Hoonah to K-Town

Hoonah to K-Town

We spent 4 days at Hoonah.  Kay explored while I did some boat maintenance.  I also order some cigars and miner parts.  We had a good time, but it was time to start moving again.  We wanted to stop by Spasski Island and try our luck and halibut. Couple small ones that were not even big enough to keep.  We did land 2 nasty pacific cod.  We are putting those to good use in the crab pot.  We noticed boats heading to Swanson Harbor, so we made our way too.

Swanson Harbor is a nice protected anchorage with 2 government docks.  We notice by AIS that Swede Dreams was docking up.  After a conversation there was plenty of room at the inn and on the outside.  Cool beans.  We tied up and it wasn’t long NW Expeditions with their 5 GBs tying up.  Dock just about full.  First thing I did was put cod heads parts in a crab trap and placed it by the commercial crab pots, being careful not interfering with his operation.  I always feel guilty putting my single pot in around a commercial set up.  I am doing this as recreation, he on the other hand, it’s his job and the way he feeds his family.  Feel like I am robbing him.  But when you get back to the dock and some crabbers are at the dock trying to sell their catch at $20-$30 each, I don’t feel so guilty with my pot.  We will hold up here for a couple of days to see if we can put fish on the boat.  1^st day we brought back a small butt, and we had 5 crabs in our pot!!  Things are picking up!!

Kay landed 3 salmon and a small halibut in the time we spent at Swanson Bay.  I was able to catch a huge octopus.  The fish are starting to jump.  A few silvers.  We did OK with crab too.  Time to start moving on.  We were going to leave on the 18^th, but heavy rain showers and fog, so we decided to take a weather day and head to Taku Harbor tomorrow.

Swanson Harbor was fun, but it was time to move on.  This would be a 66-mile run to Taku Harbor, just south of Juneau.  At first it was a bumpy ride.  We hit our northern most point on this trip, Pt. Retreat Light House. We pass the point and are now heading south.  All I have to say about Taku Harbor is “Why haven’t we stopped here before!”!  This place is beautiful with a big free dock.  We will stay here a few days and move south.  I am upset, no satellite TV!!

Taku Harbor is the party/playground for Juneau.  The large, free dock fills fast on Friday afternoon.  It then takes on a family atmosphere with kids running around with nets chasing crabs on the beach at low tide and fishing poles, the older kids set out several crab pots and folks wonder the dock talking to each other.  Some like me with a cigar and scotch.  This is the place of an old cannery and is a wonderful family get-a- way.  We got a few crabs and folks that had left overs, shared with those on the dock.  We met Tom, Tricia of the SV Morning Magic.  Tom is a Coastie close to retirement and like cigars and scotch.  Fun folks.

The 22nd of July will be one of the best days EVER!!  I beat Kay fishing!!  We left Taku to Portage Harbor.  Looking at time, it was clear we needed to start heading south for some maintenance on ASD’s heater system.  Along the way we stopped at 5 finger Islands for halibut.  I quickly landed a 35lb halibut.  Finally.  Then a smaller Butt was on the deck floor.  The day was warm and seas were glass.  Humpback whales were everywhere.  Then as I was lowering my bait to the bottom, BOOM!  The pole bent right over.  Holy Cow, I have a big fish.  As I was fighting, the pole was shaking hard.  Then the tip of the pole went straight down, Hard!  Crap.   A whale surfaced right behind the boat!!  Kay and I starred at each other.  Holy crap that is a BIG fish!! It started to take line; I couldn’t stop it.  The whale swam on and the line was still stripping but in a different direction! Maybe I still have the fish, the halibut. I tighten down the drag.  No good still stripping line.  The pow!  The line broke.  Then a sea lion surfaced behind the boat with my halibut, smashing it on the water to split it up!  It was a big fish, but now the Sea Lion has it!  Hope you bite the hook you thief from the depths I shouted! 

After fishing for a while longer we gave up as the dang sea lion kept hanging around the boat, so we went to Portage Bay.  On our way we got a radio message from another boat.  They asked us to take our trained sea lion back as it had taken their halibut!!  I chuckled.

We made to Portage Bay and I put out 300 feet of chain.  It was a little breezy. Right before dark, Kay mentioned the storm clouds coming in.  I went outside and made sure the anchor was stuck good and let out a little more chain.  The clouds, wind and lighting moved in as it turned dark.  I started the engines just in case we started to drag anchor.  The breeze turned into 35mph winds with gusts around 45!  I called others in the bay and a sail boat was dragging, go figure. They asked for advice and I told them to reset their anchor and set it hard.  Then run out as much rode as you could.  They were successful.  So here I sit in the flybridge on anchor watch until 1 AM when the wind died down to 10 mph.  I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

The run to Wrangell was a non-issue.  We did meet a huge sail boat in the middle of the narrows.  It must have a deep draft, so how it was in the narrows at low tide was amazing.  The transient dock in Wrangell was just about empty when we arrived.  The fleet was out.  They came back the next day due to a closure.  The dock got crowded. 

We ended up staying a few extra days at Wrangell due to weather on Clarence Strait.  But we finally made it to K-Town.  We fueled up, got our slip assignment, got a rental car and the next few days will be all about resupplying and boat maintenance.  I got my shipment of cigars and emptied Brown Jug of their Monkey Shoulder.  Tuesday the 30^th we will cross Dixon Entrance and back in Canada.

Big BIG Octopus He did not want to let go of the bait.

Another loaf of home made Sourdough bread

The Admiral relaxing

Lion's Mane Jelly

Hoonah transient dock

Company tonight at Swanson Harbort.  River Otter.  I walked right up to him.  He didn't care.

Yum Yum more Dungies

Kay kicking my butt yet again!  When will the humility stop!!

Yea Yea Yea.....Bla Bla Bla

When does Tom get a break.....

View from the dock in Swanson Harbor

Eagles everywhere

Only in Alaska

Fishing grounds.  Trolling around the "Rock"

Alaska State Ferry

Little rough fishing from the tender

Gotta always have a wake shot!!

Point Retreat

Rounding Pt. Retreat.  Our path North has ended and we start heading South.  Seem sad.

Heading South

Low clouds and rain dominated most of the trip from Sitka to Juneau 

Color of the water changed due to all the glaciers dumping water into the water.

Calm seas

Taku Harbor

Taku Harbor with old Cannery in background.  It has been turned in to a fishing lodge

Sunset at Taku

Lots of crab in these waters

Kay likes this rock at the entrance to Taku

Heading South again to Portage Bay

Ice fields above Tracey Arm

Many cruise ships visit Tracey Arm.

5 Fingers Islands

5 fingers light house

2 small BUTTS, that's all the Sea-Lion's fault!!!

Our trained Sea-Lion got an extra dinner from these guys too!

All around 5 fingers there were humpback whales

Whale feeding on lots of salmon

This guy was hoping the whales would leave

More feeding

Hi!!!

Yes they were that close to our boat

The last of the ice field.  La Conte Glacier is the last tide water and the farthest south.

Interesting mountain

Portage Bay BEFORE the storm....

Sunset at Portage Bay

Heading to Wrangell with fog, sun and rain

Don't have a clue how this made it through Wrangell Narrows at low tide

This was new.  It wasn't there in the spring.  Sad

On to Wrangell

Wrangell one of our favorite Alaskan towns

Sunset from Heritage harbor, Wrangell

Light house out side of K-Town

Been hearing all the crying about how the Alaskan Governor was reducing ferry service.  Yet the union members walk off the job and all the Alaska ferries are like this.  Tied to the dock.