The Mad Dash South

The past few days have sucked. We left Ketchikan bright and early last Thursday as there was a big storm brewing. Some of my friends got stuck in Myers Chuck and couldn't get to Ketch.

But I made a tactical error. Before we cruised Misty Fjords I fueled up. Did the circle and did not bother to fuel up. Because of this I have to fuel up in Shearwater instead of Port McNeill. This is going to cost me.

So back to the trip. We did 130 miles on Thursday. Ketchikan to Prince Rupert then to Klumealon Inlet. As we were getting near I saw an AIS already in the bay. I clicked on it and OMG!!!! Yep ASD's sworn enemy MORNING STAR!!!! We anchored on the other side away from him as we didn't want to poison him with our smoke! This was the last day of good weather.

From here we went to Kutze Bay for the night. Saw a hugh brown bear and had the place to our selves. Low fog, pouring rain and lots of wind. We left early and started for Shearwater. It amazing how many boats of all kinds exiting Alaska. A parade of boats!

Lots of wind and rain with fog. Visibility for most of the trip was less than 3/4 of a mile. As we approached Klemtu, I started to look for alternative to avoid Milbanke Sound. Oscar Passage then down Mathieson Channel was the ticket. We timed Perceval Narrows perfectly. A couple more miles and we popped out at the Light House on Ivory Island. Awesome 5 minutes of beam seas.

So the fuel dock in Shearwater doesn't open until 0830. Not enough time to run from Shearwater to Sullivan Bay tomorrow a mere 133 miles. I had planned to catch up and pass John.

So the next window for us is Tuesday. We will fuel up tomorrow, then Monday stage at Fury Cove. Tuesday run the Cape to Sullivan.

OMG The arch enemy of ADS!  MORNING STAR!!!!

Heading into Klumealon Inlet

3/4 of a mile visibility, rain and wind

Nice "BOW" across Kech

I love these old wood boats.

We are finally leaving Ketch

Nice day to cross Dixon Entrance

Local Art

Following other boats making the mad dash too.

Dundas Island ahead.  Nice water.  We got lucky



Canadian Light House off of Dundas Island

Morning Star!!! Sail boat

Klumeaon Inlet

Klumeaon Inlet

Lots of water

Kutze Waterfall

Chasing a beer in Kutze



This sucks and makes for a long day



Going thru a narrows and avoiding rocks

Shearwater

Sharing the water

New Friends

One of the things Kay and I love is meeting other boater. Their is a group of folks that were leading a flotilla of  boats through SE. I watched and read their blog with a lot of interest. I read about Red Bluff Bay and Warmsprings and after talking to Pairadice we made these our stops too.

Sam, of Safe Harbour and Laura and Kevin of Airship has formed a blog called "Slow Boat." Kay and I enjoyed thier company for cocktails last night. What else is there to do during a storm while waiting on a weather window?

Their blog is worth reading and Laura has some great recipes.


http://slowboat.com/

Windlass Update

We have been stick in Ketchikan for 3 weeks.  We got the windlass installed, but when we ran a chain through it, the chain would jam up.  I called Maxwell and talked to the tech again.  He asked me what number was stamped on the chain gypsy.  It had 33 stamped on it.  He then asked what number was on the new one. 55.  He told me we had the wrong chain wheel!  ugggggg

By this time a short weather window opened and we suggested to John and Tracy they needed to take it.  We could catch up.  So they left around 9 AM and headed to Foggy Bay.  When he got to Foggy Bay it was very crowded, so the pushed on to Prince Rupert.  He took the short cut at night!!  He has more balls than I do.

I received the new chain wheel yesterday 8-21-17.  Took me 5 minutes to install.  I sent the wrong one back to Maxwell.  We are currently on a weather hold until Thursday.  Tired of Ketch. 

Chain Wheel/Gypsy

 

Windlass

The old windlass lasted for 29 years.  It gave up on us in Klu Bay and I had to pull the last 40 feet of chain and a 77lb anchor by hand.  Really sucked.

As we rounded the corner heading to Ketch, I called Maxwell Marine and asked if they had a direct replacement for this old V-1000.  They said yes and it was the VWC-1000.  Great!  Be here in Katch in 5 days.  So we wait.  The new windlass arrives and when I looked at the parts, it looked too small!  It was WAY too small.

I called Maxwell back and asked what gives, the VWC was not a direct replacement.  The lady on the phone sent me to a technician.  When I told him what happened, he said no way was the VWC 1000 was a direct replacement.  We talked for a while and he told me I needed the VWC 3500.  With the exception of having to enlarge the center hole to 5 inches, everything should drop in place.  Great so we wait another 5 days.  By this time our weather window had closed to cross Dixon Entrance into Canada.  A huge storm has blown in with small craft advisory, 30kt winds and sideway rain.

John and I drilled the 5 inch hole and when I went to drop the shaft collar in, the hole was too small by 1/8 of an inch.  Well crap.  First thing in the morning in the rain and wind, I had to use a rasp to open this hole that was 5" big and 5" deep!  Did I say it was windy and raining? 

Took me a few hours, buy I got the hole opened up and it took about 2 hours to finish the install.  Runs great, so far.

So here we wait until the next weather window, possibly Saturday..........

May she RIP

New windlass parts

Drilling the 5" hole

John is drilling and I am stupper vising...

Taking a chisel and knocking out the hole

My turn to drill.  You had to watch this drill as it would beat you up if you were not careful.

New windlass being installed

new motor and gear box

Mission accomplished

Ketch Again!

The marinas are getting full!  The fishing boats are gone out chasing fish, but all the south bound cruisers are stopping over before heading into Canada.

With the windlass on order and 2 days left with my daughter Sam, we hit the streets of Ketch to become tourist.  Sam had never been to Ketch, so this was all new to her.  For us, we have spent so much time here we could almost become residence….

The next day Sam packed her backpack and her now new bay full of hats and tee shirts for the flight back to Anchorage.  We had a great time and got to know each other a little bit more.  It was wonderful and I can’t wait until I can see her again.

Did I tell you we had a windlass on order?  Yep I did.  Got it from UPS and Maxwell sent me the WRONG ONE!!!!  I tell you if I didn’t have bad luck….

So, Maxwell and Defender marine are on the east coast.  So I woke at 3:30 in the morning to find out what happed.  This time I talked to a tech rep and described the Maxwell-Nilsson V1000 which I have on the boat.  He immediately told me that the one I was sent was much smaller and the direct replacement was a VWC 3500.  Wished I could have talked to this guy last week instead of the lady that helped me.  By noon Maxwell FedExed me a VWC 3500 with a return shipping tag for the wrong one they sent me.  Today is Saturday and the new one is sitting in Anchorage waiting to get flown to Ketch.  Problem is they don’t work on the weekends, so it is due in here Monday afternoon. 

My luck.  I told John not to wait on me and head south before the weather window closed... He declined and is staying here with us.  Today the weather window slammed shut and the wind is blowing 22mph and expecting 2.5 inches of rain.  Looks like it will be like this all week.  Dang luck.

What do you do when you are waiting?  Fish…..  John and I were pretty successful with a few pinks and good Coho salmon.  We visited Saxon and looked the totem poles with their associated stories, then dinner and a beer or two at the Artic Bar.

Windlass Mount

Dead after 29 years

Have no idea...I am sure adult drinks were involved

Yep that is 40 feet of chain

The fish killing machine