A Single Step. Part 12. Venture Visits the Inside Passage and SE Alaska.

[Music] during the summer of 2018 we took venture on a meander around Southeast Alaska covering some 3,800 nautical miles over three and a half months [Music] this chart illustrates our wandering course we set out from Sydney on Vancouver Island and make our way through British Columbia to the town of Prince Rupert ventures cockpit fills with gear mostly photographic impressive fairies provide a vital link here in the coastal town of Nanaimo a floatplane heads to one of the offshore islands [Music] [Music] like Montague harbour Galiano Island [Music] as indicated by the red arrows on the chart plotter strong currents course through the narrow passes for safe navigation close attention must be paid to the tides as this tug and tow are doing we head up night Inlet to Glendale Cove a well-known spot for bear watching [Music] using the tender at high tide we are able to get close without disturbing their activity usually we think of bears and ferocious carnivores but in fact most of their diet is vegetarian early in the season before the availability of berries or salmon bear graze on sedge grass which is up to 25% protein [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] along this coast pilings are often all that remains of earlier settlements they provide a convenient perch for a bald eagle further along the shore bears flip over heavy rocks with ease searching for crabs and other small prey [Music] [Music] [Music] further up night Inlet we head for cascade point to visit a waterfall we remember from a previous visit the water is deep at the base of the falls and we are able to take venture into the very heart of the tolerance [Music] north of Vancouver Island the inside passage is no longer inside for about 30 miles and it is exposed to the wide Pacific Ocean captain Vancouver's ship discovery and accompanying vessel Chatham both went aground in this area in 1792 after safely passing Cape caution we're more for the night in an anchorage named schooner retreat we take the small tender ashore and explore the forest and beach we marvel at how fallen trees become nurseries for new growth [Music] on the beach they become bone white natural sculptures this lichen has the delightful name of Methuselah speared [Music] Canadian lighthouses even those no longer manned are always immaculate with their signature red roofs we continue up the inside passage along the way we pass a series of impressive waterfalls [Music] along with two other cruising boats we enter low Inlet at the head of which high volume that low rise Falls discharge into nephal basin fed by a large lake through komodo river [Music] for some reason these Falls always produce lots of foam [Music] we navigate narrow Bert scenic Granville channel to the port of Prince Rupert which has the deepest natural harbour in North America it can handle post-panamax container ships seen here being so far north it is just 11 days sailing to Shanghai and six days by rail to Chicago continuing north from Prince Rupert we crossed the border from Canada into Alaska in the middle of dixon entrance the second major spot where the inside passage is exposed to the open Pacific Ocean Ketchikan is a major port of call for cruise ships they tower over the shoreside buildings and disgorge literally thousands of visitors we try for a berth in the downtown Harbor but venture is too large for the available slips we move to Bar Harbor outside of town and take a vacant birth among commercial vessels here we are subject to customs and immigration inspection predictably it is raining Ketchikan averages 140 inches per year after one day we move on to the small hamlet of Meyers Chuck forty miles north of Ketchikan we tie up at the free government dock smoke issues from the chimneys of the personal cabins that overlooked the inlet you can only reach this spot by boat or float plane the last de Havilland beaver came off the production line in 1967 so this plane must be at least 50 years old and probably much more than that it seems that no better design has surfaced since that time I'm always impressed by the skill of the pilots coming alongside with the engine switched off the population of Meyers Chuck swells to maybe 20 in the summer months the drops to less than 5 during the winter departure is a casual affair the ramp down to the dock is long and very steep at low tide it is Memorial Day and we are fortunate to be invited to pizza night at a cabin belonging to a Ketchikan doctor like most cabins this was self built including driving the pilings let us bring your own pizza toppings and booze the post-office across the water is accessible only by boat the mail plane arrives every Wednesday and a flag is raised on Thursday when the mail is sorted and ready for pickup we enter the narrow twisting Wrangell narrows with its 62 navigation beacons over its 22 mile length that vary wildly in size and type strong tides flow in and out of both ends it is with us as we enter at the southern end which means it will be against us at the other heading north markers are green to port with odd numbers and red to starboard in places up to 13 markers can be seen at one time all flashing red or green at night it is hard to tell which are closer in fog they can't be seen at all and it's best to wait until they can ranges also known as leading marks delineate the course between beacons at marker 58 we are off the town of Petersburg on this occasion we do not stop but dally long enough for me to transmit my blog by email [Music] boy sixty-two marks the northern end of the Narrows it is always occupied by seals it is here I always get the feeling that this is the start to the real Alaska concealed behind his Clarence are huge snow-capped mountains and glaciers we anchor for the night in chap in Bay where a dramatic sunset colors the sky [Music] [Music] we have been watching for whales and other wildlife ever since leaving Vancouver Island but having now reached prime whale watching territory our collective eyes eagerly search the waters under perfect conditions [Music] [Music] thus far my experience with whale watching has been limited to frustrating glimpses a fin a tail or a blow this pattern continues as we proceed down Fredrik sound around the five fingers islands and lighthouse [Music] Pacific white-sided dolphins briefly weave intricate