Alaskan Sea-Duction: Chapter 22 Santa Anna to Wrangell

This maybe a short run of about 40 miles, but it was an exciting navigational run. We entered Zimovia Straits at low tide. By the time we hit the middle of the channel we were at slack tide and in a mess of crab traps. You have to navigate the middle of this passage exactly or you will end up on the rocks. I am told there are a few "cruisers" who end up on the rocks every year. So long as you trust your electronics and the charts the course is good. The problem we had were crab pots in the main channel. Got us very close to the rocks a few times and when we hit the critical hard left turn and then hard right turn we met a blow boat. We pass within a foot of each other in order to stay in the channel.

The rest of the trip to Wrangell was smooth. We also hit the tidal wall just outside of Wrangell where the blue sea met the glacial run off. It was a cool thing to see. So I guess I also entered into "official" retirement. As we approached Wrangell, I was trying to get the harbor master to respond to my hails on VHF channel 16. After several tries, I called the harbor office. The recording stated their harbor master listens to channel 16 until 11pm. The offices where open 8-4 Monday to Friday. I called a second time with no results. Then it dawned on me. Hey dumby it was Saturday!!!! They are closed!!! I finally got the harbor master and we would be at the main dock, port tie.

When we got within the harbor, the harbor master called and told me to change to stbd tie. As Kay and I were hurrying to switch lines and fenders a fishing boat passed us and took our spot! What the heck? The harbor master was not happy, but found us a spot at the end of the dock, so things worked out.