords Terror…
Just inside Fords Terror and behind Airship from Slow Boat, they has been here many times…
Anchoring Bay of Fords Terror West Arm …
Brown Bear searching for food at Fords Terror West Arm Anchoring below the waterfall, photographed from the boat.…
Day 34 - 35
We have spent two full days on anchor at Ford’s Terror West Arm Anchoring!
On the second day are we all alone here, so absolute wilderness…
This conclude our journey from Anacortes to Alaska.
We have experienced a great amount of scenery, wildlife, fishing,
interesting towns and places and meet many people on our way up to Alaska!
But this will be our turning point and time to head south again tomorrow,
hopefully with many new things to fill our lives with.
So, come along with us on part 2 to experience that journey as well !
