Seward

Position N 60 d 07.064
              W 149 d 25.876

Sept 21, 2015

We didn't stop in Porcupine Bay but managed to make it all the way to Seward.  We did see our first ice bergs on this trip.  Not up close as we were in a hurry.  But fairly impressive just the same.  Also they are not far from the marina so next spring maybe we will take a closer look.

These two photos were taken on the same day, maybe a couple of hours apart but look at the sky.

this glacier flows down to the bay

zoom in and you can see the bergs.  they are pretty big through the binoculars

Anyway Seward is our final destination for the year.  We are still not sure if we are going to put the boat on the hard or in the water.  Will know more about that in the next few days, after we get a better lay of the land.  We also do not know yet what our short term future holds but we will be here at least until the middle of October.  We have heard from Mark's cousin, who has to go to work in Anchorage in early October and has suggested we all meet up for a beer.

Thunder Bay

Position  N 59 d 34.862
         W 150 d 10.794

20 Sept 2015

Well we were warned Thunder bay was deep.  A couple of months back, friends of ours anchored in close to shore and ran a line to a tree ashore.  We thought about it but couldn't find a place we felt comfortable with so we found a little mound in the middle of the bay and put out all our chain.  We seem secure but are hoping there is no blow tonight.  Anyway after anchoring we decided to get a halibut line out.  While we were fishing we spotted our first black bear.  He was roaming around on the beach for quite awhile.  We did snag a halibut but he spit the hook before we could net him.  No mercy next time, we are going straight for the gaff!  We couldn't entice any of his friends before the temperature dipped so we headed below for a nice warm fire and some food other than fish.

We hope to head to Porcupine Bay tomorrow.

Tonsina Bay

Position  N 59 d 18.257
         W 150 d 56.912

19 Sept 2015

Well we finally got away from Port Chatham.  The seas were still a little lumpy as we left but we knew we would soon be putting them on our stern so we were not too worried.  We did however take a few rolls for a while as we had to take the seas on the beam until we entered Chugach Passage and one of those broke over the side and threw some water below as we hadn't put in the hatch boards.  We also had one of our CO/smoke alarms sitting on the table and that went flying across the boat and broke the display.  Oh well we have another one without a display so we would not asphyxiate ourselves.  After we made the turn we had a great motor sail over here.  Its a small little bay fairly deep but it seems well protected from all angles.  We do not plan on staying. Of course we didn't in Port Chatham either and we were there for five nights.  But the forecast looks good for the next few days so we want to make tracks towards Seward.  It has warmed up and the sun is out.  Our temp this morning was 0.5 degrees C and now it is a balmy 11.  Maybe we will put the bathers on and go for a swim later!!!

First Snow fall

Well, we are still in Port Chatham.  We have been here for four days and it will be five nights.  We have had one low after another pass through and according to the NOAA forecast there have been gale warnings and small craft advisories out everyday since we got here.  We were warned that Gore Point can be a bit nasty so ever since Cape Calevite we listen to local advice.  Our grib files, our only usual source of weather at sea, have been saying it is fine.  But true to form just before dawn the wind has been starting to howl.  Yesterday was the worst.  Our snubber shackle broke at about three AM so we set an anchor watch as the wind was howling in here. We were also getting some small refraction waves and we had a rocky lee shore.  We were pretty confident in our anchor but then we had been in the snubber shackle as well.  If it were not so cold, Mark would don the scuba gear and go look for it.  For two reasons, one it has a good swivel and devil's claw and second we could see where the shackle parted. But we carried spares and so this morning we re-configured it with the spares.  But not much sleep last night for either of us.  Anyway when dawn broke this morning we saw that all the mountain tops around us were white.  They were not the day before.  Looking at our weather station sure enough it dipped down to 1 degree centigrade in the pre dawn time and though it was raining on the boat it must have been snowing at slightly higher elevations.

But all things turn fine and about 11 AM the wind dropped, the harbor became glassy and the sea otters came out to play.  Pauline thinks there are several families as she thinks she sees little ones riding around with the moms.