patterns around benches bow [Music] [Music] in Chatham Strait a humpback whale performs a series of slaps with his slender pectoral fins research has shown that the knobs on the leading edge reduced drag by 32% provide 8% improvement in lift and an increased angle of attack by 40% together contributing tighter circles in double net seeding an activity we hope to observe [Music] suddenly without warning a full breach just one a miracle to catch on camera we explore every inlet along the east coast of beautiful and dramatic Baranof island in Paterson Bay we happen across the unusual sight of a single humpback double feeding entirely on his or her own this one whale beautifully illustrates this technique in which usually a group of whales dive beneath a school of fish and swim in an ever-shrinking circle blowing bubbles from their blowholes this column of bubbles surrounds the school forcing the fish upward corralling them into a group through which the whales erupt on mass with their mouths wide open [Applause] later in Chatham Strait and freshwater bay on Chichikov Island we observe large parts of Wales engaged in a series of determined and multiple feeding hunts using this dramatic technique [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] we divert from the conventional inside passage just north of Petersburg and turn west into Frederick sound there are many beautiful places in southeast Alaska the barren off and Chichikov islands stand out we take refuge from the soggy weather in little port Walter shortly after dropping the hook an Alaska Fish and Game vessel Madea enters the small bay and anchors in front of their shore side facilities the following morning in heavy rain we take a quick look at tiny Toledo Harbor large enough for only one boat to size the venture we bear it in mind for future reference moving north a distant waterfall gushes from the dense forest we enter deep cove and proceed spellbound to its head the rain and low clouds at mystery and drama to the spectacular scene [Music] we turn into adjacent Patterson Bay threading our way across precipitous slopes to his extreme northern end [Music] cliffs will bear the scars of sliding-glass years [Music] [Music] we next enter gut Bay where during the winter of 1995 French journalist Michelle and her companion Thomas spent five months frozen into the ice aboard her 42 foot Steel sailboat nuage Willy wars gusted to 80 miles per hour and avalanches roared down precipitous mountains into the bay ice pound for five months they became immersed in this solitary wilderness surrounded by wildlife and the ethereal colors of the frozen landscape further north is Red Bluff its entrance cunningly concealed by a pattern of islands this is one of the few Anchorage's on Baranof we have visited before [Music] Warm Springs is another Bay with a magnificent waterfall we arrived early so there is room for us to tie up at the dock [Music] [Music] hot water from natural springs high up above the village is piped down to three small cabins it is very calming to lice soaking in its warm silky water looking out over the natural landscape Warm Springs is only accessible by boat or float plane [Music] [Music] [Music] we retrace our course down Chatham Strait and enter the northern arm of tackett's Bay the following morning I shoot video of venture leaving this spectacular Inlet [Music] it is now time for us to cross to the west coast of Baranof through aptly named peril Strait the name is a direct translation from the Russian which I won't attempt to pronounce we transit Deadman reach and take a look at poison Cove these sinister names stem from a tragic incident when during a first seal hunting expedition led by alexander baranov in 1799 a hundred and fifty aleut hunters died agonizing deaths after eating poisonous shellfish the pen marks The Cove [Music] the main perils in peril Strait are Sergius and kakuka narrows where the currents are ferocious Consulting titanius is essential when planning transit times in Salisbury Sound venture lifts to the swells from the Pacific Ocean held by a brisk wind low clouds scurry over the forested slopes we spot a pair of yearling Grizzlies foraging along the shore we launch the tender to get a bit closer they are very well aware of our presence that pay us scant attention [Music] [Music] [Music] the following day we head down Nevis Strait and crest off sound on our way to Sitka the summit of Mount Edgecumbe carries little snow [Music] [Music] [Music] settled by the Tangut people for more than 10,000 years the first Russians arrived in 1799 they established the town of new Archangel in 1804 after a fierce battle with the cleanbid venture is docked in the place marked by the red pin evidence of Russian influence indoors in the Orthodox Church with its beautiful interior [Music] nesting Russian dolls seen here through a shop window and neglected an overgrown Russian cemetery with its Ravens and decaying decapitated statues [Music] clingy culture can be seen in the historic park and museum with its numerous totems and exhibits [Music] [Music] this spotted owl is one of the guests at the Raptor Center for injured birds outside of town all local roads simply come to an end [Music] leaving Sitka it would have been shorter to travel up the exposed west coast of Chichikov island preferring smoother waters we decide to retrace our course up peril Strait we spend the night in Indian Cove with a view of the Magnificent coastal mountains the following morning we venture into cross sound the skein of mist hovers over the crags it is here that swirling currents of the outgoing tide confront the incoming power of the ocean we consider continuing up the coast to Lituya Bay the site of the largest tsunami wave ever recorded but prudence dictates we turn back at Cape Spencer lighthouse concerned we could be trapped on the wrong side of the bays dangerous entrance by an upcoming change in the weather [Music] we follow lisyansky straight to the isolated town of Pelican which is served by two ferries per month in the summer and just one in the winter [Music] floodplains are the main form of access often in the shape of a venerable de Havilland beaver dwarfed by the surrounding mountains [Music] [Music] [Applause] here again we see examples of the skills of the pilots bringing their craft alongside the dog with the volume of traffic it is necessary to