InsidePassageNews.com

by Don Douglass, Réanne Hemingway-Douglass and Readers (Reader's sbmissions are shown in quotation marks)

Note: We would like to encourage readers who have updates to our guidebooks to submit them directly to us, as well as the publisher of our guidebooks. We recently heard from a number of readers at the 2009 Seattle Boat Show who submitted updates directly to the publisher and were surprised to learn the information had not be transmitted to us.

Dixon Entrance: Verizon cell phone got a signal from Alaska (Alaska time) about the time we passed Green Island. The signal was marginal in Foggy Bay. (Don and I have found the same conditions.)

Thomas Basin, Ketchikan: Electricity was still not available to all slips in September 2008; transient vessels can find power only on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Casey Moran Harbor, Ketchikan (locally: City Floats): upgrades completed in late 2007 include reconfiguration and installation of new transient docks inside the cruise ship dock. Water and power (20 & 30 amp), pumpout; garbage dumpsters; waste oil tank.

Exchange Bay: Roomy and easy anchorage but the bay is exposed both directions. It’s open to the north and very low terrain to the SE. We found pretty strong breezes blowing from the SE and suspect wind and waves could make for uncomfortable conditions in a north blow.

Scow Bay: Watch the bad rocks in the entrance to the inner bay. Stay very close to the trees on the south of the entrance. XM Radio signals are blocked by the hills.

Redoubt Bay: There is a park buoy at the head of the bay near the outflow from Redoubt Lake. A boardwalk trail leads to the lake where some locals have left a couple small boats.

Cosmos Cove: ". . . the south winds do indeed come into the cove. Our anchor seemed to set but dragged about 30 feet when we backed down on it. We stopped backing down with an engine and it held OK in the wind for the rest of our stay. We saw a brown bear with three cubs on the beach.”

Red Bluff Bay: Red Bluff has been discovered, according to this reader. “We usually have an anchorage to ourselves but not here. There were two sailboats and a 40’ Nordhavn stern tied to the north shore in the inner basin and a large tour boat with several kayaks anchored in the middle. They all left the next morning and two more came in later the second day. We anchored with plenty of room about half way into the bay on a shelf on the north side for two nights. It was good for exploring by dinghy to the head of the bay and also for fishing near the entrance. There are indeed large shrimp to be trapped as described on page 394 of Douglass’ Exploring guide.”

Juneau: We are sorry to report the death of our friend Lou McCall, and former Harbormaster of the Juneau harbors. Lou passed away November 20, 2008 after a long and brave battle with cancer. Despite his treatments, he kept at his job with a smile and his usual good humor until the end of October last year.

Lou took the job of June Harbormaster in 2004, after having served as Deputy Harbormaster in Sitka where we first became friends. Under Lou’s tenure, Harris Harbor was rebuilt and the downtown harbors were cleaned. Customer Service was his standard, and his door was always open. We will miss him.

Rocky Pass: “Going either direction there will be a long run between the south entrance and a good anchorage. On the north end near Kake there are several close-by anchorages as well as Kake itself from which to stage. We came out the south end into uncomfortable seas in Sumner Strait with no choice but to press on. There are two anchorages just west of the south end but neither sounded suitable to us.”

In summer 2008, Réanne met with the US Coast Guard regarding their remarking of Rocky Pass after the Douglasses published their original research in the early 1990s. (Watch for more information.)

Sitka: Réanne and her East Coast granddaughter, Kathleen, rented single kayaks and, together, spent an afternoon exploring the islands around Sitka Sound. Kayak rentals are available during the summer at Crescent Harbor. They also took Davey Lubin’s Marine Wildlife Tour on his Esther G. See his website: www.puffinsandwhales.com. We saw a lot of wildlife and whales up close!

Guided tours offers are also offered through other operators. Google the Sitka website for information.

We hear that Ray Majeski will return in spring of 2009. Stay tuned.

Wrangell: "The town goes all out for the 4th of July. There was a parade on the main street and log rolling and other competitions as well as a lot of street dining options. The fireworks show started at 1055 p.m. and went for 25 minutes. It wasn’t the biggest or best we have seen but pretty impressive for a small town.”

Wrangell Harbor authorities estimate that work on Heritage Harbor will be completed by summer of 2009. There will limited moorage for transient vessels. No rafting was necessary in Wrangell Harbor in 2008 due to the partial opening of Heritage (i.e. locals having moved there).

New owners of the Stikine Inn, Bill and Cheryl Goodale, have substantially renovated the facilities, including the diningroom and bar (excellent cuisine!), a photo gallery and a hair salon. Check their website (www.stikineinn.com) or call 888-874-3388. Bill and Cheryl are the owners of a 48’ Krogen and long-time supporters of the Douglass Exploring series.