It is calm today and we are planning to leave tomorrow but the NOAA automatic forecast station is down for maintenance today, so we don't know what the weather will be like tomorrow.

woke up to see snow on the mountain tops

Port Chatham

Position N 59 d 12.679
        W 151 d 43.119

15 Sept 2015

Well we finally were able to leave Homer.  The weather piped up just as we were deciding to leave and kept us pinned to the dock for 3 days.  We left this morning early and the wind felt pretty light and the forecast was for diminishing winds so we went for it.  The seas were rather lumpy and once we cleared the spit the winds picked up to 28 knots from which direction?  You guessed it, the nose.  But we figured it was easier to just keep punching into it until the wind diminished.  Of course we got the currents wrong as well and with these extreme tides and it being the day after new moon meant we were in for a slow slog.  So slow that we finally resigned ourselves to the fact that we might not make it all the way to Port Chatham.  We picked the spot and were just ready to turn in when the current switched and Sari Timur shifted into hyperdrive.  Of course large speeds with lumpy seas meant for a rather wet ride but we knew we were going to bounce our way out in a couple of hours so we endured.  Glad we did, this anchorage is very pretty with a very fast flowing waterfall right next to us as well as a rock and semi submerged island which is a sea otter hangout.  We have come to see lots of otters but not so many right on top of each other.

Not sure if we are going to stop for two days or head out with first light.  Guess it will depend on the forecast that we download in a few minutes when this post is sent out.  Probably should have dropped a halibut line over as it looks like the kind of place they might be hanging out.  But we were pretty tired, after all we haven't moved the boat for over three weeks.

Heading to Seward

We really liked Homer and were tossing a coin between here and Seward for wintering over.  Then Pauline applied for a job and we thought we might make it home for a couple of years.  But she didn't get the job.  So we have decided to head to Seward.  Not as much happening there, but everything is right next to the Marina.  There is also public transport to Anchorage.  The tides are only half of what they are here and if we decide to lift the boat there are much easier options there.

Besides there are some great stops on the way.

Our New Bicycles

After the knee op earlier this year it was suggested for Mark to get on a bike.  We borrowed some from friends while in Japan and it was decided, due to his unusual size, a custom folding bike would be best.  A search on the internet found the ideal bike, made by Bike Friday. Of course it is a bit pricey.  Anyway after some debate we bit the bullet and ordered it right before we left Japan, to be delivered to some destination later to be determined in Alaska.  It is geared and tired like a mountain bike and the frame is heavy enough to allow for further expansion (i.e. if he becomes a couch potato and puts on 60 pounds) but is really a road bike.

Pauline, on the other hand, didn't grow up on bikes and was a bit leery of getting a fold up bike.  So we paid a visit to the local bike shop after Mark got his bike together and realized he needed a kickstand anyway.  The lady at the bike shop was incredibly helpful and being the end of season had some discounts for us.  She realized Pauline's lack of confidence on a bike and suggested starting with a good but cheaper and simpler bike.  She was a good salesperson and even though we went in for a kickstand we came out with a full size bike for Pauline.  She is gaining confidence daily and has made a couple of 8 mile runs and one closer to 12 miles.  How do we know that?  Well that would be the new bike app that is in her iPhone!

Anyway, Mark's bike folds up and disassembles to fit into a suitcase.  The suitcase option also has a trailer kit so the suitcase can double as a trailer.  Great for going to town with loads of laundry, groceries or getting jerry jugs of diesel.  So we took two pics on our last trip from the laundry.  Here they are below.

Pauline after an 8 mile ride to do Laundry

The Bike Folded and disassembled into the suitcase.  It takes about 20 minutes to re assemble.  Though the first time was several hours.

20 Years Ago Today

Twenty years ago today, both of us were going through a very terrible period in our lives.  Luckily we had mutual friends that decided to put the two miserable people together and we were introduced to each other.  There was a lot of healing and patience required, but today we are much better off and enjoying this exciting life.  Can it get better? Sure! But hopefully it can never get as bad again.  Thanks partner, we are having one hell of a ride, aren't we?

We saw our first Moose, Meese, Meeses?

Every since we drove to Anchorage to pick up Laura and Steve and saw all of the 'beware of moose' signs, we have been keeping an eye open for moose.  Well this morning we got lucky.  And it wasn't out in the wilderness.  We were in a taxi on our way into town when out popped a mother and her two calves.  She was a lot bigger than we expected.  And they crossed the road within a 100 meters of Homer's only traffic light so not that rural.  Anyway it is Alaska so even in the middle of town there are trees and bush area and the local lake is fairly close by.  Sorry no pics as it happened fairly quick and we were on the meter as well as late so we will have to wait until next time.  But one more of things to see in Alaska has been ticked off.

Oh by the way the plural of moose is moose, not meese, meeses, nor mooses but we thought that we might have some fun and let you know there was more than one.