move one aircraft to make room for another [Music] [Music] [Music] like virtually every town in this area the structures are built on pilings driven into the water and the streets are boardwalks these boots are lined up outside a tourist hotel planes do not stop long and are soon on their way [Music] [Music] we backtrack down the straight and call it the small town of elfin Cove [Music] the main dock is almost deserted when we arrive early in the day here too most of the buildings are on pilings and boardwalks link everything together elfin Cove means elves and they appear in odd places like hiding under the goats beard some are quite rude I've heard of flipping houses but this is ridiculous a pilot boat is based here for transferring pilots to and from cruise ships arriving and leaving inland waters back at the main dock the charter fishing boats have returned the fish-cleaning tables are busy among the catch are colorful rockfish which have a life expectancy of 60 to 75 years so we have to wait that long to see these fish replaced these are small halibut and this is a big one but they come much bigger the following morning the fish boats leave around 8 o'clock for another day on the heaving ocean they are replaced by a series of float planes bringing packages and new customers and taking departing guests with their boxes of frozen fish elfin Cove has no ferry service so relies on private boats and float planes for access [Music] [Music] we take our leave and cross the Strait towards the mountains in Dundas Bay we pass a mini cruise ship one of several that provide adventure cruises through these and other waters note the kayaks [Music] [Music] [Music] we proceeded deep into the head of the bay and past large numbers of otters mostly females floating on their backs were their young called kits on their stomachs [Music] once a tanker it is time to retrieve food from 8 cubic foot freezer on the flying bridge like all flemmings venture has a compact practical galley with an induction cooktop equipped with clamps to keep the pots in place [Music] spaghetti with homemade sauce is a simple and frequently requested dish as part of our meandering itinerary we head south down Chatham straight to the bay of pillars on Kui Island and poke around to see what we can discover jellyfish those strange amorphous creatures are a surprisingly common sight during the summer months bull kelp on the surface is a warning of shallow water it is almost magical when seen from below we head north up Chatham Strait in blustery conditions [Music] we enter tackett's Bay where a handful of sailors are sitting out the fourth of July waiting for a fish opening the following morning the entire Pacific Northwest awaits the arrival of salmon returning from their time in the open ocean bears seals eagle's gulls Ravens orcas and of course humans to name a few here sane as lay out large nets with the fish boat at one end and the bathtub like boat called the skiff at the other to entrap large numbers of fish [Music] seals haul out on the boy marking the approach to Petersburg steam issuing from the fish processing plants indicates they are fully active we more in the bustling Harbor [Music] the harbor is busy with commercial boats lady jane is returning low in the water full of fish after unloading their catch other boats are busy taking on fuel and ice the multitude offenders alongside the santa luzia indicates she is a tender a boat to which fish boats can bring their catch to allow them to keep fishing saving them a return to port she is filling her hold with crushed ice here is one of the skiffs used to deploy a Seine as net there carried on the aft deck when not in use using a small handheld waterproof camera I'm able to film a sampling of the enemies and other life forms which make their living attached to the docks [Music] [Music] we set out from Petersburg for the LeConte glassier we have previously skipped this place partly because we were on our way to somewhere else and partly because of discouraging comments in the invaluable Hemingway Douglas guide however it turns out not to be that hazardous and infinitely worth the diversion almost immediately we find ourselves surrounded by towering mountains and sizable ice floes carved from the glacier numerous seals are hauled out on the floating pack ice it becomes clear that at least from the route we have chosen the ice is far too dense for us to reach and depart glassier face within a reasonable time we remain for half an hour and then slowly reverse our course we passed some wonderfully shaped ice floes we approach a towering island of ice beautiful elegant and potentially deadly a small sightseeing boat appears it turns and passes immediately beneath the glistening summit we continue perilously close to the opposite end of the flow [Music] suddenly and without warning it lets go and tons of ice plummet into the water at the exact spot where the small boat had been just second [Music] a miraculous escape and a stark reminder to ourselves and others the importance of keeping well clear of these alluring beauties and the risk is not just from about when they capsized hidden Spurs can swiftly erupt under your boat from beneath the surface [Music] we move on through calm waters up Stevens passage towards Tracy arm the narrow entrance into Holcomb Bay is frequently turbulent and studied with ice floes carved from north and south soya glaciers in Tracy Arm and from doors glassier at the head of Endicott arm we anchor for the night in a small unnamed Cove of Holcomb Bay the red pin shows our location around midnight a large ice floe sneaks into the bay through the narrow gap and threatens to snuggle up against venture causing us to up anchor and move to a different location within the bay the following morning the errant flow is grounded on the beach revealing its full impressive size [Music] we reverse course down endicott arm and into Stevens passage where the fog closes in we reduce speed and watch for ice floes on the radar they materialize out of the gloom [Music] eventually the mist begins to lift [Music] we spend the night in taku a few miles south of Juneau [Music] you

Channel: Fleming Yachts

Views: 760,233

Keywords: Fleming, Venture, Alaska, Inside Passage, Bears, Ice, Adventure, Cruising

Id: X9PUgAlAEts

Length: 64min 57sec (3897 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 25 2020