Several companies offer jet boat excursions up the Stikine River or to the Anan Bear Observatory. Réanne and Kathleen took the all-day Stikine River tour with artisit Brenda Swartz Yeager and made it up to the icebergs in.

Contact the following operators: Alaska Charters and Adventures, run by artist Brenda Swartz tel: 888.993.2750; www.alaskaupclose.com. Alaska Waters’, Chutine Warrior, is the only jet boat with a head and galley; www.alaskawaters.com. Book early for tours to Anan Bear Observatory; slots at the Observatory are limited and the tours fill quickly each season.

Petersburg: You’re missing an adventure if you fail to rent a bike and head south on Mitkof Island. We did 26 miles in summer or 2008 and, despite the rain, were able to stop and hike the many trails along Wrangell Narrows. Be prepared, though, for any kind of weather; and take water and snacks.

We also took Ron Loesch’s day-long tour to Le Conte Glacier. For three different seasons, Don and I had tried to get through the mass of icebergs in the bay, but could never make it. On this trip, Ron got his aluminum boat close enough to the glacier that we were able to photograph its face. Le Conte Glacier, which starts 21 miles northeast at the beginning of the Stikine Icefield is the southernmost glacier in Southeast Alaska and, at present, its only stable tidewater glacier. Since 1983 students of Petersburg High School have been involved in monitoring the advance and/or retreat of the glacier.

Given the state of the economy in 2009, we can’t guarantee that these bikes shops will remain in business, but here are two, with telephone numbers: Zoom Bikes: 907.722.2526; Petersburg Cyclery: 907.722.3929. For a list of other Alaska bike shops, see: www.bicycleshops.us/regional/ak.htm

Kiskosh Inlet and Granite Cove: This place is well worth a visit. It is similar to Baker Inlet in that the entrance requires close attention and it runs about 5 miles from the entrance. Granite Cove is a bowl at the head of the inlet at the outlet for the tidal lagoon. There is plenty of room for a few boats on the extensive smooth area of 40 to 60 foot depths. There is a reef extending a bit from the point on the southwest corner of the cove. The lagoon can be entered only near high tide and with the dinghy. The lagoon is another bowl about the same size as Granite Cove. The best part is the scenery. The area has been logged but long ago and the cut areas are not real obvious any more. It is pretty all around but the massive granite face to the west is very impressive. There are several waterfalls or cascades from the snow field. There are also snow chutes to near sea level in a few places.

Because the clear cutting was so long ago it is not very obvious following the entrance instruction in the Douglass guide. Where it says to head for the far end of a clearcut we think the 4-2 depth indicated on the chart is just as good an aiming point. The chart, though small scale, pretty well shows what you need to do.

Ethelda Bay, Tennant Island, Estevan Sound: With sadness, we are sorry to report the passing, in April 2008, of our friend Dan Pollock of Ethelda Bay, British Columbia. In 1996, Dan and his wife Danielle purchased from the Canadian government the houses, dock, generator station and helicopter pad that had previously housed the maintenance crew of the radio beacon station and worked to develop an abalone hatchery. Dan and Danielle were hosts to Don and Réanne, and many other boaters who made a stop at their remote island off Estevan Sound. We have fond memories of our last visit when John Leone, Don and I hiked to the top of Trutch Island with Danielle to explore the old early-warning system facilities and enjoy the expansive view of the Pacific.

Dan's ashes were scattered in Devlin Bay where he and Danielle spent much of their lives together on the ocean. Danielle wrote: "That is what he wanted . . . That was hard—to say goodbye and ‘see ya later Capt'n Dan . . .” Danielle moved to Prince Rupert permanently in the spring of 2008.

Allison Harbour: 35 kilometers (21 miles) from Port Hardy and 21 kilometers (13 miles) northwest of Blunden Harbour, has been designated as a new marine provincial park. Long a favorite of Inside Passage boaters, the harbor extends north or 3. 2 kilometers (2 miles) from its entry at Queen Charlotte Sound. The new park will encompass 132 hectares (326 acres).

Shearwater: Facilities at Shearwater since our 2nd edition of Exploring the North Coast of British Columbia was published in 2002 have been substantially improved. The transient T-dock has 20 to 50 amp power; a new laundry was built; the building that houses the office/chandlery was increased to include a separate store (good supply of provisions and wine/beer).

“In summer of 2008, there was a "boil" order imposed for water; boaters were warned that, if they filled their water tank(s), they would have to continue boiling the water forever. Be aware that the fuel filters at the fuel dock may be ineffective.”

Moorage at the marina has been managed since 2007 by Jean and Wayne Bowerman, former assistants at Lagoon Cove (Exploring British Columiba’s South Coast.) During the summer, call ahead for space availability (250-957-2666 (monitors 66A) and be truthful about the length of your boat. A reader writes: "Jean takes a stick with a wheel on it and paces off your length, and that is what shows on your statement."

Klemtu: “In 2008 there are nice modern shore power fixtures on the public float but they don’t work. Several parts of the bull rails are also broken away. No indication that anyone cares. A young fellow did come to collect moorage fees of about $.60/ft.”

Bottleneck Inlet (Finlayson Channel): Apparently the snag that Tim and Carolyn DeCook originally marked about 4 years ago is still there and now marked with a crab buoy.

Wallace Bight (Finlayson Channel): On our last visit we found the bight extremely well protected and good holding over a mud bottom.

Hartley Bay: Readers write: Floats do not appear to be managed in any way. The woman at the fuel office said to tie up anywhere we liked and there was no charge unless using the 15 amp power. Then they expected a “donation”. Boats were moored in a haphazard way that wasted space that another boat or two could have used. We saw at least two boats arrive and give up to anchor somewhere else. We found the water on the dock to be unusable. It may have been bug free but had a terrible taste. That was from the provided hose at the fuel dock. The taste may have been from the hose but we saw no alternative as it led up from the pilings onto the fuel dock. Everyone we encountered while walking about town was very friendly.

Don and I have always enjoyed our visits at Hartley Bay. The facilities don’t fall under “urban” standards, but people have always been quite friendly. We also feel that they were the true heroes in the aftermath of the Queen of the North disaster. They claim that their fishing grounds have been ruined due to the spill.

Coghlan Anchorage: The buoys shown in the inlet had all been removed before our last visit in April 2007.

Butedale: From a reader dated July 2008: [Butedale] “is definitely rustic but still an OK place to stop for the night. Lou seems to enjoy the company (he talks – a lot). The place continues to deteriorate but he does keep the lights on and the docks were secure even though the mooring ties were a bit different. We had no problems from wakes. The Northern Adventure doesn’t race by throwing a big wake. Instead, it pulls into the bay and all the passengers take pictures of the buildings and waterfall for four or five minutes. Then it takes off again but all is peaceful at the dock.”

Another reader wrote in September 2008: " . . . the building out front that had been half-tipped into the water went all the way over during the summer and the pieces must have floated away. The place is looking very decrepit. Last spring [2008] Lou, the caretaker, told me that many of the buildings had worms eating away the pilings under the buildings and he was afraid that more would fall over the winter [of 2008-2009].

Réanne responds: Butedale is definitely in a state of active decay." We have not felt comfortable about staying in Butedale for some time.

Belize Inlet: Tom, "the Kayaker," wrote us about his favorite kayaking spot on Queen Charlotte Strait: Seymour/Belize Inlet. We share his enthusiasm for this area, as well as his interest in the pictographs and petroglyphs in the inlet. Tom did some sleuthing about the pictograph we feature on page 44 of our North Coast guidebook and reports that the vessel depicted in our photo represented the British trading sloop, "Thornton," attacked by the Nakwoktak [sic] warriors in June of 1868. Tom's source is as follows: "24 Indians in three canoes from the Nakwakto tribe attacked the British trading sloop Thornton, which was nearly becalmed off the Storm Islands in Queen Charlotte Sound. Captain James Douglas Warren and his mate, Steadman, were both severely wounded in the head, chest and side. Fifteen of the Indians were killed and four were wounded in the attack. The first Indian killed was the chief, called a 'noted old scoundrel and long a terror on the coast.' He was shot as he climbed over the side of the ship."

We, as well as Tom, would appreciate hearing from anyone who has information on the pictograph.

Clam Cove, Nigiei Island: A reader writes that Clam Cove is a convenient jumping off point for crossing Cape Caution and that this route is almost 10 miles shrter by not having to go around most of Hope Island. We agree, as our text shows, and feel Clam Cove is an excellent anchorage.

Prideaux Haven: (From a reader) “It was our first visit in August. What a Zoo! We counted at least 50 boats anchored in the main bay. Probably close to another 100 were in the adjoining bays. It was crowded and noisy compared to the quiet anchorages we had seen all the rest of the summer. Around dinner time three ski boat size boats were rafted together and cruised the anchorage playing some Jimmy Buffet music on a boom box. Two seaplanes also operated in the crowded bay. One landed outside and taxied in and the other actually landed and took off amid all the anchored boats.”